In our efforts to take the Sai Mission to the next level in the East Coast, the Sathya Sai Baba Bhajan Unit of Kemaman was launched on Saturday 11 December 2010 with the Sathya Sai Baba Centre Kuantan as its parent centre.

The prayer hall is an awesome sight with a magnificent altar that has a lotus design. The montage on the wall is also a sight to behold. The launch was a very successful event attended by more than 250 devotees from as far as Muar, Johor Baru. Bentong, Raub, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan and Kemaman.

For the occasion, the centre was colourfully decorated. The seating inside the centre was reminiscent of Prashanti Nilayam as some 180-200 devotees cramped into the prayer hall that can at most accommodate 120 people. Many of the devotees had to sit on the staircase as well as on chairs on the ground floor.

The programme, which started at 6.00pm, included video clips of Bhagawan Baba giving darshan, Chinese New Year celebrations in Puttaparti and a dance presentation by EHV students from the Bakri Bhajan Unit.Vedic chanting and melodious bhajans created very positive vibrations.

National SCA advisor, Yong Kong Why represented Bro. Billi Fong, the National SCA vice-president, at the launch. State Coordinator, Bro. Pritam Singh congratulated the Kemaman devotees, in particular Bro. Yap Lee Yong and Sister Teo Guet Cheng, for taking the initiative to set up the bhajan unit and providing a premise to be used for Sai activities.

“A beautiful building does not a centre make. A centre must be vibrant with selfless love (nish karma prema) and activities – spiritual, education and service,” he reminded the devotees.

Author: Bro. Pritam Singh

Two weeks have passed since 1000 devotees gathered at the last Sai convention in Port Dickson.  The dust has not settled as people still speak of the convention. The inspiring session, the overflowing love, the wonderful organization of the convention, the bhajans , the fellowship and most of all the presence of Bhagavan especially when so much of the spirit  of unity and purity were felt.

Transformation, our National Newsletter was launched with a pledge that it will reach the hearts of all members of centers and bhajan units once in two weeks.  The reason for the column is to trace the development of all centers and council and to offer an opportunity to consolidate activities. The purpose is also to remind us in the deployment of all programs that both inner transmission and outer transmission must go hand in hand.

14 days have passed.  These are important formative days as the new council needs to relook at the directions laid out in the Vision book released during the convention. 5 days after the convention the National Wanita coordinator gathered a team to re-look at the modules to be deployed by November 19^th 2010, the ladies day. The meeting focused on what is the most crucial need in the community and reassessed the priority using the `LIGHT’ modular approach.  Somehow if we can mobilize the force of the ladies wing, we can reach to thousands of houses and convert them to wonderful homes of hope through this LIGHT program.

I sat in the Sathya Sai Educare Board meeting comprised of all program coordinators. The Academy formally under the Vice –President of Education combed every program deployed under the Education wing and stressed the deployment methods. The SSE was asked to relook at the training approach. The curriculum was asked to be reevaluated to see if the contents were universal enough for us to approach a larger section of the community. The alumni were asked to be identified. It’s a paradox that after 25 years of SSE and EHV in the communities that we haven’t actually seen a visible force of these trained people either at the center or state leadership. We need to consolidate this unique and valuable force for both teaching and offering their leadership especially when they have been exposed to the Avathar’s philosophy of value training.

There is a real cry for us to center stage the Parentcare program. I remember Sis Rita Bruce, the doyen of parenting in the Sai world after reading the entire Parentcare module remarked that not only we should immediately sent the whole module to Bhagavan but to patent this beautiful piece of work.  The entire civilization is at the brink of impending disaster largely due to the generation of social unrest and increasing trends of negative social behavior. The root of the problem lies in attitude. If the parents are empowered to shape this important aspect of human personality, we have the capacity to save hundreds if not thousands of families. We have developed the bullets over the years. Unfortunately the gun to fire, in the form of strong organizational commitment has yet to be forceful.  The Academy board took the decision that parents sending their respective children for SSE classes must undergo the Parentcare program. For this it was suggested that in January the Academy, will implement a national Parentcare camp where every state coordinator is to identify a team of 10 trainers to be sent for this important Train the trainer camp. Details will follow. This was indeed inspiring as the program possesses the potential to transform many families and ignite the power of love and care in homes.

