Sometimes in an interview, Sathya Sai Baba was asked the question: is it necessary to repeat exactly “So-Ham”?
In response, he said “in principle, this is awareness of breathing, but what words or sounds you pronounce is not so important. You can say in your own language: "I am God." As you inhale mentally say "I", as you exhale mentally say "God". God is not somewhere far away in heaven, but inside each person, so the meditation "So-Ham" or "I am God" is very important, because it helps to realize God in your heart.”
60. Sathya Sai Baba exclaimed that it is very easy to materialize objects and he can easily teach us
Sometimes in interviews, Sathya Sai Baba showed an unusual sense of humor, but any of his jokes carried the deepest philosophy. Once Sathya Sai Baba invited me and my friend Oleg to a private room. In a mysterious voice, he said that for some reason people are surprised that he materializes various objects, in fact, there is nothing unusual in this. Further, Sathya Sai Baba added that each person has the ability to materialize objects, because each person is essentially God the Creator, which means that each person can create his own reality.
Hearing these words, my friend and I looked at each other in surprise. After a pause, I said that we do not know how to materialize objects. To this Sathya Sai Baba quickly replied that there were no problems, and he could easily teach us. Oleg smiled and cheerfully declared he would like to learn as quickly as possible.
Sathya Sai Baba, as if nothing had happened, raised his right hand, and said that we should carefully observe. He calmly explained that you need to carefully concentrate on the center of the palm, make a few rotational movements and imagine what you want to materialize. Having said these words, Sathya Sai Baba materialized a ring, after which he exclaimed, "you see, everything is very simple." Oleg and I laughed merrily, it was easy, but not for us.
Sathya Sai Baba, as if not noticing our fun, continued, “each of you can do the same. Concentrate, create a thought form, the power of your thought form can do everything, including the materialization of objects. Thought is material, you can materialize in your life whatever you see fit. To do this, you must be aware of your infinite possibilities. You just need to realize that you already know how and can do it. All you need to do is to realize that you are the Creator and can create your reality.”
By this time, Oleg and I were no longer laughing, instead we were astonished as we listened to these unexpected instructions, hardly believing our ears. At first, this conversation seemed too strange and unreal, but then there was a feeling of depth and importance of what Sathya Sai Baba said.
Now I remember this strange conversation with Sathya Sai Baba and reflect on the meaning of his words. All his life he pointed to the infinite possibilities of each of us. His mission was to unlock our divine potential.
What does it mean to materialize objects? This symbolically means that the thought form, born in human consciousness, has great power to create the circumstances of life. It is not so important to physically materialize rings and rosaries, in fact we materialize much more. By the power of thought we materialize our very life.
The life that we live now is the result of our thoughts that we had some time ago. In the same way, the thoughts that dominate our minds now create the life of tomorrow. Each thought is material, the vibration of thought materializes the circumstances of life.
61. "Relax, your place in life is already booked for you!"
At Sathya Sai Baba's ashram, the morning program began around nine in the morning, and the evening program around four in the evening. Naturally, everyone wanted to sit as close as possible to the aisle along which Sathya Sai Baba was walking.
In order to take a seat in the first or second row, you had to come early. For two or three hours, people lined up to be among the first to enter the temple and sit in better places. Most often, I also preferred to arrive three hours before the start of the program, but sometimes I arrived as little as five minutes.
Once I arrived just a few minutes before the start of the program and saw there was an empty seat in the front row. Imagine my surprise to see the whole temple densely filled with people, and there is an empty seat in the front row. I asked the minister, “is this place occupied?” He replied it was completely free. Surprised, I took the seat in the front row.
The next day, this story repeated itself. I came to the temple right before the start of the program, but again there was one empty seat in the front row. I asked the attendant again if I could sit in this seat. He replied that the place was free. I was surprised and realized something strange was going on.
I came literally a minute before the start of the program, but the seat in the front row was always free just for me. The people who came and occupied all the best seats miraculously did not notice this one empty seat. This strange miracle took place over several weeks. It seemed that some unknown force reserved a seat in the front row especially for me.
Sometime later, Sathya Sai Baba invited my group for an interview. During this meeting, he talked a lot with the Indian family who came from Chinnaya. He specifically spoke not in Hindi, but in English so that I could understand what they were talking about.
Some phrases he uttered while turning to me. In particular, he said, “God has already determined the fate of every person. The place in the sun that is meant for you can only be occupied by you. You may come sooner or later, but your place in the divine plan can only be yours. And what you have to do in life, you will definitely do. Where you need to be, you will definitely be. What should happen to you will definitely happen.”
Sathya Sai Baba spoke these words and looked at me with a sly look. I understood that he was talking about the strange experience that had been happening to me for several weeks. Human destiny is completely in the hands of God, everything that happens is subject to the divine plan; this, in particular, you begin to feel and realize next to the Avatar.
62. The ancient Indian emperor Janaka is a perfect example for modern man
Sathya Sai Baba often said that the ideal example of a harmonious life for modern man is the ancient Indian emperor, Janaka. In accordance with traditional Indian ideas, Emperor Janaka lived five thousand years before the new era, yet, according to another version, he lived about twenty thousand years ago. Historical science finds it difficult to accurately determine the dates of Emperor Janaka’s life.
He lived in the north of India and was famous for several reasons at once. His daughter's name was Sita. Princess Sita was the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and the consort of Rama Avatar.
Emperor Janaka was a sage and enlightened yogi who studied philosophy and practiced meditation. Janaka entered the history of India as the "enlightened emperor." Since ancient times, there has been a wonderful tradition in India, according to which, a person occupying a high social position should also develop spiritually. By the example of his life, Emperor Janaka shows the path of integral development of the personality. Meditation practices and spiritual self-knowledge in no way conflict with a happy and successful social life.
Janaka was a physically strong and perfectly healthy man. He was happy in his family life and gave a decent education to his children. He was fabulously rich, lived in a large palace and his robes were decorated with precious stones. He ruled his city beautifully and fairly. At the same time, he was the greatest mystic and philosopher of ancient India.
The positive image of Emperor Janaka, which Indian history gives us, shows that a person who practices meditation and reflects on the eternal issues of being can at the same time be harmonious and successful in material life.