Cultivate Good thoughts

Aum Sairam

Who are our Friends and who are our enemies? Our Own Good Thoughts are our friends. Our evil thoughts accompany us like shadows and are our enemies.

When our thoughts are purified our lives will be transformed into ideal ones.

The mind is a Bundle of Thoughts. Actions ensue from thoughts.

From Actions flow the Fruits thereof. Hence thoughts are the seeds which ultimately yield fruits in the form of Good Fortune and Misfortune.

Man is thus the architect of his own life. As thoughts determine actions, it is essential to cultivate Good thoughts.

Allah Malik

Pain and Suffering

Aum Sairam

One Dr. Pillay was an intimate Bhakt of Baba. He was much liked by Baba, who always called him Bhau (brother). Baba talked with him off and on and consulted him in all matters and wanted him always at His side. This Pillay suffered once very badly from guinea-worms. He said to Kakasaheb Dixit, "The pain is most excruciating and unbearable. I prefer death to it. This pain, I know, is for repaying past Karma, but go to Baba and tell Him to stop the pain and transfer the working of my past Karma to ten future births of mine Mr. Dixit went to Baba and told Him his request. Then Baba, being moved by his request, said to Dixit, Tell him to be fearless. Why should he suffer for ten births? In ten days he can work out the sufferings and consequences of his past Karma. While I am here to give him temporal and spiritual welfare, why should he pray for death? Bring him here on somebody's back and let us work and finish his sufferings once for all.

The doctor was brought in that condition and was seated on Baba's right. Baba gave him His bolster and said, Lie calmly here and be at ease. The true remedy is that the result of past actions has to be suffered and got over. Our Karma is the cause of our happiness and sorrow; therefore put up with whatever comes to you. Allah (God) is the sole Dispenser and Protector, always think of Him. He will take care of you. Surrender to His feet with body, mind, wealth and speech, i.e. completely and then see what He does.Dr. Pillay said in return that Nanasaheb had put a bandage over the leg, but he found no relief. Nana is a fool replied Baba. Take off that bandage or else you will die. Now a crow will come and peck you, and then you will recover.

While this conversation was going on, one Abdul who always cleaned the Masjid and trimmed the lamps, turned up. While he was attending to his work of trimming, his foot accidentally fell upon the stretched leg of Dr. Pillay the leg was already badly swollen and when Abdul's foot fell upon it and pressed it, all the seven guinea-worms were squeezed out at once. The pain was unbearable and Dr. Pillay bawled out loudly. After some time, he calmed down and began to sing and cry alternately. Then Baba remarked, See, our Bhau is all right now and singing. Then Pillay inquired when the crow was coming and pecking at him. Baba said, did you not see the crow? He won't come again. Abdul was the crow. Now go and rest yourself in the Wada and you will be soon all right.

By application of the Udi and by taking it in the stomach with water, and without taking any other treatment or medicine, the disease was completely cured in ten days as predicted by Baba.

Allah Malik

Dust of Untruth

Aum Sairam

Woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.

There are times when there is no other option than the truth, even though untruth seems to be the safer choice. Even though the truth leaves you open and vulnerable. Even though you don't know what reactions the truth will cause. That's how it was for the woman. She had touched God's garments, believing that the mere act of laying her hand upon his clothes would bring her the healing she so desired. She thought he would never notice since the crowd was so large. But he did notice. When God asked who had touched him, she knew there could be no skirting of the truth.

So often, that's how it is. We think we are so clever in hiding our motives, our impulses, our thoughts, our actions. We feel certain that we've covered our tracks so well that no one will ever notice what has been thought, or said, or done, and then, when we least expect it, it becomes clear that everything has been as transparent as a freshly cleaned pane of glass. And we know we need to accept responsibility. While we may feel as if we are a rat caught in a trap, we will find ourselves telling the truth simply because we are weary of the dusty, smoky mirror smothering the hope in our soul, and we long to be that freshly cleaned pane of glass.

Oh God, keep the dust of untruth from collecting around my soul so that the light of your love will always shine through me.

Allah Malik

Quality of Devotion

Aum Sairam

Quality of Devotion: Why can't it be the same at all times?

Let us begin with the basic truth that we are humans foremost. God made us imperfect and this is why we cannot have a stable or similar response to the same situation we face at different times in our lives. Those of us who rise above the basic fallibility of human nature are called saints, saints learn to conquer emotions. Where do emotions come from, situations no, they are a result of our mind. The mind being the finest gift of God to mankind compared to other living beings is also the worst, because it is this mind which leads us through a kaleidoscope of emotions.

Having said the above on the human weaknesses, in my humble opinion, this is the major cause of our devotion not being the same at all times. Let me tell you my own experiences to explain my point of view. I am extremely blessed to be under the Merciful gaze of Sri Sai Baba and there is a wealth of experiences that I have the honor of being a part of and sometimes I feel that this is more than what one could hope for, during a lifetime. Sri Sai Baba has given me peace of mind through extremely troubled times because of a personal issue, a fantastic break in my career. Most importantly, He has shown me a Guru who has led me on Sri Sai Baba's path through these years. I chant Sri Sai Baba's glorious name most of the conscious time I spend in a day, offer Him everything I eat, drink and at the end of the day, thank Him for another wonderful day in my life. Amongst all these highs, my unresolved personal problem comes to mind and all kinds of negative thoughts float around anger, self pity, depression, envy for others who seem to be better off.

Be happy remembering what you are fortunate to have, don't think of what you don't have but it is not so. It is the human mind and the basic human nature which makes devotion different at different times. My fault here is that I do not exercise enough control on my mind to take it away from these negative thoughts. I am not saying that we can eliminate the negative thoughts, but we can definitely reduce the frequency of their occurrence or curb them when they do come up. But in the end, I know in my heart that He will give me what I need and that is not always what I want. Everything He gives me is for my good and I may not realize this at the time it happens.

Well, however bad my mood swings be, I come back to Him and love Him as much as I do and even more, for the Kindness He has shown me and the blessing of having His grace in my life.

Allah Malik

Seek God

Aum Sairam

Seek God through the gate way of renunciation and devotion. Lead a complete life, not a life of trivialities. A life of desultory existence is a life of decadence. Enrich your life with thoughts of God, if you wish to live in peace and joyousness- A life of self-centeredness leads to destruction of mental peace- It is a way down the hill in the valley of despair. Kindle the lamp of your heart with the flame of God and you will raise to heights of ecstasy, beyond your dreams-Garner the fruit of wisdom from the garden of your life and share it with your brothers and sisters tied to you in holy union. Life is a delicious fruit, if you sweeten it with the name of God. It is bitter, if you taste it, without taking His name. Sweet or bitter, as the course of your life may be, do not for a moment forget God. He is ever present in you. He will free you if you think of Him and long for Him with all the intensity of your heart, mind and soul. Seek God through the path of renunciation for that is the only way open to reach Him. Seek Him in all earnestness and you will find Him.

