REMEMBRANCE
THE
POST WORLD YOUTH CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Ideal Sai Youth – Messengers of Sai Love
Prasanthi Nilayam, July 26-28, 2007
INTRODUCTION
It is written that God created man in His Own
Image. Regarding the nature of His Divine Creation, Bhagavan Baba said, “The one God is
present in all bodies. We must love every human being. Consider yourself as God first, and
then begin to see the same God in every living being.”
 Bhagavan Baba is
exceedingly pleased when men and women assemble in His Divine Presence
with pure-hearted Love to worship Him and learn from Him. Such was the
Pleasure of our Lord, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, when His Youth, the
Ideal Sai Youth, Messengers of Sai Love, gathered before Him during the
Sri Sathya Sai World Youth Conference with such intense love, with such
noble bearing, that His pleasure was evident in His movements and
verbalized effusively in His Divine Discourses. At one point He said, “You
have all come here with intense love and devotion. That makes Me very
happy.”
It now behooves us to act
in a manner that channels this Divine Impetus that He has given ostensibly
to the Youth in this conference, but actually to all of humanity. We
should recognize that Swami may express Himself in the context of a
conference for a particular group, but what He says and does is also for
the benefit of everyone everywhere. Such is the Nature of His Divine Love
for His Divine Creation, mankind.
REMEMBRANCE
Let us remember all that
transpired on this great occasion, the Ideal Sai Youth World Conference of
2007.
Let us remember the
experience of His Presence and His Love.
Let us remember the words
that reverberated through our very being, the Eternal Truth uttered by the
Lord Himself, our Beloved Swami, so graciously, so lovingly, so
powerfully.
Let us remember the
important spiritual principles that Swami instructed us to never forget.
Swami said:
“Man today is deluded
by his attachment to his body and senses. But you are not the body, you
are not the senses, you are not the intellect, you are you. You should
realize, 'I am I.' That universal ‘I’ principle is only one.
“Whenever evil thoughts
enter your mind, remind yourself, ‘This is not good; this is not mine;
not mine,’ and drive away those evil thoughts. Tell yourself, ‘These are
all not my property; my property is good thoughts and good ideas only.’
“There is no need to
search for God. Have faith that God is within you. When you have faith
in God, you develop love. From love emerges peace, peace gives rise to
truth. This truth is God.
“There is no place in
this universe where God is not present. Hence, do not entertain any
doubt about the existence of God. Do not forget God. In fact, if you
forget yourself, it amounts to forgetting God. Hence, do not forget
yourself. You must constantly inquire into yourself, 'Am I forgetting
God?' "
Regarding the Ideal Sai
Youth Conference, let us remember everything and savour every moment of
this experience with our Beloved Swami: The Divine Inspiration of His
Words and Actions, our thoughts and feelings, the Conference and the wise
and eminent speakers, the satsang among
the Youth from all over the world working together as Sai brothers and
sisters.
Let us remember our Lord,
Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and say to ourselves with deep conviction
and understanding, “I am I.”
Remembrance is good!
INQUIRY
Swami was pleased with
the Ideal Sai Youth and their Conference. Just as a mother caresses or
scolds her child out of love to teach the child correct behavior, Swami
demonstrates pleasure or displeasure in our thoughts, words, and deeds so
that we might grow spiritually. In His Divine Omniscience, Omnipotence,
and Omnipresence, He always knows all of our thoughts, words, and deeds.
Have no doubt of this! Thus, we must learn from His Pleasure or
Displeasure just as the small child learns from his mother.
What was the source and
substance of Swami’s Pleasure in the Youth Conference?
The source and substance
of His Pleasure was the dedicated preparation of the Youth to be in the
Divine Presence. It was the reverence for our Lord, Bhagavan Baba,
demonstrated by the youth as they assembled in His Presence for the events
of the day and how they applied themselves to the work of the Conference,
respectfully and attentively listening to and learning from the elders who
spoke. The Sai Youth were virtually embodiments of the “5 D’s”: Devotion,
Duty, Discipline, Dedication, Discrimination, and we might add Dignity.
All Sai Youth demonstrated dignity and poise before, during, and after the
Conference had concluded.
The source and substance
of His Pleasure was the youth who planned, constructed, and served as
hosts in the Ideal Sai Youth Conference Exhibition. They worked
tirelessly. Through the night they worked. Their sacrifices, extraordinary
dedication, and the quality of their work epitomized the potential for
good works represented by this spiritual army of Ideal Sai Youth.
The source and substance
of His Pleasure were the Sai devotees gathered in Prasanthi Nilayam for
Swami’s Darshan. They witnessed the performance of the Ideal Sai Youth and
they were uplifted by their exemplary behavior. Swami took great pleasure
as He Witnessed the inspiring experience the Ideal Sai Youth brought to
all who were gathered in Prasanthi Nilayam during the Ideal Sai Youth
Conference.
