The cost of each ticket 37 USD - courtesy Stephanie .The play was based on the famous story "Wizard of the Oz". Very well directed, enacted, and choreographed. The most interesting part of the show was that, the entire performance of 3 to 4 hours was live. Although the stage was huge and was in an open air configuration, neither the dialogues nor the music was pre-recorded. Each actor spoke his/her dialogue live And the music was live, played by a 14 piece orchestra. As the play was based on a fairy tale, the sets had to be changed ,which was done with great skill and precision. The sound system was excellent. The play also had some wonderful moral values that there is no place like home ;that what we need in life is courage, brains and a heart all of which we already have and that we only need to exercise them !Totally unbelievable! Well done San Francisco. Well done America!
Did not go for "Sandwich Seva" but decided to go to the Oakland Sai Center instead We went to Harsha ,Anu, Raja's place near Vallejo via San Rafael Richmond bridge . Sai picked up some of his books and clothes, and from there we went to Berkeley Bowl where we purchased vegetables . The Bhajans were supposed to start at 7.30 p.m. We reached at 7 p.m. Roamed around the streets of Oakland till the Bhajan Center opened. The Bhajans started sharp at 7.30p.m.
The Oakland Center is much disciplined. They practise the bhajans beforehand. They did not allow me to sing as I had not practised with them. They then wrote down the bhajans on a White Board marker for all to see and everyone sang as per his/her seniority. The bhajans were very melodious, accompanied by the guitar and sung with devotion. After the bhajans there was Study circle.
All the participants were given a half page synopsis of the subject, which was extracted from Swami's speeches. Below the extract there were two questions. The participants were then asked to read the page in silence and subsequently the questions were discussed one by one. The questions centered around the need for value systems in life and how to overcome our baser instincts. Everyone was in agreement for the need for the values but how?
I stated that the need for value systems is paramount as they form the very bedrock of our organisation. I then quoted from the objectives of the Organisation as laid down in its Charter which states that:
The most fundamental objective of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation is to awaken in Man the awareness of Divinity inherent in Him by propagating through practice and examples the principles of Sathya Dharma, Shanthi, Prema and Ahimsa as set by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and to achieve this objective we shall not willfully deviate from the Nine Point Code of Conduct laid down in the Charter of the Organisation.
All that is needed on our part is to replace the bad values of Kama (lust) Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed) and Moha (attachment to the World) Mada (pride) and Matsarya (jealousy) with the good and eternal values of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema and Ahimsa.I also quoted a Chinna Katha of Swami wherein it is proved that if we take on one bad quality at a time and make sincere efforts to discard the same the other bad qualities would drop off automatically one by one . Not easy but we can make a beginning somewhere, I said .The entire function came to a close at 8.30 p.m.
We met Suzanne Slyman there. A very sweet devotee of Swami.
On 13 Jun (Fri) attended bhajans at Brian's place. Learnt a German and a Spanish Bhajan during Bhajan training. The others learnt an Indian Bhajan which was sung by Sai ,which everyone liked.
