his guide is an invitation to all the Group 4 gurus and
to those who are interested in teaching Group 4 students.
to those who are interested in teaching Group 4 students.
Please note that throughout this guide we will be using the term ‘guru’ and not ‘teacher.’
As Swami says:
“The word ‘teacher’ cannot denote these high roles; it can mean only those who transmit information and train in skills. I direct that Bal Vikas teachers should hereafter be known by the vastly
more appropriate name of ‘guru,’ so that you may be conscious
always of the spiritual role, which you have taken on, and its
responsibilities and value. You are the lamps from which their
tender hearts must receive light and love. By your adherence to
truth, righteousness, peace, and love, you have to inspire these
qualities in the children that come to you and the homes from
where they come.”
– Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Rajahmundhry, January 3, 1974
– Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Rajahmundhry, January 3, 1974
As each one of us embarked on this journey of being a Group 4 guru, we all surely recognized the enormous and sacred responsibility of guiding the young hearts on the right
path. It takes the guru’s total dedication and full-time involvement. It is self-sacrifice and
commitment to a greater cause than oneself.
In Vidya Vahini, Swami explains:
“Many teachers, at the present time, have fallen into the habit of asserting, “Well! I have got one lesson ready on one topic for today. My duty is to speak on that. I will do just that and go.” Have the pupils grasped the lesson aright? Which subject has to be taught in which way, through what method? These problems do not seem to bother them. Moreover, they should conduct themselves in just the same manner as they advise and expect the students to behave. When they are taught the lessons through love, their reverence for the teacher will also be deepened. Each teacher should strive to encourage the allround development of the student. He must expand his own heart through love, and not waste the years of his life in furthering his own interest.”
“Many teachers, at the present time, have fallen into the habit of asserting, “Well! I have got one lesson ready on one topic for today. My duty is to speak on that. I will do just that and go.” Have the pupils grasped the lesson aright? Which subject has to be taught in which way, through what method? These problems do not seem to bother them. Moreover, they should conduct themselves in just the same manner as they advise and expect the students to behave. When they are taught the lessons through love, their reverence for the teacher will also be deepened. Each teacher should strive to encourage the allround development of the student. He must expand his own heart through love, and not waste the years of his life in furthering his own interest.”
We must ponder on questions such as:
- How can I help my Group 4 students build a strong connection with Swami?
- Have my lessons touched their hearts?
- Would they continue to make spirituality part of their lives?
We found a possible answer that lies in where we start our lessons:
Do we start from the worldly topic and insert Swami’s quotes wherever they are needed? Or,
do we start from Swami’s discourse—the Source of all-knowing—then reflect, practice, and
finally teach it to our students? We realized once we anchor our lessons in Swami’s
discourses, everything else falls into place. This was the biggest game changer for us when
preparing these lesson resources.
Discovering a Treasure: Summer Showers 1990
We started our quest to find the best material on which to
anchor our lessons and came across the 1990 Summer
Showers discourses. These 16 Divine discourses were given
by Swami for youth on May 20 – June 3, 1990 during the
Summer Course in Brindavan.
As we listened to Swami speak, we began to realize these discourses are very appropriate and relevant for our Group 4
students as they approach young adulthood (especially since
Swami originally gave these discourses to students of this
age). Today, we are fortunate to have access to the
recordings, and are able to listen to and study them, as they
are truly meant for all spiritual seekers.
In these 16 discourses, Swami explains methodically the role
of each aspect of a human being. He leads us from the gross to the subtle, starting with the physical body, then, the higher levels of the mind, and finally, the subtlest, the Atma as seen
in the passage below
“The body, the senses, the mind, and the intellect are only vestures put on by man. Only when we understand the nature
and significance of these adjuncts can we make proper use of
them. You wear trousers, undershirt, shirt, and coat. Only when
you know how to use each of these things correctly can you use
them in the proper way and get the benefit therefrom. Otherwise
you may make bizarre use of them, like putting on the undershirt
over the shirt, or wearing the pant in the reverse direction. Hence,
you generally ensure that you wear your daily attire correctly, so
as to give a decent and attractive appearance.
Likewise, the body is our garment. It is only when we know how
to wear it and use it appropriately that we can make good use of
it and get the best out of it…. During this fortnight if you are
able to grasp the nature and significance of the body, the senses,
the mind, the intellect, and also the Atma (God)—which is the
Supreme Witness presiding over the rest of them—you will be in
a position to master the mystery of the Cosmos made up of the
five basic elements (pancha bhuthas). Ultimately, as God is the
basis of everything, students have to develop faith in God.”
– Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Summer Course in Brindavan, May 20, 1990
– Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Summer Course in Brindavan, May 20, 1990
We also discovered that Swami’s discourses are multifaceted. Sometimes gurus can be
under the impression that one discourse means one lesson. In fact, as we began our study,
we learned one discourse can actually lead to many lessons. It all depends on each individual
guru and the willingness to dive deeper to unpack insights. At the Group 4 level, it might
seem as if we are revisiting certain topics previously covered in Groups 1, 2, and 3. But
repetition and revisiting topics are necessary for both gurus and students to gain a deeper
understanding. It is like a spiral—we keep coming back to the same topics, seeing them
with a new lens. So, always going deeper into the lesson, rather than wider, is crucial.
As gurus delve into these materials (there are 7-8 lessons provided for each 1990
Summer Showers discourse), it is important to note that before each set of lessons, there
is an introduction that offers gurus a glimpse into the introspection and growth that we
experienced at that point in time. In addition, we also have included tips and comments
for gurus to provide a common spiritual lens to see through.
*Please note that these tips and lessons are only a guide. We hope all gurus take time to create their own lessons that cater to their particular students and classes.
“Vedic primal principles teaches us that when everyone is happy (society), then I will be happy. Today, unfortunately,
there are no proper teachers and there are no listeners
who are interested. Where there is IN TRUST, then there
will be INTEREST. But today we don’t have interest; we are
IN-REST (lazy). That is not good.”
– Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Prasanthi Nilayam, August 22, 1996
– Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Prasanthi Nilayam, August 22, 1996