Swami in His Divine
Discourse said, “Real devotion presupposes unshakeable love toward God,
devoid of delusion.” The union of the Ideal Sai Youth with Our Beloved
Swami through “real devotion” is the substance of His Pleasure. |
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RESOLUTIONS
The Divine Discourses and
the talks given by elders will be distributed to all youth and all Sai
Centers. First the Divine Discourses, the Inaugural and the Valedictory,
are being sent as attachments to this letter [note:
they can be found here, 26-28 July 2007]. These will serve as the
focus of study circles for all youth groups and also for all Sai Centers.
The youth should conduct their own study circles and subsequently
participate in the study circles of the Sai Centers. As soon as they are
transcribed, the talks given by elders at the Ideal Sai Youth Conference
will be circulated to all Sai Youth and all Sai Centers.
RESOLUTION I
Henceforth, Sai Youth
will be defined as Sai devotees between the ages of 18 to 35. The current
9 Zonal Youth Representatives, if willing, will continue in their current
positions until the first meeting of the Sai Youth Council in November
2007, at which time the term of their office and the methodology for
selection of zonal youth representatives in the future will be given. The
9 Zonal Youth Representatives and the International Youth Coordinator will
comprise the Youth Council, which will function as a committee of the Sri
Sathya Sai World Foundation.
The purposes of this body
will be to advise the Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation on the ways and
means to accomplish the following:
-
Enhance communication
with all Sai Youth.
-
Encourage, welcome, and
embrace the Youth within the Sri Sathya Sai Organizations everywhere and
to take their contributions to the welfare of the Organization
seriously.
-
Provide opportunities
for youth to access and learn from the hierarchy of the Sai
Organisations at all levels so that the youth of today will be ready to
become the leaders of tomorrow. This will be done through
“Apprenticeship” and other innovative programs.
The Structure of this
Body will be as follows:
The Functions of this
Body will be as follows:
-
Youth Representatives
will meet with the Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation at least once a year,
at Birthday time, and a meeting will be convened at Guru Poornima as
well for those who can attend. Youth Representatives will communicate
with their respective Zone Chairs, keeping them informed of all matters
that affect activities of the Organizations within their Zone.
RESOLUTION II
Youth Zonal
Representatives and other Sai Youth speakers designated by the Youth
Council with the concurrence of the Zone Chairs and the Prasanthi Council
will give talks at scheduled center, national, and international meetings.
Their talks will include
but not be limited to some or all of the following:
-
The Pre-conference
9-Point Sadhana Program: Their experience
-
The Ideal Sai World
Youth Conference: Their experience
-
The application of
Swami’s Inaugural and Valedictory Divine Discourses: Their experience
-
The spiritual benefits
that they have personally derived from the above and their way forward
RESOLUTION
III
While the occasion was a
Youth Conference, nevertheless Swami’s Discourses were powerful and
inspiring for all. All that he says can transform us. Therefore, all Sai
Centers will conduct study circles on Swami’s Inaugural and Valedictory
Divine Discourses delivered by Him at the Sri Sathya Sai World Youth
Conference of 2007. The Sai Youth should participate in the study circles
of their Sai Centers.
However, the Sai Youth
may also conduct separate study circles in which they focus on Swami’s
Divine Discourses in the context of the Ideal Sai Youth World Conference.
RESOLUTION
IV
The Pre-WYC 9-Point
Sadhana Program, embarked upon by the Youth pleased Swami. Actually, the
components of the program are what all of us, not only youth, should have
been doing all of this time. It consists of spiritual practices that are
right and good if performed with Love for God. Therefore, the Sadhana
Program is adopted and recommended as good practices for all devotees in
perpetuity, keeping in mind the word of caution given by Swami not to
regard these “Practices” as an end unto themselves, and to recognize that
it is our faith and our purity that infuse these practices with spiritual
potency.
CONCLUSION
The International Sri
Sathya Sai Organizations will abide by the resolutions hereby adopted by
the Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation.
The International Sri
Sathya Sai Organizations will incorporate in future events the fundamental
lessons derived from this inspiring conference.
The Administration of the
SSO at all levels will listen seriously and sensitively to the opinions of
their constituency striving to address their needs and questions as much
as possible during the planning stages of a conference, and at all times
thereafter. Let us never be dogmatic and condescending. Let us, all of us,
seek to understand and be confident that when we sincerely make this
effort we will be understood. Swami says, “Communication is first
understanding and then adjustment.” All of us must keep this in mind and
remember who we are and why we are here. We are here to love one another
and to expand that love to our brethren everywhere. All are here for no
other reason.
Henceforth, we will
diligently prepare for all future conferences.
We will have preparatory
programs for all participants.
We will be as inclusive
and as interactive as possible in the proceedings of the conference.
We will review the
results of these conferences. Then, we will apply Swami’s Instructions and
the lessons learned in the conferences toward the progress of the
International Sri Sathya Sai Organizations and, most importantly, toward
the spiritual transformation of each and everyone of us and the world in
which we live.
Lovingly, in the Service of Sai,
Michael Goldstein
Chairman, Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation
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