These video clips reveal the exquisite, unbridled joy and beauty of nature.
Every time I watch one of these videos, my heart becomes open and calm. I feel myself taking a deep breath, relaxing into my own being, with appreciation for the company of the birds, the animals, the trees, and all of nature which speaks to my soul in so many ways.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for providing this gift.
Massachusetts, USA
I began to watch these videos and was enjoying them so much that I watched each and every video! As I viewed them, I felt amazing inner happiness. I felt like I was there in person and my heart was full of joy.
Thank you, Gurumayi ji!
Valsad, India
I found myself drawn so sweetly into the Winter I vignette, with the sounds of the rain coming down and the little birds chattering with each other in the shelter of the pine tree. I so appreciate being included in these moments in nature at Shree Muktananda Ashram.
Michigan, USA
The breathtaking videos of the autumn wind and cloud formations remind me of the hymns of the Vedas and Upanishads that describe the natural elements as the first divine beings, who are also praised as models of dharmic action.
When I take time to connect with the wind and clouds, both in these videos and in the space and sky above where I live, I experience being connected to these primordial beings. I perceive them not as some fantasy of a mythic past; these beings are real for me here, right now.
California, USA
I feel such a sense of freedom and harmony when I watch these videos.
Communing with nature has always been one of the ways by which I feel close to God. So many times, just a glimpse of nature’s beauty has brought me back into my true joyful nature, my own Self. I was reminded of this a few days ago, as I was traveling and saw, on the hazy horizon, the Pyrenees Mountains. I felt a profound and gentle unity in my heart, as if I had encountered a dear friend.
Rodez, France
When I saw the leaves moving in the wind, I burst out laughing. Those are
our hearts dancing with joy, filled with the teachings of our Guru and the wonders of this amazing path!
Missouri, USA
I loved seeing those heart-shaped leaves waving in the wind—like a flag of peace, carrying our love-filled prayers and blessings for the upliftment of humanity!
New York, USA
Four leaves on a branch
Swaying in their own pace in the wind
They are moved by the same music
Then two break into a wild twirling
The third inspired, joins in
They pause to rest
Then again join the dance like the mad lovers of God
One, however, remains steadily nodding,
Keeping watch on the dance floor,
The Earth,
And the music of the wind and the sky.
Summer Hill, Australia
I really enjoyed watching this video. I watched the clip several times, studying the buck’s subtle movements. As I watched his ears move, it felt as if my own ears became more alert, more sensitive. Watching him closely, I felt a connection with him. After he moved away, my attention was drawn inside, and as I gazed at the space he previously occupied, I sensed the sacredness of this space. I experienced that it was made sacred by his presence, and I became aware that it had always been sacred.
California, USA
The little movements of the deer's nose and the movements of his ears stood for me as an example of vigilance and alertness. He is so aware of everything around him—the quality of the air, the sounds of the animals, and the presence of the videographer.
The deer teaches me to stay open to the divine manifestation all around me with deep attention.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for creating new ways to teach and inspire us!
Rome, Italy
Tonight, the words, "Gurumayi invites everyone to understand how Kundalini Shakti moves within nature…," stood out for me. As I watched the mist dance over Lake Nityananda, I experienced the stillness and potency in nature and could feel the simultaneous presence of silence and creative movement inside. I thank you, Gurumayi, for this opportunity for reflection.
Maryland, USA
As I view each vignette, I feel intense love, the love evoked by nature’s sights and sounds. For me, each cricket is a cymbal in the divine music, each bird a flute.
I’m very grateful for these meditative and
shakti-filled moments.
New York, USA
As I viewed the flower blooming, I felt a subtle and sweet feeling in my heart. I could feel my heart move as I watched it unfold. It was as if I could see a smile, the delight in discovering that life is born. It occurred to me: all around me in nature, throughout the most "ordinary" of days and nights, this unfolding is occurring.
I also like viewing the video of the moon's reflection again and again. Watching the very gentle movement of the moon reflected in the water, while listening to the summer night sounds, brings a stillness and a stirring in my heart. Then I know this is
darshan of my Guru.
New York, USA
As I watched the opening of the flower, I immediately noticed that, while the flower was stunningly in motion, the leaves were not changing in any way. I put my attention back on the flower and watched how its inner beauty was increasingly revealed as it opened. How integrated and content I felt when I beheld the fully opened flower!
The teaching for me was that our steady practices on the path, like the leaves of the flower, are the necessary support for our blossoming. When we blossom, our inner beauty is revealed, and this revealed inner beauty can benefit others.
Alaska, USA
Watching and listening to these videos over time, I am becoming more aware of the sounds of nature in my environment: birds singing, frogs croaking, the wind in the trees, clouds moving in the sky—all things I was not noticing so much before. My mind's chatter has moved to the background, and I appreciate nature.
