and love

Devotion

“The goal of man is to realise the divinity that is in

him. Without devotion, awareness of the Divine
cannot be experienced. Devotion is the state of
mind in which one has no separate existence apart
from God.”

-Sathya Sai Baba

 Nine Point Code of Conduct
1.Daily meditation and prayer.
2.Devotional singing/prayer with family members once per week.
3.Participation in Sai Spiritual Education by children of the family.
4.Participation in community service and other programmes of the
Organisation.
5.Regular attendance at devotional meetings conducted by the
Organisation.
6. Regular study of Sathya Sai Baba literature.
7.Use of soft, loving speech with everyone.
8.Avoidance of talking ill of others, especially in their absence.
9.Practice of the principles of “ceiling on desires”…..
 Devotion Wing

1. Devotional program
2. Study circle
3. Newcomer welcome and orientation
4. Altar
5. Library
 Feedback from Centers

1. Improve Devotion program quality, provide guidelines

2. Improve Study Circle quality and increase
participation
3. Improve newcomer integration and outreach
 Challenges

 Low energy/vitality/enthusiasm
 Low participation
Long time center members
Parents
Young adults
 Challenges
Logistics
SC time does not overlap with SSE
SC conducted only once or twice a month

Content
SC participation topic based, inconsistent
SC above level of understanding
SC topics not practical (too abstract)

Participant experience
SC dominated by some while others are silent
SC dominated by 'experts’
SC, an experience sharing session
 Objectives

 Improve quality
 Improve experience
 Increase participation
 Plan

 Study Circle workshop

 Devotion Coordinators
 Study Circle Facilitators
 Study Circle Supporters

 Take information back to centers to

invigorate and increase participation
 Objective of this workshop
 Information sharing from the National Devotion Coordinators' meeting
 Presentation
 Mock Study Circle

 Sharing of 'Best Practices’

 Experience sharing by centers

 Practical example of a Sai Ideal Study Circle

 Breakout session
 Agenda

10:00 - 10:10 3 Oms, Devotional singing

10:10 - 10:20 Opening remarks

10:20 - 10:45 “Why Study circle?”

10:45 - 11:00 Roles, tasks

11:00 - 11:20 Mock Study circle

11:20 - 11:30 Practical points

11:30 - 11:40 Going forward

11:40 - 12:30 Experience sharing

 Agenda

12:30 - 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 2:10 Breakout session

2:10 - 2:20 Closing remarks

2:20 - 2:30 Devotional Singing/prayers

Provide Feedback, please!

Sathya Sai Organization of
USA
National Devotional Coordinators Meeting

Sai Ideal
Study
Circle

Orlando, Fl
Oct 22, 2011
Swami’s directives….

Why Study Circle?

 Uniqueness of human birth

“We see a large number of living beings in

this world. But none of them has the
greatness, wisdom and discrimination
of man.
That is why it is said, Jantunam nara
janma durlabham (of all living beings,
human birth is the rarest).”
SSS 40-12
 Goal

“Your reality is the atma, a wave of the

paramatma. The one object of this
human existence is to visualize that
reality, that atma, that relationship
between the wave and the sea. All other
activities are trivial. You share them
with birds and beasts, but this is the
unique privilege of man.”
SSS 6, p224
Three bodies, five sheaths
5 Sheaths 3 Bodies

Physical Gross

Vital energy
Mind Subtle
Intellect

Bliss Causal
 Mind and Intellect

“The mind must become the servant of

the intellect, not the slave of the senses.
It must discriminate and detach itself
from the body. Like the ripe tamarind
fruit, which becomes loose inside the
shell, it must be unattached to this shell,
this casement called body.”
SSS 4, p273
 Intellect and Atma

“It is only with the help of buddhi, which

is free from rajasic (active) and tamasic
(slothful) gunas (attributes) that we can
realize the atma. The bliss of atma can be
experienced only through buddhi.”
Summer Showers 1978, p91
 Three paths

 Service Karma

 Adoration Bhakthi

 Illumination Jnana
 Three paths

“Karma leads to the consciousness of the

ever-present, immanent, all powerful God.
Upasana, or adoration of that God, leads
to the knowledge that He is in all.
When you experience that there is no
second, that is Jnana (wisdom).”
SSS 4, p 318
 Three stages

“…all three stages are really integral.

