Issue 205 - November 29, 2020 |
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Mind is the cause of bondage and liberation, and if one can master this mind, one can become not just a mastermind but the master Himself, says Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai. In this series of talks, ‘Master the Mind’, primarily given to the Ashram residents of Sathya Sai Grama, Sadguru Sri Madhusudan Sai guides us step by step, to take up a 30 day sadhana to understand, analyse, master and finally merge the mind into the divine self.
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In 2016 a Satsang held in the divine presence at Barcelona, Spain a devotee asked why the subtle form and if he will we see peace and dharma flourish in his life time.
Here is what Swami said:
I wanted to come to Spain and meet you, which was not possible in the physical body, so I gave it up! I wanted to do many things which were no longer possible in the body. I am here to do My work and if My body helped Me to do the work, I would have a body. If I can do My work better without body, so be it. In fact, nobody should be attached to the body; the body is only to serve others. If others have to serve you, instead of you serving others, then it is better to give up the body. There are people who can no longer see, or hear, or smell, who cannot even stand, but who hold on to their physical bodies, becoming a burden to others. I am here to carry the burdens of others, not to become a burden to others, so I felt I could do more by giving up the body.
Dharma is first; your personal dharma should flourish. You should follow your true dharma, which is the dharma of your divinity. If you behave according to your divine nature, that is your divine dharma. If dharma is growing and flourishing within you, be assured that it will happen outside, too.
Yes, dharma will flourish, there is no choice; what has gone down has to come up, as summer has to change into winter and winter into summer – nothing can stay forever. So it is that dharma will rise again and those who will not rise with dharma will fall. Raise yourself, so that you rise with dharma. Otherwise, if you do not fit into that ‘season’, you will have to perish. Change with the seasons, so that you, too, can enjoy that dharmic life.
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2020 Region 4
Service Summary
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Argentine Youth Seva Activities in 2020
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- During the whole year, they served 17,529 people in six different cities: Buenos Aires, Escobar, La Plata, Córdoba, Iguazu and Salta.
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The youth of Buenos Aires started a group Seva during the first months of the year and served around 844.
- The youth of Escobar served food and relief kits to families of a poor neighbourhood near the Centre of Human Development “Peace and Love” every week. The kits included items for cleaning and packages of food. They served around 1,351 people.
- The youth group in Cordoba gathered every week to cook for people in vulnerable conditions in a poor neighbourhood. They served around 1,000 people.
- In Salta, the youth gathered once a week to prepare food for the families in a dining room. They served around 508 people. When the lockdown started, they had to stop serving in groups, but they continued serving to the needy individually.
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Seva Activities in Brazil During 2020
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In Sao Paulo, the main service activity is weekly Narayana Seva. The youth were not able to serve from January to May. From May onwards the weekly food programme by the youth has distributed 1,203 meals.
Sai Prakashana translations were not affected during these times and this work has been done since January, 2020.
In Recife, after a few months of lock down, Seva was resumed. Activities such as Satsangs, Bhajans and Meditation for World Peace were conducted online along with weekly Narayana Seva. Approximately 1,500 meals were distributed.
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Seva Activities in Canada - 2020
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Ongoing Seva Activities in Toronto
in Collaboration With Other NGOs
- NGO 1 - Daily activity in Greater Toronto Area
- NGO 2 - The youths continue to support the organisation via donations.
- NGO 3 - The youth and the elders continue to buy a month’s worth of groceries.
- NGO 4 - INDIA - The Toronto youth are participating in ceiling on desires and sending the saved amount to educate girls in Swami’s institutions.
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Seva Activities in Montreal
With NGOs from India
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The Montreal youth have joined the Annapoorna Breakfast Programme Initiative and are sponsoring one Government School in Hyderabad and a few schools in Jamshedpur. |
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Seva Activities in Edmonton, Alberta
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The youths of Alberta continued the weekly food distribution to their needy friends despite -30℃ temperatures.
They have packed and distributed non-perishable grocery items for 10 needy families. All service activities have been carried out as per the COVID-19 health guidelines of Alberta.
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Seva Activities in Surrey, British Columbia
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The youth of Alberta joined with the youth from the British Columbia region and distributed food packets around Whalley in Surrey BC. The service was carried out with safety and caution with youths wearing face shields, masks and gloves. |
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Foundation for Development of Human Excellence Chihuahua, México |
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Service activities were carried out in Mexico
Seva - Food Service
Food service to the Tarahumara Indigenous Community living in Cerro Grande Community in the City of Chihuahua began in October 2018, and continued throughout the current year in the months of January and February. During these two months 1,574 meals were served, with the average meals served rising from 520 to 787.
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Seva - Devotional - Musical
Mexico brought together a chorus of devotees from several cities such as Chihuahua, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Huamantla, Pachuca and San José Los Cabos to sing typical Mexican song
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Study Circle
At David Cornsweet´s invitation, in April of this year, a Study Circle was formed to study Swami´s talks. After six weeks, upon instructions from Swami, the group began studying the “Master the Mind” talks.
Education Seva
The Spanish translation of the Teacher´s Manual written by Suwanti and Ron Farmer has been completed.
Project 1x1x365
In the face of the growing inequality between people who have all their nutritional needs covered and those who do not, it was decided to begin a new project as Seva in the food distribution area; the group is working on its implementation.
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The youth of USA served 1,000+ meals in spite of regular monthly service activity being suspended in many States due to COVID-19. |
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The Master The Mind series encouraged the youths of Region 4 to make a commitment to meditate daily for 20 minutes, per Bhagawan’s instructions, listen to a Master the Mind discourse each day. The youth started inviting guest speakers to address the youth each Saturday and to answer their questions related to the subject of meditation.
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