Allah Malik

Take the First Step

Aum Sairam

When we take one step toward Sri Sai, He takes seven steps toward us.

If our ego is to know spirit, we must make the first move. Spirit does not come down and knock on our door. It sits waiting for us to acknowledge it. We must want to change and take the initiative and persevere. The love of spirit will embrace us. But we must take the first steps.

In what areas of your life are you ready for change? What step can you take to open the door to new possibilities? It starts with you.

Faith is not complacent; faith is action. You don’t have faith and wait. When you have faith, you move.

It is not my business to think about myself. My business is to think about Sri Sai. It is for Sri Sai to think about me.

Allah Malik

Adopt the Path of Humanity

Aum Sairam

To achieve anything in life, man must sometimes give up something, even his own sanity, to keep religion established, adopt the path of humanity.

Religion involves believing in and worshiping God while doing what is morally right, and never giving up, no matter how hard the fight.

Whether you are a Hindu, Sikh, Muslim or Christian, live like a true human first, and know yourself by quenching the spirit’s thirst.

The path of humanity involves being aware that we are all part of the same spirit, only then are we worthy of any special merit.

Today, we are worse than animals, back stabbing and eating one another like hungry cannibals.

Religion can remain established through self-realization, which is possible only after God realization.

The more we remember this all-pervading spirit and all other teachings of the True Master; we will adopt the path of humanity much faster.

Sometimes I feel that the path of humanity is impossible to adopt because I am not always in a spiritual mood, but then the grace of God uplifts my soul by giving it its real food.

Sri Sai Baba, please help us all to get rid of our insanity, and to remember, to keep religion established, adopt the path of humanity.

Allah Malik

Doing Nothing Is Best Course

Aum Sairam

Through Shama Kasinath Upasani Baba asked for permission to leave Shirdi. Sri Sai said, Let him stay on. Then Shama asked what he was to do. Sri Sai’s answer was to do nothing. Kasinath could not understand what he should do remaining there doing nothing. But doing nothing was only external appearance. Doing nothing in Sri Sai’s parlance meant being receptive and receiving everything from him.

In Sri Sai’s Guru Parampara, Sishya’s work is simply nothing. The entire operation of molding, remolding, raising and reaching the top of the highest spiritual experience is the work of the Guru and the Guru alone. His mighty power moulds everything, internal and external, and the result is the sishya is tuned into the likeness of the Guru [Apana Sarika Karitat] and that is what Sri Sai meant by saying let him remain doing nothing.

Sri Sai asked him to go and live in solitude [as he already loved solitude] at Khandoba temple, just outside the village, and not mix with people but to remain alone, doing nothing. Kasinath’s tendencies could not be so very easily overcome. Evil as he was considered to be as a boy by the superior members of his family, he was a great pundit especially after his studies in Sangli and literary efforts at Amraoti, when compared with the people at Shirdi. His learning, his mastery of Sanskrit and general information was far superior to those of the ordinary pundit.

He was anxious to go on either with mantra or with study, which alone he understood to be the constituents of real religion. Sri Sai allowed him to indulge in these for a time, but these were not part of Sri Sai’s course for his pupil. Studies are hindrances, as they rise in the minds of the pupil that he is learned, that he is something, and that he must understand everything put to him with his intellect and then rise with the help of that intellect and his book learning. These are all egregious mistakes in Sri Sai’s course.

In Sri Sai’s course, the spiritual experience is sort of chemical extract inherent in and constituting the spiritual body of Sri Sai, the Guru, and is poured into the soul of the sishya, which must receptively receive and absorb the same. The entire work is that of the Guru. The sishya must swallow with deep humility, passivity, and receptivity and assimilate the pre-digested food.

Kasinath could not understand this, and went on with his studies especially when he met congenial spirits like G. S. Khaparde, Chidambaram Pillai and others and later went on telling stories and lecturing. Anyhow Sri Sai had giving him directions, and set to work upon him in a number of ways.

The first essential preparatory step in Sri Sai’s course is not book learning, but the development of humility and receptivity. These could result from perfect faith, absolute faith, unlimited and powerful faith in the Guru. The Guru must be everything to the sishya, the giver of bread, the giver of life and light and the giver of all that life is worth living for, and at one stroke. He must not regard anything else. This alone is the tyaga or tan, Man, Dhan, Body, mind and possessions. This, Sri Sai himself has fully described in setting out his relations with his own Guru. Sri Sai expected that others who came as pupils to him should adopt the same course. But none of the persons that came to Sri Sai could adopt the entire course. As Sri Sai himself said on one occasion, Is there any one who will serve me as I served my Master, that is, with perfect Nishta and with absolute surrender? There was none.

Allah Malik

Belief

Aum Sairam

Belief comes spontaneously. Belief comes by effort. In the spiritual life, a sincere, advanced and surrendered seeker can and will have spontaneous belief. Belief by personal effort, without the divine grace and Sri Sai's unconditional protection, cannot be as effective as spontaneous belief.

We have two principal organs: the eye and the ear. Our eyes quite often, if not always, believe themselves. Our ears very often believe others. These are our human eyes and our human ears. But the divine eye, the third eye, will believe only in the vision of Divinity, and the divine ears will believe only in the truth of reality. When we listen to the inner command, when we have the capacity to grow into constant obedience to our Inner Pilot we feel within and without the presence of spontaneous belief. Belief is the reality of our inner obedience. This is divine belief.

Belief is power. A real seeker of the infinite Truth knows this. An insincere and uninspiring seeker is aware of the truth that belief is power, but he cannot go beyond understanding or awareness; whereas a sincere, genuine, devoted and surrendered seeker knows that belief is dynamic power, and he has this power as his very own.

We see a tree. The tree bears flowers, and soon afterwards we see fruits. The flower is the harbinger of the fruit. In the spiritual life, belief is the flower. Belief is a divine angel which enters into us as the harbinger of the Lord Supreme.

If we do not have belief, we can develop belief by mixing with sincere spiritual people who care more for Sri Sai than for pleasure. There are also people who care only for Sri Sai in human beings, and if we mix with those people we can cultivate belief. When we have belief, we can walk with Sri Sai in His Garden of Light and Delight.

Allah Malik

Habit

Aum Sairam

To remember God's name all the time needs lot of sadhana. It is said that repeated thoughts become action, repeated actions form a habit, and repeated habits form a character. Everything starts with the thought. Therefore, it is advisable for us to follow a discipline of praying and chanting God's name on a regular basis in our leisure time. However small it may be, it does not matter. Chanting with sincere heart matters.

