Members Study Swami’s Teachings at Regional Conference In study circles and workshops at the Mid-Atlantic Sai Conference, members explored, debated, and reflected on the application of Sai’s teachings in various situations. Below are some thoughts that were shared within these groups. How Swami’s Teachings Can Help Us Deal with Difficult People in Our Daily Lives Family and work are divine opportunities for learning to deal with others. We have to develop the inner vision of the soul instead of seeing only the outer. Baba says names and forms are different naturally, but they are all aspects of the ONE. He urges us to serve all as His images. Robert M. Bramson, in his book, Coping with Difficult People, describes seven types of difficult people: 1) Hostile-aggressives, who bully their way around; 2) Complainers, who don’t improve their situation; 3) Silent and unresponsives; 4) Super-agreeables, who don’t produce what they promise; 5) Negativists, who object to any project proposed; 6) Know-it-all experts; and 7) lndecisives, who are always waiting for the perfect answer. To these, the facilitator added an eighth category, the controlling-manipulatives. Participants made many practical suggestions for dealing with difficult people. You can see Baba in their heart, pray to Him, or use mantras. Recognizing each incident as Swami’s leela (play) and looking at the situation as a lesson are also helpful. Other ideas included countering hostility with humor, focusing on the positive, and following your heart, even if that means giving back a negative signal. But no matter what the method used, it’s important to avoid getting caught up in the difficult person’s emotions and to accept where he or she is at. Baba says that “when someone insults you or defames you or ignores you, accept it with a smile. This is the way of the world: it is basically ungrateful, ill-mannered. ‘They are doing me a good turn; my strength is under trial; I should not yield to anger or resentment! Tell yourself such invigorating things, and be quiet, with a smile of triumph on your lips,” He says. A basic change in outlook is essential in dealing with difficult people. If you see negative traits in others, they are reflections of what is going on inside of you. It’ s the way you are looking at others. Don’t ask, how can I fix all that up? Nothing anyone is going through is your business. And don’t be upset if people don’t act up to your expectations. As one of the participants noted, “You can’t transform the other person; you can only change yourself. Transforming them—that’s Swami’s job.” They are doing the very best they can at this moment. So, receive what they give with love. Develop forbearance. Baba says, “Only when we are able to develop the feeling that we are all children of God, that we are all one brotherhood and that really none is apart and alien to us, will the flower of forbearance blossom in our heart. Only when there is love, will there be forbearance. Forbearance is but the result of love and compassion towards all beings.” How to Cultivate Devotion Starting with the devotional song “Sai Bhajan Bina Sukha Shanti Nahi” and its explanation, the facilitator said: “Without singing bhajans (devotional songs), there is no peace or happiness. Without God’s name, there is no bliss. Without love and devotion, there is no upliftment. And without serving the Master, there is no liberation.” Baba says that bhakti, or devotion, is the supreme single-pointed love for the Lord. In this state of mind, the devotee has no separate existence apart from God. The two types of bhakti are saguna bhakti, in which you think of God as far away and plead for His mercy, and nirguna bhakti, in which you see God in all beings and experience unity with all creation. The Upanishads (Hindu scriptures) prescribe nine steps in devotion: 1) describing God’s actions; 2) singing about the Lord; 3) allowing the mind to dwell on the glory of God; 4) adoring the feet of the Lord; 5) worshipping the Lord in a systematic ritualistic way; 6) experiencing gratitude and joy at the Lord’s grace; 7] feeling like His instrument and devotedly serving all; 8) thinking of the Lord as a friend; 9) surrendering totally to God. You can also express devotion by constantly practicing equanimity, loving the Lord as a mother loves a child, and fostering the quality of love within. But any expression of devotion has to be guided and controlled by discipline. Only then can you realize the goal—liberation. According to the Vedas (Hindu scriptures), liberation is a three-stage process. First the devotee is drawn to physical experiences, such as idol worship, repetition of God’s name, visits to holy places, and service. Then, by controlling the senses and cleansing the mind of impure thoughts, the devotee becomes aware of the atma (individual soul) within. Finally, through deep inquiry into the reality of the inner self, he or she realizes that there is no difference between the atma and the Paramatma (the Absolute). Baba says that everything in a devotee’s life must revolve around God. ‘”Whatever you do, wherever you are placed,” He says, “believe that God has put you there to work; then it becomes an education, a sadhana (spiritual discipline). Every day, with every act, every thought, every word, you must approach nearer and nearer to God. That will give you the super most bliss. That will confer true liberation.” Spirituality Through the Native American Tradition Native Americans are often called the caretakers of the Earth because of their communion with, and great respect for, nature. They believe that everything in nature is in constant prayer—such as the grass and the tree branches that grow up, reaching to the heavens. They also accept nature as their teacher, learning from animals, plants, the four winds, and whatever else is around them, as Baba encourages us all to do. The facilitator of this workshop was a pipe carrier in the tradition of the Huichol tribe of Mexico. In that culture, the pipe is one of the most sacred objects on Earth. being a direct contact to universal energy. Each part of
