November 27, 2010

Choosing right words.



Few days ago, while watching TV, BK Shivani had some really wonderful things to say We have to learn the art of thinking in a different way in order to face difficult situations in life so that we sail through them with ease instead of complaining and creating unnecessary pressure on ourselves. We always have so many complaints with ourselves and the world. If we change ourself the world around us automatically changes. situation could be the same but it won't affect me the way it used to earlier. In our life / relationships
We are faced with 3 options to change our perspective always:


I GET WHAT I LIKE - there is no issue here. eg friends I choose I am free to choose so I like them, my parents may not like since they have a different perspective. But supposing I do not get what I like. What then?


I LIKE WHAT I GET - sometimes when I do not like what i have e.g. relations where I have no choice or events etc. I have to change my perspective to look at it positively - look at it diffferently and say 'I like what I get'.


I DON'T LIKE WHAT I GET - Third painful option is to live with this attitude - well you will never get anything of your liking if you are thinking on these lines. Haven't you seen people around you who are always complaining with everything around them - the world, the weather, the boss. all wrong happens with such people.


Another aspect is choice of words when i say I HAVE TO DO IT since I have no choice. I create stress for my innerself. because HAVE TO word creates pressure on me and ultimately unhappiness.


I have to replace I HAVE TO DO IT with I WANT TO DO IT or I CHOOSE TO DO IT to feel better and maintain a positive outlook for myself atleast -things may not be happening as per my liking but I CHOOSE TO LIKE WHAT I GET BECAUSE I WANT TO. Doing something as per someone's wish (it was my choice in first place) and then complaining is contradictory. When we do it we better do it with positive mind set otherwise it creates negativity first for myself and then in my relations.


The above things taught me that when I change my way of looking at things, my attitude and mindset automatically changes and then even when the situation is the same, I am in peace and in position to handle it with courage without causing any hardship.

Vandana Ritik
New Delhi

November 10, 2010

Understanding Shirdi SaiBaba Philosophy on Faith (Shraddha) n Patience (Saburi)

    Saibaba advised his devotees to have Shradha and Saburi always.

    Sadguru Shirdi SaiBaba often said that ‘Shraddha’(Faith/Trust) and ‘Saburi’(Patience/ Endurance) are mines of virtues. If his devotees could develop these virtues in themselves, they will cross this ocean of worldly existence without the least trouble and easily.


We are devotees of Saibaba. Have we ever truly introspected to check whether we have been able to develop these twin virtues of ‘Faith’ and ‘Patience’ in us?



I often thought that I had Shraddha but I lack in Saburi because I have an impatient personality. But as I introspected, I realized, I did not have true faith either.

Thinking deeply I realized that these two mines of virtues are very deep and what they contain is beyond value. Faith and Patience together hide the formula for our Freedom. If we practice both, we will experience what we came to experience on earth, our aim of taking human birth – the ultimate Sat-Chit-Anand.

Getting intellectual meaning of these two words is easy. We all understand what these words mean. BUT DO WE REALLY PRACTICE? Do we trust SaiBaba like a child trusts his parents and relaxes completely?

If we trust SaiBaba, it means we believe that he will take care of all our problems and help us out of all our so called troubles. We should become completely stress free. Having placed our Faith in SaiBaba means, we are now free from worry, fear, guilt, anxiety, our as well as security of our family, social position etc. Why? Because we have faith in SaiBaba and he is taking care of us. However, we still worry, feel stress, get confused, feel inner conflict, feel out of control, get angry and annoyed.

If we REALLY have Faith in Saibaba than why do we behave like this? These problems should not be bothering us. Isn’t Saibaba taking care! Here is the Catch. Either we do not trust Saibaba or our faith in him is only namesake.


SaiBaba advised his devotees to do all the duties of the respective stations of their lives with honesty and not to bother about the results because these are in the hands of Almighty. Lord takes action impartially. He is kind and compassionate and takes care of all without any discrimination. Even when we feel abandoned, He is still there. If we cannot see or feel him, it is because we are focusing on what is going wrong and not what is going right. If only we could focus on what we still have rather than what we lost.

