Chapter from: Sanathana Sarthi – Bhagavan 70th Birthday Commemoration Volume, Nov. 1995

"I am Yours"

Pat Connors

When we were alone with Baba His first words were, "You are Mine and I am yours. You are all my children." I can't describe how wonderful and special that made me feel. All beings are His child en. He sees us as we truly are. Not the person we think we are or that others think we are but the divine children we truly are.

Many times He said, "good boys, bad thoughts" or "good devotees, bad thoughts." When He made vibhuthi He would always say "correct", or a ring He would say perfect, perfect," meaning He made the correct amount of vibhuthi or that the ring was a perfect fit. Having seen many materializations it dawned on me that He was saying everything that comes from Him is perfect. When He told us we are "good boys but bad thoughts" He was showing us that He doesn't identify us with the outer shell. His love flows to us because we are His precious children. His very being and life-breath is spent in guiding and guarding us in order for us to be truly the children or immortality.

Baba told us how to correct the mind. We must learn to redirect the senses along the right lines. It is the mind, being directed by the senses, that separates us from our true Self. The mind directed by the conscience links us to our true Self. We must practise using our thoughts creatively to see each moment as God's blessing. When we clean the floor, think, I am cleaning my heart or when cutting vegetables, think, I am cutting away my bad qualities. We cannot always change the circumstances we find ourselves in but we can choose how we react to them. If we practise the continual contemplation of the Lord there will be no room in the mind for bad thoughts. Furthermore, Baba is there every step of the way to pick us up when we fall and fill us with love.

Baba's love and compassion cannot be measured. When someone compared Baba's love to the ocean Baba said: "No, ocean has limits. My love has no limits." Sages and saints spend their entire life for even a glimpse of the Lord from· a distance. Out of His boundless compassion He has made Himself very accessible. He lovingly walks among us giving us candy and taking our letters. One look from the Lord is more valuable than all the riches in the universe. But His compassion does not stop with just looking at us. He talks to us and blesses us letting us touch His feet and making Himself real to us.

On several occasions Baba held out His open hand and said, "everything is right here." He is taking care of our every need. When we get on a train, we need not carry our luggage on our heads. Similarly, when Baba is taking care of everything, we need not hold on to our worries and fears. Leave them with Him and receive His love. We have everything when we hold on to Him. We have nothing when we let Him go. Even if we do let Him go, He will never let us go. He has you in His hands right now. Feel His love and be happy.

Pat Connors, New York