Thank you, Gurumayi.
Erina, Australia
When I viewed the black and white video, I recognized it as similar to something I often see in meditation. I see a white light, but I don't know what it is. Oh, it's the moon! Wonderful! Beautiful!
Sydney, Australia
When I saw the beautiful bumblebees sipping all the nectar they wanted, I remembered that no matter where I am, it's always a sacred place because God is always inside my heart, nectar is inside my heart. I felt so much power inside myself.
When I saw those bees drinking, I remembered all the work that bees do. They spend hours making honey and pollinating. I felt a moment of gratitude to the bees and told them that I appreciated them.
an eight-year-old Siddha Yogi from California, USA
I loved listening to the dynamic nighttime sounds around Lake Nityananda and seeing the reflection of the luminous full moon in the water. I enjoyed sensing the deep serenity of the lake and the stillness of the moon, amidst the movement of the elements, and the activity of the nighttime creatures.
This experience encourages me to make the effort to joyfully perceive the stillness and power that is always present, within the often lively outer activity of my daily life.
California, USA
These videos remind me that the perfection of nature dwells in my heart.
Thank you, Gurumayi.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Having enjoyed the video of the bee on this gallery today, I found myself observing bees in nature. They were gathering pollen one small flower at a time.
As I watched, I became very still—it was beautiful!
Texas, USA
Each time I view these vignettes, without any effort my mind becomes peaceful, and my breathing deepens and evens out. My whole body relaxes and softens. I remember to stand in my strength and move forward with grace, poise, and ease.
Thank you, Gurumayi.
Geelong, Australia
I have come back to these vignettes many times to appreciate their serenity and nourishing calm. When I returned to view "Spring IX," I noticed how for a moment, the trees and sky are darkened by passing clouds, only to regain their brilliance again another moment later.
It reminded me that just as clouds pass through the sky in erratic patterns, thoughts and feelings come and go in my mind, sometimes disturbing my equanimity, sometimes pleasing me. Yet I can experience the Self remaining unaffected by any thoughts—always there when I remember to turn within, always serene and calm.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for your creativity in helping us see more clearly, and your generosity in supporting us in so many ways in our
sadhana.
California, USA
Looking at the videos reminds me to pause, contemplate my surroundings, and see the presence of God in everything and everyone.
Such is the grace of my beloved Gurumayi.
New York, USA
I looked several times at this very busy bee accompanied by the sweet orchestra of the singing birds. It reminded me that I can repeat the mantra and sing along silently or aloud during my daily activities. And so I am smiling while working.
Thank you very much, dear Gurumayi.
Steinhausen, Switzerland
I find there is a lot for me to learn just from the way these videos were filmed. My awareness must stay anchored and focused, like the camera mounted on the tripod, so that I can witness and rejoice in the movements of nature outside and experience the
shakti by connecting to what lies within.
Thank you so much for this learning opportunity, Gurumayi.
Chennai, India
My five-year-old son loves to watch the Commune with Nature videos. Once we were watching Spring IX in which the trees are swaying in the breeze, and he said, "In my heart, I feel like the trees are chanting. The trees are moving with the wind and chanting." I asked him, “Which
namasankirtana are they chanting?” Without hesitation, he said, "
Mere Baba Muktananda."
I continued to watch with the awareness that the trees were chanting, and moments later I felt it in my heart too! The trees were chanting! Then I felt a sweet energy fill the room, and I felt a beautiful connection—with my Self, with my son, with the swaying trees, with everything.
Thank you, Shri Gurumayi.
Bangalore, India
Looking at these images of Communing with Nature is changing the way I see! As I regard the scenes of nature around me here in the city, I notice that I have become more sensitive in my perception. Just now, outside the library, a breeze was playing around the petunias, and I became entranced watching the flowers softly dancing. These images beckon me to see that every breath, every moment, is an opportunity to slow down and increase my awareness.
Massachusetts, USA
Every time I sit down with these little video clips of nature, I feel a deep inner calm welling up from inside. It’s the sound and the movement of nature that takes me inside, so fast and so blissfully. Thank you!
Oslo, Norway
At the end of this video of a sunny day, I heard the distant thunder. Oh, how I love the sound of thunder! It draws me deep inside. The thunder gives me childlike joy as it vibrates in my chest and travels all the way down to my toes. This thunder reminds me of Baba's laughter, how his laughter shakes his whole body.
New York, USA
Viewing these scenes from nature puts me instantly into silence and brings a deep sense of connection. For me, the images convey silence in action. I feel Gurumayi's blessings in them.
Massachusetts, USA
Recently, I was out for a bike ride. It had rained the night before and the day was sparkling. The sun was out, the air was soft and fresh, and there was a gentle wind making its way through the canopy of trees overhead.
