Dive Deep and Soar High

DIVE DEEP AND SOAR HIGH: Swami Satchidananda, in his own unique and inimitable way, outlines in the form simple dialogues the method by which one can get over the effects of the down-pulling forces and lead a highly spiritual and peaceful life. Available in English, Malayalam and Telugu.

Swami Satchidananda, born in 1919 as Anantasivan, went through a period of struggles and trials in his early life. At the age of 30, he met Papa Swami Ramdas and dedicated his entire life to him. He served to great saints, Papa and Mother Krishnabai, throughout their lifetime. After Papa's Mahasamadhi, he assisted the Mother in the day to day affairs of the Ashram. In 1989, when Mother Krishnabai left her mortal coil, Swami Satchidananda inherited the mantle of running the Ashram. Pujya Swamiji had preserved and carried forward the message of Papa and Mother through his exemplary life of love and service until he dropped his body in 2008.

Swami Satchidananda Long stay in the Ashram, serving two saints, made it possible for me, besides many other things, to be familiar with thousands of families in all parts of India and also abroad. Most of the families took advantage of their close contact with Beloved Papa Swami Ramdas and Mataji Krishnabai by relying on them for guidance on spiritual and also on mundane matters and on me, to some extent, after their Mahasamadhi. Seeking solutions for their problems, they confided, without any reservations, their family conditions, which in many cases appeared peaceful and harmonious, camouflaging the real conflicts. While helping them, I could learn that almost all the problems arose from the lack of adjustability to live with others due to their strong ego, selfishness, anger and lack of faith in God.

Many wanted to know how they could control anger and develop more love for others. This was responsible for my writing a dialogue on 'Anger'. The immediate provocation to write this dialogue was the story I heard: In a joint family, all the members gathered together on some special occasions. On one such occasion, the head of the family, an aged person, was surprised and pained to see one of his daughters-in-law in tears. In trying to console her, he had to face the wrath of one of his sons, who accused the daughter-in-law of many things. Those few minutes revealed to the old man that it was the explosion of stored-up feelings in the two individuals.

Hearing this story, and many such ones, I felt that the so-called devotion to God, as seen in many cases, is only on the surface and has not taken deep roots, with the result that when a crisis arose, the pent-up anger, selfishness, etc. are no longer under control.

Such and almost similar incidents heard from families prompted me to explain to them the dangers of succumbing to the down-pulling forces and the imperative need to develop the counteracting elevating forces. Subsequently, the dialogues on Patience/Humility, and many others, followed. There was no idea of bringing them out in a book form. But as and when a dialogue came out they were liked so much that many requests to collect all and print them in a book form came from friends.

These dialogues are based on my views on the subject relating to devotees, and therefore they are all from the spiritual angle only. The same subject can be looked at from many other angles also and so they are in no way complete.

It would give great joy to our Guru if all of us aspire only for God-realization and try to develop the qualities of a true devotee. So if we want spiritual progress, we should take things seriously and dive deep within. The more we advance on the path, the more tolerant we will become, our love circle will widen, we will not find fault with others or impose our views on others. Most of all, we will become so humble as to feel all others are greater, with the result that when we talk to them, our feeling of oneness with all will express itself in our words and actions.

**Sample Pages**