Baba says, ‘those with the power of tolerance constantly enjoy themselves and overcome everything with a smile’.

The word tolerate often invokes the image of sacrifice, of having to bear or suffer through something. But in Baba’s world, to tolerate is an act of power, hence the term ‘power of tolerance‘.

When I get going on this spiritual path, I am effectively going against the tide of the rest of the world, I am going against the popular consciousness – body consciousness. So of course, according to the drama, there will be problems and adverse situations that come. In a way, I invoked them myself. But the problems or the scenes in the drama are not what are important, it is how I respond. I have been given a very clear aim or destination that I have to reach. If I stop along the way to look at the scenes, I experience the destination as being far away. Yes, I cannot help see the scenes that come my way but they don’t have to stop me. I don’t have to stop and wonder: ‘why is this like this?’, ‘what is this?’, ‘this shouldn’t be like this, it should be like that’. I don’t have to correct or try to fix the scenes- they are not my destination, they are a distraction. But because I don’t discern this and get busy fixing, the connection of the Father’s remembrance becomes loose. Instead of entertaining myself with the scenes and thinking: ‘that was interesting’, I wilt and stop progressing. Then, I complain to Baba and say: ‘Baba, You said this is an easy path! You didn’t say that I would need to tolerate everything’. This is not tolerance, Baba says, this is suffering through. To tolerate is to be entertained, it is to move forward. I don’t have to suffer through the scenes, I only have to observe and move forward toward my destination. It’s a choice– do I want to get caught up in the expansion or put expansion into its essence?

It is when I get caught up in the expansion that instead of experiencing this to be an easy path, I experience it as a path of having to ‘tolerate’ everything. Such children, Baba explains, remain discontented with the Father, that is, with His knowledge and with the process of inculcating this knowledge within them. They also remain discontented with themselves. When they are discontented with themselves, they also become discontented with all their relationships and connections. And thus, they are not able to remain happy or experience constant happiness.

To be tolerant is to be powerful, explains Baba. With the power to tolerate, you automatically have the attainment of all virtues. Those who have the power to tolerate will automatically have, through just that one power, the power to make decisions, the power to discriminate and the power of depth and maturity. How? because I don’t allow myself to be overwhelmed by the scene, I don’t allow my intellect to be clouded by emotions. I remain a detached observer and keep my connection with the Father intact. I experience being combined with Him, that He is in-charge, that He is protecting me and is responsible for me. I remain unshakable. This is the quality of a Mahavir, the quality of an angel, and Brahma Baba demonstrated this practically through his life. The power to tolerate is therefore foundational for progress, says Baba.

To develop the power of tolerance, it is important to develop the power to churn, teaches Baba. Every one of the Father’s praise is my title of self-respect. To be aware of and deeply experience these titles is to churn. At Amritvela, if you stabilize yourself in even one of your titles, that will go a long way, teaches Baba. This is strength for the mind and intellect. When the awareness of who I am, Whose I am and where I am headed is strong, I will not become afraid, or amazed or get carried away. I will be able to remain a detached observer, I will tolerate. Then, the words and actions will also not be ordinary, they will also be elevated, says Baba. Those with the power to tolerate will be successful in their tasks. They are able to stabilize themselves in the angelic stage and in the stage of an embodiment of pure thoughts. There will be a sparkle on their faces.

Shiv Baba says, ‘To become a Brahmin means to live with pleasure in your heart like Brahma Baba. With pleasure in your heart, you will be able to transform any situation or task that is causing confusion into pleasure. However, the basis of this is tolerance. So, tolerance is very special. Because of this specialty, Father Brahma always remained unshakeable and immovable. Now, follow father‘.