PART 10 PART 2

When the woman saw what had happened she was aghast and proceeded to beat and kick the dog. She then went back to the market in an angry fit and bought more food for the offering. This time she walked straight to her guru, Shirdi Sai Baba, and offered him the gift. With disdain, Shirdi Sai Baba said, "I don't want it. I have already eaten." The woman was shocked and said, "What do you mean, master? It is still early." Shirdi Sai Baba replied, " I already ate, but then you beat me and kicked me."
This story had a great effect on me, and I have tried to remember at all times that I live in all things and all things live in me. What I do to another is literally what I do to myself. The golden rule states "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." If our true identity is the eternal Self, and all of creation is a part of that eternal Self, then anything that we do to any other part of creation we literally are doing to ourselves. By the same token, to give something to another is literally to give love to oneself. If humanity would deeply understand and practice this one law, the entire world would change in an instant.
In another Sai Baba story, someone was driving Sai Baba on a highway while Sai Baba had his eyes closed in meditation in the back seat of the car. The driver of the car was going around fifty miles an hour, when all of a sudden he saw a snake crawling across the highway. The driver didn't want to slam on the brakes and bother Sai Baba so he ended up running over the snake. After doing so the driver looked back at Sai Baba in his rear view. Sai Baba's eyes were still closed and he hadn't moved in the slightest. When they arrived at their destination, the driver opened the car door for Sai Baba--who got out of the car and proceeded to take off his shirt. As Sai Baba walked away, the driver saw tire marks across Baba's back. Sai Baba never said a word!
Every person, every animal, every plant, every rock is God. There is only one identity in the universe for all of life throughout creation--and that is God. We all share that one identity. We must let go of glamour, illusion, maya and appearances so that we can see the true reality of life. Our true identity as the eternal Self lives within all creation. All creation is a part of you. Strive to be harmless and defenseless in all things.
Your brothers and sisters share your identity as the Christ with you. God had only one son and one daughter and we are all part of that sonship or daughtership. We each are apprentice Gods who are in the process of realizing this on deeper and deeper levels. This is the initiation process. Learn from Sai Baba's example.