Just as a flower by stages becomes a
ripe fruit, similarly through karma,
upasana, and jnana the final stage of
Self-realization is reached.”
SSS 23, p163
 Jnana

Q. You have been saying that Jnana is

essential. Well, what exactly is the
function of Jnana?

A. Jnana makes you realise the Atma

Swarupa, that is to say, your own Reality.
-Prasnottara Vahini, Chapter IX
 Balance

Spiritual Practice

Devotional Singing

Service
 Balance

Spiritual Practice

Study Circle Devotional Singing

Service
Ladder

Goal

Service
 Ladder

Goal

Devotional Singing

Service
 Ladder

Goal
Devotional Singing
Study Circle

Service
 Study Circle

Swami’s thoughts..…
 Study Circle

“It is not just reading books. Circle, study

circle means taking a point and each
person discussing what is the meaning of
the point to them—like a round table
conference. Each person gives his point of
view, and finally values are derived from
this.”
Conversation With SSB, pp.125-126
 Practical Spirituality

“That which is seen, heard or read must be

put into practice in actual life. Without
this, reading is mere waste of time. If
anything is read to pass time, it passes the
time and nothing remains.”
Prema Vahini, p1-4
 Practical Spirituality

“Delve into the significance and the

meaning of what you read, and always
have before you the goal of putting what
you read into practice. Unless you do so,
the study circle will remain a half-circle
forever; it cannot be a full circle.”
SSS 9, p.59
 Practical Spirituality
“What is eaten should be digested and then
only you should eat again. In the same way,
you should listen (eat) in the Study Circle and
put into practice (digest) what you have
learnt.…
Now what you are doing is only loading and
loading and no unloading. How much can you
sustain like that? So, you should go on
loading and unloading, listening and
practicing. You have to practice whatever
you have learnt. Then only it becomes a
real Study Circle” 30-1-1985
 Information for
Transformation

“Theoretical knowledge is a burden, unless

it is practiced, when it can be lightened into
wisdom and assimilated into daily life.”

“Not information, but TRANSFORMATION,

not instruction but construction should be
the aim.”
SSS 9, p.56
 Group Synergy

“The topic is viewed; the study circle

looks at different facets. It is like a
diamond with its different facets, but
there is one facet that is flat, the top
facet, and from this all can be viewed.
To discover the top facet is the task
[purpose] of study circle.”
Conversation With SSB, pp.125-126
Roles and Tasks
 Who is responsible?
 Devotion Coordinator
Can delegate

 Facilitator
Rotate position (weekly or monthly)

 Presenter
Rotate position (weekly or monthly)

 Scribe (optional)
Rotate position (weekly or monthly)

 Participant
Beneficiary
 Facilitator

 Requires skill

 Skill comes with practice

 Skill improves with training

 Facilitator training sessions?
 Facilitator tasks
 Set schedule of presenters and topics

 Make announcements

 Reach out to YA reps

 Encourage participation

 Keep on time

 Keep focused on topic

 Facilitator Tasks
 Encourage all to contribute
Lovingly draw out, but without pressure or obligation
Give those who passed an opportunity to share before end

 Limit those who dominate or veer off topic

Lovingly with gentleness

 Correct a wrong statement

When important to intervene, when better to ignore

 Lovingly correct someone violating a rule

 Presenter Tasks
 Prepares topic for week
 Key is to be practical
 Minimize use of foreign words, esoteric concepts

 Gives theme and quote, and perhaps one or two

practical questions in about 5-10 minutes

 Summarize all viewpoints, not just their own

 Can attempt to present the top facet

 Pose a few practical affirmations, tasks, "homework"

to work on for coming week
 Participant

 Not just an observer

 Analogous to devotional singing
 Analogous to service project

 You may be the instrument Swami uses

to help the group or a person in the
group
 Participant

 Sharing our thoughts is a service to the group

 “In the Study Circle, whatever we listen and

assimilate in the mind should be distributed to
others. In that way we show gratitude for
what we have received. We should not listen
and keep it to ourselves only for our benefit.”
30-1-1985
 Participant
 Be earnest and have faith in importance of
exercise

 Participate and contribute during Study Circle

and sincerely make effort to put into practice
the following week

 Realize the power of Unity. Just as when we

sing together it is more powerful and when we
serve together it more powerful, when we
study and practice teachings together there is
power.
 Possible Comments

 Give an opinion on what something in the passage

meant.

