Let Us Save Water Power Time Energy et al

Control your desires. Do not waste money, time, food and energy. - Baba

-courtesy Sai Inspires 27 Sept

My previous post on 

http://subublog.blogspot.in/2012/09/save-water-power-time-energy-et-al.html

Swami's Quote for Today

Greetings...

Inspiring quote on Living SSpiritually, courtesy Saiinspires...

Those who plan to raise the standard of living today are watering the branches, the leaves and the blossoms of the tree of life. Instead, to nurture the tree, you must foster and water the root. So too, to lead a good life, you must foster and water the virtues, which are the roots, so that the flowers of actions, words and thoughts may bloom in fragrance and yield the fruit of service (seva), and the sweet juice of joy (ananda). Planning for food, clothing and shelter is only promoting the well-being of the cart. Also plan for the horse, which is the mind. The mind has to use the food, the clothing, the shelter and other objects in the Universe for the high purpose of escaping from the bonds of the ego to the Universal.

- Divine Discourse, Aug 3, 1966.

 

Pls don't miss interview with Dr Sola. 

Prof GV talks about Swami Vivekananda, two high-altitude transformations, etc. 

Let us Save Water Power Time Energy et al

On an earlier I posted following:  http://subublog.blogspot.in/2012/08/save-water.html

We have seen how Swami ensures no water/electricity/energy wasted at all. He would switch on the fan in the interview room after all have assembled. He would always switch off the fan before He steps out . He would not waste anything,though everything is in Him. 

We have no business or right to waste water, electricity, energy, time, or anything. But during a day, we tend to waste everything. And we aspire to 'Live SSpiritually' :)

IT is easier to avoid wastage of water, electricity, etc which are external and easier to manage. But thoughts, energy, time, etc is lot more difficult. But that is no excuse.

Need to keep trying...if we aspire to live by His ideals. Afterall, 'Your Life is My Message'is the level we aspire. 

Worth trying... Sai Bless.

TO BE or NOT TO BE Organic

This is no longer a question, especially after Satyameva Jayate. That episode has managed to reach out to so many viewers about the health-risk of our food items, with the extensive use of pesticides. I hope the new FDI norms will improve storage facilities so that we get fruits & veggies, fresher !

As such, at least in Indian context, it is no-brainer. Just Go Organic.

Then comes the second resistance: ' it is too expensive'. Yes, if you compare based on identical weight. But then, same weight is no comparison. For organic food need not be taken in quantity as much as 'non-organic'. You will get all nutrients from a lesser quantity of organic food, without the pesticide-risk. 

Just cut down quantity. Then it would make sense, economically. I would suggest just avoid non-organic totally, rather than the risk of pesticide-exposed fruits/veggies. 

This is a choice we have to make, urgently. Also, to keep expenses at home within budgets. 

Healthy & economically-smart too...

ANANDA a patch of forest in PSN

Sairam...

Greetings on this auspicious Thursday. Let us remain connected to our beloved Master, Sai.

Listening to the inspiring story of ANANDA, a small forest, behind Ashram. It has 60K trees, spread over 17 acres!!! A wide variety of trees & plants. They grow organic fruits & vegetables too.

That is our own Botanical Garden. Had seen the beautiful Bot-garden at Singapore, last month. 

Looking forward to visit this beautiful patch of forest, ANANDA, in our own Prashanthi Nilayam... Heaven on Earth

Alternate energy

Listened to Radio Sai live on Thursday last. Sis Karuna spoke about 'alternate energy'. 

We need to look at greener options. Swami has actually 'told students in 1993 that He wanted our Institutions to tap energy from Sun' !

PTP For a plastic-free, trash-free, pollution-free Puttaparthi

16 Sept 2012:

Photos: Way to Chaitanya Jyothi & Sai Geeta's final resting place

 

Puttaparthi area was very green & beautiful.... 

One of the reasons why the area is becoming greener is surely the efforts of the people to plant more trees, across the region. Sai bless all those who have been part of large-scale tree plantation.

But, I was shocked to observe a huge tree, off Chithravathi road, has disappeared. A new apartment had come near it, that may be the reason! Felt sad. We have no right to cut down tres... (opp to Sai Siva Ganga appt!)

Let us plant more trees & avoid cutting tree…

As I settled down to the PSN routine, I was shocked to see a new addition to the ‘skyline’. In the densely populated area, between Mandir & Chithravathi river, several telecom towers have sprung up, on the buildings. One of them very close to the revered Kalpavriksha, almost dwarfing the holy tree! These telecom towers are just injurious to health. How come, the telecom companies put up these in the middle of the densely populated areas ? How come residents allowed?? May be out of sheer ignorance about the health-hazards. Bollywoods Juhi Chawla fought & won a case in the court. Sadly, the film-crazy public would miss out on such important news…

Telecom towers are health hazards, for God’s sake!!

Morning walks are truly therapeutic. More so at PTP.  

