When I woke up in the early dawn hours in Shree Muktananda Ashram on this day of honoring Shri Guru—Gurupurnima—the first thing I noticed was the birdsong. There was a symphony of song, in a multitude of tones and styles, which brought me instantly to the experience of hearing the early morning birdsong in Gurudev Siddha Peeth. "O, India," I thought, "we are with you today."

I had not yet received the good news about the satsang with Gurudev Siddha Peeth, but throughout those first few hours of the day, my mind kept returning to the images and sensory experiences of its sacred grounds. I watched the perfectly full and golden moon glide slowly to the horizon, transforming into a soft rose-pink hue. It transported me to the many times that I'd had the great good fortune to witness the sun and moon rising and setting over Dakshin Kashi. As the time to recite Shri Guru Gita approached, I sipped my early morning chai outside on the lawn and felt the fresh morning air around me. It felt so similar to the many early-morning cups of chai I had relished in Gurudev Siddha Peeth.

Once we had gathered in the Bhagavan Nityananda Temple in Anugraha, and we received the great news that we would be connecting with Gurudev Siddha Peeth via audio link, my heart soared even higher. The connection I had been feeling since early morning became true on yet another level.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Shree Muktananda Ashram

I offer seva in the multimedia department in Gurudev Siddha Peeth, and I applaud those who offered seva to make this satsang happen and for keeping it so confidential.

My department coordinator had not informed me about this surprise satsang. During the day my co-sevites and I were busy preparing the hall for the previously scheduled Gurupurnima satsang, and at 5 p.m. we checked everything one last time and went for dinner.

I had a delicious dinner and when I came back in the hall, what I saw gave me a 2500-volt jolt! Nothing was there! The translation setup, the musicians’ microphones and monitors—everything— had been removed.

I thought maybe I had done something wrong and that the department coordinator had removed everything. I quickly ran and found the department coordinator to ask what had happened. He smiled at me and said, “There’s been a change. There will be a different satsang tonight.” I asked him what was going to happen, but he didn’t say anything.

After we had gathered in the hall, Ami announced that tonight we will talk with Gurumayi ji via audio link from Shree Muktananda Ashram. Until this announcement, I was still quite agitated that they had thrown water on all our efforts. But after the announcement I felt like I was about to cry—with joy.

When the satsang started and I heard Gurumayi’s sweet, beautiful voice, I experienced love towards everyone. I felt like I was in Shree Muktananda Ashram and I could feel that Gurumayi was in Gurudev Siddha Peeth. I felt so lucky that I was able to offer seva in this historic satsang.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

On Gurupurnima morning, I went with a few Gurukula students to Bade Baba’s Samadhi Shrine in the village of Ganeshpuri to make an offering on behalf of Shri Gurumayi and Gurudev Siddha Peeth. Over the years, as requested by the Gurudev Siddha Peeth Trustees, a group of Gurukula students has been making such offerings on all major Siddha Yoga celebrations.

When I first entered the Samadhi Shrine, I remembered beloved Shri Gurumayi. When I offered a shawl to Bade Baba’s murti, again I remembered Gurumayi. As the arati was being chanted, I was looking at Bade Baba’s smiling face. He was very happy on this day. To me, his smile was saying, “You have come here on behalf of Shri Gurumayi. Let us see what is in your heart.” When I looked inside, Gurumayi was really there in my heart, and she too was very happy.

Later, as I was sitting  in the Temple, Bade Baba’s smiling face said to me, “Today you will have a special surprise on the occasion of Gurupurnima.” I kept thinking about this all day. In the evening, when I went to the Intensive Hall to participate in the Gurupurnima Celebration Satsang, there was the most amazing surprise: Ami said we will have a live satsang with our beloved Shri Gurumayi. Then it clicked in my mind: “Oh, that’s the beautiful surprise which Bade Baba spoke about!”

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

At 7:00 a.m. in Gurudev Siddha Peeth on the morning of Gurupurnima, we started to do the maha-abhishek of Bade Baba, using milk, curd, coconut water, rose water, kumkum, and warm water. The Brahmin priests were chanting Shri Rudram. I was missing Gurumayi ji. Although I was experiencing the shakti, and felt as if Gurumayi were there, still in my mind I was thinking that it would be truly great if Gurumayi could be here physically on the auspicious occasion of Gurupurnima. All day these thoughts continued while I was offering seva.

