SathyaSai ca
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- Dr. William Harvey ZONE 1 WORKSHOP
- Service is an aspect of spirituality
- Dr. William Harvey ZONE 2 REPORT
- Sri Marco Gomez ZONE 2 WORKSHOP
- Sri Marco Gomez, Brazil ZONE 3 REPORT
Sri Indulal Shah ZONE 1 REPORT I wish to begin by expressing my deep appreciation to Swami for all the wonderful blessings and grace that He is bestowing on us all during the year and particularly during this Conference. I offer my most humble and loving pranams at His Lotus feet. Last evening in accordance for program design Zone 1 (which consists of Cadegar, the West Indies, Israel and the U.S.A) delegates gathered to discuss means of better implementing our service projects and I'm going to briefly summarize the results of those deliberations and interactions. It was quite meaningful; the pattern that took place. We had not previously in terms of countries had a great opportunity to interact with one another but the sense of unity was even more increased as function of the interaction that took place yesterday. Let me just summarize the first of our deliberations and interactions. It was quite meaningful; the pattern that took place. Let me just summarise the first of our deliberations. We determined that Seva is the highest form of spiritual Sadhana. This must be considered as a very important aspect of our spirituality. Service has the transforming effect not only on the recipient but what is even more important on the donor or the one who renders the service. It engenders an attitude of love, unity, selflessness in the individual and the persons involved in receiving it. It was determined that service has to be performed with detachment, and with love, humility and, of course, with no concern for the result. We felt that service elevates the consciousness of everyone involved, both the donor and the recipient. Service should never be rendered with any sense of pity or condescension on the part of the person who is giving. We should always be thankful to Swami for giving us this opportunity to grow spiritually by being able to see the Sai in the person we are giving service to, in the act of serving and very importantly in ourselves. It was repeated many times by many people that before you embark upon service a clear and very thorough needs assessment should be made. It was suggested that it was appropriate that we consult with the people who are there and who know what has been going on before embarking to actually visit the scene and to talk with all of the stakeholders. One of the things that we sometimes do is that we're so eager and so anxious to do good that we begin to move around and scurry around without making an assessment of what has gone on before. If we do not do so then we will engender some resentment in the other persons involved, or evoke at least some resistance. So we should use a formula where the concept is that we go from the individual to our family to the Sai Centre and then to the community. We make sure that we don't get those steps rearranged. The discussions indicated last night that it is very important that we render service to the body that we have been given. This body has to take us across the sea of Samsara. But it was also mentioned by several people that we often neglect what's going on in our centres. Some people fall ill, some people are in a state of turmoil, someone may be dying and there are all kinds of service opportunities for us to render to our members right in our centres. These certainly should be addressed, preferably before we go out into the community. The needs assessment should also involve a process where we are able to get feedback so that we can reevaluate a project, e.g. after six months or three months. In certain circumstances six months may be too long. In some cases a month is appropriate. We should have these feedback loops set up so that we can continue to grow. This brings in one extremely important objective and that is to – (and Swami tells us this) - enlist and involve the participation of the recipients themselves and particularly those in the community. We're not going to these projects to advocate and talk about our perspective, our perceptions on Divinity. We're there to render service and we must first see what it is that the individuals think is important for them. What do they feel are their needs, and it may be, that some of their needs are wants according to our way of thinking. But we should not be too quick to impose our perceptions on others. Rather we should keep in mind our overall objectives. Given that, then at first we should establish contact and rapport, with the recipients and the other stakeholders – i.e. other people who are involved with looking around, who are watching us, people in the community to see what's going on. Many times it was mentioned last night that service, one of the most important and most effective way of spreading Swami's message. We have to be ever-aware of that. We have to behave in a manner that shows that we are practising what we preach. So if we don't show consideration and respect for the recipients, if we take a 'holier that thou' kind-of attitude, we have a “them” and “us” kind-of orientation, then we're not really practising what we're trying to preach at all. We also said that it was important to take into account practical considerations and this is part of the resource and needs assessment. What are the resources that are going to be needed to carry this out? Sustainability was a word that came up many many many times. It's often not good to raise hopes and aspirations. You spend all this time making contact with the people and then communicating to people for example the officials at a meeting that we're coming, that you can count on us and then we drop out after a few weeks or a couple of months. So sustainability should be looked at before we embark on the project. It was also pointed that we don't have to always have long-range projects, that there is some advantage in having even one-shot service opportunities so that individuals, particularly new devotees may just do a specific project to get them to reduce their anxiety, to get them to have a taste of what it means to do service. So we have a whole range or variety of opportunities, a whole range of service projects. I'll