Book Notes
Journey to Grace
The Road is in the Heart
Many people speak of their experience of God, and when others listen, they connect to the narrative through their own experience of the Divine. Here is a book which reveals multiple facets of the diamond of Divine Love narrated through the many kaliedoscopic stories which make up this book.
A large contingent of Australians from all around the country departed Melbourne for Prashanti Nilayam, the Ashram of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Led by Mary Smith (who was facilitator and leader of many groups), the group was split up into four subgroups with coloured ribbons attached the distinctive green and gold Australian scarf. During the trip one member of this group received the impression that it would be good to have everyone contribute to a record of the group's experiences of ashram life and interviews with Swami. This compilation contains the narratives of each participant on this journey.
Many tell of typical Australian backgrounds, city life, country life, farm life. For some, it was the first time they had committed words to print, and this is one of the shining points of these different narratives. They write simply, from the heart. Some had only heard of Sathya Sai Baba just before this trip; one and another found themselves bursting out with "I am going to India" and not knowing where in the world that statement came from, within them.
Some had dark secrets, secret shame and guilt; others kept thinking of spouses and children at home; others had visited Prashanti Nilayam before.Some of the writers in this record have passed on. This makes their stories all the more poignant. The blue group received an interview, on their very first day, in that first morning. The same interviews are presented from ten, fifteen different points of view. This is somewhat revealing of Swami's divinity; some heard and saw things that none other heard and saw; another reported that Swami turned to him and sang in Hindi, "I love you". Divine diamond, yes, and also, Divine mirror — for it is said that Swami often reflects back to people the inner state of their being.
Many write of the changes in their life, and how they experience Swami's continuing presence and guidance back home in Australia. Clearly, this visit was an intense, personal, penetrating event which changed the lives of all who travelled in this large group, forever. Swami says, "Once you come to me, you cannot leave me; I will not let you go."
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Margaret and Randall McDonald
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