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2011-2016 JOURNEY THUS FAR
2015 BE HAPPY ANANDSWARUPA 9 1 Yoga of Action As a Source of Love Samshayatma Vinashyati One with doubts will perish 8 2 Yoga of Devotion On the Path of Love Shraddavan Labhatey Jnanam One with Faith attains Wisdom 7 MAMA DHARMA 3 Yoga of Wisdom Experiencing the Goal of Love AVARANA (Shroud of Ignorance) 6 4 Thinning the Veil of Attachment 5 MALA (Impurities) Working on the dirt that accumulates inside us VIKSHEPA (Waywardness) Addressing the internal Waywardness
Time To Take Stock Mama Dharma My Duty 2015 16 2016 17 LOVE SOURCE, PATH, GOAL 2014 15 2013 14 B.A.B.A. Be Alert Be Aware 2012 13 MAHASAMADHI Introspection Reconciliation 2011 12
Taking Stock Last several years have been focused on externals of Sadhana Everything until now has been a building block towards inspiring / inculcating a focus and taste for SPIRITUAL INQUIRY External & Internal Discipline Be Aware Be Alert Immortality attained only thru Sacrifice Sai Into Action Love Is My Form Love: the Source, the Path and the Goal Bliss Is My Nature, Realize It My Duty The focus always has been, is and in the future should be SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, but now we look Inward We focus on how and why Sadhana We focus on spiritual hunger
YEAR 2016 17 Spiritual Inquiry An Inward Path Prepare, Practice, Persevere (Sadhana An Inward Path)
Important Questions Why Spiritual Inquiry? What are the qualifications to unravel the Truth? Is this relevant to my station in Life? What has Swami said about these topics?
Who Am I? What Is The Purpose Of Life?
Why Spiritual Inquiry? In Sutra Vahini, Swami expounded on 12 aphorisms from the Brahma Sutras (by sage Vyasa) The first aphorism is: atha-athah-brahma-jijnaasa - Thereafter, for that reason, the yearning to understand the nature of Brahman After what?: After the yearning to understand the nature of Brahman dawns When does this dawn?: After equipping oneself with the required qualifications/attainments For what reason?: For the reason that the awareness of the Supreme, the Brahman, can be attained only through personal spiritual inquiry Not by the examination of the texts of the scriptures Not by the performance of rites and rituals Not through the study of material objects Not by the process of learning from the examples of other people -- compiled/paraphrased from Sutra Vahini
Why Spiritual Inquiry? Acquisition of higher knowledge (Atma Jnana) alone can fulfill the main purpose of life Such knowledge makes one aware that one is not the inert insentient body, etc., but one is consciousness itself manifesting as the embodiment of Being Awareness-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda) The Cosmic Self (Brahman) is the basis on which all else is imposed and one's reality is Bliss (Ananda) itself -- Sutra Vahini
Qualifications to unravel the Truth The scriptures lay down four spiritual disciplines (Sadhanas: Sadhana Chatushtaya) that have to be earned as preliminary for knowing the truth of oneself Attainments/Qualifications for the yearning to know to dawn discrimination between transitory & eternal (Viveka) renunciation of the desire to enjoy the fruits of one s actions; nonattachment (Vairagya) six primary virtues (Shat Sampatti) longing for liberation through conquest of ignorance (Mumukshatva) -- Sutra Vahini -- paraphrased based on Sutra Vahini We are ALL pre-programmed with these necessary attributes and hence qualified it is time to actively develop these and put into daily practice
Is this relevant to my station in Life? Non-attachment (Vairagya) does not involve giving up hearth and home, wife and children, and taking refuge in forests. It involves only the awareness/discrimination (Viveka) of the world (jagath) as transitory and, as a consequence of this awareness, discarding the feelings I and mine -- Sutra Vahini The six primary virtues are tools that allow us to prepare, practice and persevere on the path of spiritual inquiry and are relevant to any station in Life
Sadhana An Inward Path Sadhana Chatushtaya (Four Spiritual Disciplines) Viveka (Discrimination between the transitory and eternal) Vairagya (Renunciation of the desire to enjoy the fruit of one s actions; non-attachment) Shat Sampatti (Six primary virtues) Mumukshatva (Longing for liberation through conquest of ignorance) Sama (Mind control) Dama (Body & Sense control) Uparathi (Withdrawal from sensory objects) Thithiksha (Forebearance) Shraddha (Unshakable Faith) Samadhana (Equanimity)
Six Primary Virtues Shat Sampatti Sama (Mind control) Prepare Dama (Body & Sense control) Practice Uparathi (Withdrawal from sensory objects) Thithiksha (Forebearance) Shraddha (Unshakable Faith) Persevere Samadhana (Equanimity)
The Eternal Charioteer - Swami Swami has said and explained ALL THAT needs to be heard and understood it is for us to pick up pace and put this treasure into practice
REGIONAL CALENDAR 2016-17 (FOR CONSIDERATION)
September 2015 Sama (Mind control) October 2015 November 2015 Dama (Body & Sense control) December 2015 January 2016 February 2016 Uparathi (Withdrawal from sensory objects) Thithiksha (Forebearance) March 2016 Shraddha (Unshakable Faith) April 2016 May 2016 Samadhana (Equanimity)
Sadhana An Inward Path LOCAL CENTERS: Every Month All Centers Study / Work on Same Topic. MINDSET of a Sadhaka is a SUPERSET and VEHICLES of Sadhana are a SUBSET Focus more on the MINDSET: approach and attitude towards Sadhana Mode of Study is totally up to each Center Practice at individual, family, Sai-center, work/college/school, community, world level INTENTION: Consciously Living Practice some/any Sadhana through-out the 9-months What/Which Sadhana is purely is personal and left to individuals Theme should provide opportunities for communities to come together and practice various Vehicles of Sadhana eg: Jyoti Meditation, Namasmarana, Bhajans, Silent Sitting, Silent Days etc COLLECTIVE WISDOM: At the end of every month, Sai Centers to share reports from Members
REGION 1, USA, ZONE 1
Put Six Virtues Into Daily Practice - Sadhana WORLD INDIVIDUAL FAMILY COMMUNITY SAI CENTER WORK PLACE / COLLEGE / SCHOOL
Sadhana An Inward Path Sama (Mind control) Prepare Dama (Body & Sense control) Practice Uparathi (Withdrawal from sensory objects) Thithiksha (Forebearance) Shraddha (Unshakable Faith) Persevere Samadhana (Equanimity)
FOR CENTER CONSIDERATION Region 1 Theme Sadhana An Inward Path Period: September 2016 to April 2017 MAY 2017 Culmination at Regional Retreat 2017 OPEN: Condition to sufficient interest, a possible pilgrimage to Prashanthi Nilayam in Summer of 2017
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