On the way back picked up The Hindu & Business Line. Also, some green, fresh leaves (coriander, methi, pudina, etc) And, they cost so less. Same stuff in amchi Mumbai, or any other city, would have been at least five times more expensive and surely not as fresh, clean, green & safe.

Now after spending three days, I felt PTP was catching up with Blore on garbage-front, inefficient garbage disposal. ( Taxi driver's comment, 'PTP is the new Blore' ...!) Muncipal staff do clean up every morning. But people throw away garbage just out of their shops & homes. The shop-keepers (residents and ) need to be more responsible about their garbage-disposal.  I have seen an elderly lady-shopkeeper dumping thrash on the street, right in front of her shop. People spit on the road. Sadly, even Vidyagiri is not being spared by people, especially with few ‘thelas’ ( hand-carts) selling snacks there.

Residents, shopkeepers & visitors need to be more responsible to keep PTP clean. Then request administration to help too.

I made my first trip to PSN in May, 1988. Swami was away at Blore. What stuck me was the ambience – clean and noise-free. The silence has been addictive since then. Over the years I have yearned for that silence outside. Only a noise-cancelling ear-phone can give that outside J

It is only in depth of silence God’s voice can be heard. Bhagwan said, ‘it is only in silence God also can hear’. This ‘silence’ is such an integral part of spiritual sadhana.

There is so much noise outside… out side PSN, in PTP and all over India. It is not healthy, both at physical & spiritual levels. We need to ‘reduce’ volume at all levels. We should ban honking in PTP.

We need to take Prashanthi beyond PSN… to Puttaparthi, our localities & beyond

We owe it to Swami & His devotees who throng to PTP... and in our world beyond, as a mark of Living SSpiritually, by the ideals of SAI

PTP : Plastic free, Trash-free, Pollution-free 

• Plastic-free: let each one of us just stop using plastic & encourage our friends, family & also shop-keepers
• Trash-free: no more throwing garbage on to the streets. Let us segregate & dispose, with full responsibility. Garbage is what we give back to Earth!!
• Pollution-free: Freedom from all types of pollution, incl sound, air, water, etc. Strictly no horn please. Let us take responsibility & implement ourselves. Then spread message.

We owe to Puttaparthi and beyond. We owe it to Swami. Let us make Swami proud thru a plastic-free, trash free, pollution-free PTP.

Sai Bless.

Back Home... @ Prashanthi Nilayam

Sairam…. 

Greetings from Prashanthi Nilayam. On a much-awaited ‘break’! Though I am on a ‘break’, got tied up with too many things over the last 5+ months. Could not just sit back & take few deep breaths. Wanted to desperately make a trip of this type to PSN. Enjoying blissful moments in PSN, since Monday, 10^th Sept.

Weather has been surprisingly very good. The cab ride was very refreshing, with the entire landscape in the region clean & green, along the national highway. As we hit the last-mile, near PSN railway station, the driver commented, ‘Puttaparthy is now Bangalore & Bangalore is like Puttaparthy”!  He was referring to the weather, of course. Puttaparthy (PTP) is no longer hot & dry as we usually we associate with Rayalseema region of AP., but green & pleasant.

Nature is doing its best. We just need to be more responsible to environment

Sri Sathya Sai Baba's 'WILL'

Courtesy: SSSBPT

The news of Bhagwan's will is in news. His 'will' is more than a mere legal document... Divine Will. 

The TRP-hungry media picks up the news & reports with their own blurred-vision. They are blissfully ignorant of several facts, which are beyond normal human intelligence... 

'The world is full of mysterious things, 'still' waiting for my intelligence to grow'... More so in matters which are SSpiritual. For, human intellect with all its conditioning & limitations, can not fathom matters related to the higher plane.

I feel sad for people who waste their precious time, effort, energy in matters trivial. As a child of 12, Baba relinquished and stepped out to serve mankind. He continue to do so, with increased magnitude, though He is physically not around. So many of His devotees can vouch how Baba continue to shower Grace, in fact a lot more!

But then the rationalists can not delve into those levels. They will continue to be blinded by maya and spread the blindness around. Media seem to play a catalytic role.

Let us not be disturbed by these trivial distractions. 

Let us go within & experience divinity within, as Bhagwan always advised us. 

Let us live by His ideals & values... 

• Love All, Serve All.  
• Help Ever, Hurt Never
• Manava Seva is Madhava Seva  

OUR LIFE IS HIS MESSAGE

Teacher's Day

Remembering all teachers who touched my life, with loving gratitude... God Bless.

Have been most fortunate to have Swami as my Sad-Guru... 

Musically Yours

1. Bhajanavali #6 : Listening to 'Sai Ram, Sai Shyam...' from the CD from Radio Sai. Great collection of some of the most beautiful bhajans by Sai Students. 
2. Devotionally Yours by Pt Jasraj is another master piece !
3. Had picked up Times Music's Sai Bhajans also. All popular singers from Bollywood have made their musical offerings 

We always knew this... still glad to share!

The Google Fact™ ‏@thegooglefact

Music can help reduce chronic pain and depression.