I have discovered that asking for the Guru’s help is what really allows me to consistently bring my mind and heart back “to the right path.” I turn to the Guru inside and pray to be able to notice my thoughts and change them from loveless to loving.
Through close observation, I have learned that my thoughts can be either loving, forgiving, and full of brilliant light, or murky, loveless, and condemning. This has led me to realize that by vigilantly choosing what thoughts to focus on, I can choose to bring light into my existence. More and more often, I am choosing to have thoughts that bless my world rather than find fault with it.
Asking for the Guru’s help in this process has been pivotal to its success. This is not only increasing my happiness, but the happiness of those around me—especially my husband.
Oregon, United States
I am grateful for this excerpt, because after reading it I have noticed that I’m becoming more sensitive to my mind’s tendency to wander. This increased awareness is enabling me to keep “bringing the mind and the heart back to the right path.”
The “right path,” for me, is that which makes me aware of the inner Self and the divine virtues that exist within me. This process has reinforced my experience that studying the Guru's teachings and doing the Siddha Yoga practices will help me to stay on the “right path.”
Willemstad, Curacao
Recently, I had an experience of this teaching from Gurumayi. I was feeling sad and overwhelmed when I heard a commanding inner voice say, “Choose your path! Choose your path in each moment.”
I immediately found myself sitting up, repeated the mantra, connected with my in-breath and out-breath, and in no time, had reconnected with my heart and experienced peace and strength.
I am so grateful for the teachings of my Guru!
Sydney, Australia
I have come to understand that everything I do is the result of the impulses of my mind. And when my mind is rooted in the Self, I have clear and beneficial thoughts which fill my activities with happiness.
I work on this by beginning my day with hatha yoga poses, meditation, and one of the practices from “Gurumayi’s Guidance.” In that way, my mind is rejuvenated with prana-shakti and keeps me on “the right path,“ the path that reveals the presence of God in my life.
Rodez, France
I know from my experience that it can be very hard to bring the mind back to the Truth. But I know that, especially in difficult times, the mind is also a vehicle to know that I am the Self, I am light.
One day when I was reciting Shri Guru Gita, my mind was drawn toward its verse 100, which states, “It is said that the mind is knowledge.” To me, that made it clear that the mind can be a place of wisdom that leads to liberation. My heart enthusiastically accepted this as a truth to contemplate.
Bhandara, India
When I received this teaching, “It is the natural tendency of the mind to wander,” many concepts of bad and good were dissolved in me. I grew up believing that everything was either good or bad, not knowing the true nature of things.
When I remember that wandering is the mind’s “natural tendency,” confidence arises in me. I repeat the mantra Om Namah Shivaya on the in-breath and out-breath, and my mind returns to its source—the Self.
A long time ago, it required a great effort for me to achieve this. Now, however, when I perceive my mind wandering, Om Namah Shivaya arises in my breath very simply and naturally, and my mind becomes still.
Mexico City, Mexico
Even during meditation, I sometimes catch my mind wandering with endless thoughts. When this happens, I start repeating the mantra,
Om Namah Shivaya, and this stills my mind, helping me to dive deeper into meditation.
Ville St. Laurent, Canada
Reading Excerpt 17 from My Lord loves a Pure Heart, I see that for me the key is indeed to “keep bringing the mind and the heart back to the right path.” For me it’s like an inner commitment to never getting tired of doing my part, of making the self-effort in inviting my mind over and again to what is uplifting.
When I bring my mind to the teachings, to the practices, the Guru’s grace is always there. And the Siddha Yoga path website is such a wonderful place to bring my mind to daily!
New York, United States
All I have to do is let loose the leash holding my mind, and it goes off on a tangent, wandering among all sorts of thoughts. It has taken me a long time while walking on the Siddha Yoga path, doing the practices, focusing on Gurumayi's precious teachings again and again to finally find the key to keeping my mind “leashed”—and that is my breath.
As soon as I become aware of turmoil building up in my mind, I take a deep breath in and a long breath out, silently drawing my attention to its movement within. Very soon my body relaxes, the built-up tension in my mind begins to fade, and I turn inward and feel the soothing love of the Self.
Nairobi, Kenya
The Guru’s grace is always present in my life. This excerpt reminds me to keep my self-effort ever present. I do this by remembering Shri Guru and her teachings.
The Siddha Yoga practices like svadhyaya, meditation, chanting, and dakshina further support me to calm my mind and heart and make them steady to experience the Self. In doing these practices and afterwards, I sometimes have the experience that my mind has come to a standstill and my heart is filled with bliss, as if I am witnessing the ever-present and all-pervasive Consciousness.
These excerpts from Gurumayi’s book My Lord Loves a Pure Heart are gems that support me to “keep bringing the mind and the heart back to the right path.”
Udaipur, India
I love this teaching for so many reasons. Reminding myself that I am a seeker informs my perspective and can help guide my behavior. Since old patterns can be very powerful, this reminder is also encouraging and helpful on a practical level.
Another reason I love this teaching is how true it is! This morning during my meditation there was a moment or two when my mind really wanted to indulge in a little story—something juicy. But then came the grace of remembering why I was sitting for meditation. It was not to get lost in a made-up story. It was and is to be free.
Meeting Gurumayi's gaze at my puja helps me to remember this over and over again.
New York, United States
Some years ago I found a way to easily control my thoughts and the endless wandering of my mind. I did this by constantly thinking, “I am not this body. I am not this mind. I don’t want anything from this entire world. I will engage this body and mind not for myself but for the service of others.”
Now during my working hours I think like this and escape from all stress. In this way my mind goes to its purest nature.
Pune, India
During the pandemic lockdown I spent many hours and days in silence. During this precious time I was able to observe my mind very well. I noticed that my mind was producing thoughts on its own—an infinite number of unrelated thoughts as if out of nowhere. I also noticed the difference between having thoughts and thinking.
As a result, I decided to repeat the mantra Om Namah Shivaya more consciously and observed the positive effect of this practice on my state.
Unterlangenegg, Switzerland
Gurumayi reminds us over and over again about this one essential practice—bringing the mind back to its source. To think that after so many years on the Siddha Yoga path, I still need this reminder shows me how true is her statement: “It is the natural tendency of the mind to wander.” I am grateful for this reminder of what I need to do in order to live a fulfilled life.
California, United States