mention just quickly, the basic orientation that we followed last night and of course in the proceedings you will be able to see specific detailed summaries of what went on. But essentially, when our chairman Dr. Goldstein set the charge, he pointed out and requested us to think in terms of three topics, four actually but three main ones: That is the world of service in the Sai Organisation both from an individual and from an Organisational perspective. Then we would have considered practical considerations and implementation and execution of spiritual service. And finally specific service projects. We gathered and received a list of a whole range of specific projects and those will be listed in our summary. In deference to our timekeeper I'll need to move on. I want to close and say that it was extremely clear and moving that we have come to a point where service as a Sadhana is beginning to be realised and held at the same level as some of our so called devotional activities such as devotional singing and study circle. We see this as being a very welcome advent. Jai Sai Ram Dr. William Harvey ZONE 1 WORKSHOP The workshop was presided over by Dr. William Harvey, Central Coordinator for USA. Brother Tajmool Hosein, Central Coordinator for West Indies, and Brother V.P. Singh, Central Coordinator for Canada, also assisted. It was opened with three OM’s. Dr. Michael Goldstein, Chairman of Zone I, made some introductory remarks describing the task for the workshop participants. The delegates were requested to think in terms of three topics:
In response to the “Role of Service”, the following points were offered by the delegates:
In response to the point about “Practical Considerations, the following points emerged:
The following “specific project recommendations” were made:
In general, the point was point was made that it is important to develop a uniform method of interfacing with the recipients and those running the places were the project is to be performed. That is, who do we say we are? What answer do we give when asked who is Sai Baba or what is the Sai Baba Organization? It is recommended that service providers obtain training from professional organizations, such as Red Cross, Heart Association, etc. for learning how to perform disaster relief and assistance, CPR, First Aid, and other skill-necessary activities. When appropriate, certification may be sought. We should seek clarification from the leadership of the Organization about how and under what conditions we interact with other service organizations. In summary, Service is the highest form of spiritual Sadhana. It has a transforming effect on the one who performs and the one who receives the service. It engenders gratitude, Love, humility, selflessness in the individuals involved. Service must not be done with an attitude of pity, but with detachment, without concern about the results. Jai Sai Ram Dr. William Harvey ZONE 2 REPORT Mexico: A Sathya Sai School will be opened in Sept. as a result of a training ground for the teachers at more than 100 adopted schools in the state of Chihuahua. The school is needed so that there will be a place to train teachers for the adopted schools and for the authorities in the Ministry of Education, where the Sathya Sai EHV program has been adopted officially. Medical assistance has been provided every day at a clinic in Iztapalapa to about 25 to 30 patients as well as medicines. The program is being expanded and in 2003, the Organization is building a permanent clinic and adding assistance for expectant mothers, and dental care. Remodeling of orphans home at Boca del Rio will take place and 50 orphans will be benefited. El Salvador: San Andres Water Project. A tank of 300 cubic meters will be built in order to provide water for 1025 homes. The community has already provided the well and the pump. The Sai Foundation will build the tank, at a cost of $12,000. A diploma course is being offered at the Teachers College for teachers and students in Sathya Sai EHV. Graduating teachers will do their social work in the adopted schools by giving Human Values classes and they will be supervised by devotees. The diploma course is 60 hours and is free of charge. Venezuela: Revison of the 9 Sri Sathya Sai Educare Manuals and printing. Also the songs which go with the manuals will be recorded and made ready for inclusion with each manual. A Sathya Sai school starts classes for 50 children, kindergarten and first grade. Colombia: Remodeling of the offices for the Sathya Sai Institute of Human Values in Bogota. Acquisition of the land for building a school of Human Values in Bucaramanga. Ecuador: Sathya Sai Schools at Bahia de Caraquez and Guayaquil, each add one grade of 25 students. A community development project has started in Bahia with the acquisition of a candle factory, a plantain chips machine and a bakery in order to give employment to the families of children at the Sai School. These are cooperative projects which will help to support the Sai School. Argentina: Community Gonzalez Catam, conclusion of work to elevate the ground to prevent flooding of the community. A soup kitchen will be established to feed 150 children everyday. A filter will be installed in this community as a pilot project to initiate a larger water project that will provide clean drinking water for schools and communities in needs. Job re-adaption courses will be given by the Organization to help people find work in areas different from their traditional field due to high unemployment. This could expand to include a free placement center. In Buenos Aires, everyday the poor people are given food by the Sai Centers. There are 2 established community centers where poor can come to get food, bathe, wash clothes, or get new ones, get a haircut and rest. There is an orphan’s home owned by the Sai Foundation which receives girls referred by the juvenal court. These girls receive a family life with Sai Love, food and they attend public school. Many devotees participate. Two day care centers will continue working with poor children while their mothers are at work. One is in Cordova and the other in Buenos Aires. The Mahatma Ghandi Sai School will add 2nd grade in 2003. Sathya Sai Community Centers have been opened where devotees can go everyday of the week to do service or devotional activities. Sri Marco Gomez