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Introduction to the
Ashram
Guruji’s ashram,
Sri
Sai Baba Ashram, is situated in
Rishikesh, Uttaranchal, in North India.
The
centre of the ashram is
the
Spiritual Hospital. There are two accommodation
blocks, Sri Shirdi Sai Nilayam and Sri Parthi Sai
Nilayam, and a building for administration and
canteen. There are various temples dedicated to
gods and goddesses in the ashram.
About
500m away from the Spiritual Hospital is situated the
Sai Parshuram Retreat, with an important temple at the
entrance: Sri Sai Lingeshwar Mahadev. The Sai
Parshuram Retreat provides accommodation blocks for
devotees and the staff, and a shed for cows.
Sathya
Sai Baba is the guiding force behind this Spiritual
Hospital. With His Divine blessings, it was
constructed in 1998/1999 with the view to curing
patients of their illnesses of body, mind and soul by
guiding them onto the spiritual path and through
spiritual healing. So, it is a unique hospital
where guests and patients are taught meditation,
Pranayam (a special form of breathing exercise),
Pooja (self-purification prayer), bhajans
(singing devotional songs) and havan (fire
ceremony). These are all practised regularly.
Through these methods karma is burnt and the
soul energy (Kundalini) is developed.
Hence the self-healing abilities also increase.
During
the healing Guruji and Geetaji transmit pure white
divine light and they take on karmas of the
patients to cure them permanently and help them on the
path of liberation. It is therefore essential
for patients to surrender to, and have full faith in
Baba
and Guruji, and to develop devotion.
It is
important to understand that all illness and suffering
is caused by our own karmas (actions) done in
this lifetime, or more often, in previous lives.
In all the scriptures it is mentioned that "What you
sow, you have to reap." So, another essential
thing on the spiritual path is to not commit bad
karmas, but to follow the righteous path. Even
though it is given in all the scriptures the meaning
of righteousness, nowadays there is a considerable
lack of knowledge and clarity. Sathya Sai Baba
summed up in two short sentences what righteousness
requires:
"Help
Ever, Hurt Never!"
and
"Love All, Serve All!" Love All means
to see God in everybody, for God resides in the heart
of every living being. That is the main reason
why vegetarian nutrition is essential.
Following the righteous path,
self-purification, developing energy to resist
physical illness and temptations of Kaliyuga, and
loving and serving others, are some of the basics for
developing spiritual abilities.
The
routine in the hospital is designed to make spiritual
progress easier and quicker. A typical day at
the hospital is filled with various activities that
help in spiritual strengthening of body, mind and
soul.
Regularly, the hospital conducts
Sadhana Camps. These camps
are for spiritual seekers as well as for patients.
During discourses, Guruji gives fundamental spiritual
knowledge regarding various aspects of spiritual
practice. The purpose of these camps is to learn
spiritual exercises like meditation, breathing
exercises,
Pooja, Havan and Bhajans.
There is often opportunity to
participate in selfless
service (seva). The camps also visit
various pilgrimage centres in the Himalayas.
The
responsible body is a charitable trust named Sri
Sai Baba Super Spirituality Hospital Trust, to
which the Sri Sai Baba Medical Centres and the Sri Sai
Baba International Public School (situated on the
outskirts of Rishikesh) also belong. Guruji is
the president and spiritual authority of the trust.
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