INTERVIEW/ Ted Henry, former US-based news anchor
American journalist Ted Henry was the primary anchor at ABC's WEWS-TV (News 5) for many years. After retiring in 2009, he dedicated his time to spiritual exploration, and has produced hundreds of videos titled Souljourns. Excerpts from an interview:
Q What drew you to Baba?
I first heard of him in 1968 while serving two years in Paraguay with the US Peace Corps: a kind of seva work abroad. I came across a short magazine article on Baba that left an indelible impression on me. I wasn’t sure what to make of this “miracle worker”, but what I read never left me.
Later, in Kolkata, while spending a few days with Mother Teresa, the Indian family I stayed with invited me to meet their teacher, Sathya Sai Baba. They were surprised when I told them I had already heard of him.
Many years later, in 1997, I married a wonderful woman in the US who was a devoted follower of Baba. She was astonished to learn I had known of Baba for decades, and it was through her love for him that I, too, became a follower.
When Jody [his wife] visited Baba with her friends, she was granted an interview. Baba asked her, “How is that boy?”
“Do you mean Ted, Baba? He wanted to come to India with us but fell sick,” she replied.
Baba answered, “He will come… after marriage.”
At that time, marriage was the farthest thing from our minds. Jody never told me about this exchange until after I had proposed to her.
Q Did you ever witness anything that defied explanation?
Yes. Baba materialised a green stone set in gold: a ring I still wear to this day. I love the ring, but even more, I love Baba’s response when people asked about his miracles. He would say: “I give you tinsel, trinkets and trash, so that one day you will come to receive what I truly have to give you: an awakening to the truth of your most genuine identity, that you are God.”
Q How do you see his initiatives in education, health care and service?
I think it is extraordinary. Baba often said that such service is one of several ways to achieve self-realisation in this lifetime.
Q What is the biggest misunderstanding about him?
This is my favourite question, and I am glad you asked it this way. Many devotees move towards awakening through seva, bhajans, devotional reading, and bhakti; pure prayer and devotion. All of these are good and will ultimately lead to self-realisation.
But Baba also gave us another path, which I feel is often overlooked even by many of his followers: his teaching of Advaita Vedanta, non-duality, self-enquiry and the eternal question, who am I?
In my view, this is the direct path to enlightenment. And, I believe one can walk this path while still engaging in service, devotion and singing. Yet, many devotees hesitate to give time to this inquiry, believing their devotional practices are enough.
If you are new to Baba, remember these powerful words he would often tell newcomers: “Repeat after me: I am God. I am God. I am no different from God.”