Some years ago, I was sitting in my car in the city while waiting for my husband to return from an errand. I sat quietly, watching the movement of people, cars, and the general activity around me.
Suddenly my perception changed—all this activity was expressing the mantra Om Namah Shivaya while at the same time the mantra was booming inside me, over and over again, continuously! I saw that as a person crossed the road, in that action they were bowing to Lord Shiva; as a taxi rounded a corner, it was following the universal law of interconnectedness.
I realized that each outer action was a reflection of the inner Truth. The mantra was alive and throbbing within each person, every object, all of our sensations. I knew that the timeline of all my experiences from early childhood till now was a manifestation of Lord Shiva in his countless forms.
London, United Kingdom
As I was contemplating Baba’s teaching in verse 483, I renewed my understanding that Om Namah Shivaya, the mantra of the Siddha Yoga lineage, is Consciousness and that the universe, issued from the five elements, is a wave of that Consciousness. The deity who is at the core of a sacred place is also the same Consciousness.
When I repeat the mantra with this awareness, I use the mantra as a match to kindle the fire of Consciousness in my mind, my body, and the world around me, revealing my inner deity and making my land a “sacred place.”
Rodez, France
The mantra Om Namah Shivaya has been my solace for many years. I recite it during the day. The mantra arises automatically within me whenever there is a difficult moment and helps me not to dwell on negativity. Instead, I turn my attention to the benevolent spirit of my beloved Gurumayi.
Lions Head, Canada