DISCOURSES & TALKS BY MEHER BABA

 

CHILDHOOD  IMPRESSIONS

 

 

 

 26 November, 1927

 

 

The next evening, Baba gave the following discourse to the mandali:

 

Childhood is the ideal period of life in which to take an interest in spirituality. The impressions received at a young age become deeply ingrained. Divine beauty, grandeur, and bliss should always be impressed upon children, so much so as to fire their imaginations to the highest pitch about God and His greatness.

 

The boys' enthusiasm for God, however wild, should never be curbed. On the contrary, the best attempts should always be made to create in the boys a deep-rooted longing for divine upliftment. Never mind if all the boys go mad with uncontrollable enthusiasm and impulses about spiritual matters. The aim of this institution is more to create divine mad ones than academic degrees. And I prefer the former to the latter.

 

Of course, all the boys could not be expected to become [saints] like Dhruva and Prahlad, but certainly some of them will take to the spiritual life in the later period of their lives; the rest will also follow after some lifetimes, if not earlier.  The result of the present training will fructify in the end in all cases. Even temporary impulses and sparks of enthusiasm about God-realization hold some result. It is like a cash balance in one's account in the bank, which is utilized beneficially at sometime or other in connection with one's spiritual advancement.

 

Adults rarely attain lasting enthusiasm or longing. When I give a fascinating discourse or logical explanation about divine grandeur or spiritual bliss, even adults certainly become fired up with a longing to search for Truth and to fathom the secrets of the universe. But unhappily, their ardor and enthusiasm do not last long. The impulse of the moment rises and falls quickly in the absence of instant results. However, if a man were to advance toward Truth, experiencing different aspects and novelties of the Path, his enthusiasm would remain pitched at the same level.

 

Seeing extraordinary sights or having extraordinary experiences maintains the longing for Truth, but puts great obstacles in front of real advancement. A strong tea provides a very good stimulant to the tired nerves, but it causes no real improvement in health; on the contrary, the general health is usually undermined with strong stimulants. Therefore, a person should not strive after the novelties, lights and powers of the Path, which are many. The goal of life, the Realization of Truth, should always be the only longing and desire of anyone.

 

But even the temporary impulses of adults are not to be considered insignificant. However small or little the attempt in connection with finding the Truth, and whether physical or mental, it forms a valuable asset. The varying impressions of sin and virtue are spent, but spiritual impressions are not and always remain to one's credit — ever increasing, but never decreasing.

 

Hence, even the best attempts should be made for the temporary impulses to be expressed also. A few stand the chance of contracting permanent longing through chance contemplations in spite of their advanced age. Enthusiasm, inner impulses, and even temporary longings are to be welcomed as they often prove to be steppingstones to real love.

 

 

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