As I was riding by, I glanced down and noticed such delicate shadows moving with a subtle grace among the ferns. And I could see my own shadow, too. I felt fully present and completely at one with the moment—not as the observer
of the scene, but rather as united
with it. “Ah,” I thought, “Here is
Kundalini Shakti expressing herself in nature, and I am part of it.”
The Siddha Yoga path website has become a helpful companion for my
sadhana, and I have loved watching these videos in “Commune with Nature.” Through spending time with them, I’ve learned to become more aware of my connection with nature and more responsive to my lived experience.
Thank you, Gurumayi.
Massachusetts, USA
While watching Summer II, I was so entranced by the play of light—in the sky, in the rays of the sun, in the leaves, in the tiny blue sparkle. I felt as if
I were sparkling! I could feel the breeze and smell the trees. I was there and I was here, all at once. What a beautiful and uplifting experience.
Thank you to all the sevites for the videos in Commune with Nature.
Hawaii, USA
As I view these videos, I recall that after receiving
shaktipat I was able to commune with nature, feeling its beauty inside myself. I no longer felt a distance between what I was seeing and how I was feeling. It was as if an inner bridge appeared, connecting inside and outside. This bridge has remained present, getting stronger and more stable as I continue with
sadhana, open to the Guru's grace.
Thank you very much, Gurumayi.
Mexico City, Mexico
While looking at these videos, my three-and-a-half-year-old son smiles in bliss. And as I experience the movement of the
shakti in each of them, my mind becomes still.
Thane, India
These videos from Shree Muktananda Ashram remind me that
darshan can take many forms.
Thank you, Gurumayi.
Chennai, India
Today I really paid attention to these wonderful Commune with Nature videos from Shree Muktananda Ashram. What beautiful, peaceful moments, and funny ones too. Watching the animals makes me laugh and love them tenderly.
Happy Birthday, Gurumayi, and thank you so much, always.
Bergamo, Italy
I've always loved watching the wind play through the treetops. This video is so captivating. The trees are totally surrendered to the flow of the air, but their rootedness keeps them stable and nourished. What a beautiful teaching from nature.
Illinois, USA
When I clicked on the ferns to watch the new Commune with Nature video, I was completely surprised and delighted when a groundhog popped out of a hole into the scene. This reminds me that so often, when I turn my full attention towards nature, I am delighted and surprised—two qualities that come right out of, and put me right back in, the inner Self.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for so many opportunities to experience the inner Self through the ever-refreshing Siddha Yoga path website. And thank you to the sevites who also make this possible.
Alaska, USA
I have often heard that
darshan is always happening. Each time I hear this teaching it has touched my heart, and I have wondered how it could be so. Now, looking at these videos, I can see how this can be—each one is an invitation to witness the play of God.
Nairobi, Kenya
Recently, I have begun taking time to sit in my backyard. Listening to the birds, watching the clouds, seeing the bees move about in the flowering tree—my heart is filled with joy, and my mind becomes filled with peace and quiet alertness.
The inspiration I draw from my home practice heightens my experience of viewing the videos of nature at Shree Muktananda Ashram. In turn, watching the videos enhances what I experience at home. For example, I now pay attention to the sound of the wind in my backyard.
This practice of communing with nature—both at home and through the website—is drawing me closer to nature and, ultimately, to my own heart.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for this inspiring and profound practice.
California, USA
In the vignette featuring the trees in flower, my attention is repeatedly drawn to the bees gently flying around. It reminds me of verse 51 in
Shri Guru Gita, which states, “The wise always offer a handful of flowers humming with bees” to the Guru. How wise is nature!
The gracefully flowing orange flag on a steady pole in the background stands as the loving presence of the
Sadguru in my life, the master teacher, ever poised to remind me of the great Self.
How beautifully nature reflects the presence of grace and love.
I bow to you, Shri Gurumayi. Thank you for these videos and for so much more.
Montreal, Canada
Watching the dancing petal, I am reminded that I am always supported by invisible threads of grace. Through the practice of Gurumayi's teachings, and by consciously following
dharma, I experience that I do not need to brace myself against life--I can give that up. Even while facing the unknowns of life, I can freely dance in God's creation.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for your unwavering presence and guidance in my life.
New York, USA
For me, this video of the birds as they’re eating shows Chiti Shakti’s wealth and generosity. It reminds me that she is always ready to bestow her fruits on our minds and hearts. I only need to attune myself to the magnificent web of life all around, to see that everything is alive and interconnected—the great and the small, above and below, within and without. Nature’s beauty and complexity humble my mind and nourish my heart.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for giving us the opportunity to commune with nature through the Siddha Yoga path website.