ZONE 2 WORKSHOP Marco Gomes is from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Brother Gomes is a teacher of Portugese, he’s a doctorate in ancient Greek and he’s the president of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute, Brazil. I offer my humble pranams at the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba. Dear brothers, sisters and fellow delegates. I am honored to have been designated to speak is to you about future projects of zone 2 Latin America, part of Caribbean. During my presentation I ask you to connect to my heart language, as my English is not the best. We will start and work through the continents from Mehpo.. (?) to Argentina. So, basically our national school. A Sathya Sai School will be opened in September as a resort of a training ground for the teachers at more than a 100 adopted schools in the state of Chihuahua. The school is need so that there will be a place to train teachers for the adopted schools and for the authorities in the Ministry of Education, where the Sathya Sai EHV program has been adopted officially. Medical assistance has been provided every day at a clinic in Iztapalapa to about 25 to 30 patients as well as medicines. The program is being expanded and in 2003, the Organization is building a permanent clinic and adding assistance for expectant mothers, and dental care. Remodelling of orphans home at Boca del Rio will take place and 50 orphans will be benefited. El Salvador: San Andres Water Project. A tank of 300 cubic meters will be built in order to provide water for 1025 homes. The community has already provided the well and the pump. The Sai Foundation will build the tank, at a cost of $12,000. A diploma course is being offered at the Teachers College for teachers and students in Sathya Sai EHV. Graduating teachers will do their social work in the adopted schools by giving Human Values classes and they will be supervised by devotees. The diploma course is 60 hours and is free of charge. Venezuela: Revison of the 9 Sri Sathya Sai Educare Manuals and printing. Also the songs which go will the manuals will be recorded and made ready for inclusion with each manual. A Sathya Sai school starts classes for 50 children, kindergarten and first grade. Colombia: Remodeling of the offices for the Sathya Sai Institute of Human Values in Bogota.
Sathya Sai Schools at Bahia de Caraquez and Guayaquil, each add one grade of 25 students. A community development project has started in Bahia with the acquisition of a candle factory, a plantain chips machine and a bakery in order to give employment to the families of children at the Sai School. These are cooperative projects which will help to support the Sai School.
We have now 4 schools operating and one in construction. Each school started with kindergarten and each year adds on one grade. Our schools are: Sai School of Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, has 53 children in kindergarten and second grade. Sai School of Pernambuco has 73 children in Kinder to 3rd grade. Sai School of Goias: 17 children in kinder. Sai School of Ribeirao Preto has 40 children in kinder. The Sathya Sai School of Minas Gerais will be opened in March 2003. The second generation of students of the Brazilian Institute graduated, June 30th 2002. The site of the Institute has changed from the city of Sao Paulo to the city Ribeirao Preto, to be near of one Sai School, as requested last year. At Goias School, the Sai Center is helping the parents with health care, balanced diet, medical camps and hygiene to improve the neighbourhood. One University, Bezerra de Menezes, in the state of Parana, made a proposal for the Sathya Sai Institute to manage a country school, with 120 children. The Institution also wants to adopt the Educare Program for all courses in the university. A similar situation has been occurring with another university, the Federal University of Vicosa, Minas Gerais. This University is a national reference of excellence in Brazil. The Institution is proposing a cultural exchange with the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning of Puttaparthi. A meeting will be held with the Vice-Chancellor July 25, 2003. Argentina: Community Gonzalez Catam, conclusion of work to elevate the ground to prevent flooding of the community. A soup kitchen will be established to feed 150 children everyday. A filter will be installed in this community as a pilot project to iniciate a larger water project that will provide clean drinking water for schools and communities in needs. Job re-adaption courses will be given by the Organization to help people find work in areas different from their traditional field due to high unemployment. This could expand to include a free placement center. There is an orphans home owned by the Sai Foundation which receives girls referred by the juvenal court. The Mahatma Ghandi Sai School will add 2nd grade in 2003. Sathya Sai Community Centers have been opened where devotees can go everyday of the week to do service or devotional activities. In the conclusion of our workshop we established some guidelines: 1. Assistance to emergency situations requires priority and should be kept. This includes social situation, as well as cases of natural disasters. 2. Service Coordinators should preferably be people with social culture understanding. This would naturally lead to integrated actions among the Sathya Sai Organization traditional areas. 3. Some care should be given to proper formation of Sai servers. What makes the difference of a Sai Servers is his attitude: dharmic, loving, of service to God. The one who receives is equal to one who gives, both as forms of God. The message of Sai should be transformed into action. Sai service should transform, the giver and the receiver. 4. The basis of Seva should always be focused in Educare. Emphasis should be given to Education so as to touch more deeply the roots of the problems. This includes an educational approach, including values education whenever possible. Sri Marco Gomez, Brazil ZONE 3 REPORT “Embodiments of Divine Spirit, you must realise that your service activities are done for your own spiritual purification and upliftment and have nothing to do with Swami” Yüklə 0,68 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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