My name is Anna Rashmi. I am almost twelve years old and Gurumayi has always been part of my life. I have always felt connected to her although I have never met her physically. How can that be?

It might be because Gurumayi’s pictures are in our home and in my grandmother’s home: my mother and grandmother have been following the Siddha Yoga path for 25 years.

It might be because my mother has told me many beautiful anecdotes and stories about experiences she had when she offered seva in Shree Muktananda Ashram and Gurudev Siddha Peeth. She told me this story:

One day in 2003, during a Siddha Yoga retreat in Montreux, Switzerland, she was offering seva as a harmonium player during a recitation of Shri Guru Gita with Gurumayi. At one moment, she looked up and noticed that Gurumayi was gazing at her belly—where I had already been for six months. A bright ray of light was coming from Gurumayi’s eyes to… me! Normally, I moved around a lot in my mother’s womb, but at that moment I became completely quiet.

My mum was intrigued by this experience and spent some hours, after the recitation of Shri Guru Gita, in chanting the mantra Om Namah Shivaya. Later on that day, she participated in a music rehearsal with Gurumayi. When the chant began, she felt me moving back and forth, swaying to the joyous rhythm of the mrdang. Gurumayi looked at my mother and began to move her hands caressingly across her own stomach. Mum felt that on that day Gurumayi’s shakti deeply touched me, her baby to come.

It might be because I was born on Gurupurnima, July 14, 2003.

It might be because Gurumayi named me Rashmi, which means “rays of the sun and the moon,” and I feel in tune with that name—full of energy and enthusiasm.

It might be because Mum and Grandmum used to chant the mantra Om Namah Shivaya to me when I was a baby, whenever I needed some help in falling asleep or quieting down.

It might be because every night, even now, I fall asleep with a cuddly peacock stuffie, a soft and precious gift from Gurumayi.

It might be because when I am anxious, I take refuge in Gurumayi’s presence in my heart and return to a peaceful and safe space.

It might be because, since I was three, I have participated in many Siddha Yoga family satsangs and retreats. During these satsangs, I have often offered seva by reading stories to the participants. When offering this seva, if I feel nervous about speaking aloud to so many people, I remember to offer my reading to Gurumayi and then a state of confidence and fearlessness comes to me. I become at ease within myself.

It might be because, after receiving Gurumayi’s Message for 2014, The soundless sound arises and subsides in the space of flawless quietude, I learned how to listen. The words of this Message rang a bell in my being, especially because I am a musician—I have been taking saxophone lessons since I was seven years old. When I play, I feel that the sound revolves around me, creating a still and quiet space. And when I play, I sometimes visualize the ocean, with each sound rising and descending like a wave. This makes me feel very peaceful and content.

Actually, I don’t know exactly why I feel that Gurumayi has always been a natural part of my life, but I do know that she has been and she is!

Gurumayi is my Guru and one day I will meet her in person.

So, I go on preparing for that experience:

• I fall asleep every night holding her sweet peacock stuffie.
• I listen to Siddha Yoga music.
• I participate in Siddha Yoga family satsangs.
• I plan to participate in the Siddha Yoga family retreat in France this summer.