Mar del Plata, Argentina
The tranquil, unhurried scene in the second video, showing the mist rising over the lake and the water droplets falling slowly from the branches in the foreground, immediately evoked for me the nature of
sadhana. The water droplets falling one by one remind me of the value of steadfastness in doing my spiritual practices: just as water can wear away solid rock, bit by bit, so the gentle, purifying power of each mantra repetition, each chant, and each meditation session over the years has done wonders to increase the clarity of my mind and the purity of my heart.
And the mist rising so softly but steadily from the water reminds me of how
all my spiritual practices since I received
shaktipat have, softly but steadily, lifted from me so many veils of ignorance, so many foggy areas of misunderstanding, so much obscured vision. And the glorious result has been that I have learned to see—and cherish—my own divine nature, my heart's own goodness, and my oneness with all of God's creation.
Thank you, Baba and Gurumayi!
Connecticut, USA
I have been watching the "Commune with Nature" videos again and again, enthralled by the beauty and grace in the movements of the little bird, the mist rising over the water, and the snake gliding by.
Today I sensed a background sound, like a deep
hummm, in all three videos. As I tuned in, it seemed to intensify into the sound of
AUM. The chirping of the bird, the cricket calling, and the leaves rustling in the wind delicately emerged from this sound.
The images and sounds enliven my attention. I am deeply touched by the gifts of nature that are always available, waiting for me to be still and receive.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for reminding me to turn to nature for nourishment for my soul.
Sydney, Australia
I feel that each of these beautiful videos is a direct invitation to see with the eyes of the heart, the eyes of love and caring. Seeing these videos gives me the impulse to become an artist, with my inner camera filming life. I want to become an attentive witness to my environment:
Sweetly looking at the tulips opening near the sidewalk on the way to school,
Delicately observing the dance of the sun’s rays,
Listening to the sound of the baby breathing,
Feeling the life inside and outside my body, in attunement with all the vibrant consciousness.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for awakening such wonder-filled awareness again and again.
Montreal, Canada
These vignettes are like sutras, short and extremely evocative, like little flashes of pure consciousness. There is quietness and observation. There is wonder. There is meditation in nature and within the inherent movement of nature—the fog on the lake, the golden light, the stillness of the lake, the playfulness and joy of the little bird announcing spring, announcing Baba´s birthday!
Mexico City, Mexico
As I watched the nature video of the chickadee chirping, my heart connected to the sparrows chirping in Gurudev Siddha Peeth. I thought, "Just as my Guru watches the same Baba's moon as I do, similarly, I hear birds singing, as my Guru does—and as all of my Siddha Yoga brothers and sisters do throughout the world." I felt a deep inner connection with all.
Thank you for this video!
Gurudev Siddha Peeth
As a visiting sevite in Shree Muktananda Ashram, I have been carefully observing spring unfold in this exquisite place. On my walks, I have paused to become a part of the landscape and really watch the little birds, to listen to their sweet song, and to observe the deer grazing on the forest floor. I have experienced such peace and quiet joy in this awareness of the world of nature, and I have immense gratitude for the power and perfection of this path.
Thank you, Gurumayi.
Texas, USA
Watching these videos was so nourishing to my heart and my soul. Nature is very healing, very calming to my mind. It draws me naturally into meditation. To me, nature in its purest expression is God. It takes me deep into my heart and reminds me of what is really important—to be grateful for existence and for my connection to the divine. Thank you for this reminder to pause and appreciate God's love.
California, USA
Every moment in my life when I have paid attention to nature, observing its beauty or listening to its sounds, I have become immersed in great joy and silence. I have experienced peace within as I was experiencing it without.
These video vignettes did the same -- just a few seconds and I am at peace again. My breath is calm; my mind is silent. I am the Self.
Just a simple action, just a few seconds, and I am able to recognize again that we are connected—God, God's creation, the Guru, and myself. We are one.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for showing us again and again the path to the heart.
Niteroi, Brazil
Spring is such a miraculous time here in the Catskill Mountains, as the frozen ground begins to thaw and new life begins to emerge all around us. I’ve watched this little series of videos several times now, entranced by the fuzzy little baby chickadee and the mysterious mists over Lake Nityananda. I like to imagine that the bird song in the background is singing the whole countryside back to life.
Shree Muktananda Ashram
Amazing videos! As I watched them, I felt that Mother Nature was raising her hands to give blessings. I experienced that I was connected to the inner Self.
Thank you.
Surat, India
I am grateful to the Siddha Yoga path website for bringing me directly into the divine presence of nature at Shree Muktananda Ashram. Not only do you offer me the experience of being at that holy place, but you also inspire me to live in nature as an integral part of my
sadhana. Whether it is seeing hearts in the sky, the swaying tree leaves in the afternoon wind, or experiencing the sound of the water as it wends its way to the sea, more and more with Gurumayi's guidance, I am aware of the divine Self in so many of my daily experiences. What a gift of grace!
California, USA