In Shri Sai Satcharitra, Shri Hemadpant, tells us that Sri Sai made him to finish the pothi, which he had left unfinished during that day. This shows the importance of discipline in life. We start ascending upwards with our efforts and it is sure that God's grace descends on us. Sri Sai is such a kind mother and looks after us once we surrender to him. Whether we remember him or not in times of crisis, he is there to help us. But, a smooth running flow of thought, especially in times of crisis, saves us a lot of wastage of energy from our nervous system that means more energy and more vitality in times of stress comes to us by remembering Sri Sai's name.

Some times, our thoughts become blank in frightening situations. This should not deter us from our sadhana. The situation resembles a clogged fountain with abundance of water supply. All of us love Sri Sai very much, but sometimes, our mind conditioning prevents us from chanting and remembering the name of Sri Sai at the exact moment of crisis. The regular practice and prayer enables us to remember Sri Sai all the time. Practice makes man perfect. Let us pray to Sri Sai to grant us the Shraddha and Saburi needed for the practice.

Allah Malik

Oh God Keep Me Alert

Aum Sairam

May This Thursday [Baba's Day] Bring You Strength, Good luck, Success, Happiness and Joy

We just need to look out for one another. Shakespeare was right when he wrote that no one is an island, and yet we often live our lives in direct opposition to that timeless truth. Not only do we find ourselves unable to sustain a spirit of awareness about our own lives, we also find that we can be so completely engrossed in the affairs of our own daily existence that we are asleep to the needs of others around us who are at risk.

The other hurdle, of course, is that serving as a wakeful wall of protection for others can seem like yet another should on our to-do list. It takes an incredible amount of focus and concentration simply to attend to and follow-through on all the responsibilities of our own life, much less have to watch out for others. Surprisingly, when we keep our eyes and heart, our soul and mind poised in watchfulness for the enemies [who pounce on unsuspecting victims like hungry cats descending on a bowl of tuna], we find that personal awareness is no longer so difficult to maintain and the time required to fulfill the plethora of responsibilities in our own lives seems to lessen. When we are willing to blanket others like early morning dew, heaven drops a layer of protection around us, and we find ourselves slipping into a room of wholeness and balance that before seemed as elusive as trying to catch the moon.

Oh God, keep me alert on this Thursday [Baba’s Day] to the needs of those who are prey to the whims of those stronger than themselves.

Allah Malik

Dissolve on This Thursday

Aum Sairam

Happy Baba’s Day

Any attempt to get rid of painful feelings or memories is a judgment of them, and judgment locks them more firmly into place. The only way you can truly demonstrate unconditional love and acceptance of painful feelings is to allow them to be experienced and expressed consciously within you.

They are from the past. You do not have to believe in them or identify with them. Just allow them expression. Allow them to be experienced within you. They will then relax.

If they are truly accepted and experienced, they will dissolve, not because you are trying to get rid of them, but because you have truly owned and accepted them.

Allah Malik

Balance in your life

Aum Sairam

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - Work - Family - Health - Friends - Spirit, and you're keeping all of these in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls -- family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered.

They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?

1. Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
2. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
3. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
4. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
5. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
6. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us together.
7. Don't be afraid to encounter risks It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
8. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
9. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
10. Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
11. Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
12. Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

Allah Malik

An Outer Appearance of Saintliness

Aum Sairam

An Outer Appearance of Saintliness

Of what avail is an outer appearance of saintliness
If the mind suffers inwardly from knowledge of its iniquity?

He who has not attained the power yet wears the garb of saints
it’s like a cow that grazes about wearing a tiger’s skin.

He who conceals himself beneath saintly robes and commits sins
Is like the hunter who hides in the bushes to snare unwary birds.

Allah Malik

[Baba's Day] Sri Sai Baba Correcting the Devotees

Aum Sairam

May This Thursday [Baba's Day] Bring You Strength, Goodluck, Success, Happiness and Joy

Everyone makes mistakes but it is only when we realize, correct them and behave according to what we have learnt, that we can really benefit from them. Sri Sai Baba likes us to do this. It makes him happy! Let us look at some of the teachings Sri Sai Baba gave to his devotees while he was correcting them.

Once a devotee called Madhur Das came from Anjanwel to Shirdi for Sri Sai Baba's darshan and stayed at the house of Sagun Meru Naik. One day both these devotees had maliciously gossiped about the failings of their fellow devotees. When Madhur Das went to the mosque afterwards Sri Sai Baba asked him irritably, what is Sagun saying? Madhur Das immediately realized that his conversation with Sagun Meru Naik had hurt Sri Sai Baba deeply. The indulgence in malicious gossip not only wastes valuable time, but eventually it will also become our nature and we will start seeing even the good in others as bad. It will scar us psychologically. We should spend the time not in finding the bad in others, but in distinguishing the good in them and in identifying in others the loving form of Sri Sai Baba who is in all of us. If we concentrate on seeing and talking about the Sri Sai Baba in us, and of Sri Sai Baba's leela’s [examples of power and miracles] that itself becomes satsang [literally, association with truth; the gathering of devotees to pray, to fill themselves with God consciousness.]

Once in Shirdi, a devotee was maliciously gossiping about another devotee and was fabricating various allegations about him. Sri Sai Baba, who was omniscient, knew of this. As Sri Sai Baba was going to Lendi baug that afternoon, this devotee had come for his darshan. Sri Sai Baba showed him a pig and said, Look, see how that pig is eating excreta with great liking. Your nature too is like that pig. How happily are you denigrating your fellow devotee! What benefit can you gain by coming to Shirdi if you behave thus?

The devotee realized his mistake and repented. The pig may eat excreta and feel happy about it, but to the onlooker it is a loathsome sight. In the same way if we are inclined to fabricate and spread malicious gossip about our fellows it makes us loathsome in the eyes of others. It is said that in such behavior the accumulated merit goes to the slandered person and his sins are accrued to the slanderer. The yogis therefore say that the slandered person should thank the slanderer for taking away his sin and giving abundantly of his accumulated merit. Why therefore should one slander others and pick up their sins too?

Once a devotee was distributing halva as Prasad at the mosque. Another devotee was not on good terms with him and did not accept the Prasad from his hands. Sri Sai Baba noticed this and asked, did you take the Prasad? No replied the devotee, He and I have some differences, I will not accept anything from his hands. Sri Sai Baba said, who is the giver and who is the receiver and what is the thing given? It is all one. Do not have enmity for anyone. So we should not hate anyone. In fact, why do we feel anger? Why do we have differences of opinion? It is simply because of the feeling of ego underlying the I and My. It is our ahamkara or the egoistic self who makes us feel so. Under its influence we feel that our opinion is the right one and that everyone else is wrong. When others do not agree with us, then we start arguing with them. This becomes more and more heated and in time it develops into anger. This in turn leads to hatred, envy and jealousy. That is why Sri Sai Baba used to say that the foundation of all anger is the ahamkara of I and My.