In the evening when we gathered for the satsang and Ami announced that we will be having a satsang through a phone connection with Shree Muktananda Ashram, an ocean of bliss flooded my heart. I said in a loud voice, “Sadgurunath maharaj ki jay!” and everyone joined in and started to clap. I felt supreme bliss. I felt that Shri Gurumayi had heard the prayers of my heart.

In the satsang everybody’s heart blossomed like a lotus flower, as though the Gurupurnima moon had spread its splendor on everyone’s faces in Gurudev Siddha Peeth. Everyone was swimming in the ocean of the Guru’s love.

This satsang was a wonderful surprise for me, and a historical event. I will practice all the teachings from the satsang in my life, and this will be my offering at the feet of my Shri Guru.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

As I entered the Bhagavan Nityananda Temple in Anugraha on Gurupurnima morning, my heart was bursting with gratitude for being able to be with Bade Baba and Gurumayi on my favorite day of the year. I breathed in the fragrance of the roses and exchanged smiles with Bade Baba. He was beaming, and so was I!

When Gurumayi first started speaking about what was going to take place, I remember in particular the moment she said the word Ganeshpuri. When I heard her divine voice saying this word Ganeshpuri, it was so powerful for me. I felt that the gates to my heart had opened wide and I starting crying. I experienced such a deep longing at the thought of Gurudev Siddha Peeth and Ganeshpuri, the sacred land of our Gurus and our path. Then I saw Gurumayi holding back her own tears and I felt her love for Ganeshpuri and India.

Later, as we were chanting, my longing and my tears continued, but I didn’t want Gurumayi to see me crying. All of a sudden I heard her say in Hindi in the sweetest voice, “Let the river of love flow.” I started laughing inside because I knew that she knew, and that it was okay to let the love out in the open like this. I was truly experiencing the waterfall of grace and bathing in the river of love—the most refreshing and awakened place to be.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Shree Muktananda Ashram

I have been coming to Gurudev Siddha Peeth for the past fourteen years and this is the first time I have celebrated Gurupurnima in the Ashram. I feel so blessed by the gift of this satsang.

Gurumayi ji, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Although you have so many students, you still take care of each and every one.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

I am eleven years old. In the evening of the auspicious day of Gurupurnima, my experience during the satsang was that my Gurumayi was personally present and talking to us. Listening to her voice directly gave me a lot of joy, because this was the first time I had heard her voice and experienced her presence directly.

Salutations to my beloved Gurumayi.

an eleven-year-old participant
in the Gurupurnima Satsang in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

I have always felt that music connects us to the space of the heart. This was my experience of participating from Shree Muktananda Ashram in the Gurupurnima satsang. Through Siddha Yoga music, the devotees in Gurudev Siddha Peeth and in Shree Muktananda Ashram were very much together in this ecstatic space.

At Gurumayi’s invitation, the devotees in Gurudev Siddha Peeth sang Shri Guru Sarikha. Listening to their sweet voices, I was filled with exuberant joy. As Gurumayi said, we could see the smiles on their faces just by hearing their voices. I could hear and feel their devotion flowing across oceans and countries, carrying me straight to the heart. We were together in the space of the heart, pulsating with love—and smiling.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Shree Muktananda Ashram

When Gurumayi asked if anyone had something to sing, we took it as a command, and we wanted to do what we could to fulfill it. Without a thought, a few of us jumped in together and decided to sing Shri Guru Sarikha. The time was now! We did not bother about which key to use, and we were not sure of the verses. So Arpita gave us the melody and Ruchi knew the words to the verses. Satyarupa didn’t know the abhanga but still she joined in the singing. There was no need for rules: only love.
 
When we began to sing, we felt so much joy. Love and only love was rushing to Gurumayi. We felt the inclusiveness of love when we asked everyone to sing for Gurumayi. The words of the abhanga were true for us, and it all happened so powerfully that we experienced their meaning as we sang. We had shuddha bhava (pure love)—our hearts were not focused on our voices but on our love for Gurumayi. This all happened effortlessly and was unplanned.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

For a few days before Gurupurnima I was experiencing such beautiful love for Gurumayi, and this love was arising spontaneously, without my doing anything—as if it were Gurumayi herself who was blessing me with this experience of divine love. One day I felt a deep wish to celebrate this love by singing for her. Later, I forgot about my wish.

