National President's Welcome |
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Dearest Brothers and Sisters,
Pray that with Bhagawan’s Grace, you are all keeping well.
The month of September started off the new academic year and coincided with a day filled with spiritual vibrations at the National Sai Smaran Bhajans; and October marks a very auspicious day in our diaries, with Avatar Declaration Day on October 20th. 82 years ago, on 20th October 1940, our Dearest Lord, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba declared that He has come to Light the Lamp of Love in our Hearts, this Love which is in everyone’s Heart and so we should see all as One.
When the Divine comes down as Avatar ― whether it be as Rama or as Krishna, Matsya (fish), Varaha (boar) or Vamana (dwarf) ― it is only for one purpose. You recognise only the momentary results of the advent. But you should note that the Divine comes as Avatar only to teach mankind the truth about love […] Love alone is the fruit of love. Love is its own witness. There is no trace of self-interest in it. Because love exists, for its own sake, it has no fear. It is to teach humanity the way of love that Avatars come in the world. The world displays the diversity that has emanated from the One. The Divine demonstrates the unity that subsumes the diversity. Recognition of this unity in diversity can be learnt only from the Divine.
Sri Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. 21 Ch. 25, 3rd September 1988
One of my most favourite months is nearly upon us. November marks a month of many opportunities to contemplate on our Dear Lord; we will have local and Regional Akhand Bhajans, as well as Birthday Celebrations marking the 97th year of the Advent of our Dear Lord Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
We pray to our Dear Lord Sai to always keep us close to Him and that we never let go of His Beautiful Lotus Feet. Let us always remember to dedicate every Thought, Word and Deed to Him and share the Love that He continuously shares with us.
Jai Sai Ram
Ketan Gokani
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Our next National programme... |
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National Birthday Celebrations 2022 |
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We would like to invite everyone to join us at the National Birthday Celebrations, marking the 97th year of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s Advent.
The theme for this year’s Birthday Programme is, ‘Why Fear When I am Here.' This year has been about restarting and rebuilding after two years of the pandemic. As things revert to near-normal, apprehensions and challenges create not only uncertainty, but also anxiety. Hence, the Lord of the Universe reassures us: when we have Him by our side, what is there to fear?
We look forward to welcoming you and your family. Further details will follow in the coming weeks.
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Bumper turnout for event after three-year hiatus |
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Sai Smaran 2022 |
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With the love and guidance of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we were able to successfully hold and enjoy a wonderful day of praising our Beloved Bhagawan at this year's Sai Smaran bhajans.
On Saturday 12th September, over 230 devotees from all over the UK attended the event, held at the Soar Valley College in Leicester, Region 4, to enjoy and participate in a day of continuous heartfelt and blissful bhajans in the name of our dearest guide and protector, Swami.
Due to the tireless efforts of the Sai Smaran team, in conjunction with the Regional Spiritual Coordinators, a selection of just over 90 bhajans was chosen from over 200 recordings sent in from devotees across the United Kingdom to be sung throughout the day. Volunteers from London, Leicester and elsewhere in the country arrived at the venue bright and early on Saturday at 7am, carrying with them an assortment of technical equipment, instruments and items for the preparation and transformation of the College hall into a spectacular altar to offer our gratitude towards Swami.
After opening the event with the complete 11 anuvakams of the Rudram Namakam, the rest of the day was filled with non-stop bhajans, continuing for five-and-a-half hours all the way till 4pm. The bhajan singers, together with a chosen group of extremely talented instrumentalists, with the passionate devotees giving a powerful chorus, came together to create a truly wonderful day of singing and praising the Lord's name. After a long-awaited three-year break, this year's Sai Smaran bhajans were able to create a powerful day of music and prayer to leave all with the lingering effects of the pure divine vibrations created.
We are greatly blessed to be able to partake in an event like this and may we all take forward the positive effects and love created through the vibrations at this year's Sai Smaran into our lives.
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Continuing the series of personal stories from SSSO UK Young Adults |
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My personal Sai journey |
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mūkaṃ karoti vācālaṃ paṃguṃ laṃghayate giri
yat kṛpā tamahaṃ vaṃde paramānaṃda mādhavam
I salute that supreme bliss, Madhava,
by whose mercy the dumb become most eloquent
and the lame are able to jump over the mountains.
