The Barrier

During a research experiment a marine biologist placed a shark into a large holding tank and then released several small bait fish into the tank.

As you would expect, the shark quickly swam around the tank, attacked and ate the smaller fish.

The marine biologist then inserted a strong piece of clear fiberglass into the tank, creating two separate partitions. She then put the shark on one side of the fiberglass and a new set of bait fish on the other.

Again, the shark quickly attacked. This time, however, the shark slammed into the fiberglass divider and bounced off. Undeterred, the shark kept repeating this behavior every few minutes to no avail. Meanwhile, the bait fish swam around unharmed in the second partition. Eventually, about an hour into the experiment, the shark gave up.

This experiment was repeated several dozen times over the next few weeks. Each time, the shark got less aggressive and made fewer attempts to attack the bait fish, until eventually the shark got tired of hitting the fiberglass divider and simply stopped attacking altogether.

The marine biologist then removed the fiberglass divider, but the shark didn’t attack. The shark was trained to believe a barrier existed between it and the bait fish, so the bait fish swam wherever they wished, free from harm.

The moral: Many of us, after experiencing setbacks and failures, emotionally give up and stop trying. Like the shark in the story, we believe that because we were unsuccessful in the past, we will always be unsuccessful. In other words, we continue to see a barrier in our heads, even when no ‘real’ barrier exists between where we are and where we want to go.

- Author Unknown -

GEM 824

Depression, doubt, conceit, these are Rahu and Kethu to the spiritual aspirant.

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

Sai Jewel - 32

Look Within

There is so much beauty in

This wondrous, blue rose

If only we could capture it

Within our very souls

If we could take its beauty

And apply the glow within

Search a little deeper

In the soul beneath our skin

Take what it does stand for

And shed its love abroad

Don't hide the glow within you

But share the love of God

You know you can't touch beauty

Without it rubbing off on you

And spreading it to others

In the kindness that you do

There lies within each one of us

The beauty like this rose

When it's used in touching others

Then its beauty overflows

~ WhtDove~

Avatar And His Supreme Powers

Avatar And His Supreme Powers

The descent of the Avatar means the Divine coming down to the level of the human.  No blemish attaches to the Divine as a result of this descent.  There is no diminution in His Presence.  Here is the example of child playing on the ground.  If the mother feels it is beneath her dignity to bend and calls upon the child to leap into her arms, the child cannot do so.  By bending down to take the child, does the mother bow to the child?  Likewise, the Avatar descends to the level of the human to bless and rescue those who cannot rise to the level of the Divine.  The ignorant assumes that because the Divine has descended with a human form, God has lowered Himself to the human level.  This is the case of bending and not kneeling down.  It is an act of benediction and not submission.  The attributes and powers of the Divine remain unaltered in their pristine amplitude.  The Divine manifests His Powers according to the needs, the circumstances and the conditions prevailing at a particular time or place.  Take, for example, the case of a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.  He has the power to inflict the supreme penalty on any number of persons according to the law.  He has also the power to protect and punish.  These powers can be exercised only when he sits in the judicial chair.  The same Chief Justice, when he is at home, confers joy on his grandson by letting him ride on his back.  By allowing his grandchild to play in this manner, does he forfeit his powers as a Chief Justice?  Similarly, the Avatar does not forget any of His supreme powers merely because he moves and lives among human beings as a man.  Narrow minded person view these things differently.

(24.3.1991)


(Extract from : 'God Lives In Prashanti Nilayam')

Sai Darshan 1 (Universal) - Part 1 - 30

I stay awake when you are asleep.
I watch over you and make sure
That you are protected.
Then with a smile on My face
And My hands on your brow,
I wake you up as a loving mother wakes her baby.
I make sure that your eyes are open
And your senses are stable.
Once I am sure you are "widely awakened",
I sit back comfortably
And watch you face the day ahead.
Sleep just enough to keep your body alert
And dedicate the rest of your time to Me.

From : 'Sai Darshan' - Part I
(Divine Messages received and recorded by Mrs Seema M Dewan)

22. Om Sri Sai Bhaktha Vathsalaaya Namah

Garland of 108 Precious Gems

Ashtotthara Satha Nama Rathnamala 

22.  Om Sri Sai Bhaktha Vathsalaaya Namah

Babahas declared that the fostering, guiding and guarding of Bhaktas (those devoted to God) is His task.  Countless are the instances where He has saved them from physical and spiritual fall, where He has rendered timely and effective help, the help He knew was most beneficial.  When the devotee cries out sincerely for help, Baba wherever He is, whatever He is ostensibly doing, drops His body and rushes with His causal body to the side of the person in distress, to save him.  Or, He gives him the vision of His form to instill courage, consolation or cure.  He frightens off thieves, felons and foes.  Vatsalyam means affection of the mother towards the child.  We are all children of this Sathya Sai Maatha.


Baba says, "The mother will not delay her help until the child calls out 108 or 1008 times.  When she knows that the cry arises from sincerity felt anguish or hunger, she will rush with her succour.  Nor will she demand that the cry must be of the correct note!  So too, I do not demand musically correct Bhajana or repetition of or worship with 108 or 1008 Names or a lakh or crore of Likhitha Japam (Names written, 100 thousands or 100 lakhs of times)".




(From : Garland of 108 Precious Gems, 

Ashtotthara Sathanama Rathnamala, by Prof N Kasturi)

Be Grateful

THE KEY TO GOD'S HEART (Chapter 5)(Para 13)

There is no person that is bad and no person that is good. Therefore, one should not judge and label people and their actions because we can never be aware of the reasons, the previous actions that have been committed and which have culminated in the results before us now. So when you see two people at odds with each other, it is not necessary that either one is bad and the other good. It could well be that they are both good and that they are merely carrying out the pre-programmed actions as a result of past events to balance previous debts and future events. Consider everyone as a child of the Lord, as your own brother and sister. Develop the quality of love. Seek always the welfare of humanity. Love and you will be loved in return. Hate will never be your lot if you promote love. Look upon all with love. That is the one lesson to learn, it is the highest secret. If you want to attain God, if you want to attain the key, cultivate love, give up hatred, envy, anger, cynicism and falsehood. Is your heart full of love? That is all He wishes to know. Believe that love is God, truth if God, love is truth and truth is love.

(From : THE KEY TO GOD'S HEART by R SAI)

Meditate On God

Nowadays, people are shy to pronounce the word "God".  It is indeed difficult to understand why only an idler will complain of lack of time for meditating on God.  Yearn, you will find a way; pray, you will receive grace.  For a meal that takes only a few minutes, we spend hours to make it tasty.  Then, for a life of many decades, should we not take the trouble to make it tasty?

(Gems of Wisdom, Bhakthi (Devotion), pg 306)