The more that I contemplated this invitation, the more that I was able to discover its exquisite details and meanings. At first glance, it could simply seem like a lotus motif. But, as I looked more carefully, glorious meanings arose. For instance, I perceived that the lotus emits light and is simultaneously lit from above. It is as if it is both sending out and receiving light. To me, this shows how the practice of offering
dakshina is part of an endless cycle of giving and receiving.
Swami ji’s essay also gave me greater understanding about my spiritual path and how to try to live an enlightened life: “We implement the Siddha Yoga teachings. We perform the Siddha Yoga practices. We are guided by the inner promptings of the
shakti.”
As I continue to offer
dakshina each month, this practice enables me to offer gratitude for this blessed life.
London, United Kingdom
A gentle rain has been falling throughout the day. What a perfect day to immerse myself in worship of my beloved Gurumayi! As Swami Indirananda writes, what we have received from the Guru is immense!
As I study the artwork and teaching in this exquisite invitation, I am so grateful for the Siddha Yoga practice of
dakshina. This practice gives me a means, a golden vessel by which to offer back to the river of grace that flows through my being. This grace drenches every part of my life with profound delight and a sense of oneness.
By regularly engaging in this practice, I find myself able to more fully enact the Guru’s teachings. In turn, I feel that grace touches all those in my world.
Missouri, United States
On Gurupurnima I offered
dakshina to my beloved Gurumayi. As I was preparing to offer
dakshina, I became still inside and was acutely aware that I was participating in a very sacred action that was timeless, ancient, and an expression of pure love.
With all my heart, I then made prayers of gratitude to my Guru, thanking her for this great Siddha Yoga path, for being my Guru, and for all her love, blessings, and protection. I then made my
dakshina offering and began to feel lighter, happier, and in awe of my great fortune to be able to offer
dakshina to my Guru.
This inner experience continued to grow deeper and deeper inside me over the next couple of days as I fully experienced the great love of the Guru-disciple relationship. To fully experience how deeply my Guru loves me and how deeply I love her is pure ecstasy!
New York, United States
I took time to carefully study this invitation. I gazed at the image, read the shares, gazed at the image some more, and then slowly read Swami ji’s invitation. I paused after reading these words: “We have received the Guru’s grace. We are awakened souls. We implement the Siddha Yoga teachings. We perform the Siddha Yoga practices. We are guided by the inner promptings of the
shakti. We lead blessed lives.” I saw myself exactly in her words. And I imagined that Siddha Yogis all over the world would as well. I experienced our unity in being blessed beyond measure by the Guru’s grace and carrying forth the Guru’s teachings and grace in our lives.
Then I read each share and Swami ji’s invitation aloud to my husband. In doing so, I felt the experience going deeper into my being. I looked at the lotus again, and this time I noticed that one of the petals is in the shape of a beautiful heart. The heart-shaped petal reminds me of cupped hands receiving
prasad. Seeing this, I felt I had perceived a hidden gift from Gurumayi through studying the
dakshina invitation so intently.
California, United States
At the beginning of July, I started to offer
dakshina every day from my daily budget and put it in a box on my
puja.
At the culmination of the Gurupurnima celebration at the Siddha Yoga meditation center I attend, I offered my
dakshina during
darshan. In that moment, I experienced that Gurumayi is constantly imparting the knowledge of the Self to me in so many ways. I felt grateful for my transformation and for the sense of freedom and love I feel within me.
I am inspired to support the Siddha Yoga path by offering
dakshina, so the experience of the Self will be available to generations to come.
Konolfingen, Switzerland
I read the first paragraph of Swami ji’s letter as an affirmation of all it means to be a Siddha Yoga student. It is beautiful—we do indeed “live blessed lives”!
When I began to offer dakshina regularly and approach it as a spiritual practice, I also experienced it as an act of self-recognition—an affirmation of the fact that I am a student on the Siddha Yoga path. I also now see that another gift of this path is to be able to be on the giving side, as well as on the receiving side, of the Guru-disciple relationship. The practice of dakshina was one of the many things that made me feel completely at home on the Siddha Yoga path.
Gurupurnima for me is a celebration of the revelation of my ultimate destination within my own being.
a staff member at Shree Muktananda Ashram
For me, offering
dakshina feels sacred. Through this practice, my day-to-day job and life are transmuted into
seva. When I experience this practice in this way, my heart becomes so much happier and lighter, and I feel my life has a divine purpose. Also, for me, offering
dakshina is a way to express my gratitude to Shri Gurumayi, who has taught me so much.
Hawaii, United States
The image on this invitation is so beautiful.
As I looked at it, I contemplated that lotuses often grow in ponds that do not always have pure, clean water. But still they grow, breaking through the surface and blooming in the light of the sun and moon.
I thought about how this is similar to the goal of my spiritual life. I strive to rise tall, break through the veil of superficiality, and offer my heart and head to God’s light—wholeheartedly.
Munich, Germany
Over the years, I have had the good fortune to be with both Baba and Gurumayi on a number of occasions. I notice that when I am in the physical presence of the Guru, I experience my heart beating and
shakti pulsating throughout my body.
Today, I offered
dakshina in honor of Gurupurnima via the Siddha Yoga path website. As soon as I made the offering, that same divine energy that I have come to recognize as the presence of the Guru pulsated within me. I was drawn deep into meditation and savored the bliss of the Guru’s company within.
Langwarrin, Australia
I have received so much from studying and reflecting on both the imagery and the words of this exquisite invitation.
From the words, I especially loved how Swami ji weaves the theme of connectedness and oneness through the invitation. It helped me recognize that on July 20, in celebration of Gurupurnima, I can connect with Siddha Yogis around the world in offering dakshina and honor our oneness in this way.