While it may be difficult to eradicate the ego, it is not difficult to emerge victorious over anger and hate. The practice of a little patience and forbearance, and the retreat from arguments will reduce anger and destroy hate. We are traveling in the path of Sri Sai Baba our conduct therefore should be above reproach. Let us therefore on this Thursday be careful not to pick on the faults of others or spread malicious gossip about them, and walk proudly along the Sai Tatwa.

Allah Malik

Relationship Prayer

Aum Sairam

My Lord Sai

Grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other.

Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust.

Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony.

May we always bear with one another's weaknesses and grow from each other's strengths.

Help us to forgive one another's failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self.

May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year.

Bring us both ever closer to You, my Sai, through our love for each other.

Let our love grow to perfection.

Allah Malik

Handling Love

Aum Sairam

If you find yourself in love with someone who does not love you, be gentle with yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. Love just didn't choose to rest in the other person's heart.

If you find someone else in love with you and you don't love her/him, feel honored that love came and called at your door, but gently refuse the gift you cannot return. Do not take advantage, do not cause pain. How you deal with love is how you deal with you, and all our hearts feel the same pains and joys, even if our lives and ways are different.

If you fall in love with another, and she falls in love with you, and then love chooses to leave, do not try to reclaim it or to assess blame, let it go. There is a reason and there is a meaning. You will know in time.

Remember that you don't choose love. Love chooses you. All you can really do is accept it for all its mystery when it comes into your life. Feel the way it fills you to overflowing, then reach out and give it away.

Give it back to the person who brought it alive in you.Give it to others who deem it poor in spirit.Give it to the world around you in anyway you can.

This is where many lovers go wrong. Having been so long without love, they understand love only as a need. They see their hearts as empty places that will be filled by love, and they begin to look at love as something that flows to them rather than from them.

The first blush of new love is filled to overflowing, but as their love cools, they revert to seeing their love as need. They cease to be someone who generates love and instead become someone who seeks love. They forget that the secret of love is that it is a gift, and that it can be made to grow only by giving it away.

Remember this, and keep it to your heart. Love has its own time, its own seasons, and its own reason for coming and going. You cannot bribe it or coerce it, or reason it into saying. You can only embrace it when it arrives and give it away when it comes to you.

But if it chooses to leave from your heart or from the heart of your lover, there is nothing you can do and there is nothing you should do. Love always has been and always will be a mystery.
Be glad that it came to live for a moment in your life. Don't deny love just only you don't want to be hurt...

IF YOU KEEP YOUR HEART OPEN, IT WILL COME AGAIN.

Allah Malik

Sadguru

Aum Sairam

Das Ganu sought Sri Sai Baba for an explanation of a highly complicated metaphysical work, the Upanishad. Sri Sai Baba blessed him and said, "You need not be anxious, there is no difficulty about the matter, the maid servant of Kakasaheb Dixit will solve your doubts at Vile Parle, on your way home." Those who were present around thought that Sri Sai Baba was joking, but not Das Ganu. He knew fully well that seemingly meaningless utterances of Sadguru Sri Sainath Maharaj are nothing but utter truths and the most competent authority for any explanation is only Sadguru Sri Sainath Maharaj and none else.Faith in Sri Sai Baba grows as the sadhana intensifies, taking the seeker to different levels of perception. It can be said that such faith in most cases is just a relative measure of one's standing with his or her Sadguru Sri Sainath Maharaj. However, the highest stage of spirituality there can only be one truth one definition and one experience about it. "Many devotees are heard saying that they have 'faith in Sri Sai Baba', 'full faith in Sri Sai Baba' or are 'Surrendered'. Would one ask them as to why and how they got this faith for Sri Sai Baba, the general reply is that In their difficult times they prayed to Sri Sai Baba and got the required help and, therefore, think that Sri Sai Baba will help them when ever they desire to avoid painful situations or pray for desirable happenings. Some of them are even seen to criticize other devotees for not having as much faith as they have and thereby enjoy a sense of spiritual superiority as if they and not Sri Sai Baba have the right and capacity to pass such value judgments on such matters.

A seeker in his pursuit does encounter occasional glimpses of God's magnificence, but that does not completely make him competent to explain the Supreme to everyone. Unless all the samskaras vanish, the seeker cannot be considered as the one that is sought! Even the great souls that lived with Saint God during the golden age had to go through those phases whereas devotees such as Das Ganu had in their capacity to abide by the complete faith in Sri Sai Baba. Let us remember and offer our prostrations to the Sadguru Sri Sainath Maharaj who is the only competent.
Allah Malik

Self Confidence

Aum Sairam

Self confidence is the source of all success.

Though people talk about self-confidence, they have really no confidence in the Self [the Spirit]. It is essential for every man to have Atman visvaasam [confidence in the Self]. Self confidence is the foundation for the mansion of Life, with Self-satisfaction as the walls, Self sacrifice as the roof and Self realization as the dwelling. The Self is at the root of everything. Without confidence in the Self, life becomes utterly meaningless. Life is infinitely precious. It should not be wasted in mere eating and sleeping. It should be lived for realizing the Supreme. Man is endowed with a body for realizing the Divine. He must lead an ideal life.

"Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a game, play it."

Self confidence may be compared to the foundation of the edifice of life. We should have Self confidence that is confidence in ourselves, instead of confidence in the world. Self satisfaction may be compared to the walls, Self-sacrifice to the roof and Self realization to the happiness we derive from living in the mansion of the human body. With Self confidence we will be able to face and surmount the difficulties of life. With Self confidence we can accomplish anything and secure joy.

Any task undertaken with self-confidence ensures success. Therefore, self confidence is absolutely essential for every person. If you expect others to respect and love you, you should respect and love them equally. Without respecting or loving others, you cannot expect any reciprocal feeling from others. In the same way, if you love God, God loves you. Life consists of reaction, resound and reflection. You exactly get back what you do to others.

Allah Malik

From Dark to Brightness

Aum Sairam

One should understand that the body is not the only living thing, but internally there is Atman that is divine, and does not have birth or death. Atman wears different dresses that are nothing but a body, a life and this goes on till the internal Atman has achieved the whole of spiritual knowledge and does not have any desire and reaches the paramatma.

But to achieve this in life one has to conquer all his desires by having grip on his senses. However, to do this one has to have a guru who can help one in achieving the highest goal. But he can only help us when we have faith in him.

Sri Sai Baba is the sadguru who can draw devotees with full faith and surrender or even those who are trying themselves for surrendering to him and then lord Sai helps them in achieving the highest goal. But for all these one should get faith on their guru and to get that faith from his devotees God can do anything and performs miracles.