In the satsang, Gurumayi asked if there was anyone who had something to sing. Right then, some of us Gurukula students here in Gurudev Siddha Peeth came together and decided to sing the abhanga Shri Guru Sarikha. There was such joy and love while we were singing. I experienced that my heart meant every word, every sentence for Gurumayi: “My Guru’s protection is always behind me. With this benediction, what more do I need?”

Toward the end of the abhanga, when we gestured to everyone in the hall to join us, I felt this joy swell up as the Intensive Hall was flooded with huge waves of love and joy being sent to Gurumayi.

I had forgotten completely about my wish. It was only a day or two after the satsang that I realized that Gurumayi, by inviting us to sing something in the satsang, actually fulfilled my wish to sing to her of my love.

Thank you so much, Gurumayi.

 a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

This is my first time offering seva in Gurudev Siddha Peeth. I offer seva in the Halls Department. On the morning of Gurupurnima, I selected an inspiration card. On my card was written the word saubhagya, which means “great good fortune.” I didn’t quite understand what it could mean, so I spoke with a few of my friends and they said that good fortune may be revealed in many ways. They said it might mean that I would hear or learn something great that day.
 
As I was contemplating the word saubhagya, my awareness kept going to technology. I didn’t realize why, but I kept wondering whether we could use video conferencing or audio to chant and connect with Gurumayi.
 
When we came to the satsang, we heard that Gurumayi ji would be with us via a live audio connection. I was filled with amazement. Not only would we hear Gurumayi, we would also be able to converse with her. I could hardly contain my excitement! I remembered the last time I visited Gurudev Siddha Peeth I prayed that the next time I came, I would meet Gurumayi ji. In this Gurupurnima Celebration Satsang I did, I met Shri Gurumayi!
 
I am brimming with enthusiasm and consider myself extremely fortunate. Thank you, Gurumayi ji.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

A few days before the satsang, when I was offering seva in Guru Chauk , I saw—in my mind’s eye—Shri Gurumayi ji meditating near Baba ji’s seat. Today in the satsang, Gurumayi ji said she is always thinking about Gurudev Siddha Peeth and feeling that she is in Gurudev Siddha Peeth. When I heard this, I became so happy and I was filled with wonder.
 
Now, whenever I pass by Guru Chauk, I always experience Gurumayi ji’s presence right here. Thank you so much, Shri Gurumayi ji, for giving us this surprising, sweet program.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

I came to Gurudev Siddha Peeth with the intention of being with myself. My friends asked me before I came here, "Why are you going to an Ashram at your age? This is the time to enjoy life with yourself." I nodded and replied, "Yes! I am doing that. I am going to the Ashram to be with myself!"

I felt peace within, and I was content. But still, I had this question in my mind, “Am I doing the right thing by being with myself?” That day when I heard my Shri Guru giving the command, “Be your own best friend,” it filled me with a new inspiration to be with myself.

I have no doubt that Shri Guru guides us in all ways. This command has revealed treasures for me. I am filled with gratitude for you, Gurumayi. Thank you for understanding me so well.

a participant in the Gurupurnima Satsang
in Gurudev Siddha Peeth

In Shree Muktananda Ashram I was awakened on Gurupurnima morning by my mom, telling me to get ready because we were going to Bade Baba’s Temple. She said we were invited to a Celebration Satsang with Gurumayi! I was ecstatic when my mom told me about this invitation. When I arrived at the Temple and stood in front of Bade Baba, with the beautiful mauve roses adorning his murti, my heart was filled with love and gratitude.

“Be your own best friend.” Gurumayi’s teaching is so beautiful, and I could feel it filling my being with love and understanding. For me, being my own best friend means treating myself with true love and respect and never looking down upon myself. It is to be myself around others and to be true to who I am. Thank you, Gurumayi!

Later that night, when I saw the beautiful golden Gurupurnima moon, I was again reminded of the peacefulness and devotion I felt when I was in the Temple. It filled me with happiness to think about the satsang we shared with the sevites in Gurudev Siddha Peeth and the beautiful darshan we all received from Gurumayi.

a twelve-year-old participant
in the Gurupurnima Satsang in Shree Muktananda Ashram