After some time, Sathya Sai Baba decided to hold another big Vedic ceremony, and for this he again invited the same priests to the ashram. As soon as all the priests arrived, he gathered them in his room and told them to draw up an exact list of ritual accessories needed for worship a few days before the start of the program.
It may seem strange to you why so much attention was paid to all the details. The fact is that since ancient times in the Vedic tradition all the details of the rituals are considered very important: when to start the ritual, who should conduct it, what mantras should be pronounced, how to properly install the statues of deities, and much more.
In accordance with Sathya Sai Baba's instructions, the clergy compiled a detailed list that included a huge number of various items, such as special incense and flowers, ghee and special rice, bells and offering plates, special cloths for deities, small spoons for holy water, and many other things. He was given the list and ordered the administrators of the ashram to buy everything they needed in strict accordance with the items listed.
Just five minutes before the start of the ceremony, the chief clergyman realized with horror he had forgotten to include the ritual silver jar, Kalasha. Nervously, he approached Sathya Sai Baba, who had already left his room and was on his way to the ceremony site and explained the situation in a trembling voice. Sathya Sai Baba smiled, shook his head knowingly, and instantly materialized an ancient ritual silver jug.
It was clear to all those present that this was a special jar. On its walls there were several images with images of the Deities. The jug looked like an old relic as if it was not an ordinary item but had come from another time in history. Some people present plucked up the courage and asked Sathya Sai Baba to tell the story of the unique jug. He said it was the same jug he used in his previous incarnation to perform solemn ceremonies.
In his past life, Sathya Sai Baba was called Shirdi Sai Baba because he lived in the city of Shirdi, in the western part of India. In each incarnation we call him Sai Baba, but the first name always changes. As I have already mentioned, in the previous incarnation he was called Shirdi Sai Baba because he lived in the city of Shirdi. In his last incarnation he was called Sathya Sai Baba: the name, Sathya means "truth". In the next incarnation, in accordance with his predictions, he will incarnate in southern India and his name will be Prema Sai Baba. Prema means "divine love" in Sanskrit.
So, Sathya Sai Baba materialized a jug, which he also used in his previous life to perform Vedic ceremonies. Surprisingly and incomprehensibly, he could not only overcome space, but also time. By materializing a jug from his previous life, he revealed that he experienced being outside of time and space.
All the miracles of Sathya Sai Baba had a deep spiritual meaning, they shocked and transformed everyone present, as well as everyone who later learned about these miracles. When reading stories about the life of Sathya Sai Baba, try to imagine all the events described as clearly as possible. Imagine that you, too, are present in the events unfolding so that you feel and experience an even stronger energy and receive blessings.
All outer worship ultimately leads to the mystical experience of the Absolute Self. The true "Self" is beyond space and time. Each person is born into this world with a unique spiritual task. Everyone is the creator of their life and the author of their reality. In the highest sense, the goal of human life is self-knowledge of the eternal divine essence of one's soul and self-realization of one's God-given talents.
Spiritual evolution takes place not only in meditation and prayer, but in all life events. Any experience you have in life is part of your spiritual evolution. Everything you do can become a spiritual practice if it is done in the awareness of oneness.
Your physical body, family, financial situation, success, like everything else, is the result of your own thoughts. If you are not satisfied with the circumstances in which you live your life, you need to start with the transformation of your thoughts. A man is what he thinks.
The Vedas and the Bible say that every person is created in the image and likeness of God himself, which means that every person is initially perfect, brilliant, omnipotent, and a wise creator of his reality. But there is another point of view about the creation of man. If we perceive God as a higher power that is outside of man, then we can say that God created man and endowed him with certain qualities. However, if we understand God as the True "I", then it turns out that "I am God" created himself as "I am man." In Sanskrit, this is called "Sambhava", which means "created" itself.
In this chapter, we have recollected amazing stories about traditional Vedic ceremonies which were performed quite often in Sathya Sai Baba's ashram. Why was it necessary? The deep meaning of Vedic worship is to reveal the inner divinity of each person. All outer worship ultimately leads to the mystical experience of the Absolute Self.
7. Unity of duality
Where there is duality, there is a desire to acquire or a desire to avoid, a desire to possess or a fear of losing. When you gain wisdom, you experience a state of oneness where there is no duality, which means there is nothing to desire and nothing to avoid.
(Sathya Sai Baba – Sathya Sai Gita Chapter 14)
Man lives in duality because the main property of the manifested world is duality. There's nothing wrong with that as it's just a property of the universe. Duality is manifested in male and female, day and night, sun and moon, north and south poles, right and left hemispheres of the brain. The Chinese Taoist tradition talks about the interaction and balance of Yin and Yang. Even in the process of breathing, duality is manifested – inhalation is replaced by exhalation.
The question is not how to run away from duality, but how to perceive duality. A person who sees the original unity in duality is freed from attachments and internal conflicts. Duality is not to be fought or avoided, it must be understood and accepted. There are no contradictions in duality because duality is the harmony of unity in diversity. Perhaps the most striking manifestation of the unity of duality is shown in the interaction of male and female principles in the universe.
A person who is in the Spirit of God naturally finds abundance and happiness. Only one who constantly divides and cannot accept the integrity of the universe tries to give up the so-called material to acquire the so-called spiritual. The Divine is in everything. Where and why do you want to run away? Maybe it's time to see God in everything?
Even if you practice visualization regularly and very well the result will not come, because it is necessary to also perform an action. Even the Avatar always acts.
The Avatar is also in the world of duality. He performs actions being in the awareness of the original unity. Sathya Sai Baba also aspired to implement his projects and successfully achieve his social goals. Spirituality is not about trying naively to avoid active social activity, but about doing action while realizing the unity and interconnectedness of all that exists.
The most subtle action that absolutely everyone performs is breathing. The process of breathing is deeply connected with the flow of thoughts and the circulation of vital energy. Some tried to tell Sathya Sai Baba that they were supposedly completely freed from any activity. His response was, “how can you be inactive if you are breathing? Breath is the original source of any action.”
8. Difficult mysteries of past lives
One day an Indian family came to the ashram: a husband, wife and two children. They were eager to have an audience with Sathya Sai Baba in order to consult with him on several serious issues. They asked an acquaintance, who worked in the administration of the ashram to intercede on their behalf and ask about a personal meeting with their Sai Baba.