June 1, 2019
Dear readers,
The blessed month of Birthday Bliss has arrived. During this month on the Siddha Yoga path, we rejoice in the celebration of a sublime event—the birth of our beloved Guru, Shri Gurumayi. With her divine presence she awakens the hearts of many to their own true nature. Hail to the month of Birthday Bliss!
In awe of its own golden fortune in receiving Gurumayi’s grace, my heart burst into a song which I wish to share with you.
मंगल ऋतु है छाई देखो, पावन बेला आई द्वार,
थिरक रही है यह धरती पाकर शुभ चरणों की ताल,
धन्य हुए हैं पवन-गगन सब, धन्य हुई प्रकृति की चाल ।
इहलोक में आए हो तुम, कराने नौका सबकी पार,
हाथों में दी डोर सत्य की, खोल दिए हिय के द्वार,
गाएँ किस विध स्तुति? तुम्हारी करुणा अपरम्पार,
पाकर प्रिय कृपा अहेतुक, धन्य हुए हमारे भाग ।
Look! The propitious season is here, the sacred moment is at our door!
This earth dances at the beat of the auspicious feet.
Blessed are the air and sky, blessed the movement of nature!
You have come to this world to show us how to row our boat across.
You have handed us the thread that leads us to the Truth.
You have opened the doors of our hearts.
How do we sing your glory? Your grace is unbounded.
O Beloved! Since we have received your unconditional grace, our destiny is blessed.
The significance of this month in the lives of seekers at this moment in time is truly pivotal. With her teachings as beacons of light, Gurumayi guides our journey on this path.
In her talk for Sweet Surprise 2019, Gurumayi teaches us to apply sadguna, the virtues, to our sadhana as a way for us to keep the repetition of our practices ever fresh, ever new. She has given us this golden key, an efficacious and potent way to keep our sadhana vitalized. During this month, we have a unique opportunity to do just that.
Each day of Birthday Bliss is adorned with a “gem-like” sadguna, as Gurumayi refers to the virtues in her talk. Every day shines with the luster of a virtue chosen by Gurumayi for us to contemplate and cultivate. Just as an emerald sparkles and gleams as the light caresses its contours, when touched by virtues, our actions glimmer with their radiance.
I invite you to embrace the array of splendid virtues this month and let each virtue be reflected in your actions. Make this your daily practice as you study Gurumayi’s Message; this will support your mind in connecting with its own effulgence. Some of you may already have your own specific way of how you engage with each virtue. That is wonderful! And if not, then go ahead and create a plan that works for you.
This month when you visit the Siddha Yoga path website, in addition to the many postings to enhance your study of Gurumayi’s Message, you will find some more delightful and inspirational posts to celebrate this very special month.
- Sadguna Vaibhava—Splendor of Virtues is a treasure trove of divine virtues, one for each day of the month.
- Sweet Light, Sweet Bliss—an elegant arrangement of enchanting images that will captivate our hearts.
- Pick a Birthday Bliss Mango—A delicious treat awaits you at every clickable link in this interactive posting from 2012, which is back by popular demand.😊 So, young or old, have fun with it!
- Chanting with Gurumayi —a video montage of Gurumayi chanting, which we all look forward to with great anticipation during Birthday Bliss month.
- Reflections on Gurumayi—In a beautiful tradition since 2014, Siddha Yogis write their reflections on Gurumayi in celebration of Birthday Bliss. Read new reflections for 2019 and also those from past years to inspire your own reflections.
- Meditation Session VI: Enrich the Worth of the Sadguna in Your Life.
- Sweet Surprise 2019 is now available for the first time in Italian, Portuguese, and Japanese!
This glorious month also brings us to the halfway mark for 2019. What an opportune time to revisit the intention you created at the beginning of this year, to see how your study and practice of Gurumayi’s Message has helped you fulfill it thus far. Your efforts, permeated with the virtues and infused with new vigor, will refresh your sadhana.
May each sadguna reveal itself in its full glory and suffuse your thoughts and your actions. Sadguna Vaibhava!
I am reminded of a beautiful doha, or couplet, by the poet-saint Kabir which I heard from Gurumayi. It fills me with inspiration and determination to cultivate the “gem-like virtues.”
शीलवन्त सबसे बड़ा, सब रतनन की खान ।
तीन लोक की सम्पदा, रही शील में आन ॥
A virtuous person is the highest, the reservoir of all precious gems.
The wealth of all three worlds resides in the virtues.
Respectfully,
Garima Borwankar
P.S. Click here to see the transliteration and meaning of the Hindi poem and couplet in this letter.