TAMIL NATION LIBRARY:  Unfolding Consciousness

"...Over the course of time, I became aware that man's limited consciousness could expand to the level of divinity, that With Love, Man Is God! This book describes a continuation of my search for the meaning of life.."

[see also From Matter to Life to Mind: An Unfolding Consciousness and The Observing Self: Mysticism and Psychotherapy - Deikman ]

From the Introduction -

"As a young psychiatrist wondering about the mysteries of man's mind and about the extent of its capabilities, I came upon a holy man in India named "Sathya Sai Baba." While I worked day and night in my office, seeing people with anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and dementia, I heard that Sai Baba taught about another possibility of man's potential—that With Love, Man Is God.

Hearing about man's divinity while closely witnessing his frailties and weaknesses seemed incongruent. In this atmosphere, I deeply wondered about man's latent greatness. Could Sai Baba demonstrate a higher level of consciousness of peace and love that would bring lasting joy? Young and full of fire, I determined to find out for myself. Though skeptical, I was driven by a feeling of awe about life's mysteries and the promise of man's hidden potential.

Thus, the journey began. Inquisitive and open minded, I traipsed off to India in search of God! In the course of that remarkable adventure, I became convinced of Sai Baba's divinity, and on closer inspection, of man's divinity.

A lot has happened since I first met Sai Baba 32 years ago, in May 1972. I recounted my first experiences in India with Sai Baba in my book "Sai Baba: The Holy Man And The Psychiatrist," published in 1975. It was about a young psychiatrist awakening to a new level of reality. I was astounded at coming face to face with an Avatar'. In the West, we are largely unfamiliar with the Eastern concept of Avatar, which literally translates to "an incarnation of God...the descent of deity to earth in bodily form." In the Eastern view, Jesus and Krishna are considered Avatars.

Sai Baba: The Holy Man And The Psychiatrist has been printed in approximately 25 languages, and I have been inspired by the responses of its readers. Expressions of gratitude and love from people the world over have shown me, in a particularly intimate way, the power of Sai's love to affect people. No matter how tough their exterior, when Sai Baba touches the essential core in people they become innocent, tender, and childlike. Witnessing this inner purity has given me an unexpected understanding of man's nature: that innocence and love lie at our center and are our true nature.

Over the course of time, I became aware that man's limited consciousness could expand to the level of divinity, that With Love, Man Is God! This book describes a continuation of my search for the meaning of life and some of my experiences and encounters with Sai Baba that convinced me of man's divinity. This conviction rests in having experienced the eternal so potently in Sai Baba that it quieted my fear of death and gave me confidence in my potential for boundless love and infinite consciousness.

The way Sai Baba guided me to the title of this book is a good example of how the Avatar teaches selflessly without drawing attention to himself. I initially intended to title this book "Man Is God." When I took a mockup of the cover to Sai Baba, he signed it quickly and seemingly without any forethought, so much so that I didn't take a very close look at it. Not until a year later did I notice the significance of where Sai Baba placed his signature.

On close examination, I saw that he ran his words "With Love" into the title in a way that brought greater meaning to the book, for then it read With Love, Man Is God. It is too much for most of us to even consider that man is really God. However, when we contemplate Sai Baba's profound teachings about love, we can intuit that With Love, Man Is God.

After my discovery I had a chance to ask Sai Baba if it was a good title. With great enthusiasm he answered, "Yes! That is just what I have been telling people." Below is a mockup of where Sai Baba originally placed his signature on the cover.

"...First and foremost, understand what religion is. Religion is realization. Only when you realize the truth about yourself will you understand what religion is. Spirituality is not merely singing Bhajans, performing worship, and going to temples or on pilgrimages or undertaking any other good activity. Spirituality is recognizing the oneness of all beings.

To recognize unity in diversity is spirituality. .. The questions and doubts arise when you see multiplicity in unity. The entire creation has emerged from love.

Religion is the realization of your Self.  Spirituality also is discovering who you really are. For example you say, 'This is my handkerchief this is my plate, this is my hand and this is my body.' Then who are you?...

The word 'education' is derived from the Latin root 'Educare.' While education refers to collection of worldly facts, Educare is to bring out from within. Education is for a living while Educare is for life. Education is for earning a livelihood. Educare is for realizing the ultimate goal of life. It is easy for us to recognize things outside us and difficult to look within. Educare means to bring out from within....Therefore, there is actually no difference among the three - religion, spirituality, and Educare. .. " Sathya Sai Baba Discourse, 21 November 2001