Pearl 10

What for man is born in this world?  Is it merely to roam around and indulge in pleasures of this world?  Understand that worldly pleasures are not permanent.  All that happens to you in future will be in accordance with your conduct today.  Everything is reaction, reflection and resound.  The good deeds that you perform today will yield good results in the times to come.  If you do bad deeds today, you cannot expect to be rewarded with good results in future.  The results of your past deeds will always keep haunting you.

(SSS Vol 35, Ch 9)

Which Is Your Way?

Which Is Your Way? A man that is ruled by his intellect Questions the ways of God In order to understand His mysterious Grace… He finds one answer And finds peace in it… But alas… It lasts… Only for a moment For in the very next moment The answer no more holds Its weight… Then from his mind He draws the next fear That stands in line.... And from it turns another question..... And while the question Poses as a threat To his sanity He still rejoices For giving The complete understanding To his doubts And with that he stands with pride In the way Of his own peace… A man that is ruled by his heart Questions the ways of his mind In order to keep The misunderstanding at bay That may come in the way Between him and His love for God… He discards every question Of his intellect By making his fears Face his love for truth And if even for a moment He slips his way He runs to God And offers to Him The question of fear And cries before His Beloved Lord To receive from Him The peace That for a moment Had slipped And gone away… Both My dears Are the children of God… One has chosen To know His mother Before he can place Himself in Her heart…. The other has chosen To keep with him Only the heart of the Mother And from Her love Know his own self…..the Atma…… (Inspirational Writing by Seema M. Dewan on May 23rd 2011)

Near-Death Experience

Mellen-Thomas Benedict is an artist who survived a near-death experience in 1982. He was dead for well over an hour. During that time, he rose up out of his body and went into the light. Curious about the universe, he was taken far into the remote depths of existence, and even beyond, into the energetic void of nothingness behind the Big Bang. Eminent near-death experience researcher Dr. Kenneth Ring has said, "His story is one of the most remarkable I have encountered in my extensive research on near-death experiences."

In 1982, I died from terminal cancer. My condition was non-operable. I chose not to have chemotherapy. I was given six to eight months to live. Before this time, I had become increasingly despondent over the nuclear crisis, the ecology crisis, and so forth. I came to believe that nature had made a mistake—that we were probably a cancerous organism on the planet. And that is what eventually killed me.

Before my near-death experience, I tried all sorts of alternative healing methods. None helped. So I determined that this was between me and God. I had never really considered God. Neither was I into any kind of spirituality. But my approaching death sent me on a quest for more information about spirituality and alternative healing. I read various religions and philosophies. They gave hope that there was something on the other side.

I had no medical insurance, so my life savings went overnight on tests. Unwilling to drag my family into this, I determined to handle this myself. I ended up in hospice care and was blessed with an angel for my hospice caretaker, whom I will call "Anne." She stayed with me through all that was to follow.

Into the Light

I woke up about 4:30 am and I knew that this was it. I was going to die. I called a few friends and said good-bye. I woke up Anne and made her promise that my dead body would remain undisturbed for six hours, since I had read that all kinds of interesting things happen when you die. I went back to sleep. The next thing I remember, I was fully aware and standing up. Yet my body was lying in the bed. I seemed to be surrounded by darkness, yet I could see every room in the house, and the roof, and even under the house.

A Light shone. I turned toward it, and was aware of its similarity to what others have described in near-death experiences. It was magnificent and tangible, alluring. I wanted to go towards that Light like I might want to go into my ideal mother's or father's arms. As I moved towards the Light, I knew that if I went into the Light, I would be dead. So I said/felt, "Please wait. I would like to talk to you before I go."

The entire experience halted. I discovered that I was in control of the experience. My request was honored. I had conversations with the Light. That's the best way I can describe it. The Light changed into different figures, like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, archetypal images and signs. I asked in a kind of telepathy, "What is going on here?"

The information transmitted was that our beliefs shape the kind of feedback we receive. If you are a Buddhist or Catholic or Fundamentalist, you get a feedback loop of your own images. I became aware of a Higher Self matrix, a conduit to the Source. We all have a Higher Self, or an oversoul part of our being, a conduit. All Higher Selves are connected as one being. All humans are connected as one being.

It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was like all the love you've ever wanted, and it was the kind of love that cures, heals, regenerates. I was ready to go at that time. I said "I am ready, take me." Then the Light turned into the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen: a mandala of human souls on this planet. I saw that we are the most beautiful creations—elegant, exotic...everything.

I just cannot say enough about how it changed my opinion of human beings in an instant. I said/thought/felt, "Oh, God, I didn't realize." I was astonished to find that there was no evil in any soul. People may do terrible things out of ignorance and lack, but no soul is evil. "What all people seek—what sustains them—is love," the Light told me. "What distorts people is a lack of love."