Last Sunday exactly 14 days later, the National Youth coordinators team sat  in KL to formulate their action plans. A national camp is in the pipeline. A structured system of consolidating the form 5 leavers was discussed. The breakthrough was the decision to organize in January a Sathya Sai Alumni evening. This would prove historical. A letter would be sent out to all centers to please scan, see and identify past SSE and EHV students who have been exposed to the classes since 1985. There is an urgent call to every one of them and  we would like to invite them for this evening at Kuala Lumpur. Details by the organizers i.e.  National Youth Committee will follow. The sound of the conch blowing could be heard. The call to awaken to the  need of the hour was again reminded.

In Malacca, newspapers reported a high incidence of teenage pregnancy. Baby dumping has become a regular feature.   A symposium on `RETAINING INNOCENCE IN YOUTH’  was suggested. Concept paper to state governments would be at this time would be  welcomed and a detailed one was to be prepared by November end. .

An amazing `Values at work’ seminar was suggested. An incredible idea on how people at work can practice values would be timely.

As I left the young and energetic group, it was déjà vu  for  25 years before I could visualize us when we were youth  sitting in groups discussing ideas on how society can be transformed.

We formed in the last 14 days a committee to relook at the secretarial and financial matters of the council. We met and the three hours discussion ended with a generation of firm guidelines for these  important tasks.

An Exco meeting was called last Wednesday. The team returned. Many with new positions, but they were all there. Till midnight we discussed all the relevant issues. As   I drove back home that night I wondered what made these incredible souls dedicate so much time and care for others. What do they gain? What keeps them going? Indeed consciousness is a perplexing subject and more perplexing is the subject of transforming consciousness which is core business of the council.

The next few months will see the council members travel to every state to monitor, understand and provide solutions if not learn from everyone where they are and what they would be wanting to do as far as the wing activities are concerned.

The only prayer we have is that state coordinators must call and ensure that center leaders must compulsorily be present for these sessions for the council leaders are there to help and make centers and state relevant to a greater cause.

In February 2011 we travel to Swami . There are only a few months left. The national wing committees are at present meeting to formulate the new plans and reinforce the older ones. The birthday celebrations in every state will take place. There is plenty to do but in doing all what we do, we must ensure we are having peace, love and most of all possess the attitude of enjoying what we do ..for after all life is both inner transformation and outer transmission .

THE great Indian polymath, Rabindranath Tagore, once said, “Facts are many, but the truth is one.”   It was this kind of realisation that moved the lips of ancient sages to supplicate: “Oh God! What is that which once known, everything else becomes known?”  That supreme spiritual knowledge is the knowledge about the underlying, unchanging reality which is masked by the ever-changing, manifold diversity.

It is this knowledge that should be the aim of any Sai study circle.  Thus is the task of the Self Transformation Programme (STP), a comprehensive process of personal and spiritual growth that aims to help individuals to review one’s understanding of reality and clarify one’s core and personal values. The programme, a spin off the Australian youth’s Sai Warrior Programme, is an in-depth full-circle study of Bhagavan Baba’s 9-point Code of Conduct.  Broken into six modules, lengthening over 24 sessions, STP encourages thorough iscussions and active participation from all members. Case studies are also used as discussion material, making sessions interactive, yet inspiring

According to Bro Jeothish Babu, a missionary of the programme, it is inspiring to see how enthusiastically people are committed to the programme and participating in the satsang sessions where they chart out their own spiritual journey

“STP is helping to create more values activists, which to me is what Swami has been telling us all along when he says, ‘My life is my message’,” he said. Jeothish hails from Willetton Centre in Western Australia.  “We all know that Ghandiji was a values activist. One man has been able to achieve so much through his adherence of spiritual values like truth and non violence. Imagine if in each country from within the Sai Movement, more and more of us can start to adhere to spiritual values and become values activists…this will speed up the transformation.”

Jeothish and STP partner, Bro James Heng, recently held an STP Facilitator Training session at the Sai Centre of SS3, Petaling Jaya. Covering fundamentals and regulations of the programme, the session saw a healthy representation from centres in the Klang Valley.  During the training session, Jeothish mentioned that we need to develop each point of the code as a personal value. “It has to become something we have actively applied and reflected on the practice and through that we have discovered for ourselves the benefits we are receiving from applying the code. As they say action always speak louder than words.

“All spiritual practice is a challenge because we are shaping our behaviour patterns we are getting out of our comfort zones and building a new person. We are moving from Thamas to Rajas to Sathwa and then we are ready to make the final leap with his grace. Spiritual growth is for the strong, spiritual practice will make us strong,” he added. Currently, Australia has seen participation of over 200 devotees. In Malaysia, the Ampang, SS3 and Bangsar centres have incorporated the programme.

