Ree, Sai Baba talks about Jesus and other Spiritual great people often, and recognises them formally on special days, for those people there that it is important to, and encourages respect for others' beliefs.
172, it was unbelievable, my wife dropped me at the airport, and unbeknowns to me moved out the minute I left. The whole time I'm thinking what's with all this wife, home junk, and well...now you know. Even the carefull, over and over. At the time, I'm like yeh, yeh what's this game. Later the profoundness sunk in. Care full...each moment full of care, the most simple 'secret' to success. Whether you are in a business deal, meditating, relaxing at the beach, enjoying wife and children, friends, exercising...whatever, live for that moment, give it your full care. When you relax, really relax, no worrying about work, this or that. When you work, work. Exercise, meditate, same thing. Look at say Federer (I love sport) total care in every moment. Whether its a good thing or not in our opinion, a heap of guys want to be top tennis players. They all have outrageous talent, but Federer, care full to the nth degree, whether he is going for the most outrageous shot, or the most simple shot, or in his public and private life, he has the ability and wiseness to hold focus better than most. Full care full. Sorry, thats my indulgence.
So, as I said, I've stumbled out of the interview, and this thing is happening to me. The most beautiful, amasing thing, in waves. What I'm going to tell next, is amasing, but ludicrously embarrassing too...like I've reduced myself to the star character in a South Park episode. I'm feeling awesome, and get right into everything that Baba recommends in his books about going there, and which he reiterates daily, in lectures from people representing him there, and in notice boards updated and posted daily. He always highlights, remember why you are here, the hardships and costs, make the most of it. So he recommends something like this, up really early, 4am for me, meditate, for me exercise as well, then go to prayers and meditation at the Hindu chapel as a sign of respect, as a guest in this part of the world, or to prayers of your own following or choice. Eat, then assemble for Darshan, where you hope to see him. Straight after Darshan meditate. Relax, have lunch, do work in the canteen or kitchen, cleaning or serving. Make use of lectures, libraries, facilities in the afternoon, or perform some service. Sometimes afternoon Darshan, or in the evening Sai Baba sometimes leads singing of spiritual songs, or speaks. Eat, canteen duty, meditate, reflect, sleep.
He highlights not spending too much time socialising or starting relationships, especially between men and women, as that will become your focus. Always asking to remember what your goal is. So away I go, I'm pretty full on in whatever I do so its no big deal. This is where it gets...sad
. I notice no one much is that into it, and Baba jokes about it regularly, and 'sets up' things to individually highlight it. As I said, I'm feeling awesome, even special, but the 'waves' thing happening is wearing off.
Now taking into account the interviews, and everything I've said, this is what happens. I've been bumping into this...georgous blond girl from Switzerland, that is an Abba blond girl look a like. And the blond girl from Abba is like my secret heart throb. I've been fighting with my wife for ages, feeling sorry for myself, thinking I deserve better...Sai Baba's promised something really special, and here's this super friendly, one of those touchy, feely girls, who also wants to know about the interview and talk about spiritual stuff and Australia. I try to push it out of my mind, but the more I try, I just bump into her more and more...and we are laughing about it.
Meanwhile, remember everything I've said, and the lectures and noticeboards, which I am some how now interpreting as me gaining special exemption from. The thing with the girl is starting to occupy my thoughts, and its become a 'special gift'. One day there is a special lunchtime Darshan, and some Indian Ladies are going to sing. So there is this pathway like a road, leading to a chair and area where Sai Baba will end up, after walking and giving Darshan. Men and women are always on seperate sides, and Darshan is really serious. Helpers patrol, and anyone noisy, or breaking rules, is asked to leave. I end up right at the front, really close to Baba's chair, and lo and behold, the blonde girl is right opposite and we are looking straight at each other.
This is so embarrasing, but its the truth so I'm telling it. Everyone is saying Baba is close... its like a long parade, and he stops and talks to people, takes letters from them, and so on. The girl is smiling and waving at me, I'm freaking, thinking the helpers will see and kick us out, and trying to ignore it. But she's calling something out, which is a full no no, and really waving and carrying on. The ladies are telling her to stop, and I'm thinking this is mean't to be. Next thing, she gets up, jumps the rope border, and is running at me with a note in her outstretched hand. The helpers are all watching around the corner where Baba is approaching. I reach up to take the note...oh my God...and the girl gets an incredible, I'll never forget it, look of horror on her face, and goes all red. I realise she is looking straight past me at her boyfriend or partner, who is sitting directly behind me. It has dawned on her, and she is really, really, really looking lost, red, embarrassed as the guy is reaching over taking the note. I am shrinking to about an inch high, and glowing like a hot coal. The girl runs back staring at the ground from then on. Sai Baba rounds the bend just after, comes level to us, stops, turns and walks up to me, right up, straight in front, a foot away, shakes his head, waves his finger at me, looks across at the girl, back at me, a few times, shaking his finger at me, starts laughing, 'carefull, carefull' and walks off to his chair.
As the singing starts, I'm stuck there for an hour, really close, the world's smallest human, thinking about things. Every now and then he shakes his finger at me and laughs. But his laugh is kind, forgiving, like him. As he totally demonstrates in the days to come. I'll keep going if you want, but it's enough writing for today.
PS I just want it to be clear, that when I say its dawned on her, I mean that my ludicrous misunderstanding has dawned on her.