Chinese New Year began on February 8, 2016, with the new moon. Chinese astrology is based on a twelve-year cycle, and each year is represented by an animal. This is a Year of the Monkey; the monkey’s qualities are cleverness, creativity, playfulness, determination, and loyalty.
On the Siddha Yoga path, the Year of the Monkey evokes the inspiring qualities of Shri Hanuman, an Indian deity whose form is that of a noble monkey. In many ways, Shri Hanuman embodies the spirit of Gurumayi’s Message for 2016. The great Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, tell of Shri Hanuman’s unwavering devotion and his deep commitment and boundless enthusiasm for serving the Lord in the form of Rama.
The Ramayana explains that Shri Hanuman is the son of Vayu, the Lord of the Wind and the embodiment of movement. He was born with tremendous power and valor, and at an early age he became a student of the sun god Surya, the source of vitality, illumined thinking, and courage. When Shri Hanuman encountered Lord Rama in the forest and came to recognize the divine virtues flowing through the words, gestures, and actions of the Lord, he offered himself in service. Serving the Lord became his sole objective, his single-minded focus.
Throughout this year, stories of Shri Hanuman will be published on the Siddha Yoga path website. Each month, as Siddha Yogis and new seekers focus on a word from Gurumayi’s Message, the stories will relate to that theme, supporting you in your step-by-step study and practice of Gurumayi’s Message for 2016. Contemplating these ancient yet timeless stories will inspire you to put Gurumayi's Message into practice in your own life.
