Bhajans / Group devotional singing is one of the fundamental practices of the Sathya Sai Centres around the world. Bhajans are held once a week on Sunday. In addition to Bhajans, Bhajan practice sessions are also held once a week on Sunday. During these sessions, established singers practice the songs they intend to sing during the week and newer singers have a chance to train and develop their talents.

"Bhajan is one of the processes by which you can train the mind to expand into eternal values. Teach the mind to revel in the glory and majesty of God; wean it away from petty horizons of pleasure. That is all that Bhajan can do. Bhajan induces in you a desire for experiencing the Truth, to glimpse the Beauty that is God, to taste the Bliss that is the Self. It encourages man to drive into himself and be genuinely his real Self. Once that search is desired, the path is easy. One has only to be reminded that he is divine, for the malady is, its being thrust out of recognition." – Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The Bliss of Devotional Singing

Music is next to God. That is the reason singing devotional music is an important integral part of any religion, whether be at the Temples, Mosque, Church, Gurudwara etc. As Sai Baba says, Nama-smarana or singing the name and glory of God is the easiest and yet the most effective method of unfolding the Divinity in our heart. When the fire burns the wood, it covers itself by a layer of ashes. You blowout the ash and see the burning fire. So too, the water in a pool gets concealed under its own green scum or marshy foliage. Remove this scum and you see pure water again. Even so, the Atman or the Blissful Self gets concealed under the cover of attachment and hatred and allied dualities. Nama-smarana is the best means to remove this cover and experience Divinity in our hearts. This sadhana (spiritual practise) puts to rest the fickle mind in the sweet love and glory of the Lord while the clapping of hands drives away the birds of attachment and hatred from our heart. The divine names we sing are potent mantras which have the power to sublimate our mind and help in developing faith and devotion. In fact, it becomes Nada-Brahma (Divine Sound) and puts us in touch with God and gives us the experience of His Ananda (Bliss).

Swami’s Guidelines for Devotional Singing

• Bhajan is a Sadhana (spiritual discipline) for all who share in it. Sing familiar Bhajans, so that all can share the Ananda (bliss)
• Pay attention to the tune, the meaning, the variety, the voice, the raga (notes), the tala (rhythm) and other fine points of the Bhajan.
• The Bhajans must be sweet to the ear. If your voice is not pleasant or sweet, keep quiet; that is the best service you can do. Do not cause discontent, discord or disharmony, insisting on singing because you are an-office bearer.
• Do not monopolize the time in Bhajans in singing one song for six or ten minutes, repeating the same line often. Repeat each line only twice and no more. Have only two speeds – one slow and the other fast. In this way you can have more songs in one hour of Bhajans.
• When you sing Bhajans dwell also on the meaning of the song and the message of each name and form of God.
• Bhajans have to be sung and offered to God in an attitude of utter humility. They have to please the Lord, not your fans.
• Unless you sing Bhajans for your own joy, you cannot bring joy to others. Only when the devotional feeling arises in the singer’s heart, the song will appeal to the hearts of others.
• Bhajan has to be a thrilling experience, which must leave the participants full of pure energy and elevated enthusiasm. With each Bhajan song the mind must be rendered purer, freer from passion and stronger in faith.
• People should return from Bhajan carrying the elevated, uplifted and sublime mood created by the atmosphere at the Bhajan. Therefore, after the Bhajan people should disperse quietly, maintaining silence. Then the joy and peace derived at the Bhajan will linger and abide in the heart.

Swami says "It is not just reading books. Study circle means taking a point and each person discussing what is the meaning of the point to them. Each person gives their point of view, and finally values are derived from the discussion. If there is just reading, there is doubt. But if each one gives his view, doubts will be answered. The study circle looks at different facets. It is like a diamond with different facets, but there is one facet that is flat, the top facet, and from this all can be viewed. To discover the top facet is the task of the study circle. This does not mean only just reading and discussing and taking information into the head, but also putting into practice what is learnt."

What kinds of topics are discussed? What is the format of the study circle?

Our group discussion this year will be based on the questions and answers from this book called Sri Sathya Sai Gita, Spirituality in Qs and As., the answers provided are all from Bhagawan Baba's Discourses; e.g. Sathya Sai Speaks, Summer Showers, and various Vahinis. It covers various topics like Dharma, Religion and Spirituality, Human effort, Scriptures, and Vedas. We inform the group ahead of time the topic that will be discussed so participants can read on that topic and help others understand. With the exchange of ideas, our understanding broadens. Devotees can also suggest topics they would like to discuss.

We read Swami's discourses to the group, and each member expresses his/her understanding of the reading. A member is free not to speak, but merely listen to exchanges by others in the group. At times, topics are selected at random and the group discusses the subject.

At the end, we take a couple of minutes to sit quietly and reflect on the discussion. This helps us focus on how to apply the lesson or ideal in our lives. Swami says, if one goes on reading and listening without applying, one gets indigestion. So knowledge needs to be digested and applied in our lives before more is added.

Who can attend?

Everyone is welcome. Our centre conducts a study circle on Sundays from 9:45 am to 10:45 am.

If you are new to this activity, do come and attend a couple of sessions; we are sure you will find them interesting. Study circle discussions caters to all levels of spiritual understanding. There is no need to underestimate our level of understanding and hesitate to attend. Talking in the group is optional. You can simply come and listen to the discussion. Attending study circle discussions is particularly helpful, if one does not have the time to read Sai literature. The, next best thing is to attend study circles.

Our centre conducts a Veda chanting classes on Sundays from 11:00 am to 11:30 am.

Every human being must revere the Vedas. It is the very foundation of life. Every act of daily life has its roots in the Vedas. Whether everyone knows this or not, the Vedas pervade, everything. In the yajna, Sri Narayana himself appears as the embodiment of Veda Yajna is the manifestation of Narayana. Yajna means Thyaga (sacrifice). Sacrifice really means giving up all bad thoughts, egoism, evil qualities, impure desires and wrong actions. Only then will the vision of the Divine be experienced. In an empty mind, you can put anything. But how do you empty a brain that is filled with all kinds of rubbish? And without emptying it, how can you find place for pure thoughts? Your hearts are filled with all kinds of feelings. How can you fill them with the nectar of the Vedas? Everyone must regard it as his foremost duty to work for the revival of the Vedas and live the Vedic way of life.– Sri Sathya Saibaba

From ancient days meditation has been considered as the highest goal in many cultures, especially in Bharat. It is not something that one does by sitting for a couple of minutes or hours.

Bhagawan has suggested an easy-to-practice Light or Jyoti Meditation for the members, which is considered the foremost spiritual discipline geared towards gaining inner peace.