Bhakti Sakha, God is our Best Friend by Sonya Ki Tomlinson
NECTARINE SWAMI DREAM, 11/26/2016
OM SAIRAM BLESSED SAI FAMILY
The last really complete dream I had with our Lord was last January. I've had divine glimpses of Him since but that's it.
The past week I have been intensifying my Sadhana. Doing early morning Suprabhatam, Namasmarana, Meditation etc. in a more disciplined regular manner. I have also been reading passages from the book Sadhana the Inward Path. This quote really helped bring solace after a contentious presidential election:
"When you are depressed by what appears to be loss or calamity, engage yourself in Namasmarana, the recitation and recollection of the Names of the Lord; that will give you consolation, courage and the true perspective. Remember the distress and calamity that the saints underwent with enthusiastic welcome and be calm during every storm. People laughed at them and called them mad; but, they knew that they were in the Grace Hospital of God, not the mental hospital of man. They had full faith in their destiny and so they had full faith in God; they laughed when calamities tried to cow down their eagerness, for they knew their latent strength, the strength of the Atma within."
Another beautiful quote I found very helpful: "The eyes have to be trained to discover the footprints of God; in this process, the mind has to be mastered. The mind is the pivot of thoughts and feelings. The mind is the thinking aspect of Brahman; the Absolute Consciousness. The absolute Self manifesting itself in imaginative activity is the Mind. However, instead of turning toward the absolute, it turns outward, and starts using the senses as its instrument; it forgets its source, the Atma. How and why this happens is inexplicable: we know this happens and that it can be avoided and prevented. The intellect cannot grasp the secret, which is called, Maya, for it too is bound by it. One has to transcend the intellect in order to understand it. That is a fact and the fact has to be faced. The mind is the background of the world. If thoughts and activities of the mind are sound, healthy, non-violent, filled with love, morally harmonious, then, Peace is near at hand and Brahman can be attained. That is why Sadhana is to be strictly pursued to train the mind inward, towards God, its source."
"You are advised to spend time in meditation or Japam or the quiet pursuit of Namasmarana; for peace and joy are not to be found in external nature: they are treasures lying hidden in the inner realms of man: once they are located, man can never more be sad or agitated. So, use this holy atmosphere, this splendid chance, these precious days to the fullest. With every inhalation, utter the name of God; with every exhalation, utter the name of God. Live in God, for Him, with Him."
I had this incredible dream with our Lord Sai this morning around 4AM. In the dream I was in a town here in the USA. We saw Swami coming amidst crowds of devotees and people. The atmosphere was festive and joyous. Throngs of people crowded around Him celebrating His Presence. He interacted with devotees smiling and sweetly responding to them. I sat inside a shop and could see Him in another shop materializing a huge gold chain from nothingness which He pinned across the business blessing it. He came into the place where I was and vibhuti started pouring everywhere. I scrambled to collect the precious vibhuti falling in piles like huge snow drifts.
Swami stopped to examine a female devotee's ring He had previously manifested for her. I had a ring on with Swami's photo. Someone asked me if Swami had given that to me. I said, no, but He blessed the picture on the ring. Swami went back into the streets greeted by enormous crowds and happy chants.
At a certain point beloved Swami walked down a wide avenue, there were only a few devotees around Him. We followed too. His form seemed to change back and forth from Sathya Sai to Amma. A man resembling Kasturi was with Him. He walked over to a small plot of flowers, there was a woman bending down. I thought she looked like a friend of mine from New York, then suddenly my friend was next to me and said the woman looked like me. Kasturi and Swami plucked some flower buds and threw them in our direction. One of the buds hit me and Kasturi looked at me. Swami bent down and cupped the woman's chin. She said, "Swami I feel so lonely" Swami responded sweetly and tenderly, something to this effect: "No need to feel lonely, I Am here."
I started waking up and then wrote down the dream. Beloved Sai family. Swami is with us always there is no need to feel lonely, lost or abandoned. We just have to faithfully follow His divine instructions and He will grant us His divine darshan with all His Love. Om Sai Ram!
