A Tribute to Sai Baba

This blog posting is a special tribute that appeared in the June 2011 Newsletter of the American Society of Dowsers, featuring their "Water for Humanity" project. The tribute is about the passing of Sai Baba, a revered holy man in India. Should you wish to know more about the dowsers program, please access http://dowsers.org/water-for humanity . Since so many people know about and have followed the life and times of Sai Baba, I felt it a service to carry "the rest of the story" for you. Blessings, PMH

The Passing of Sathya Sai Baba

On Easter Sunday, the 24th of April, Hindu guru Sathya Sai Baba passed from his physical form at the age of 84 near his southern Indian ashram. Considered an avatar and revered around the world, this spiritual master played a part in the history of Water for Humanity when on the occasion of former WFH Chairperson Joe Ann van Gelder’s trip to India in December of 1993, the work of the WFH Fund was blessed by Sai Baba.

Sathya Sai Baba was hospitalized on March 28th, taken to the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, an institution established as one result of a several billion dollar charitable trust he himself initiated to help others. He had been confined to a wheelchair since 2005 and since his admission to the hospital was on breathing support and undergoing dialysis up until the time of his death. A funeral was held on Wednesday morning, the 4th of May in Puttaparti in Andhra Pradesh state with state honors.

Sai Baba was born November 23rd, 1926, given the name of Sathyanarayana Raju. Even at a very young age he was spiritually precocious and displayed great intelligence, expressing both through music and dance, and the writing of poetry and plays. At the age of fourteen, he revealed himself as an avatar, the reincarnation of a Hindu holy man from the western region of Maharashtra state known as Sri Baba of Shirdi, who died in 1918. On countless occasions, his followers witnessed him to perform miracles, such as the materialization of items such as jewelry and other precious objects, vibhuti – sacred ash with metaphysical properties, or lingams – small crystal, stone or precious metal objects formed within the Master’s body and ejected through the mouth. Sai Baba had his detractors, but he was respected and revered by millions all around the world. His ashrams have been established in 126 countries. He inspired all through his example of true compassion and embodiment of the Divine to live a morally pure and purposeful life, encouraging them to do so while following the religion of their own choice.