Swami has time and again reminded us that this body has been given only to serve others. He says, "That body which is not put to service is as good as a corpse. Eating, sleeping, being afraid and to procreate is common between man and animals. Therefore, a human being who is merely in the body of a human, but not following his Dharma is equivalent to animals."
Swami's message to Sai Youth around the world this week:
"The supreme Dharma of every being is Love. Do everything that you do with love. Without love, there is no Dharma. Some people have the doubt, 'How can we serve all the time?', especially those who have a full-time job. Work is worship, and salary is God's gift to you, a compensation for your service. It is only His grace and gift to you. Your thought should be, 'How is God serving? Am I serving like that? How is God loving? Am I loving like that?' Whatever you deserve will come to you sooner or later. You have embarked on a noble path of serving God, I will take care of you."
Yours in Sai Service,
Bhuvana Santhanam
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With the temperatures rising to 25 degrees Celsius, the elders joined the youths to serve fruits, buns, and juice packets to the homeless friends in Downtown Edmonton.
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Swami's 2017 Visit to California
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Swami’s visit to California has been scheduled for the following dates:
Northern California - Sunday, June 18, Santa Clara, California
Southern California - Saturday, June 24, Costa Mesa, California
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Brothers and sisters, an extremely emotional moment that Sai Ashraya will soon be a reality. Imagine a house for orphaned children and youth, where Love is taught, Love is fed, Love is nurtured and that too in the heart of Bay Area.
Bhagawan explained the need for this, “If we serve a person who is already aged, transformation occurs more slowly because of his already constructed mind and habits. But, if we were to shower love and inspire transformation in the heart of a young mind, they will grow to be wonderful citizens and they will, in turn, touch the hearts of other people of the nation as they grow up”. Can anyone explain this so beautifully? Bhagawan continued “The only difference between your children and the children on the streets is the opportunity that was provided to some while many lacked that. Once we show children what is Love that is enough, Love will nurture Love”.
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Helping People to Self-Sustenance
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The Northern California young adults gathered together on April 15, 2017 to continue their ongoing monthly Seva of distributing soup to the needy. The Sai youth always ensure that they speak to all the clients of the facility during food distribution to understand their problems and needs. While serving, one of the homeless girls started telling her story of how she became homeless which moved the youth to tears. Her step-parents did not encourage her on any of her interests, and the environment at home was both physically and mentally abusive which started reflecting in her studies. That is when she decided to leave the house and build her own life as she wanted, although she did not know which way to go. She is now surviving by sleeping on the streets/shelters and dropping in at temporary shelters for food. What was inspiring for the youth was her burning desire and interest to come up in life despite all her challenges.
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Homeless Service in Santa Ana
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This month, the youth went to the Santa Ana Civic Center to hand out a variety of food, clothing, blankets, and water. The morning of the Seva was spent making approximately 60 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and other preparations. A sort of assembly line was created to easily spread, sandwich, and pack the sandwiches into Ziploc bags. Sandwiches were then placed into a large bag with some old clothes, and even a few newer shirts that have been worn once or twice since. Additionally the youth filled two boxes with thick, fleece blankets and all items were packed into the car and were driven to the Civic Center. Other members brought cheese sandwiches, water, and fruits to hand out as well.
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Feed The Need - Lunch Seva
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As an offering to Bhagawan, the day before Sathya Sai Aradhana Day, the Houston young adults gathered together on April 23, 2017 to continue their ongoing monthly seva of preparing 108 lunch bags for the needy. Each lunch bag consisted of a delicious sandwich (made with Tofurkey slices, mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, cheese), crackers and a water bottle.
The group started a little earlier than usual as they were short handed or so they thought. But when doing Bhagawan’s work, time is only relative. They ended up completing the sandwich bags faster than they usually do.
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Homeless Seva - Service in Huntsville
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“For it is in giving that we receive,” said Saint Francis of Assisi, as he followed in the footsteps of Lord Jesus, who gave His life for mankind. The opportunity to serve others is being given to us repeatedly byBhagawan, who did the same for humanity in our lifetimes. He acts through selfless individuals, such as the volunteers of Huntsville, Alabama’s Downtown Rescue Mission. Volunteers are needed there to serve meals, which the staff prepares. This seemingly simple Seva is greatly appreciated by the residents of the Shelter. The youth participated in this distribution of His Prasadam, blessed by the Lord through English prayers known as, “Saying Grace.”
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Centre for Human Excellence
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During Swami´s visit to Chihuahua, Mexico in June 2016, His devoteesasked for His blessing to begin a Centre for Human Excellence.
His response was as follows:
It is very important to find your true nature, your divine nature, the love within you. Just like the musk deer, which has an odoriferous gland near its navel and looks everywhere for the origin of that smell, man is looking for God everywhere, forgetting that God is within him.
You want to open a Centre for Excellence; Excellence in what? Reaching Divinity is excellence. Those who reach their own divinity have acquired supreme perfection. You should help people reach God; that is your Centre for Excellence.
Therefore, if you really offer service for your own country and for your people, your brothers and sisters, lead a spiritual life and lead them on the right path. No matter how long a trip is, it begins with the first step; and step by step you can reach the goal. The world needs selfless people, people who serve. Help Me, becoming part of a new spiritual change in all humanity. First, guide with your example; in that way you can reach others. Give the right kind of education to the next generation; take care of the elders; be patient and compassionate toward people your own age. In that way a change will begin, starting with you yourselves, and spreading to others.
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