If there are some tough times, God must have given them to us to help us grow in strength and character. None likes to pass through tough times, faith shakes, we want to know, how Saibaba helped my friend in trouble but not me in the same situation. Only Saibaba knows the answer to this. If I believe in Him and Trust him fully, I should be confident that He will take care of me at the most appropriate time. Now when will this ‘appropriate time’ come, only HE knows. I don’t have to worry about it. I place my request before him and let him do what he wants to do. I don’t have to repeat my requests everyday to remind him. He hears me the first time itself. I have to practice Saburi here.

When there is a delay from his side, we want to find out the answer and get restless and miserable. We fret, we pray out of fear(which is just a formality), we consult astrologers to find out when and how our bad phase will end and why did this happen to me only. When SaiBaba is our helmsman than why are we worried and running here and there? Where is our Shraddha? Where is our Saburi?

Wise men say that sometimes it is better not to know than to know. Ignorance is Bliss. Why are we trying to find out the reasons if we have genuine ‘Shraddha’ in SaiBaba. We should feel gratitude that we are devotees of the One who knows All. Why not accept what he does with our lives with all peace and calm? Have we not placed our Faith in him. We should not love Saibaba only for what He can do/has done for us but we must love him for what He Is. Faith is always unconditional. Through our faith, God checks whether we trust HIM in our ‘not knowing’ reasons for all things going wrong in our life and our environment. If we knew answer to everything happening in our lives, we won’t need a Sadguru.

SaiBaba said ‘Cast your burden on to me and I will bear it’. If we have cast our burden on SaiBaba with faith, why are we feeling burdens in our daily lives. Why do we get stressed, depressed, tense, insecure and fearful everyday. Our diabetes, BP, heart problems, headaches, upset stomachs are results of stress we have kept in our lives and we are not even aware of it. SaiBaba told us to do our duties to the best of our abilities but he never told us to worry and fret.

Saibaba referred to ‘Saburi’, as sister of ‘Shraddha’ who go hand in hand. Why? By this He is trying to teach us that once we have placed our unshakable and firm faith in our Sadguru, we must be patient enough to wait for the results because some results may be to our liking and some may disturb us. Only God knows what is good for us. Did not Das Ganu get this lesson from maid in Kakasaheb’s house? Whatever happens in our life is ultimately for our own good. Therefore, we should be patient enough to accept it, endure it and overcome it without disturbing our peace of mind. Be happy no matter what the circumstance is because trust in God is answer to all the problems we have. Once I have placed my faith in God, I should stop asking reasons for things not happening as to my liking.

We are in a hurry to have things happen our way. But God has his own ways. He knows what is good for his devotees. He may not be telling us but we should have firm belief that he is taking care. World may go topsy turvy but my faith should not shake. If we did not get what we wanted than it was not meant for us. What is ours, comes to us. What is not ours, why bother at all. We are free to feel joy and peace in our lives despite problems once we have put our trust in God. Now we have to wait patiently for God to take appropriate action with belief that it will be for our benefit. We feel doubtful if we do not have answers to our problems. It is at this time the sincerity of our faith and patience are tested.

A true devotee who has Trust in Him will wait Patiently with the firm belief that He will take care when the time is right. We have to learn to do right things even when the results may turn out to be ‘wrong’. As they say “Do your Best. God will do the Rest”. Only He know why things are happening the way they are happening. Our job is to act wisely as per the voice of our conscience and then feel free because HE is in control. This is what ‘sarvasva sharanagati’ is all about.

A true devotee practicing faith and patience knows that Saibaba will always provide a way out of tough situations at the right time for only He knows what time is right for each and everyone. Some may get results fast, some may have to wait for years. We have to stop finding answers to problems that only God can answer.

Trust sets us free from everything – worry, past mistakes, addictions, bondage, what people think about me, promotion, money, security, fears, expectations, strained relationships, diseases, grief, pain, loss of a loved one etc. When we trust we are free from botheration of finding out why this is happening to me, my family or to the society. Patience gives wings to this freedom, adds joy to the peace, gives strength of character, and connects us to the ultimate source of power.

God loves us unconditionally, when we feel pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow, mine and others, we create barriers between us and God. When we think we are separate from God and others, we suffer. Shraddha and Saburi are those virtues which will dissolve these barriers. When there will be no wall of separation, we will be able to feel presence of our Sadguru SaiBaba around us always, we will be able to see HIM face to face and understand how much He loves us.

Vandana Ritik
New Delhi