If there is one unmistakable characteristic that singles out our dearest Bhagawan as the Lord incarnate, it is His ability to transform the hearts and minds of those individuals that have had the good fortune to know Him. Indeed, Swami Himself has said: “Transformation of society must start with transformation of individuals.” (Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 31, Ch 1: 1 January 1998)
This is the fourth in a series of articles showcasing the personal journeys of Young Adults from across the United Kingdom, as they share with us how Swami has transformed their lives in a very deep and lasting way. In this issue, we hear from Brother Avi Singh in Region 2.
Swami remains an important figure in my life, starting from my earliest days, as He guided me through spiritual education, to the present day, where my relationship with Sai has accompanied me through my lowest lows and highest highs.
Recently, Swami blessed me with the chance to facilitate a Satsang on the theme of “Achieving Peace - the Sai Way” as part of the Region 3 retreat that took place in September, gifting me an opportunity to reflect on the themes surrounding peace and my experiences with them. A standout discussion point from the Satsang questioned the difference between peace and happiness; proposing whether having lots of happiness was the key to enjoying lasting peace. Having not defined an answer for myself, I continued to explore my feelings on this after the session.
In my experience, happiness was linked to desires – the feeling of seeking more of what I lacked. However, even in the extremities of happiness from receiving what I lacked, I felt a lack of peace, as I reflected on the shattering impermanence of these experiences. I circled back to my notes in preparation for the Satsang looking for an answer and came across how Swami relates peace to perfect equanimity, the facing of success and dejection with the same capacity, rather than an endless pursuit of happiness. Swami says, ‘Endurance, with joyful resignation, of the ups and downs of life is the royal road to peace’ (Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 10 Ch. 17, 23 July 1970).
So I reflected on my personal low and high points against this teaching and Swami’s words of equanimity and composure made me realise the frivolousness of the strength with which I had clung to the results of my deeds. I became very mindful of a long-standing habit of mine, of which I still find so difficult to break free, which is to expect things to go my way. From counting down endlessly to school results days in years gone by, to gluing myself to my email for news about university results and job applications in more recent times. It was not until I started my quest to explore the topic of peace and what it means to me, that I saw the emptiness in the results, and the real value being in the journey and experience to get there.
In my journey with Swami, He has shown me that every experience is His gift. Swami always knows what is best for me. His guidance has ensured that I always ended up at the right destinations, even if they were different from what I had planned and prepared for. A practice that helps me is to take a moment every day to stop what I might be doing and to think of Swami’s smiling form, to thank Him for this gift of knowing Him in this lifetime and having His constant guidance. Slowly, every terrifying trial becomes an opportunity to grow, learn and transform. Swami’s words remind me that life, though passing, is exceedingly precious. On the other side of every difficult experience is a new lesson learned, and on the other side of every peak of pleasure is a need to keep moving forward – the day after the high of a fairy tale ending.
Making the effort to practise Swami’s teachings of equanimity and acceptance transformed my perspectives, helping me strike a balance between giving my best and accepting any result that comes with equal gratitude. Only when I found a way to surrender everything to Swami did I begin to find a way toward peace.
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Young Adults explore 'Achieving Peace the Sai way' |
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Region 3 Retreat: a Young Adult's perspective |
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Last month's issue briefly covered the Region 3 retreat held in early September. This article looks at the same event from the perspective of a Young Adult.
The Young Adults of Regions 2 and 3 were fortunate enough to participate in the Region 3 spiritual retreat, with the grace of our beloved Bhagawan. The key lesson learnt is that “everything happens for a reason and nothing happens without His divine will.”
The retreat took place on 3rd September, in Watford, and saw approximately 100 devotees come together to enhance their spiritual learning, on the topic “Achieving Peace - the Sai Way.” The day started with some energising Vedam and beautiful bhajans, followed by an eye-opening discourse from Swami which set the tone for the day.
