Issue 152 - November 24, 2019 | | In 2016 one of the Satsangs held in the divine presence at Singapore. A devotee asked what is the purpose of creating this world.
Here is what Swami said:
What is the purpose of a game? The purpose of a game is primarily entertainment and learning. The same can be said of the purpose of this game of life: both entertainment and learning. In a game, you pick up skills and do whatever is required. You score a goal and make a few runs by using your skills by putting your body, heart and mind together.
In the same way, in this game of life, you must do that. However, if you are playing football for a certain team, your job is to put the ball in the opposite goal. If you start putting the ball in your own goal, would anybody like it? Then you are not following the rules of the game. Similarly, in this game of the world, the idea is from 'I', you must reach 'He' through 'we'. If you play the game according to these rules, it will become one joyful entertainment. There would be no more sorrow; it would be full of joy.
What would you learn? That ultimately, you start from 'I' and reach 'He'. All this has to be looked at from that point of view. Not too seriously, but neither too lightly. It is just an opportunity given to you to experience the great excitement and adventure of transforming yourself from human to Divine. When you start the game, you have not a single goal in your kitty. As you play and work together and score goals in the opposite post, there is joy and excitement if you have played it well and fairly, following the rules. Then there is great joy.
This whole game has been designed for you to experience that joy of winning, to experience that joy of transforming from 'I' to 'He'. So take it like that and play according to the rules. Do what you are supposed to do and know what winning is, in this game. That is how you will be able to enjoy it. That is all it is. It is not so complicated. Maya is the opposite team; it will come and block you, and not allow you to go to the opposite goal. It will push you, but you must find a way to dodge it with the help of others to reach the other post.
Life is a game, play it. Life is a challenge, meet it. If you look at the life of one who plays no game, takes up no challenge, they are more dead than alive. What, then, is the point of life? | | September Seva Activities | | During the month of September, the youth from Argentina served 2,871 people in different parts of the country. The youth serve hot meals to people who are going through hard economic situations in the City of Buenos Aires, La Plata, Morón, Escobar, Salta and Misiones. In addition to this, the first anniversary of the inauguration of the Prema Shanti Centre of Human Development was celebrated by the youth and adults by having a day of cleaning. | | Service In The Cerro Grande Vistas Community, Mexico | | When we arrived here, there was more need than there is now. There was no infrastructure. At that time there was no church here. It was founded 10 years ago. We started with nothing, but were able to start building due to the help we received from the United States. They could see the work we were doing here. We came here because the people needed us, God brought us here to help these people. In the beginning we received help from a Government Agency for building materials. Later we started serving food in the dining hall for three or four years. During that time we were aided by the State Government Agency that works with children. | | Food Distribution in Oakland, California | | The youth and children prepared 120 sandwiches to be served across three different homeless shelters in Oakland, California. Each meal consisted of a vegetable or peanut butter-jelly sandwich, a banana and a juice packet.
Additionally, the parents and children prepared an extra 38 sandwiches and brown bagged them to be distributed to the homeless people that are spending their time on the streets and not at one of the homeless shelters. It was very inspiring to see the whole group take charge and get involved in the sandwich preparation, packing and distribution with zeal and passion. | | Huntsville, Alabama Homeless Seva November 22, 2019 | | The excitement in Muddenahalli (MDH) is palpable, even here in the US, although we are thousands of miles from it! Today the Good News was proclaimed about how the Baba Band performed in MDH and received the interview afterwards, and also how the volunteers of the Sai School Project in Tumkur and other Indian cities, many of whom live in this region of the US in cities such as Atlanta, also were received by Bhagawan in His home for a private audience! It was reported that, at the time, Bhagawan was His usual jovial, compassionate, guiding Self! Devotees in the US are also excited to witness the opening of the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevini Health Center in Clarksdale, Mississippi in the near future and continue to cherish each moment on Planet Earth with our Sweet Divine Lord! | | Feed the Need Seva in Houston, Texas | | Amidst the auspicious occasion of Global Akhanda Bhajans, Young Adults from Houston gathered together on Sunday November 10, 2019 to take part in their monthly Feed the Need Seva. This month's Seva, as always, consisted of preparing 108 brown paper lunch bags. Each bag contained one delicious sandwich, one pack of crackers and one juice box. The sandwich is made of thinly sliced tofurkey (soy based meat substitute), mustard, mayonnaise, sliced pickles in between two healthy slices of whole grain wheat bread. | | | | | | | | | |