Unleashing a new breed of warriors

The Warrior programme came to form after one of Swami’s, Bro Kumar Venkat (who was appointed as the National Youth Coordinator for Australia), visited Swami on his 80^th birthday. He had written a list of all the youth activities and also the events for 2006 and was seated for darshan, when Swami came up to him and enquired:

“Is everything ok?”

Bro Kumar replied “Yes Swami”

“Is everybody happy?” Swami asked.

“Yes Swami” was Bro Kumar’s reply.

Swami then continued “But, there is no commitment. Sai is used as a business partner. I will do this much, you give me that much. When you say ‘Sai’ you should melt, that is the level of devotion and commitment all youths should have.”

Swami had thrown Bro Kumar a challenge and this fired the “values activist” in him into action. Bro Kumar went back to Melbourne, where he was living at the time, and with a sense of urgency called his core youth team together and did some soul searching on what the youth could do to establish their commitment for Swami. This resulted in them developing a programme of spiritual practice called the Sai Warrior programme.Bro Kumar then visited Perth where they successfully launched Sai Warrior. The programme was subsequently implemented across all the other states in Australia. Eventually, in just nine months, a large contingent of over 150 youth travelled under Bro Kumar’s leadership for Gurupurnima in 2006 to visit Swami. On the eve of their departure, Swami called on them and blessed them with a group Interview in the mandir. That was until then unheard of, and this helped to impress upon the adults as to how important it was to Swami to be committed to practicing his teachings.

Meanwhile some of the adults who attended the Sai Warrior workshops in Western Australia, struck by Swami’s words and touched by Bro Kumar’s sincerity and commitment, felt that they were no more committed than the youth.

Instead many of adults were probably quite content with worshipping Swami’s form and using him as a business partner, rather than focusing on unconditionally practicing his teachings.

A shift in consciousness was required.  The enthusiasm of the youth had rubbed off on the adults and soon the adult version of the Sai Warrior Program was launched in a centre in Perth in November, 2005.

Later, in 2008, as the adult program started to spread, it was named the Self Transformation Programme.

By R.Zeeneeshri

The ideal preached by the Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) is to raise a generation of boys and girls who have a clean and clear conscience. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba says ‘The actual syllabus is not as important as the creation of an atmosphere where noble habits and ideals can grow and fructify.’ The Bal Vikas pupils follow Bal Vikas discipline and curriculum only for one day in the week and attend their usual schools on the other days. Unless knowledge is transformed into wisdom, and wisdom is expressed in character, education is a wasteful process.

These ideals, as raised by Sai Baba, have always been among the objectives upheld by the Sathya Sai Education Wing, which has grown into a holistic education system that covers a wide range of formal, non-formal and informal education programs in all parts of the world. Here, the Sathya Sai Education Wing under the auspices of Sathya Sai Baba Central Council of Malaysia mainly organises educational programmes that caters for multi-racial and multi-religious children of Sai devotees. These programs enables the children and youth aged between 6 and 17  to understand their own religion, the religion of others and the Human Values of all religions, which helps mould them to be useful to themselves, their families and to society.

The Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) programme is aimed at fostering the knowledge of religion and spirituality, the love for the Divine, the Human Values of mankind and all the great ideals fostered within Sai Centres into societies’ mainstream especially to children. The great values common to all religions need to be stressed, rather that the form and name of Sai Baba, so that all children can imbibe these values and become examples to their families and society.

The wing also organises training for Bal Vikas (SSE) Gurus jointly or independently, maintains a reference library and reading room containing Sai Publications and journals and operates as a base for Teen Youths and Youths to evolve to become future leaders of Sai Centres and society.

Today we celebrate the 63 graduating students for their endurance in completing the SSE syllabus and embarking on a greater journey of imbibing and spreading the Values of Sathya Sai through their thoughts, words and deeds, as well as the Sathya Sai National Educare Academy for shaping the young minds.

Our heartiest congratulations to all graduates of Sathya Sai Educare Academy!

A lady in distress was the call of the day. Fresh from mourning her husband’s death, Susila and her five children were featured in a local newspaper seeking help to fix her home and cut the coconut tree that falls over their roof. The youths of SSBC Bukit Mertajam returned the call on Sept 19 and 20, by contributing new roofing and flooring. They performed narayana seva, Educare classes, presented a new altar, as well as chop the coconut tree that was endangering the lives of the family.

