Even closer to home, the future is but tender. Till yesterday, you had the sword of David in your possession, and the power of the same was enough to drive the common seeker to servitude. Overnight, there seems to have been a grand reorganization of the playing field, and you suddenly notice that everyone now has the same sword within him or her, and that your claim to spiritual exclusivity is no longer existent.
So, how do we continue to drive the same energy and the same enthusiasm in the people that we could command till yesterday? One: by not commanding them anymore, and two: by involving them. Going forward, it will be imperative that we transform the driver of our activities from that of coercive complicity to that of impelling engagement. For, it's a different ball-game now, and those who have nothing to lose will have nothing to fear (anymore).
What the able administrators will do is to use this opportunity (if it can be termed as such) purposefully to demonstrate that we can really be a collective unit to work His message,- by working as a collective unit in show, spirit and substance. The charisma of the Avatar is too precious to continue otherwise.
From another perspective, some devotees will drop off and some new ones will join. Those who remain are the ones who are forever aware of the difference between God and temple, and of the contradistinction between our Centre and our spiritual Centre.
What the able administrators will do is to use this opportunity (if it can be termed as such) purposefully to demonstrate that we can really be a collective unit to work His message,- by working as a collective unit in show, spirit and substance. The charisma of the Avatar is too precious to continue otherwise.
From another perspective, some devotees will drop off and some new ones will join. Those who remain are the ones who are forever aware of the difference between God and temple, and of the contradistinction between our Centre and our spiritual Centre.
Praveen- Beseeching power wielders to behave differently now Swamy is no more in physical form is, in my view, wishful thinking.
ReplyDeleteIf human consciousness of some was stagnant and even degenerating when the Avatar was a contemporary, why should it suddenly transform, evolve and involve others in an "impelling engagement" when His mortal coil is shed! Compassion, Tolerance, Love, Integrity, Humility and Respect for others are not opportunistic personality garments that can be put on out of convenience, it has to be second nature to human character and existence to manifest itself in times of need. And, I do not think, like a chameleon, the true color of our specimens will ever change overnight fearful of Swami’s physical absence- It is too thick skinned for any spiritual color tanning and transformation!
By the same token, I do not think those lower down the pecking order should feel elated with any newfound and assumed inheritance of a level playing field opportunity because those who think so now, of bringing out the parry and thrust of their Davidian Sword that they did not bring out earlier, are not reflecting their unshakeable faith in Swamy to protect them today as He has always done before by being around us, behind us and before us. Why fear when I am here has as posthumous a relevance as when he when has alive!
So long as people are treated differently- one rule for higher ups one for the bottom in the food chain, so long as there is pecking order- some given favorable treatment than the other, there will be feelings of superiority and inferiority there will be feelings of exploitation and rebelliousness and in such an environment where differences are highlighted and made conspicuous, true universal and spiritual brotherhood cannot exist. When we fold our hands and say Sairam and say- I in spirit (one hand) and You in Spirit (other hand) are one and the same with our Lord Sai- but we do not practice this a wee bit in action, any appearance as a collective unit in show, spirit and substance will NOT be any different from the plastic cosmetic smile of love and friendship of airline airhostesses!
Swamy has said “This Sai has come in order to achieve the supreme task of uniting the entire mankind as one family through the bond of brotherhood, of affirming and illuminating the Atmic Reality..”
The Brotherhood of Man and Fatherhood of God can only happen when there is ‘equality’ and ‘unity’ in thought word and deed. Any organization that claims itself to be spiritual in nature and does not pass this litmus test of having practices that promote unity is not an organization worth worrying about!
If we claim to have been influenced even an iota by His physical presence in the planet it has to reflect in our behaviour and actions. This is not the time to get even with others. This is not even a time to get ahead of others. This is a time to get ahead of our own past. Swamy has said “A time must come when the world need not come to Prashanti Nilayam to feel MY Love. When they meet MY devotees they must feel MY LOVE. My Darshan must flow to you and through you to the world.”
That time has come now and nothing is more powerful than an idea whose 'time' has come! This is the time for our life to reflect His message. Let us think of what we can do to make our life better. Let us make others feel love. We should be the living role models of His teachings. As for His organization and its administrators Swamy will take good posthumous care of them!
I remember a statement that the Avatar made about Sai Geetha. He noted that the astonishingly Blessed elephant had led a good life, and that it would be gifted with a human birth.
ReplyDeleteThe significance is overwhelming. Sai Geetha was one in a pachydermal million. If someone like Sai Geetha could only just step into the realm of mankind in spite of so much of spiritual proximity, imagine the could-have-been past of billions of us humans lazing around!
If we were to have led such exalted lives before to have qualified for human-ity, and then traversed even further lives to have qualified for a stint at this age and time, then what should be the spiritual responsibility of a keeper of His House?
No matter how embellished our past, God unfortunately provided us no memory of it. We act as if we are still in the kindergarten of biological life. Those in our organization should realize that our spiritual honeymoon was over many lifetimes back, and we have more pressing things to accomplish for posterity than playful posturing.
But then, that's only a hope, or like you say, wishful thinking.
"...we have more pressing things to accomplish for posterity than playful posturing.."
ReplyDeletePraveen- One- "..we have more pressing things to accomplish.." Nobody will agree with this. You and I are no more than dogs barking at the Sun- Our opinions do not count!
Two-Everybody believes the organisation is no more than playful posturing. When we have Faith in Him and His organisation it will be playful posturing!
If Ego wins, mind wins, the spirit is lost
If the mind wins, duality wins, unity is lost
If Ego and the Mind wins, Love is Lost
If Love Wins, Ego and the Mind is Lost
When Love Wins, Faith wins and When we have Faith in Him, our life is a game and every posture is a playful posture!
Have Love, Have Faith and every posture will be a playful posture