The birth and death are pain and to realize oneself from this bondage of earthly life one has to take help of his sadguru. And then the guru drives the chariot of heart tied to the horses which are nothing but our senses and lead them in a virtuous path by preventing them of being lost in the four directions or distractions. He also removes the darkness of the path with the brightness of
knowledge and guides them to the God.

Allah Malik

Happy Mothers Day

Aum Sairam

My most loving wishes for a Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers through the generations.

God must have known there would be time; we’d need a gentle touch, a tender, understanding heart to love us very much,
He must have known we'd need someone to listen to our cares, in loving thoughts and prayers, So in His boundless wisdom, He sent us from above the dearest blessing in the world.

A MOTHER'S PRECIOUS LOVE!
For all the ways you're special
For the faith you share and the love you give,
For the wisdom, gentleness and courage
For the grace which taught us the real beauty,

Thanks a million, Mom!

Allah Malik

To Mother

Every year on Mother's Day, my mother always tells us not to give her anything. So I and my brothers and sisters always try to do something for her. Some years back I sat down and wrote her a poem. It now is framed and is hanging on her living room wall.

You brought us up all our life showing us wrong from right
There was a time I was upset but I know now it was good sense.
You kept us warm and kept us fed you even checked on us when we were in bed.
I never know how much you cared.

Till Romi wrecked his bike and hit his head you came out of the house with your housecoat on so Romi would not be alone
There are so many mothers in this world but I have to say you are the best one

There was a time you were hard on us, I was mad but after years went by I am glad
There's times I stop and think how wonderful it is to have a mother so great with all you said and did

I'm glad you didn't give up on this kid so after this I have to say
You are a special mother to this day
So sit down on this beautiful day
Because you earned I have to say.

Happy Mothers Day

Mothers Day [Roses for Mama]

A man stopped at a flower shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived two hundred miles away. As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing. He asked her what was wrong and she replied, I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents, and a rose costs two dollars.

The man smiled and said, Come on in with me. I'll buy you a rose. He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's flowers. As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home. She said, yes, please! You can take me to my mother.

She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.

The man returned to the flower shop, cancelled the wire order, picked up a bouquet and drove the two hundred miles to his mother's house.

Richness of Life

Aum Sairam

A Tax Auditor came many years ago to a poor servant of God to determine the amount of taxes he would have to pay.

What property do you possess? List all your possessions, please the auditor instructed.

The poor servant of God replied

First - I have everlasting life.
Second - I have a mansion in heaven.
Third - I have peace that passes understanding.
Fourth - I have joy unspeakable.
Fifth - I have divine love that never fails.
Sixth - I have a faithful wife.
Seventh - I have healthy, happy, obedient children.
Eighth - I have true, loyal friends.
Ninth - I have songs in the night.
Tenth - I have crown of life.
Eleventh - I have a Savior, Lord Sri Sainath, who supplies all my needs.

The Tax Auditor closed his book and said, truly you are a very rich man, but your property is not subject to taxation!

Allah Malik

Wings of My Heart

Aum Sairam

Gonna fly on the wings of my heart, gonna carry me across the sea
Gonna fly on the wings of my love, and sit at Sri Sai's feet.

Well I love my Sri Sai, yes I love Him so [Wings of my heart gonna carry me]
And I know He is with me wherever I go [Wings of my love gonna set me free]
He loves all the creatures both great and small [Wings of my heart gonna carry me]
He says I love everybody, one and all [Wings of my love gonna set me free]

Gonna fly on the wings of my heart, gonna carry me across the sea
Gonna fly on the wings of my love, and sit at Sri Sai's feet.

He is bringing righteousness to the earth [Wings of my heart gonna carry me]
That's why He has taken this human birth [Wings of my love gonna set me free]
He is bringing liberation for you and me [Wings of my heart gonna carry me]
My Baba is here to set us free [Wings of my love gonna set me free]

Gonna fly on the wings of my heart, gonna carry me across the sea
Gonna fly on the wings of my love, and sit at Sri Sai's feet.

He helps the helpless, and He feeds the poor [Wings of my heart gonna carry me]
Compassion, service what life is for [Wings of my love gonna set me free]
Well, I am going to Shirdi, and I haven't a care [Wings of my heart gonna carry me]
Cause I know Sri Sai is everywhere [Wings of my love gonna set me free]

Gonna fly on the wings of my heart, gonna carry me across the sea
Gonna fly on the wings of my love, and sit at Sri Sai's feet.

Allah Malik

The Lust of Possession

Aum Sairam

When You Keep thinking about sense objects, attachment comes. Attachment breeds desire, the lust of possession that burns to anger. Anger clouds the judgment; you can no longer learn from past mistakes. Lost is the power to choose between what is wise and what is unwise, and your life is utter waste. But when you move amidst the world of sense, free from attachment and aversion alike, there comes the peace in which all sorrows end, and you live in the wisdom of the self.

Allah Malik

Ram and Rahim

Aum Sairam

Sri Sai Baba: PRANIPATA means complete surrender of the Body, Mind and Wealth to the Guru, Sri Sai said that his parents were Hindus. He kept the sacred fire burning and explained chapters from the Shree Bhagavad Gita and other Holy Books. Hence the Hindus regarded him as one of them. But he dressed like a Muslim Fakir, and had the name of Allah always on his lips. He recited Persian verses and taught the essence of the Quran. So the Muslims thought that he was one of them.

Sri Sai: ALLAH RAKHEGA VAISA RAHENA! Let us be content and submit our will to Allah!

One day, a small child of four came to Sri Sai with some flowers.

Child: Sai, they worship God in the temples with flowers. Seeing the child's faith Sri Sai's heart melted with love.

Child: You are my God. Please bless me! At this few Hindu devotees became bold and started worshiping him. Their Hearts, too, were filled with pure devotion. So Sri Sai submitted quietly.

But a Muslim devotee was upset. This devotee had great respect for Sri Sai, but he could not tolerate the Hindus worshiping him.

Muslim Devotee: Baba, you should not let them worship you. It is against our faith!

Sri Sai: Do not be disturbed by what you see. All that is ALLAH! The answer only enraged him the more. One day, he decides to strike Baba. Just then, Sri Sai turned and touched his left wrist... and under Sri Sai's look, the devotee fell to the ground in a daze. Mir Jaman, another Muslim follower also protested against the Hindu manner of Worship.

Second Muslim: Sai, those Hindus are mad! Give your permission and slay them.

Sri Sai: Mir, It is I who am mad, because I let them worship me. Slay me first! At this, Mir Jaman quietly put his sword back into its scabbard.

