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312 SPIRIT AND THE MIND ***
The appearance of an Avatar has immense meaning. He is striking evidence that the system of psychological and spiritual growth represented by the chakras is real and that man’s limited consciousness can merge with Universal Consciousness. He is a moving example of how man appears when his 7th chakra is fully awakened.
And he has meaning even beyond this. Whereas the system of the chakras represents man’s ascent from limited consciousness to divinity, the Avatar represents that most rare occurrence when divinity descends into human form. Responding to the prayers of his devotees, He appears from age to age during particularly dark times, not only to prove that mankind is divine, but to teach us the path to transcendence. Beckoning us to awaken, to evolve, to ascend, He shows us the path to eternal freedom, the path from selfishness to selflessness, from duality to unity, from man to divinity.
And the path, the way, the process, the means and the goal—is love. Sai Baba says that love is his form and that consciousness expands by and through the fostering, cultivation, experience and expression of love. Teaching love by love, for love and through acts of pure, unconditional, selfless love, Avatars give the faith, strength and inspiration to reach for heaven and to that glorious unitary state beyond.
Let the different faiths exist. Let them flourish. Let the glory of God be sung in all the languages and a variety of tunes. That should be the ideal. Respect the differences between the faiths, and recognize them as valid so far as they do not extinguish the flame of unity. 1 have not come to speak on behalf of any particular religion. I have not come on any mission of publicity for any sect or creed or cause. Nor have 1 come to collect followers for any doctrine. 1 have come to tell you of this universal unitary faith, this path of love, this duty of love, this obligation to love . . .
The totality of divine energy has come unto humanity as Sathya Sai—to go to each and everyone, to wake up the slumbering divinity of every human being. Even if in your sleepiness or in your weakness for sleep, you growl, grumble or groan; kick, criticize, quarrel or cry, 1 will not forsake you; 1 will