The revelations went on and on. I asked, "Does this mean that Humankind will be saved?" Like a trumpet blast with a shower of spiraling lights, the Light "spoke," saying, "You save, redeem and heal yourself. You always have and always will. You were created with the power to do so from before the beginning of the world." In that instant I realized that we have already been saved.

I thanked the Light of God with all my heart. The best thing I could come up with was: "Oh dear God, dear Universe, dear Great Self, I love my Life." The Light seemed to breathe me in even more deeply, absorbing me. I entered into another realm more profound than the last, and was aware of an enormous stream of Light, vast and full, deep. I asked what it was. The Light answered, "This is the River of Life. Drink of this manna water to your heart's content." I drank deeply, in ecstasy.

The Void of Nothingness

Suddenly I seemed to be rocketing away from the planet on this stream of Life. I saw the earth fly away. The solar system whizzed by and disappeared. I flew through the center of the galaxy, absorbing more knowledge as I went. I learned that this galaxy—and the entire Universe—is bursting with many different varieties of life. I saw many worlds. We are not alone in this Universe. It seemed as if all the creations in the Universe soared past me and vanished in a speck of Light.

Then a second Light appeared. As I passed into the second Light, I could perceive forever, beyond Infinity. I was in the Void, pre-Creation, the beginning of time, the first Word or vibration. I rested in the Eye of Creation and it seemed that I touched the Face of God. It was not a religious feeling. I was simply at One with Absolute Life and Consciousness.

I rode the stream directly into the center of the Light. I felt embraced by the Light as it took me in with its breath again. And the truth was obvious that there is no death; that nothing is born and nothing dies; that we are immortal beings, part of a natural living system that recycles itself endlessly.

It would take me years to assimilate the Void experience. It was less than nothing, yet greater than anything. Creation is God exploring God's Self through every way imaginable. Through every piece of hair on your head, through every leaf on every tree, through every atom. God is exploring God's Self. I saw everything as the Self of all. God is here. That's what it is all about. Everything is made of light; everything is alive.

The Light of Love

I was never told that I had to come back. I just knew that I would. It was only natural, from what I had seen. As I began my return to the life cycle, it never crossed my mind, nor was I told, that I would return to the same body. It did not matter. I had complete trust in the Light and the Life process.

As the stream merged with the great Light, I asked never to forget the revelations and the feelings of what I had learned on the other side. I thought of myself as a human again and I was happy to be that. From what I have seen, I would be happy to be an atom in this universe. An atom. So to be the human part of God ...this is the most fantastic blessing. It is a blessing beyond our wildest imagination of what a blessing can be.

For each and every one of us to be the human part of this experience is awesome, and magnificent. Each and every one of us, no matter where we are, screwed up or not, is a blessing to the planet, right where we are. So I went through the reincarnation process expecting to be a baby somewhere.

But I reincarnated back into this body. I was so surprised when I opened my eyes, to be back in this body, back in my room with someone looking over me, crying her eyes out. It was Anne, my hospice caretaker. She had found me dead thirty minutes before. We do not know how long I was dead, only that she found me thirty minutes before. She had honored my wish to have my newly-dead body left alone. She can verify that I really was dead.

It was not just a near-death experience. I believe I probably experienced death itself for at least an hour and a half. When I recovered, I was surprised and awed about what had happened. I had no memory at first of the experience. I kept slipping out of this world and kept asking, "Am I alive?" This world seemed more like a dream than that one.

Within three days, I was feeling normal again, clearer, yet different than ever before. My memories of the journey came back later. But from my return I could find nothing wrong with any human being I had ever seen. Previous to my death I was judgmental, believing that people were really screwed up. Everyone but me.

About three months later a friend said I should get tested for the cancer. So I got the scans and so forth. I felt healthy. I still remember the doctor at the clinic looking at the "before" and "after" scans. He said, "I can find no sign of cancer now." "A miracle?" I asked. "No," he answered. "These things happen...spontaneous remission." He seemed unimpressed. But I was impressed. I knew it was a miracle.

Lessons Learned

I asked God: "What is the best religion on the planet? Which one is right?" God said with great love: "It doesn't matter." What an incredible grace. It does not matter what religion we are. Religions come and they go. They change. Buddhism has not been here forever, Catholicism has not been here forever, and they are all about to become more enlightened. More light is coming into all systems now. Many will resist and fight about it, one religion against the next, believing that only they are right.

When God said, "It doesn't matter," I understood that it is for us to care about, because we are the caring beings. The Source does not care if you are Protestant, Buddhist, or Jew. Each is a reflection, a facet of the whole. I wish that all religions would realize it and let each other be. It is not the end of separate religions, but live and let live. Each has a different view, and it all adds up to the big picture.

I went over to the other side with a lot of fears about toxic waste, nuclear missiles, the population explosion, the rain forest. I came back loving every single problem. I love nuclear waste. I love the mushroom cloud; this is the holiest mandala that we have manifested to date, as an archetype. More than any religion or philosophy on Earth, that terrible, wonderful cloud brought us together all of a sudden, to a new level of consciousness.