 Pose a question that the passage brings to mind.

 Answer a question that someone previously posed.

 Discuss how you have practically struggled or

succeeded in apply related teachings in day to day
life
Mock Study Circle
Practical Points
 Practical Points - Starting

Facilitator
a formal welcome
asks Swami to guide the group
Briefly reviews purpose and rules

Presenter
gives theme and quote
 Practical Points - Overview

 No Experts

 Discipline of waiting turn

 Rotation of presenters

 Weekly Takeaways

 Practice log
 Common Pitfalls

 Perceived Expert
 Rush to finish agenda or syllabus
 Esoteric philosophical topic without practical
relevance
 List of extensive terms requiring definition
 Veering off topic
 Personal therapy session
 Commenting on others statements
 Speaking out of order
 What is the ideal topic?
 Direct Sathya Sai Quotes

 Practical topics helpful in day to day lives

 Avoid esoteric philosophical concepts
 Avoid having to review extensive vocabulary terms

 Bible or Koran Passages: Interpretations based upon

Swami’s quotes

 Holiday themes from various faiths

 Ramadan, Hanukah, Easter, Prashanti festivals
Going forward
 Best Practices

 Let Swami have the last word

 Suggest a life application exercise
 Start the following session with sharing
from exercise
 Focus on how participants have overcome
difficulties while following teachings
 Best Practices

 Video Introductions
Swami’s discourse for 10-15 minutes
RadioSai video for 10-15 minutes

 Study circle format discussion needed after viewing

video
 Best Practices

 Use practical topics of interest to group:

Parenting issues
Marriage related issues
Work related issues
Teen/YA issues
 Multiple groups, each studying different
topic
 Best Practices - Topics

 Value based topics

 Unity in Diversity (multi-faith topics)
 Spiritual significance
 Swami’s teachings
 Festivals

 Center related topics

Devotional singing
Service
Study Circle

 Universal, broad topics

 Best Practices – Broad topics

What is Love? Grace? Surrender? Forbearance?

What is True friendship? Spirituality?
How to apply Spirituality in my daily life?
How to practice Patience practically in daily life?
How to incorporate meditation into life?
How to recognize the oneness in each other?
Practicing the presence of Swami in daily life
How to practice being the witness in daily life?
What does transformation of the heart mean to you? How to
put into practice?
 Best Practices – Broad topics

Why do we criticize others? How can we stop?

How does jealousy interfere with relationships?
How to remedy this tendency?
Can you love others if you do not love yourself?
What develops Self-Esteem?
Discuss obstacles to practicing unity in thought
word and deed?
What are the causes of stress in our life?
How to reduce stress in our life?
Experience Sharing
 Experience Sharing
 Reports
 Peninsula
 Sacramento
 Fremont

 Written reports (to be read out)

 Santa Rosa
 Reno

 Participant sharing
 Peninsula
 Central San Jose
 Fremont
Breakout Session
 Breakout session
 Count out 1, 2, 3 to form 3 groups

Grp Facilitator Presenter Report Out

1 Duncan Maneesha

2 Vijay Sai Krishnan Sai Krishnan

3 Kondal Madhura Giri

Meet with groups after lunch

Things to consider….
 Promote Study Circle

 Study Circle workshop – provide feedback

 Take information back to centers

 Present, “Why Study Circle?” to all center members
 Discuss ways to “Improve Study Circles” with SC participants
 Presentation on Roles/Tasks
 Discuss topic options
 Mock Study Circle #1
 Mock Study Circle #2
 Video Study Circle
 Promote Study Circle

 Facilitator Training Workshop?

 Region-wide Study Circle meeting?

 Create a database of SC materials

 Set up database
 Populate with information
 Feedback
1. What did you like about the workshop?
2. What points will you take back to your center?
3. Please provide constructive suggestions for
improvement.
4. Would it be useful to have a Regional SC Facilitator
training workshop? YES NO
5. Should we have a Regional Study circle meeting for all
center members? YES NO
6. Can you share information on SC related topics (for the
database)? YES NO
Please use the back if you have additional points to share.
If you wish to share feedback anonymously,
please do so on a separate sheet of paper. Thank you.
Offered at the Lotus Feet of Our
Dear Lord Sathya Sai Baba
 Please
Provide
Feedback