This then led to the highlight of the event, a live-stream from Brother Amey Deshpande directly from the holy precincts of Prasanthi Nilayam. Brother Amey, whilst sharing his adventures with Swami, walked the audience through tangible methods by which one can achieve peace. The guided meditation session in particular showed how easy it is to achieve a state of peace wherever one is, and enabled each and every individual in the room to experience peace and bask in its elevated state. One beautiful prayer that Brother Amey also shared is that, throughout our journey, we must fully trust in Swami and pray to Him to be “the thinker of our thoughts, the doer of our deeds and the speaker of our words”. The session left the audience with lots to ponder over lunch.
The peaceful theme continued after lunch with an incredibly uplifting and calming live musical performance from the Young Adults, as they delivered each offering with devotional fervour and pitch-perfect singing accompanied by beautiful musical instruments.
Fully saturated in a state of calm and peace, the audience then participated in engaging group discussions to exchange their views and experiences on achieving peace the Sai way, on the back of what Brother Amey had spoken about. The young adults split up into groups to exchange ideas, touching upon important areas such as mental health, anger, and how Swami always has our backs. Especially with the pandemic coming our way and other difficulties that Young Adults face, achieving peace can often seem impossible. Together, we discussed practical ways to feel peace including music and breathing. We also expanded on the formula that Brother Amey shared (Happiness = Pleasure + Engagement + Meaning). It was a much-needed Satsang as we shared life experiences that were unique, yet of the same essence. Dwelling upon these thoughts made us feel the presence of Swami and reiterated the aspect of trust that Brother Amey had touched upon.
Not only did we evolve spiritually on the day, but the whole experience of being involved with planning and executing the event truly made us feel that Swami is the doer. Most Young Adults can connect over the principle of Service (Seva) and we gained the opportunity to work closely with the adults during the planning of the retreat as well as on the day. We helped in many aspects such as organising the Vedam, bhajans, musical programme and group discussion, as well as setting up the altar and hall and other service elements such as catering. It was great to see many Young Adults bond and work together to make the day possible. Having been heavily involved in the making of the day, it became unquestionably transparent as the day concluded that no matter how much planning we do, ultimately what happens is down to Swami and He will never ever let us down.
Harini Vickneswaren
Joint Region 3 YA Coordinator
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Region 1 (London South East & South West)
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Tooting Sai Centre conducted monthly homeless feeding on Saturday 24th September, serving 87 hot meals (Mexican vegetarian hotpot) and distributing over 90 bags of fruit and water to the homeless in central London.
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Wimbledon Sai Centre celebrated Navratri in person for the first time in three years. The event was marked with prayers and special bhajans by the Bal Vikas (SSE) children, who also bought their favourite statues and pictures for the Golu, the traditional display of dolls and figurines for Navratri.
Other upcoming events:
- Merton Sai Centre
- Thursday 20th October, 6.45pm: Avatar Declaration Day bhajans at Sai Mandir, 131-133 Effra Road, London SW19 8PU
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Region 2 (London North West and nearby Home Counties)
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UK-Aid collected 300 Pot Noodle tubs from Region 2 to take to Ukraine. Alan, the director of the charity, is to drive to Lviv, Ukraine, along with TEECH (another partner charity) to deliver another van-and lorry-load of donations. The Pot Noodle tubs are to be taken straight to front line soldiers, as well as to families who are currently sheltering in basements. Thank you to all those who generously supported the service project a few months ago.
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On Saturday 8th October, devotees joined together to celebrate Navratri and a vibrant afternoon of Garba. Harrow West Sai Centre’s annual event saw over a hundred devotees, from 2-year-olds to over-80-year-olds; everyone enjoyed the wonderful dancing, music and prashad offered to our Divine Mother.
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Region 3 (London North, East & Central and nearby Home Counties)
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Cambridge Sai Centre marked Ganesh Chaturthi.
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Edmonton Sai Centre marked Ganesh Chaturthi.
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Thurrock Sai Centre helped Essex Wildlife Trust with the chopping and clearing of overgrown trees and bushes to maintain a clear pathway at Chafford Gorges Nature Park, thus ensuring the general public can enjoy the natural scenery. Pre-pandemic, this service activity was carried out quarterly; however, it was done in both September and October this year due to demand - and hopefully there will be many more sessions in the future!