Sri Sai: Be Tolerant, Mir, have faith in ALLAH and he will bless you! Thus did Sri Sai succeed in bringing unity between Hindus and Muslims? In his presence they forgot their differences of caste and creed and became good friends.

Sri Sai: God is ONE. They call him by different names. Ram and Rahim are one. So do not quarrel. Love each other. Follow your own religion and seek the truth

Allah Malik

Equal Eye

Aum Sairam

An outstanding aspect of Sri Sai is that He is beyond distinctions of religion, caste or creed. He embodied all religions and preached the Universal religion of Love.

Devotees of all faiths find their meeting point in Sri Sai and people from all communities and all walks of life are united by the great love and reverence Sri Sai inspires in them. Sri Sai had great regard for His Hindu devotees and their Gurus and He responded to their needs and permitted worship according to the Hindu and other religious rituals. At the same time His dwelling place was a Masjid [Mosque] and the name of Allah was ever on His lips. HE described Himself as in Service to God [ALLAH] and as a soul ever remembering ALLAH – [YAD-A-HAKKA]

People today flock Shirdi in ever-increasing numbers to pay homage to the Divine and to experience the truth of Sri Sai’s promise that He would be active in answering devotee’s prayers even from His tomb. Like Ten Commandments Sri Sai has given eleven assurances to humanity for welfare.

Sri Sai said that He was a slave in the service of those who loved Him that He was ever living to help those who turn to Him and that He has to take care of His children day and night. He then taught values of total surrender to the Almighty Master [ALLAH MALIK EK- The only ONE] and experiences his grace.

In coming to Sri Sai’s Shirdi His children experience the truth how Sri Sai unfailingly fulfills His commitments to His devotees by coming to their rescue in times of crisis.

Allah Malik

You Say – Sai Says On This Beautiful Thursday

Aum Sairam

May This Thursday [Baba's Day] Bring You Strength, Good luck, Success, Happiness and Joy

You say: "It's impossible"
Sai says: All things are possible
You say: "I'm too tired"
Sai says: I will give you rest
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
Sai says: I love you
You say: "I can't go on"
Sai says: My grace is sufficient
You say: "I can't figure things out"
Sai says: I will direct your steps
You say: "I can't do it"
Sai says: You can do all things
You say: "I'm not able"
Sai says: I am able
You say: "It's not worth it"
Sai says: It will be worth it
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
Sai says: I forgive you
You say: "I can't manage"
Sai says: I will supply all your needs
You say: "I'm afraid"
Sai says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
Sai says: Cast all your cares on ME
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
Sai says: I give you wisdom
You say: "I feel all alone"
Sai says: I will never leave you or forsake you

The first sentence is pretty powerful!

Sri Sai determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.

Sadguru Sri Sai bless all my friends in whatever it is that you know they may need this Beautiful Thursday! And may their life be full of your peace, prosperity and power as they seek to have a closer relationship with you.

Sri Sai has a positive answer.

Allah Malik

God Speaks To the Ears of Every Heart

Aum Sairam

May This Thursday [Baba's Day] Bring You Strength, Good luck, Success, Happiness and Joy

God speaks to the ears of every heart, but it is not every heart that hears Him.

Spirituality has become far removed from material life, and so God is far removed from humanity. Therefore, one cannot any more conceive of God speaking through a man, through someone like oneself. Even a religious man who reads the holy book every day will have great difficulty in understanding the verse, 'Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.' The Sufi message and its mission are to bring this truth to the consciousness of the world: that man can dive so deep within himself that he can touch the depths where he is united with the whole of life, with all souls, and that he can derive from that source harmony, beauty, peace and power.

God speaks to everyone, not only to the messengers and teachers. He speaks to the ears of every heart, but it is not every heart which hears it. His voice is louder than the thunder, and His light is clearer than the sun -- if one could only see it, if one could only hear it. In order to see it and in order to hear it man should remove this wall, this barrier which he has made of the self. Then he becomes the flute upon which the divine Player may play the music of Orpheus which can charm even the hearts of stone; then he rises from the cross into the life everlasting

Allah Malik

When Things Go Wrong

Aum Sairam

Sometimes, we wonder "What did I do to deserve this", or "Why did God have to do this to me".

Here is an explanation!!!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong. She's failing Algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake. She asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake."

Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers. "Yuck" says her daughter. How about a couple of raw eggs?"

Gross, Mom!"

Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" Mom, those are all yucky!"

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves.

But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times.

But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good!

We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

God is very much in love with you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning.

Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen.

He can live anywhere in the universe, but He chose your heart”.

Allah Malik

The Golden Stairs

Aum Sairam

A Clean Life
An open mind
A pure heart
An eager intellect
An unveiled spiritual perception
A brotherliness for all
A readiness to give and receive advice and instruction
A loyal sense of duty to the Teacher
A willing obedience to the behests of TRUTH, once we have placed our confidence in and believe that Teacher to be in possession of it
A courageous endurance of personal injustice
A brave declaration of principles
A valiant defense of those who are unjustly attacked, and
A constant eye to the ideal of human progression and perfection which
the Sacred Science depicts

These are the golden stairs up the steps of which the learner may climb to the Temple of Divine Wisdom.

Allah Malik

The Gift of Understanding

Aum Sairam

The gift of understanding is more precious than any other attribute of Love — be it expressed in service or sacrifice.

Love can be blind, selfish, greedy, ignorant, but love with understanding can be none of these things. It is the Divine fruit of Pure Love, the rare fruit or flower of the Universe. It has been called "The Sweetest Flower in the entire world!" Age cannot wither it.

It grows lovelier as it casts off its outer garment, disclosing its unseen beauty within.

Allah Malik

Time Management

Aum Sairam

Sri Sai Baba prescription for prudent time management

As we have entered the New Millennium, it is pertinent for all of us to get an in-depth knowledge of Time which is very precious and valuable.

Man has got 24 hours in a day at his disposal. We should make use of this extremely precious time in a useful and wise way. Sri Sai Baba has recommended the following:

6 Hours for Sleeping
6 Hours for Exercise
6 Hours for Social Work (Seva)
6 Hours for Spiritual activities and chanting God’s Name

Time is God. Time wasted is life wasted. We should not waste time [even a second] in worldly pleasures, like idle gossiping [idle man’s workshop]; gambling [money-waste workshop]; smoking; drinking, etc. Instead, utilize this holy time in chanting God’s name, like Ram Ram, Sri Sai, Allah Allah, Sai Ram Sai Ram, Jesus Jesus, etc. We can also serve the society in feeding the poor, building schools and hospitals and imparting education for the under privileged children.

