Vision for the Twenty-first Century

This is Sai’s message to you: May you develop Divine Love and stand out as harbingers of a new age free from selfishness, greed, hatred, and violence. Let each of you be a light unto himself or herself and thereby be a light unto others.  ~BABA

Amid the natural splendors of the Pocono Mountains, devotees from every corner of the Mid-Atlantic Region gathered together at Camp Akiba for the 24th Annual Regional Conference during Memorial Day Weekend, May 28th-31st. Everyone from senior citizens to the youngest SSE children put aside their usual worldly routines and shifted their attention from ordinary mundane concerns to focus their energies on our Beloved Lord. The theme of this year’s conference, A Vision for the Twenty-first Century was an invitation for each person to become a part of the new age.

On Saturday morning, Regional President Marion Chew reminded everyone that Swami’s upcoming 75th Birthday Celebration occurs just a few short weeks before the beginning of the new millennium on January 1, 2001. She encouraged everyone to prepare for these momentous events by creating a “gift of love” for our Lord Sai. This birthday offering would consist of each person’s efforts to practice Swami’s teachings in a pre-designated area of her/his life.

This emphasis on putting Sai’s teachings into practice was echoed by the guest speakers Robert and Barbara Bozzani. They inspired listeners of all ages with accounts of the lessons that they had learned from their personal encounters with Swami over the past twenty-five years. Sometimes, the experiences involved being ignored by Swami while at other times, they were given the opportunity for close interaction with His physical form. Barbara emphasized the necessity for the practical application of Swami’s teachings when she recounted an incident that had happened at Kodaikanal. One morning as she was standing with Swami, He gazed on the devotees who were gathering outside for darshan and said, “Look at them! If they’re not putting My teachings into practice, I can’t waste My power on them!”

The afternoon hours were given over to the exploration of ways to further one’s spiritual development through various avenues. Discussions on the Nine Point Code of Conduct, and Work as Worship alternated with informative sessions on Better Health Through Ayurveda, and Swami’s Key Words for Success including phrases like Hear Everything, Say Nothing. Many devotees stopped by the dining hall where they created artificial flowers, greeting cards, and other messages of love for hospital patients and nursing home residents.

For many attendees, the Wellness Program was an unexpected benefit. Originally developed to serve those who do not have access to regular medical care, the battery of medical screenings and follow-up counseling encouraged everyone to heed Swami’s words about taking care of our physical bodies. From people who have been too busy to pay attention to themselves to the senior citizens who may have been shy about consulting a western doctor as well as the many physicians who volunteered their time, energy and expertise, the Wellness Program brought devotees together in a spirit of selfless service and sharing.

In the evenings, the focus shifted to the young people within the region. On Saturday night, the Young Adults presented a play illustrating the various ways in which discipline has an impact on our lives. Every aspect of our daily existence, whether it is work, school, family life, or Sai activities requires the concentration, commitment, and consistency that come from following a disciplined lifestyle. Their program concluded with brief descriptions of the Young Adult service projects, including the distribution of food to the homeless, visiting handicapped or retarded children, making blankets, and mentoring troubled adolescents.

Sunday evening was entirely devoted to the children who participated in the Sai Spiritual Education program. Despite warm weather and late-afternoon fatigue, everyone crowded into the main hall and joined in singing the evening bhajans which were led with great fervor by the SSE children. Later, Group I children presented a Sai Spiritual Quiz in which they questioned the adults about events in Swami’s childhood and early life. Group II children contributed readings from their personal journals in which they shared their thoughts about themselves, their spiritual growth, and their families. Although there was not enough time to hear each child’s essay, every  journal article will be included in a volume that will be published at a later date. The Group III youngsters entertained everyone with episodes from a futuristic radio program describing life fifty years from now.

All the events described above were markers in the passage of time during the days, hours and minutes of the Memorial Day weekend. Yet, the real spirit of the weekend conference transcended the physical setting and the temporal plane. For a brief moment, a summer camp in Pennsylvania became a Prasanthi Nilayam, an Abode of Highest Peace. This happened because of the love and selfless service offered by the many nameless devotees who worked tirelessly at the registration tables, labored under the hot sun in the parking lot, lovingly prepared meals in the steamy kitchen, and smilingly presented the food in the dining halls. They transformed an ordinary cabin into a Divine residence, and they raised an altar of love and devotion in a place where revelry and amusement had reigned. From the early morning sonorous chanting of omkar and the gentle sounds of Suprabhatam to the last devotional song at the late night bhajans, vibrations of peace and harmony reminded everyone that the new age is almost upon us. When it was time to leave, families lingered, and friends stopped for one more farewell. No one was willing to admit that the weekend had come to an end, but each participant carries within her/his heart the memories of what occurred, the resolve to move forward into the golden age, and the hope that this weekend was our introduction to the twenty-first century.