The Venerable Howard Murphet on Dangers of communication phenomena under guise of great spiritual name
An extract from the famous book, "Man of Miracles" by Howard Murphet (first published in 1971, with this edition perhaps being dated around 1981) available as a pdf download here: http://www.saicenter.us/books/Sathya_Sai_Books1/Sai%20Baba%20Man%20of%20Miracles.pdf, from page 120:
Other psychic happenings reported from here and there include automatic writing, and written messages seen by clairvoyants either in rangoli powder or on plain walls and ceilings. These messages purport to be from Sai Baba. The people closely concerned with such phenomena (at least the ones I have personally met) seem sincere and high-minded. They describe enthusiastically how the messages are used to help the sick, to give ethical training in action and habit, to assist people in distress concerning their personal relationships, their jobs, and so on. So the power at work seems to be a good, compassionate one.
But there is, of course, a danger in communication phenomena. For one thing, as occultists know, the lower astral plane contains plenty of impostors, pretenders and worse, ever ready to seize a chance of communicating with this world. Therefore psychic forces not so good, not so benevolent, might easily begin to manifest under the guise of the great spiritual name. Thus people may be fooled and misled. And the eventual result would be to foster man's pride, egotism and lower desires rather than his higher spiritual aspirations.
There were indications that greed and desire for notoriety were already being stirred among followers when a notice appeared in the ashram magazine, under the direction of Baba. The notice said: "Some persons misuse the name of Baba, and announce that Baba is in communication with them, giving them messages, answering questions and granting interviews, their object being to earn money or fame." The notice goes on to say that such phenomena have to be explained either as the manifestation of spirits or as sheer fakes by cranks or crooks: "It is the duty of devotees to stop all such trickery by wise counsel and firm denial."
Baba makes it clear that recipient must judge the genuineness of any psychic happenings for themselves, but they should never use them as a means of drawing a crowd around for publicity, fame or making money.
--- end extract ---
Ravi: Let us examine these words of the venerable Howard Murphet more carefully.
"But there is, of course, a danger in communication phenomena. For one thing, as occultists know, the lower astral plane contains plenty of impostors, pretenders and worse, ever ready to seize a chance of communicating with this world. Therefore psychic forces not so good, not so benevolent, might easily begin to manifest under the guise of the great spiritual name. Thus people may be fooled and misled."
Did Mr. Howard Murphet foretell the future, or what!!! And these words are from the venerable Mr. Murphet who, I presume, knew a lot about such occult matters. Very interestingly, Mr. Murphet uses the words "communication phenomena".
Then Mr. Murphet quotes the ashram (Puttaparthi ashram, I presume) magazine: "Some persons misuse the name of Baba, and announce that Baba is in communication with them, giving them messages, answering questions and granting interviews, their object being to earn money or fame."
Once again, uncannily, the term used is "communication"!!! What more clear messages from the dynamic & youthful years of Bhagavan and Puttaparthi ashram, do people with reasonable and balanced minds need to differentiate between the TRUE Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi and the impersonators/imposters elsewhere, irrespective of any psychic powers that the impersonators/imposters may display!
Then the ashram magazine is quoted saying, "It is the duty of devotees to stop all such trickery by wise counsel and firm denial."
I think the above quote of the ashram magazine mentioned by an unbiased Western author in the 1970s (or perhaps early 1980s) makes it absolutely clear that devotees, including former students of the Sai university, SHOULD NOT BE SILENT WITNESSES to these happenings, especially if they are DIVIDING the mother Sai organization worldwide, and instead DO THEIR DUTY TO SWAMI (PUTTAPARTHI SATHYA SAI BABA) by contributing to efforts to "stop all such trickery by wise counsel and firm denial".
It does not matter if a few former Sai university students, a former Sai university warden and a former Sai university vice-chancellor are supporting such organizations. What REAL devotees and Sai university former students and teachers should do is to follow Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba teachings in this regard. And IGNORE any former Sai students, former Sai university warden and former Sai university vice-chancellor who have MOVED AWAY from the teachings & instructions of Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba.
Other psychic happenings reported from here and there include automatic writing, and written messages seen by clairvoyants either in rangoli powder or on plain walls and ceilings. These messages purport to be from Sai Baba. The people closely concerned with such phenomena (at least the ones I have personally met) seem sincere and high-minded. They describe enthusiastically how the messages are used to help the sick, to give ethical training in action and habit, to assist people in distress concerning their personal relationships, their jobs, and so on. So the power at work seems to be a good, compassionate one.
But there is, of course, a danger in communication phenomena. For one thing, as occultists know, the lower astral plane contains plenty of impostors, pretenders and worse, ever ready to seize a chance of communicating with this world. Therefore psychic forces not so good, not so benevolent, might easily begin to manifest under the guise of the great spiritual name. Thus people may be fooled and misled. And the eventual result would be to foster man's pride, egotism and lower desires rather than his higher spiritual aspirations.
There were indications that greed and desire for notoriety were already being stirred among followers when a notice appeared in the ashram magazine, under the direction of Baba. The notice said: "Some persons misuse the name of Baba, and announce that Baba is in communication with them, giving them messages, answering questions and granting interviews, their object being to earn money or fame." The notice goes on to say that such phenomena have to be explained either as the manifestation of spirits or as sheer fakes by cranks or crooks: "It is the duty of devotees to stop all such trickery by wise counsel and firm denial."
Baba makes it clear that recipient must judge the genuineness of any psychic happenings for themselves, but they should never use them as a means of drawing a crowd around for publicity, fame or making money.
--- end extract ---
Ravi: Let us examine these words of the venerable Howard Murphet more carefully.
"But there is, of course, a danger in communication phenomena. For one thing, as occultists know, the lower astral plane contains plenty of impostors, pretenders and worse, ever ready to seize a chance of communicating with this world. Therefore psychic forces not so good, not so benevolent, might easily begin to manifest under the guise of the great spiritual name. Thus people may be fooled and misled."
Did Mr. Howard Murphet foretell the future, or what!!! And these words are from the venerable Mr. Murphet who, I presume, knew a lot about such occult matters. Very interestingly, Mr. Murphet uses the words "communication phenomena".
Then Mr. Murphet quotes the ashram (Puttaparthi ashram, I presume) magazine: "Some persons misuse the name of Baba, and announce that Baba is in communication with them, giving them messages, answering questions and granting interviews, their object being to earn money or fame."
Once again, uncannily, the term used is "communication"!!! What more clear messages from the dynamic & youthful years of Bhagavan and Puttaparthi ashram, do people with reasonable and balanced minds need to differentiate between the TRUE Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi and the impersonators/imposters elsewhere, irrespective of any psychic powers that the impersonators/imposters may display!
Then the ashram magazine is quoted saying, "It is the duty of devotees to stop all such trickery by wise counsel and firm denial."
I think the above quote of the ashram magazine mentioned by an unbiased Western author in the 1970s (or perhaps early 1980s) makes it absolutely clear that devotees, including former students of the Sai university, SHOULD NOT BE SILENT WITNESSES to these happenings, especially if they are DIVIDING the mother Sai organization worldwide, and instead DO THEIR DUTY TO SWAMI (PUTTAPARTHI SATHYA SAI BABA) by contributing to efforts to "stop all such trickery by wise counsel and firm denial".
It does not matter if a few former Sai university students, a former Sai university warden and a former Sai university vice-chancellor are supporting such organizations. What REAL devotees and Sai university former students and teachers should do is to follow Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba teachings in this regard. And IGNORE any former Sai students, former Sai university warden and former Sai university vice-chancellor who have MOVED AWAY from the teachings & instructions of Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba.
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