To know the exact time, we all make use of watches. Let us describe this Watch in detail:

Adhering to Time is equally important especially in Government and corporate offices, Business establishment and in Examinations. See the example: An examination commences at 9 a.m. and ends at 12 p.m. Exactly 3 hours are there to complete the question paper. After 12 p.m., the invigilator takes away the answer sheet. Here, we can say, In Time, take Time while Time doth lost for Time is no Time when Time is past.

We should forget the past and think of the present as according to Zarathustra:

Yesterday is beyond repair.
Tomorrow may never come.
Today alone is ours.
Hence, make the best use of it, as it is our sole, sure possession.

Whatever good work we intend to do, we should do it immediately, without postponing, as the future is uncertain.

One year comprises of 3, 15, 36,000 seconds. Each second must be made the best use of in a very productive way.

There is:
1 year of Happiness
12 Months of Joy
365 Days of Prosperity
8760 Hours of Progress
525600 Minutes of Good Health
31536000 Seconds of Love

We may conclude that as human beings, time is a precious gem gifted generously to all of us by God. We should make fruitful use of the Time in terms of Hours, Minutes and Seconds by serving our beloved Lord Sai and remember him ever in life in conversation by putting His noble teachings to practice.

THE UNIVERSAL GUIDE
We should WATCH our
W = Words
A = Actions
T = Thoughts
C = Character
H = Heart

Allah Malik

Anger Management

Aum Sairam

The goal of anger management is to reduce both your emotional feelings and the physiological arousal that anger causes. You can't get rid of, or avoid, the things or the people that enrage you, nor can you change them, but you can learn to control your reactions.

Are You Too Angry?
There are psychological tests that measure the intensity of angry feelings, how prone to anger you are, and how well you handle it. But chances are good that if you do have a problem with anger, you already know it. If you find yourself acting in ways that seem out of control and frightening, you might need help finding better ways to deal with this emotion.

Why Are Some People Angrier Than Others?
Some people really are more hotheaded than others are; they get angry more easily and more intensely than the average person does. There are also those who don't show their anger in loud spectacular ways but are chronically irritable and grumpy. Easily angered people don't always curse and throw things; sometimes they withdraw socially, sulk, or get physically ill.

People who are easily angered generally have what some psychologists call a low tolerance for frustration, meaning simply that they feel that they should not have to be subjected to frustration, inconvenience, or annoyance. They can't take things in stride, and they're particularly infuriated if the situation seems somehow unjust: for example, being corrected for a minor mistake.

What makes these people this way? A number of things. One cause may be genetic or physiological: There is evidence that some children are born irritable, touchy, and easily angered, and that these signs are present from a very early age. Another may be sociocultural. Anger is often regarded as negative; we're taught that it's all right to express anxiety, depression, or other emotions but not to express anger. As a result, we don't learn how to handle it or channel it constructively.

Research has also found that family background plays a role. Typically, people who are easily angered come from families that are disruptive, chaotic, and not skilled at emotional communications.

Is It Good to let it All Hang Out?
Psychologists now say that this is a dangerous myth. Some people use this theory as a license to hurt others. Research has found that letting it rip with anger actually escalates anger and aggression and does nothing to help you (or the person you're angry with) resolve the situation.

It's best to find out what it is that triggers your anger, and then to develop strategies to keep those triggers from tipping you over the edge.

Allah Malik

Unshakable Faith

Aum Sairam

Their faith tells them to accept God's will, move ahead and try to live the best life they can. A man with a broken neck in the hospital said, “I feel sad, but I accept my fate, I put myself in God's hands.

It is this surrender that God looks for in His devotees. The complete surrender "Sarvaswa Sharanagathi" where in we accept our situation without a sign of complaint and keep moving ahead thanking Him always for what little we have. Remember we could have been in worst situations if it were not for Him. The purpose of the exercise to worship and pray is to be unmoved in the face of all calamities and serve rather than being an onlooker and make the best use of the given situation. This is the positive attitude or the positive energy of the lord which brings us closer to Him. Let us put ourselves in His mighty hands and accept His decision in our lives however hard it may be. If we have the blessings of the Lord and His Company even the burden of a mountain on our shoulders seems to be feather light.

God give us the wisdom to accept your will. God give us the knowledge to place ourselves in your caring hands. Our life is your gift, we offer ourselves unto thee.

Allah Malik

Trample Sin But Do Not Despise The Sinner.

Aum Sairam

Trample sin but do not despise the sinner. Sin is negation of virtue. It is the greatest obstacle, in the struggle of life. Sinfulness is godlessness. To commit a sin, whether in thought, word or deed is to invite terrible consequences both in this life and Hereafter. Sin is a fetter, a clamping machine which kills you inch by inch and gives you no rest or peace of mind.

Keep away from the monster of sin and seek virtue as your friend and life mate. It is virtue that brings peace and happiness Sin creates disunion, disharmony, and distress, and distraction, dissipation of energy and disease of mind, body and soul. Destroy sin with the hammer of God's name. Keep on shouting the name of God and the temptress sin will not make an assault on you. A life of sinless is a life of perfection which God wants His children to strive for.

Trample sin under your feet but do not despise the sinner- Pity him and raise him from the morass of despair. Purify his heart, mind and soul and take him God ward. It is possible to rise from the state of sinful-ness to the highest state of saintly-ness. Sinfulness is only one aspect of human life. It is a transient aspect for no sinner can live in the sink of sin for a long time. He must come out, by means of his own remorse and suffering and breathe the free air of joy and sunshine, which is God's measure for all His creation.

There is no such thing as eternal punishment. There is eternal bliss which is the birthright of every human soul. But there is no eternal fire of hell. Heaven and hell do exist but not in the sense men think them to be. Sinfulness is hell. Righteousness is heaven. It is only by breaking the fetters of sin and leading a life of desirelessness, would you be able to win God's Love and grace and enter into His Kingdom of Eternal Bliss.

Allah Malik

That’s God

Aum Sairam

Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for …. THAT'S GOD …. He talks to you through the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to talk to …. THAT'S GOD …. He wants you to talk to Him.

Have you ever been thinking about somebody that you haven't seen in a long time and then next thing you know you see them or receive a phone call from them …. THAT'S GOD …. There is no such thing as coincidence.

Have you ever received something wonderful that you didn't even ask for, like money in the mail, a debt that had mysteriously been cleared, or a coupon to a department store where you had just seen something you wanted, but couldn't afford …. THAT'S GOD …. He knows the desires of your heart.

Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it is going to get better, but now you look back on it …. THAT'S GOD …. He passes us through tribulation to
see a brighter day.

NOW THAT'S GOD!!!

Don't tell GOD how big your storm is.
Tell the storm how big your GOD is!!!

Allah Malik

Value of Time

Aum Sairam

To realize the value of ten years
Ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years
Ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year
Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize the value of one month
Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one hour
Ask Lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of one minute
Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one second
Ask a person who has survived an accident.

To realize the value of one millisecond
Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics.