Knowing that maybe we can blow up the planet fifty times, or 500 times, we finally realize that maybe we are all here together now. For a period they had to keep setting off more bombs to get it into us. Then we started saying, "we do not need this any more." Now we are actually in a safer world than we have ever been in, and it is going to get safer.

So I came back loving toxic waste, because it brought us together. These things are so big. Clearing of the rain forest will slow down, and in fifty years there will be more trees on the planet than in a long time. If you are into ecology, go for it; you are that part of the system that is becoming aware. Go for it with all your might, but do not be depressed or disheartened. Earth is in the process of domesticating itself, and we are cells on that Body. Population increase is getting very close to the optimal range of energy to cause a shift in consciousness. That shift in consciousness will change politics, money, energy. 

The Great Mystery of life has little to do with intelligence. The Universe is not an intellectual process. The intellect is helpful; but our hearts are the wiser part of ourselves. Since my return I have experienced the Light spontaneously. I have learned how to get to that space almost any time in my meditation. You can also do this. You don't have to die first. You are wired for it already. The body is the most magnificent Light being there is. The body is a universe of incredible Light. We don't need to commune with God; God is already communing with us in every moment!

- Mellen-Thomas Benedict -

http://mellen-thomas.com

Pain

HOW DO I STILL MYSELF?

O Lord

Much have I tried

To walk Your Path

And receive Your Blessing

Love and Grace.

All I find -

I am still so far away!

Numberless times

Resolved anew,

To mind my speech

And actions's hue.

Yet - Nature

Has its' sway!

Of all Your teachings

And Your Glory

I keep reading,

Each time decide

A 'line' to imbibe,

Yet - so tough indeed

To change!

You exhort us all

To work for the poor'

Doing so, I am still unsure

Is that - my only way?

My thoughts keeps swaying

From end to end

And Morn to morn -

Every second.

How do I stop 'em e

To listen -

To Your Golden Voice

Within my heart?

There's much to do,

So thoughts and words

And deeds accrue

How do I still myself

For You?

(By : Dr Vasantha Nair, Blossoming Love)

GEM 659

When there is discord between thought, word and deed, humanness is undermined.

(From : Garland of 1008 Gems, Bhagawan Shri Sathya Sai Baba's Sayings)

Invisible Garland

You came alone into the world and you go out alone.  When you are born, you are not born with garlands and necklaces.  You have no pearls or diamonds.  You have no golden ornaments.  But around your neck hangs the garland of your past action and acquired 'purifications'.  And when you die, you do not take anything with you except the consequences of your good and evil actions.  You are always decked with the invisible garland of your inexorable action of which pursues you and burdens you.  This burden of action can be lightened by God's Grace and your own realization of the oneness of your soul with the Universal Soul.

(Baba, The Breath of Sai, pg 136)

MESSAGE 10

To catch one’s thoughts in the midst of a wrong, one’s heart has to be completely dedicated to the ways of truth.

If one slightly betrays truth within his own heart then that one will learn to ignore the so-called “small slips of the mind” and soon enough will deny any wrong in it.

No one purposefully invites wrong thoughts. They come…they go…some stay…only if we have defied the truth within our hearts. How painful that is!!

We begin with good intent. That leads to good thoughts. Then in the midst of good we fear for our good greater than for the task. We slip. But do we see ourselves slip? No…we remember the good intent we started with. We betray our own path and bear for it bad results.

Part of the book: 'Inspiring Thoughts'
By Seema M. Dewan
Copyright reserved by author Please share the messages with no changes in the text

Q467

What is the main benefit of sathsang?



Through sathsang, you develop freedom from delusion, through freedom from delusion, you develop faith in Truth and through faith in Truth, you attain Liberation itself.

(SSS Vol 13, pg 258-259)

Cause And Effect

The causes are many and complex as to why all this has happened.  It is even more difficult to predict as to where all this is leading the world to.  But there is no doubt that the law of cause and effect (karma thatwa) operates with the same ubiquity as the law of gravity.  Nothing can escape it.  Thus the wheel of cause and effect is forever revolving.  The results of today are the fruits of the causes of tomorrow.  Action begets reaction begets action - and so on endlessly.  Only the Lord Himself can amend it.  It is indeed impossible to analyze all the various causes of the past which are resulting in the happenings of today, and for the same reason to predict the happenings of tomorrow.

However, we can see that the basic tendency today of man is a search for attainment of joy and peace.

The variety of knowledge has smothered the searching endeavor of the intellect and this is hindering the conquest of man's internal foes.  It is a dangerous pride, as it captivates man's most useful servant "the intellect" which, instead of being a tool in the hand of man, has become the master.

(Gems of Wisdom, Weaknesses of Mankind, pg 136)