My Relationship with Shirdi Sai Baba

Baba entered my life when I was two years old. He came into my life because of my mother, who was his ardent follower. I was not aware of his presence then. I remember noticing his presence for the first time when I was about eight years of age. I was praying to him. Something made me put my head on his feet, and as soon as I did that, a rose from his picture fell on my head. I knew it instinctively that he had blessed me.

When I was 28 years old, Baba saved me from a terrifying incident that could have taken my life. And even though I was not a devotee of Baba at that time, the only name that came to my lips at that time while facing danger was Sai Baba! Since then, I was drawn to Sai Baba and visited him in his temple whenever I could.

Baba stormed into my life when I was 46. Since then, there has been no looking back. This time, He had decided that enough was enough. The Master appears when the disciple is ready. I guess the time had come. More importantly, the time for His Grace had come! In Baba’s sacred book, the Shri Sai Satcharitra, Baba has said: “However distant my people may be, I draw them to me just as we pull a bird to us with a string tied to its foot.” He kept pulling me towards him, making me aware of the changes that I needed to make in my life. His presence became more prominent in my life. He began connecting me to His family of devotees who had a major role to play in my life. I started understanding Baba through them and began reading the Shri Sai Satcharitra. I learnt to join the dots and recognise his signs.

A few years after that, I went through a turbulent phase in my life, personally and professionally. It was a period that completely shook my foundation. Baba stood behind me like a rock. He held my hand at a time when there was no one else by my side. He kept showing me signs, showing me the way forward and the direction that my life needed to take.

My faith in Baba was strengthening. I began to lean on him more and more. It was Baba who helped me realise my interest and passion in coaching and therapy. I started exploring this new profession. He introduced me to His devotees, who were therapists, so that I could heal myself and my life.

The time had come to let go of the past and heal my limiting beliefs so that I could discover my highest potential. He taught me to love myself and to believe in myself. That phase became a turning point, forcing me to reflect and rebuild and understand myself more deeply.

Nothing has been the same for me since then. I feel like I have been given a second chance to live. And I am grateful to Baba for accepting me. I feel like a brand-new person, and with Baba’s blessings, I feel grounded and fulfilled. He has taught me to believe in my inner voice.

My spiritual practice has become part of my daily life now, and it’s the foundation of all that I do. Whenever I face a challenge, I work on myself, heal what needs attention, and let go of whatever isn’t serving me. That inner work keeps me grounded and helps me meet challenges with a clearer, steadier mind.

Baba is my life. He has tested my faith on several occasions, and I have not failed him. Connecting with him has become like breathing now. It is natural and effortless. He is all that I am and all that there IS. I have learnt to surrender myself to Baba. I have learnt to accept the ups and downs of life because I know that since He decides what happens in our life, it can only be good for us.

I no longer feel alone. I know that I have within me all that I am looking for outside. I feel supported and loved in Baba’s energy that is within and outside of me. I also have infinite belief that when Baba is with you, nothing is impossible.

— Rashika Kaul

(The author is a certified Life Coach, Therapist and Healer.)