Upcoming events:
- Mill Hill Sai Centre
- Sunday 23rd October, 9am: Avatar Declaration Day programme at Deansbrook Primary School - access via Church Close, London HA8 9NS
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On Sunday 25th September, Birmingham Sai Centre reopened after two years for centre bhajans, where over 30 devotees attended.
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As winter approaches, we can imagine how difficult it is for the people living on the streets, especially once taking into consideration the current cost of living crisis. It was a cold and windy evening on Friday 30th September when several volunteers from Narborough Road Sai Centre went out into the streets of Leicester to serve the homeless and needy people in the city. Twenty-three people were served with sleeping bags, hats, gloves, socks and underwear, as well as food and hot drinks. All this would not have been possible without the help from all our volunteers.
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Narborough Road Sai Centre was truly overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of all devotees who helped collect the items we needed to support refugees from Ukraine. Items collected were various toiletries, dried pasta, rice and canned food.
Five volunteers delivered the items on Friday 16th September to the Leicester Ukraine Society who gratefully received them.
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Region 5 (North England and Northern Ireland)
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September was filled with auspicious satsangs at Newcastle Sai Centre. Firstly, Onam was celebrated on Friday 9th September with children sharing the story of Vamana Avatar, followed by bhajans. Lamps with flower decorations adorned the hall.
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The Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, was also celebrated by Newcastle Sai Centre, on Friday 30th September. One of the most popular Rosh Hashanah customs involves eating apple slices dipped in honey. Ancient Jews believed that apples had healing properties. The honey in it signifies the hope of sweetness in the new year. Apples with honey were served to devotees as prasad. The Jewish traditional braided bread known as challah (round-shaped bread made to symbolise the cyclical nature of life) was also served along with other items as part of high tea after the bhajans. The key learnings from the satsang were the importance of feeling grateful for all the good things that happened to us in the past year and having a positive outlook towards the upcoming year.
Upcoming events:
- Joint Akhand Bhajans
- Saturday 12th November: Joint event by Bolton Sai Centre, Greater Manchester Sai centre, Preston Sai Group and Warrington Sai Group - details TBC
- Sunday 13th November: Joint event by Bradford Sai Centre, Halifax Sai centre, Hull Sai Group and Leeds Sai Centre - details TBC
- Regional Ladies' Day and Birthday Celebrations
- Saturday 19th November: Warrington - details TBC
- Leeds Sai Centre
- Wednesday 23rd November: Birthday celebrations - details TBC
- Newcastle Sai Centre
- Akhand bhajans - details TBC
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Region 6 (South & South East England)
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Farnborough Sai Centre resumed their Bal Vikas (SSE) classes after the summer break on Sunday 11th September, meeting face-to-face for the first time since early 2020.
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Farnborough Sai Centre also organised chanting the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra 108 times on Sunday 18th September, to pay respects to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
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Rochester Sai Centre members helped donate £185.75 worth of items to the Medway food bank and £10 to the Rochester Quakers open house homeless project, as a small token of appreciation to our Bhagawan.
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On Saturday 1st October, Navaratri Celebrations were held by Tunbridge Wells Sai Group, where over 60 people congregated.
The programme started at 6:30pm with Aumkaram and Vedam chanting by the SSE children and their parents. This was followed by Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam. Afterwards were vibrating Devi Bhajans and a Navratri message delivered by one of the SSE children, on the importance of revering one's own physical mother and also giving our due respects to all five forms of the mother (Deha-mata, Go-mata, Bhoo-mata, Desha-mata, and Veda-mata). The message also emphasised the need to get rid of our own negative qualities and purify our hearts to live in unity and harmony. The programme concluded with Mangala Aarti to Swami.
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Region 7 (West & South West England and Wales)
Bath Sai Centre held their monthly service activity of feeding the homeless at the Julian House Homeless Hostel and, with Swami’s grace, 22 people were served.
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Glasgow Sai Centre celebrated Shirdi Sai Baba's birthday.
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Edinburgh Sai Centre also celebrated Shirdi Sai Baba's birthday.
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