Love all, serve all

CHENNAI: Understanding of GodI have always believed in God. As a child I used to question and experiment. I would think of something near impossible, and convince myself that if there was a God He would make it happen. These things always miraculously happened, and strengthened my belief in an external force or power. We can give this power different names and forms, but essentially it is the same. It is a free power that can recharge and energise us, and inspire us to do good in our daily lives. Spiritual beliefs and practicesI pray at least twice a day. I am a Hindu and I worship Hindu Gods and Goddesses. But I studied in Jesuit institutions so I have a picture of Christ in my puja room. I am familiar with Christian prayers and I say them regularly. I also believe in Islam’s complete surrender to a higher power. But above all, I believe in Puttaparthi Sathya Sai Baba. He summed up my spiritual beliefs in eight words when he said, “Love all, serve all; help ever, hurt never.” I firmly believe that hands that help are holier than lips that pray, and that is what I try to follow each day of my life.MeditationI do pranayama and meditation for a few minutes every day. Meditation can help one harness a lot of power. It benefits your health immensely, brings down blood pressure and blood sugar levels. But meditation is not easy. One first needs to concentrate, then contemplate and, finally, meditate. Everybody needs to work towards it.Pilgrimage sitesPuttaparthi is where I find inner peace. I go there and get rejuvenated. It’s like recharging my battery. Even after Baba’s mahasamadhi, I can still feel his presence there.-Dr V Mohan is a Chennai-based diabetologist