Prior to the project, which is a gift to Swami in conjunction with his 85th Birthday this year, Northern Region Coordinator Bro Magadave presented a talk to the youths on Swami’s mission, His work and their duty as His instrument. This resulted in a total of 45 volunteers (including 15 villagers) for the project.

The ladies of the centre cooked and served the villagers as they assisted with the restoration work. Once completed, the villagers joined the volunteers for a Bhajan session, seated on the new and clean floor with the family. Although it was the first time they heard of Swami, it was truly a blessed occasion to see them so receptive towards Him and the Sai mission to serve mankind. The house owner even said, “Tears and thanks to Swami for his unlimited and endless divine grace showered to us.”

Heartfelt thanks to all that made this event a success – Bukit Mertajam Indian Youth Organization, Penang Sai Youths, Alma Sai Centre and National Grama Seva Members.

During the Malaysia Day cum Hari Raya Celebration at the Pure Life Society Orphanage recently, a memorable cheque presentation ceremony was held. Bro. Gwee Hock Aun, a trustee and executor of the estate of late Sis. Tan Chooi Sim, presented a cheque of RM153, 982 to the Sathya Sai Baba Central Council of Malaysia. The generous gesture of late Sis Tan, in bequeathing a portion of her estate to the Sai Council for its social and welfare work is certainly an act of great compassion and love.  Her act reminded us of Swami’s teach – to always give, give and give in life.  Bro. Billy Fong, our Vice-President of SCA, received the cheque on behalf of the Sai Council. Bro Ooi Cheng Sooi, another trustee and executor of the estate, presented a speech, which touched the hearts of many, in memory of Sis Tan. Below are excerpts from the speech:

“Career-wise the late Tan Chooi Sim @ Girlie, had a humble start as a police constable after dropping out of school. After a couple of years in the police force she joined the University Hospital as a receptionist and worked in that position until she retired. She was a spinster. She lived in a rented room for many years and managed to maintain herself and regularly put aside money as savings even though the job she held paid a meagre salary as it was a Division 4 post at that time. She was frugal, led a simple life yet generous when necessary.

”In March 1982 she was advised to purchase a house. She used her savings to pay the deposit for a single storey house in SS2 and took a government housing loan to pay the balance of the purchase price. The repayment period of the loan was 25 years. A huge chunk of her monthly salary went towards the monthly repayment of her loan leaving her with little money to upkeep herself. She somehow managed and struggled on. When she retired in 1991, almost all of her pension went towards her loan repayment. She had to find a job to supplement her income and she got herself employed as a clinic assistant at an eye clinic.

“In mid 2008 she paid up the housing loan and her full pension was restored. Her full pension was sufficient to see her through each month and so she didn’t have to depend any more on the income derived from the eye clinic. Age was catching up. She was 72 years old then. However, to keep herself occupied she continued to work part time – two days a week – at the eye clinic. She enjoyed the relatively slower pace of life for about only six months as death struck in February 2009.  She was healthy and strong, not afflicted by any old age sickness.

On 6th February 2009 at midday she was happily chatting with the neighbour over the fence. At 2.00pm I was informed she had collapsed and was unconscious.  She was rushed to the University Hospital. She didn’t come out of the coma and passed away the next morning. She died of aneurysm – haemorrhage of an artery in the head. She had a humble career and yet she was able to leave something behind to benefit others less fortunate.

“Only the people who are close to the late Tan Chooi Sim knew the sort of person she was. She got along well with friends and strangers alike being always good natured, god fearing, kind, humble, accommodative, generous and meek. As she lived by herself, life can be very lonely. She was very close to my wife, her cousin, whom she turned to for advice and looked upon her as her confidante. She celebrated all the festivities with us – Chinese New Year, Reunion dinner, Mooncake Festival, Ancestral worship, Wesak, and so on. She went shopping and marketing with us, celebrated her birthday and our birthdays with us. We had dinner out regularly. She turned to us when sick or in any emergency situation. She followed us when we went visiting or outing or on short vacation.  In short we were indeed her family. We attended to her when she collapsed. We rushed her to hospital and were at her side when she passed away. We made the arrangements for the funeral and the post funeral religious ceremonies.”

We miss her. Memories of her will endure in our hearts. May the merits of her good deeds plant the seed of a better and higher rebirth for her. Bro Billy Fong in his address at the event, thanked the family of late Tan Chooi Sim for her generous act of love.