32. Unity in Diversity and Diversity in Unity
All Vedic texts and all sages with high spiritual experience describe God as the highest inner essence of the soul of every living being.
(Sathya Sai Baba – Gita Vahini, Chapter 20)
Philosophy gives theoretical knowledge of truth, and yoga leads to the inner experience of truth. Philosophers meditate on truth, and yogis reside in the actual experience of truth. One who practices self-inquiry is on the spiritual path, and everyone must independently discover the truth about himself.
The answer to the question about the nature of one’s «Self» can only be found in meditation. To the extent that a person is in the process of self-exploration is the extent that he is on the spiritual path.
There are many answers to the fundamental question: who is «I»? These two answers are the most basic: «I am the Soul» and «I am God.» How to make a choice between the human and divine nature of your «I»? How to understand who the «I» really is? Am I the individual Soul or God? There is no need to make any choice. In fact, at every moment of time, «I» carries both the Divine and human nature.
Sathya Sai Baba says that «the sages describe God as the highest inner essence of the soul of every living being.» This means that the reality of «God» and the reality of the «soul» exist in parallel. Both of these realities, absolute and individual, are in primordial harmony and unity.
The Self is potential and manifested, positive and negative, soft and hard, logical and intuitive, eternal and momentary. The Self is a great ocean and a small drop. Self is beginningless unity and infinite diversity. Self is unity in diversity and diversity in unity.
33. Personal meetings with Sathya Sai Baba, everything was unpredictable
Interviews were an important aspect of the daily program. Sathya Sai Baba would sit in his chair, which looked more like a throne. Some followers came with spiritual and philosophical questions, and some with questions relating to the circumstances of life. All those invited to a personal meeting sat on the carpet directly in front of him. Sathya Sai Baba was like a conductor for the interview. Quite often people brought photographs of their relatives with them in order for Sathya Sai Baba to bless them.
Only Sathya Sai Baba decided how the meeting went, if he wanted to give someone the opportunity to speak, he gave them that opportunity, at the same time he could completely ignore someone else. Sathya Sai Baba could turn to someone present and ask: “What are your questions? What is your problem? What do you want to say or ask? Then the person got the right to talk to him and ask his questions.
Some tried to interrupt the neighbor and ask their question, but Sathya Sai Baba made it very clear with whom exactly he wanted to communicate at the moment.
There were cases when large groups came, but Sathya Sai Baba could only talk to one person during the whole meeting, and the rest just sat and listened. There were interviews where he could talk to each person in turn. Every time everything was unpredictable.
When people turned to Sathya Sai Baba with really important questions, he listened attentively and gave detailed answers. If people came who wanted to show off their intelligence and education, Sathya Sai Baba interrupted such a farce. If he understood that a person was not sincere in his questions and asked them only to be smart, he could abruptly interrupt the clever man and point out his hidden vices and problems in front of everyone.
Only those who were completely sincere in their questions received deep and comprehensive answers from Sathya Sai Baba.