To realize the value of a friend
Lose one.

Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can
share it with someone special.

Allah Malik

Inner Dweller

Aum Sairam

Divinity being the same, why are we so different from each other?

The body is the temple of God; in every body, God is installed, whether the owner of the body recognizes it or not. It is God that inspires you to good acts, that warns you against the bad. Listen to that Voice. Obey that voice and you will not come to any harm. A lady wept that her necklace was lost or stolen; she searched everywhere and became inconsolably sad. Then, when she passed across a mirror, she found the lost necklace around her neck. It was there all the time. Similarly, God is there, as the Inner Dweller whether you know it or not.

Allah Malik

Guru - Destroyer of Evil Tendencies

Aum Sairam

Om Bhuthabhavishyadhbhava varjithaya namaha [who removes all evil thoughts of past present and future]

Worshiping of Guru naturally destroys our tendency to act and inflict evil towards others. Living in the present materialistic world we are more practical and use our head more than heart. Our actions are measured based on the reaction of the people we interact with. Is that not so? Do we ever go out of our way to help others? There is always an underlying condition of wanting to be accepted or acknowledged for our positive actions. In our life we have committed many actions which have hurt others, or inflicted pain or have become a source of worry and anxiety to someone who love us.

Let us take a moment and reflect on our days events.

1. Have I said something bad about others?
2. Have I interfered in others affairs when they did not want my interference?
3. Have I disobeyed my elder’s wishes?
4. Have I shown disrespect to somebody?
5. Have I misjudged somebody?

The line of questioning is endless. But the first step we take towards analyzing our behavior is the seed of good thought sown by Sri Sai in our head; it is an answer to our prayer when we worship him as "Om Bhuthabhavishyadhbhava varjithaya namaha". We have pleaded with him to get rid off our bad and evil tendencies. When we take first step in acknowledging our mistakes then Sri Sai takes the remaining 99 steps to help us in our attempt to change our behavior as He wants us to change. Here what we should know is the first step towards the change should always come from the Seeker, even the thought to correct our behavior is put in by the lord because He loves us more, and hence the awareness to accept our mistakes is first step towards cleansing ourselves. It is never too late to accept our mistakes. Let us move in the direction of cleansing ourselves before we seek to clean the environment. Sri Sai bless us in our effort towards changing our behavior.

Allah Malik

Guru in One's Life

Aum Sairam

Sri Sai has always stressed the importance of the Guru. The relationship between the Guru and disciple is incomparable to any other kind of relation. Sri Sai relates the greatness of Guru in the following story:

Once Sri Sai and three others were looking for a temple in the forest on their own and could not find it. At that time a vanjari asked them to sit down and rest for a while and then search again. Three of them would not listen but Sri Sai listened to the vanjari and Lo! He found his Guru in front of him. His Guru asked Sri Sai to follow him. He then tied Sri Sai to a well for five hours in the night and went away. When he came back in the morning, Sri Sai's Guru asked him how He felt, and Sri Sai replied. In eternal Bliss. When I know that my Guru was with Me at all times, there was no fear in Me. In this way, Sri Sai explains the importance of Guru.

Sri Sai has said that there are several ways to attain the right path. One of them is to go through deep and dense forests i.e. face difficulties before attaining salvation and the other is to attain salvation with the help of a Guru. Sri Sai started the Guru Purnima celebrations in Shirdi as a mark of respect for the Guru.

Allah Malik

God Pinged Me

Aum Sairam.

This is an excellent conversation between the 'God' and the unknown 'Me'. I don't know as to who has been the composer of such a conversation; but has definitely put-in good amount of thought process into it. I believe those who don't believe in God, may also find it worth reading once.

God: Hello. Did you call me?
Me: Called you? No... Who is this?

God: This is GOD. I heard your prayers. So I thought I will chat.
Me: I do pray. Just makes me feel good. I am actually busy now. I am in the midst of something.

God: What are you busy at? Ants are busy too.
Me: Don't know. But I can't find free time. Life has become hectic. It's rush hour all the time.

God: Sure. Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you results. Activity consumes time. Productivity frees it.
Me: I understand. But I still can't figure out. By the way, I was not expecting YOU to buzz me on instant messaging chat.

God: Well I wanted to resolve your fight for time, by giving you some clarity. In this net era, I wanted to reach you through the medium you are comfortable with.
Me: Tell me, why has life become complicated now?

God: Stop analyzing life. Just live it. Analysis is what makes it complicated.
Me: why are we then constantly unhappy?

God: Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. You are worrying because you are analyzing. Worrying has become your habit. That's why you are not happy.
Me: But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainty?

God: Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional.
Me: But then, there is so much pain due to uncertainty.

God: Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.
Me: If suffering is optional, why do good people always suffer?

God: Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don't suffer. With that experience their life become better not bitter.
Me: You mean to say such experience is useful?

God: Yes. In every term, Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.
Me: But still, why should we go through such tests? Why can't we be free from problems?

God: Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons (to) Enhance Mental Strength. Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance, not when you are free from problems.
Me: Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don't know where we are heading.

God: If you look outside you will not know where you are heading. Look inside. Looking outside, you dream. Looking inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight.
Heart provides insight.
Me: Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than moving in the right
direction. What should I do?

God: Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you. Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you road ahead. You work with the compass. Let others work with the clock.
Me: In tough times, how do you stay motivated?

God: Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.
Me: What surprises you about people?

God: When they suffer they ask, "why me?" When they prosper, they never ask "Why me". Everyone wishes to have truth on their side, but few want to be on the side of the truth.
Me: Sometimes I ask, who I am, why am I here. I can't get the answer.

God: Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you want to be. Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are here. Create it. Life is not a process of discovery but a process of creation.
Me: How can I get the best out of life?

God: Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.
Me: One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not answered.

God: There are no unanswered prayers. At times the answer is NO.
Me: Thank you for this wonderful chat.

God: Well. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Don't believe your doubts and doubt your beliefs. Life is a mystery to solve not a problem to resolve. Trust me. Life is wonderful if you know how to live... "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that took our breath away!

Allah Malik

When A Man Is Willing and Eager - The Gods Join

Aum Sairam

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big advice on the door on which it was written:

"Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym".

In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of one of their colleagues, but after a while they started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself. The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room. The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: "Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!”

One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul.

There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside it could see himself.

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said: "There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU."

You are the only person who can revolutionize your life.
You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself.

Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life. "The most important relationship you can have, is the one you have with yourself"

The world is like a mirror: it gives back to anyone the reflection of the thoughts in which one has strongly believed.

The world and your reality are like mirrors lying in a coffin, which show to any individual the death of his divine capability to imagine and create his happiness and his success.

It's the way you face Life that makes the difference.

When a man is willing and eager, the GOD joins in.

Allah Malik