The texts mention that hearing Sai's stories with a calm mind is important. How did the events preceding the Chavadi procession themselves help create this state of calmness?

The events leading up to the Chavadi procession were instrumental in creating a calm and receptive state of mind. Chapter 37 emphasizes the power of hearing Sai's stories with a calm mind for one's devotion to grow. The very structure of the evening was designed to achieve this. It began with the bhajan group at the Masjid, where they would sing devotional songs until midnight. The text describes how devotees, with cymbals, clappers, and drums, would 'raise a storm of bhajan.' This immersive musical worship served to focus the scattered minds of the devotees, pulling them away from their individual troubles. Sai Baba Himself, the 'powerful magnet,' would draw the 'iron-like devotees' to His feet, using His power to quiet their anxieties and prepare their minds for the sacred procession that followed.