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The Bubble and the Ocean 7
mine in appearance. The creation of the rings brought a feeling of awe and wonder, a new appreciation of the infinite consciousness that has created all matter. The perfect sizes implied a sense of intimate relationship, of his knowing us better than we knew ourselves: a profound personal connection with a transcendental, loving being. The holy atmosphere awakened reverence and devotion. And Baba’s gentle compassion and patient, protective, knowing love—a love beyond words—prompted the kind of joy and bliss which inspires one to turn godward. A simple act—but one with profound impact.
We walked quietly for some distance, allowing the experience to settle. I finally said, “You know, Praben, I’ll bet this is a sign that Baba has been with you throughout your entire life—understanding you when you thought you were alone, giving strength when you thought no one was there. How wonderful to sense his omnipresence —how fulfilling to know that he saw, understood and was satisfied with your selfless offering to the crippled children in Denmark and your struggle with problems and pains. All that time he must have been very happy with the sacrifice and love you gave to his needy children. Now he has brought you to him to give you the holiest of gifts—his omnipresent love. I know that the ring he gave is a sign of his intimate closeness, a wedding of you to him.”
I looked up, and the old professor was weeping. ***
During, this brief drama with Professor Plum, Sai Baba had given me the small part of “interpreter,” even though we both knew I would fall far short without his help. Was he showing me through this moving discourse and touching exchange the kind of innocent love, which dissolves ego, turns into devotion and merges the wavelet back into the ocean? And could I have witnessed in this intimate personal experience the hint of a more general major wedding between science and spirituality, which is to occur in the near future? In answer to these questions and with the encouragement and strength from that experience, I am attempting this book, and with his help will try to “interpret” his message about Spirit and the Mind to fellow behavioral scientists.
Notes
1. For a brief description of the extraordinary powers attributed to Sai Baba, including the materialization of objects from the thin air, see Note 3, of the Introduction.