Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Dear reader,

Shubh Gurupurnima!

I cannot begin to describe to you the state of my heart ever since the month of July came on the horizon. I already felt as though my heart was being bathed over and over again in the Guru’s grace each day of June, the month of Birthday Bliss. And then before I knew it, July had arrived, bringing with it the joyous celebration of Gurupurnima, this most auspicious occasion to remember and offer worship to my Guru.

Every year I feel that the celebration of Gurupurnima couldn’t possibly be grander than the last. However, it always is. That’s the beauty of the Guru’s light, isn’t it? That’s the profundity of the Guru’s grace. That’s the generosity of the Guru’s blessings. That’s the nature of the Guru’s wisdom and the nectarean essence of the Guru’s love.

You may have already decided how you want to celebrate Gurupurnima this year. I’m sure your intention and plans are shining with your devotion, your commitment, and the fruits of your sadhana.

Now, would you like to know what Gurumayi has in store for you on the Siddha Yoga path website? I think you would. So let me share with you.

In honor of Gurupurnima, I invite you to participate in the Siddha Yoga Celebration Satsang The Power of Gratitude.

This satsang will take place on the Siddha Yoga path website, and it will become available as the Gurupurnima celebration dawns in the Eastern hemisphere. The satsang will consist of the following sequence of elements:

  • Recitation of Shri Guru Paduka Panchakam
    • These five verses, which are traditionally recited at the start of Shri Guru Gita, extol the Guru’s shakti as it is embodied in the Guru’s padukas, or sandals.
  • Chanting with Gurumayi
    • This is a video that was recorded in the Shakti Mandap in Shree Muktananda Ashram during the celebration of Gurupurnima in 2001. The namasankirtana, which was composed by Gurumayi, is the classic chant for Gurupurnima—Om Gurudev.
  • Dharana and Meditation
    • This dharana, the centering technique for meditation, was created especially for this year’s Gurupurnima celebration.

In addition to the satsang elements, you will be able to watch and listen to a talk by a Siddha Yoga meditation teacher about the Guru’s grace, and to sing the Mahalakshmi Stotram as part of your practice of dakshina in honor of Gurupurnima.

One amazing thing about having this satsang available on the Siddha Yoga path website is that you may participate at whatever time works for you. You may even participate multiple times, if you wish. I am particularly excited to invite you to participate in this satsang with Gurumayi—The Power of Gratitude—because I have had the opportunity to offer seva working on many of the satsang elements, and have been experiencing so much gratitude. Once all the elements were complete, I realized that the satsang is like a true bhandara—a feast—that nourishes the heart, mind, and soul.

In every decade, every century, every millennium, the world goes through so much upheaval. Gurumayi has taught us that this is the way of samsara, the ocean of worldliness. However, by practicing the Siddha Yoga teachings, we learn how to navigate the many and varied events of our lives—both those that we can predict and those that we cannot. It’s like a surfer out on the choppy waters. They have, through consistent practice, acquired the knowledge of how to ride waves of so many different heights and speeds. But even they will, from time to time, encounter a wave that catches them off guard—a wave that is bigger than the ones before it, that curls faster than they could have expected. The surfer’s skill is in their ability to adjust to that unforeseen circumstance, to recover and maintain their balance, and to keep gliding on the gleaming water.

Similarly, we become adept at managing the roiling waters of samsara as we make the effort to live by the Siddha Yoga teachings, perform the Siddha Yoga practices, and continue to connect with the power of gratitude. Each moment of the Siddha Yoga Celebration Satsang in Honor of Gurupurnima will be a blessed moment. Therefore, as you participate in the satsang, be in the moment.

Sincerely,

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Gauri Maurer
Siddha Yoga Meditation Teacher