Theos-Talk Archives (January 1998 Message tt00370)

Here is a msg I posted on theos-l maillist several months ago. In addition
to Howard Murphet (a Theosophist who has published biographies on HSO and
HPB) there is another author who has published a book on Sai Baba. Here is
the info.

Ramadoss
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There was an inquiry on Theos-l about Sai Baba. I gave an off the top of my
head response.

It just so happened that next to my computer was sitting, a book on Sai
Baba which was loaned to me by a good friend of mine who is a devotee of
Sai Baba and is one of the finest, honest and helpful open minded and open
hearted person I have run into.

I feel that everyone who is interested in Sai Baba should find out all the
information on him and decide for oneself about the person and his philosophy.

The details of the book are:

	My Baba and I
	Author: Dr. John S Hislop
	Publisher: Birthday Publishing Co
	PO Box 7722, San Diego, CA 92107
	ISBN 0-960-0958-8-8
	Pub. 1985  Price: $6.30 plus $1.00 S&H

The book should provide a fairly good and comprehensive coverage of the man
and his philosophy.

John S Hislop comes with impressive credentials to write the book. Hence I
have excerpted a summary from a chapter in the book so that anyone
interested should read. Anyone not interested can hit the space bar or
delete key at this point.

On a related matter, Harry Bromley, a lawyer by profession, who was
National Secretary of TSA, on hearing of the miraculous cures and
materializations, travelled to India to visit with Sai Baba about ten years
ago. He spent couple of months at the ashram. Harry is now in his late
eighties and has been a member of the TS since his early twenties. He was
impressed. He is in Atlanta and it would be very interesting if we can get
a first hand feedback from him on Sai Baba. Sai Baba has a large following
and his followers have done a good job in the area of social service and
hence let us not just dismiss him like a minor cult. I would like each one
of us find out the details and come to their own judgment.



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Background of Dr. John S Hislop. (PhD from UCLA - 1958)

At the age of 18, as a young man on adventure in Tahiti he met one Rev.
Arthur de Vere Anderson who talked to him about Theosophy. As soon as he
returned to the US, he joined the TS in Los Angeles. Soon he was keen on
doing something to help Humanity. On the suggestion of the lodge president
he went to Ojai to work with Fritz Kunz who just moved there as the Field
Secretary of the Order of the Star of the East formed by Annie Besant to
launch the career of J. Krishnamurti as "World Teacher". Hislop was in Ojai
whenever Besant and Krishnamurti stayed there. Later he attended
Krishnaji's lectures in the US and Europe over the years and he met his
wife at a Krishnaji Camp in Europe. He mentions about the great kindness
and great patience of both Besant and Krishnaji towards him who was an
undisciplined young man then.

Later he had visited and known Swami Yogananda, Swami Vishnudevananda,
Iyengar and Dr. Roman Ostoya. He was one of the first to be initiated by
Mahesh Yogi and was the first person authorized to initiate others in TM.
Was also the first President of the Mahesh Yogi American Association.

At this time he resigned his ten year academic career and took a lucrative
job as VP of a large corporation. He left this job and went to India to
establish an ashram for Mahesh Yogi at which time he was suspected of being
a CIA agent. During this time he also got interested in Buddhist Vipasana
Meditation and travelled to Burma to meet with a reputed monk who was know
as the most knowledgeable person in this system of meditation.

Soon from personal practice of TM, he realized that the sensations that
came to him from TM techniques are just experienced in the nervous system
and the Divine Bliss that is described as "that peace which passeth all
understanding" and realized that he was a "Blind Leader" and forthwith
resigned from TM.

When attending one of the Krishnaji camps, his wife broke her leg. It was
set. But it was crooked and was told that she has to manage rest of her
life with a cane. It was then he heard of the miraculous cures of Sai Baba.
He and his wife went to India in 1968 and met Sai Baba. Sai Baba told them
that the leg would come back to normal by itself and it did. At his
personal meeting he felt an intense love and peace and he became an instant
devotee.

So Hislop comes with great credentials to tell us about Sai Baba.

I thought it is my duty to let you all know what I found out.


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