CHERRY BLOSSOM PATH BY SONYA KI TOMLINSON
SAI TEMPLE TEXT - GOOD COMPANY
I adore my two grandchildren, Alexander Sathya and Sean Sai and my beautiful niece Carina Marie. When they were younger I took photos and nicknamed them the three musketeers.
They were typical American kids who had the unique advantage of being born into families with mystical and esoteric backgrounds. My daughter and I were Rosicrucian, AMORC students but raised as Christians before we came into the Sai fold. We were very immersed in the Rosicrucian egyptian-based philosophy and teachings dedicated to the upliftment of humanity and the discovery of the true Divine self within.
Then, our beloved Swami laid his All-Seeing eyes upon us and drew us like a cosmic magnet to His lotus feet. Both my daughter and I intensely wished that the children could attend SSE classes and benefit from the incalculable depth of wisdom and dharmic treasures Swami has bestowed upon us.
We registered the two boys in SSE, reluctantly they attended the classes, I was an SSE teacher at that time. The children never adapted and were uncomfortable, restless and not well behaved.
They said they had difficulty understanding the Indian accents and culture. Although they only stayed two years in SSE I am certain they benefited even from that short period of time. Still I wanted them to experience Swami's Ananda and continued to personally teach them. Their mother Kendra also emphasized the Sai philosophy and deep regard for human values in their daily living.
As adolescence dawned our precious, precocious little cherubs became challenging to say the least. It was around that time I decided to communicate with them in the language they best understood - texting. I started sending them Temple texts, I don't know if they read every one of the texts, I just scattered lotus seeds and prayed they would sprout.
I would like to share these simple Temple texts based on Swami's teachings and inspiration with the budding hearts and minds of our youth.
GOOD COMPANY
Good company, good friends influence you to do the right thing and be aligned with the universe and God. Bad company influences wrong directions and causes you suffering and Karma.
There's a saying that goes show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are.
The people you hang out with reflect your character. For example - when I was younger I had a friend, unfortunately my friend developed a stealing habit. I didn't realize she was stealing from the supermarket and sometimes I would accompany her to the store. I guess the store people and managers were watching her but they also started watching me, because I was associated with her. One day I was by myself at the supermarket I purchased some things and when I was leaving the store, the store people and managers all surrounded me and insisted on checking my pockets and bags for stolen items. I was mortified and very upset because of course I hadn't stolen anything. Then they mentioned my friend and I realized that because I hung out with her they thought I was stealing too. Luckily my friend later reformed this bad habit.
Please be careful with the company You keep. It is very important to have a good reputation and good character in this world. Choose your friend's wisely. With good friends you will be happy, confident, feel like you are improving and growing in a good direction. Bad company will pull you down, may suggest that you do things that are against your conscience and you will feel depressed and unhappy. Also my dear cherubs be kind to your parents, they take good care of you, so take good care of them . You both are important to each other.
Much love,
Granny
"If wealth is lost, nothing is lost. If health is lost, something is lost. If character is lost, all is lost." - Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba.
Swami says: "Parents have the primary responsibility to mold the character of children. Too much freedom should not be given out of excessive affection. Children should be taught to exercise self-restraint and observe discipline in their daily life. If parents are negligent in bringing up the children in their most tender years, it will not be easy to correct them later on."
They were typical American kids who had the unique advantage of being born into families with mystical and esoteric backgrounds. My daughter and I were Rosicrucian, AMORC students but raised as Christians before we came into the Sai fold. We were very immersed in the Rosicrucian egyptian-based philosophy and teachings dedicated to the upliftment of humanity and the discovery of the true Divine self within.
Then, our beloved Swami laid his All-Seeing eyes upon us and drew us like a cosmic magnet to His lotus feet. Both my daughter and I intensely wished that the children could attend SSE classes and benefit from the incalculable depth of wisdom and dharmic treasures Swami has bestowed upon us.
We registered the two boys in SSE, reluctantly they attended the classes, I was an SSE teacher at that time. The children never adapted and were uncomfortable, restless and not well behaved.
They said they had difficulty understanding the Indian accents and culture. Although they only stayed two years in SSE I am certain they benefited even from that short period of time. Still I wanted them to experience Swami's Ananda and continued to personally teach them. Their mother Kendra also emphasized the Sai philosophy and deep regard for human values in their daily living.
As adolescence dawned our precious, precocious little cherubs became challenging to say the least. It was around that time I decided to communicate with them in the language they best understood - texting. I started sending them Temple texts, I don't know if they read every one of the texts, I just scattered lotus seeds and prayed they would sprout.
I would like to share these simple Temple texts based on Swami's teachings and inspiration with the budding hearts and minds of our youth.
GOOD COMPANY
Good company, good friends influence you to do the right thing and be aligned with the universe and God. Bad company influences wrong directions and causes you suffering and Karma.
There's a saying that goes show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are.
The people you hang out with reflect your character. For example - when I was younger I had a friend, unfortunately my friend developed a stealing habit. I didn't realize she was stealing from the supermarket and sometimes I would accompany her to the store. I guess the store people and managers were watching her but they also started watching me, because I was associated with her. One day I was by myself at the supermarket I purchased some things and when I was leaving the store, the store people and managers all surrounded me and insisted on checking my pockets and bags for stolen items. I was mortified and very upset because of course I hadn't stolen anything. Then they mentioned my friend and I realized that because I hung out with her they thought I was stealing too. Luckily my friend later reformed this bad habit.
Please be careful with the company You keep. It is very important to have a good reputation and good character in this world. Choose your friend's wisely. With good friends you will be happy, confident, feel like you are improving and growing in a good direction. Bad company will pull you down, may suggest that you do things that are against your conscience and you will feel depressed and unhappy. Also my dear cherubs be kind to your parents, they take good care of you, so take good care of them . You both are important to each other.
Much love,
Granny
"If wealth is lost, nothing is lost. If health is lost, something is lost. If character is lost, all is lost." - Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba.
Swami says: "Parents have the primary responsibility to mold the character of children. Too much freedom should not be given out of excessive affection. Children should be taught to exercise self-restraint and observe discipline in their daily life. If parents are negligent in bringing up the children in their most tender years, it will not be easy to correct them later on."