Lots of Prema,
Sonya Ki
The last really complete dream I had with our Lord was last January. I've had divine glimpses of Him since but that's it.
The past week I have been intensifying my Sadhana. Doing early morning Suprabhatam, Namasmarana, Meditation etc. in a more disciplined regular manner. I have also been reading passages from the book Sadhana the Inward Path. This quote really helped bring solace after a contentious presidential election:
"When you are depressed by what appears to be loss or calamity, engage yourself in Namasmarana, the recitation and recollection of the Names of the Lord; that will give you consolation, courage and the true perspective. Remember the distress and calamity that the saints underwent with enthusiastic welcome and be calm during every storm. People laughed at them and called them mad; but, they knew that they were in the Grace Hospital of God, not the mental hospital of man. They had full faith in their destiny and so they had full faith in God; they laughed when calamities tried to cow down their eagerness, for they knew their latent strength, the strength of the Atma within."
Another beautiful quote I found very helpful: "The eyes have to be trained to discover the footprints of God; in this process, the mind has to be mastered. The mind is the pivot of thoughts and feelings. The mind is the thinking aspect of Brahman; the Absolute Consciousness. The absolute Self manifesting itself in imaginative activity is the Mind. However, instead of turning toward the absolute, it turns outward, and starts using the senses as its instrument; it forgets its source, the Atma. How and why this happens is inexplicable: we know this happens and that it can be avoided and prevented. The intellect cannot grasp the secret, which is called, Maya, for it too is bound by it. One has to transcend the intellect in order to understand it. That is a fact and the fact has to be faced. The mind is the background of the world. If thoughts and activities of the mind are sound, healthy, non-violent, filled with love, morally harmonious, then, Peace is near at hand and Brahman can be attained. That is why Sadhana is to be strictly pursued to train the mind inward, towards God, its source."
"You are advised to spend time in meditation or Japam or the quiet pursuit of Namasmarana; for peace and joy are not to be found in external nature: they are treasures lying hidden in the inner realms of man: once they are located, man can never more be sad or agitated. So, use this holy atmosphere, this splendid chance, these precious days to the fullest. With every inhalation, utter the name of God; with every exhalation, utter the name of God. Live in God, for Him, with Him."
I had this incredible dream with our Lord Sai this morning around 4AM. In the dream I was in a town here in the USA. We saw Swami coming amidst crowds of devotees and people. The atmosphere was festive and joyous. Throngs of people crowded around Him celebrating His Presence. He interacted with devotees smiling and sweetly responding to them. I sat inside a shop and could see Him in another shop materializing a huge gold chain from nothingness which He pinned across the business blessing it. He came into the place where I was and vibhuti started pouring everywhere. I scrambled to collect the precious vibhuti falling in piles like huge snow drifts.
Swami stopped to examine a female devotee's ring He had previously manifested for her. I had a ring on with Swami's photo. Someone asked me if Swami had given that to me. I said, no, but He blessed the picture on the ring. Swami went back into the streets greeted by enormous crowds and happy chants.
At a certain point beloved Swami walked down a wide avenue, there were only a few devotees around Him. We followed too. His form seemed to change back and forth from Sathya Sai to Amma. A man resembling Kasturi was with Him. He walked over to a small plot of flowers, there was a woman bending down. I thought she looked like a friend of mine from New York, then suddenly my friend was next to me and said the woman looked like me. Kasturi and Swami plucked some flower buds and threw them in our direction. One of the buds hit me and Kasturi looked at me. Swami bent down and cupped the woman's chin. She said, "Swami I feel so lonely" Swami responded sweetly and tenderly, something to this effect: "No need to feel lonely, I Am here."
I started waking up and then wrote down the dream. Beloved Sai family. Swami is with us always there is no need to feel lonely, lost or abandoned. We just have to faithfully follow His divine instructions and He will grant us His divine darshan with all His Love. Om Sai Ram!
Lots of Prema,
Sonya Ki