From the imagery, I had a powerful sense of identification with the lotus flower moving towards the light. When I returned to the image a few days later, my experience deepened as I recognized that I too am light—light drawn to the light of the Guru, light merging into light to become one.
Through both the image of the lotus flower and the words, I understood and experienced oneness, that there is indeed only One.
Havant, United Kingdom
As I look at the diaphanous petals of the lotus, reflecting the blue effulgence and rising from the deep emerald green, I feel myself entering the landscape of my own heart, where my Shri Guru dwells.
When I reflect on offering
dakshina wholeheartedly on this most auspicious occasion of Gurupurnima, I see myself sitting at the lotus feet of my Guru in the abode of the Heart, and in this offering my whole being becomes dyed in the color of divine love.
Ever since I have received
shaktipat diksha, what I have most wished for is to give one hundred percent of myself to my beloved Guru. When I first discovered the practice of
dakshina as a Siddha Yoga student, I realized that this practice gives me one way to do so. I have found over the years that making a special offering of
dakshina at Gurupurnima is a uniquely powerful way to remember what I receive from the Guru and to become steeped in the bliss of this remembrance.
a staff member at Shree Muktananda Ashram
While viewing the exquisite image on the cover of this “Invitation to Offer Gurupurnima
Dakshina,” I felt vibrations of love and protection emanating from the luminous lotus of light. These vibrations became the words of Gurumayi speaking to me. I heard: “I love you, and I am here for you.” I spoke back, saying, “I love you too, Gurumayi, and I thank you for the generosity of your heart. I wholeheartedly offer my love in the form of
dakshina.”
I look forward to daily conversations with Gurumayi in the form of this lotus throughout the month. I will continue to make
dakshina offerings wholeheartedly as well!
New York, United States
I just made a
dakshina offering in honor of Gurupurnima, and I feel so blessed. I am grateful to be able to give something tangible back to the Guru who is truly my life’s support!
Vancouver, Canada
I am amazed at how every aspect of this card explores the richness and complexity of the Guru’s grace: the photos of the lotus flower and the full moon, as well as the touching words from Swami Indirananda. It seems that this simple card is speaking to me in many different modes, giving me the opportunity to explore in depth the relationship between myself and the abundance that comes from the presence of Gurumayi in my life. A sense of apparent infinity has appeared inside me, leaving me with a deep desire to give and give and give.
Rome, Italy
This invitation viscerally touches my heart in so many places. I feel like this lotus is a vision of the cooling peace of an illumined heart that has offered itself wholly and has thus received two of the greatest blessings life can bring: truth and peace. Both the image and Swami ji’s letter guide me to more fully understand the virtue given to us by Gurumayi on her birthday—
ekanishtha, “wholeheartedness.”
This month I want to practice offering
dakshina with a fully open heart, with full faith in the transforming power that Gurumayi has awakened in my heart.
a staff member at Shree Muktananda Ashram
The image of the beautiful pearly-white lotus, with each petal joyfully looking up toward the sky, made me cup both my palms in front of the image on the screen. This sudden gesture expanded my chest, and I felt a deep connection in my heart as I said, “Thank you, Gurumayi,” which was followed by my recognizing a string of reasons for my heartfelt gratitude. With this image in my mind, I slowly glided into sweet meditation.
Nairobi, Kenya
My life was forever changed in 1989 on the day Gurumayi woke me to the scent of blossoms. This was on my birthday that February. I wondered how I could be smelling flowers in the depth of winter, so I arose from my slumber to take a walk. Just ten minutes later I arrived at the Siddha Yoga meditation center which was, unbeknownst to me previously, just blocks away from my door. I was welcomed inside as the daily recitation of Shri Guru Gita was about to begin!
My life has been blessed with sweetness ever since. I am so thankful to have this path of devotion. I am so thankful to my dearest Guru for the steady stream of love which flows to my heart. I am so thankful for all the Siddha Yoga teachings that Gurumayi gives me daily.
Arizona, United States
This morning, this invitation in honor of Gurupurnima entered my meditation and the image of a delicate blue dome above Shri Guru’s sandals, or padukas, came to mind, like a two-layered protection of love and light. My heart, filled with peace and gentleness, lit up with a number. I knew it was an inner prompting of the Shakti and I will remember it when I offer dakshina for Gurupurnima.
Plougonvelin, France
As I saw the cooling, moonlike image of the lotus on this stunning invitation, I became indrawn. When I read the invitation, Swami ji’s words came alive for me: “...we are all one under the great blue dome of Shri Guru’s grace and protection.” I saw the lotus, the blue dome, and the full moon at the end of the invitation as all reflections of the great blue Self. As I did, I experienced great gratitude.
Dunedin, New Zealand
I am thankful for such a beautiful image and such inspiring words! They led me to acknowledge and contemplate the importance of the spiritual practice of
dakshina and the impact that
sadhana has in my daily life.
Shubh Gurupurnima to all!
Hermosillo, Mexico
When I saw the beautiful lotus on the invitation to offer
dakshina, I thought that this image perfectly reflected Gurumayi’s Message for 2024. To me, “dignity,” “openness,” and “divinity” radiate from this beautiful lotus, and I am inspired to offer
dakshina.
Every month I offer a percentage of my income as
dakshina. On the special occasion of Gurupurnima I wanted to find new, creative ways of practicing
dakshina. So I decided to divide my monthly budget into a daily budget until the night of Gurupurnima, so that I am even more conscious of only spending what I really need on a daily basis. Every evening, I will put the money I have over my daily budget into a box on my
puja altar
, and offer it all at the culmination of Gurupurnima. This way I will think of Gurupurnima every day during this time, and my Gurupurnim
a dakshina will be drenched with my love.
Konolfingen, Switzerland