My Lord Loves a Pure Heart – Excerpt 18

What a beautiful image of dipping a flower into gold! To keep the flower eternally, it must be dipped completely into the gold. Similarly, to attain “everlasting purity,” the mind must be bathed in contemplation in all its parts.
 
I like the expression “in contemplation of the divine,” as this gives me a lot of creative freedom how to do it—by breathing deeply, chanting, playing or hearing music, reading, painting, worshiping, praying, and much more.
 

As I was contemplating Gurumayi’s words, I understood that a flower reveals beauty and that gold reveals purity. When protected in purity, beauty becomes eternal. This inner beauty takes the form of love that vibrates in the heart.
 
I have noticed during my trips in the mountains that the flowers growing in the pure mountain air are luminous. This is also true of my thoughts when they are nourished by prana, the vital breath. By taking time to feel the sweetness of my breath and to contemplate the golden words of the Guru, the saints, and the scriptures, I cultivate divine thoughts in the garden of my heart and relish their eternal beauty.
 

As I witness the uncertainty in my own life and the suffering in other parts of the world, I know it is vitally important that I follow my Guru’s instructions and teachings. Even when I do not experience the “everlasting purity” of “bathing the mind in contemplation of the divine,” it allows me to keep my head above water and carry on.
 
I am deeply grateful for Gurumayi’s teachings and her unwavering love. They are lifelines of grace in these turbulent times.
 

When I “bathe the mind in contemplation of the divine,” it becomes very peaceful and serenely silent. A space of knowingness emerges and I know that all is well.
 

Contemplation is the most powerful and most valuable tool of my life. I learned about the practice of contemplation in 1995, when I took a course at the Siddha Yoga Ashram in Mexico City. Since then, I immerse myself in contemplation daily.
 
Sometimes my mind goes through states of confusion. At those times I go into contemplation; I call this “cleaning the little room” of my mind. As I continue to contemplate, understanding, clarity, and purity emerge.
 
Whenever I “bathe the mind in contemplation of the divine,” the Guru's teachings and the darshan of her presence unite me in a relationship of everlasting purity.
 

For me, contemplation is like an electrical force which spreads many different shades of bright knowledge within me. Whenever I sit to contemplate or I find myself in spontaneous contemplation, I enter a zone of deep serenity, which puts a stop to the wandering of my mind. It’s a light whose nature is divine knowledge, which allows my mind to rest at my Guru’s feet as long as I can.
 

Dipping a flower in gold stops the decay of time. My mind merged with the Self enters eternity.
 

When I read Gurumayi’s powerful words this morning, I was immediately reminded of the contemplation I do with Bade Baba's golden murti in front of my puja, while the sweet sounds of Shri Guru Gita are still dancing and echoing in the room. I immerse myself, like the flower in the gold, looking at Babe Baba’s shining face. I’m so enchanted by him and the radiance that emanates from him that my mind becomes still and serene, and I feel I’m in heaven.
 
When the contemplation is over, I still experience the potent presence of the shakti circulating in my body for hours. I sense that a profound transformation is taking place, and I feel much loved and blessed.
 

I feel that I was dipped in gold when I received shaktipat initiation from Gurumayi. I experienced who I really am in all its purity, majesty, and power.
 
This experience has been steadily unfolding toward its fullness as I do my sadhana all these years. Sometimes it feels that I have slowed down, stopped, or even reversed direction for a while. Yet overall I can see it has always been a steady flow back to my true home of everlasting, shimmering divinity. This path of return is magical, mysterious, and full of surprises!
 

This is such an exquisite teaching. As I understand it, purity is beyond both auspiciousness and inauspiciousness. I have experienced such purity after participating in each Siddha Yoga Shaktipat Intensive and in studying Gurumayi’s and Baba’s books.
 
After each Intensive, I feel that I have received a great boon and my mind has been absorbed in the nectar of the pure divine love of the Guru. Any desire to gain anything from the outside has disappeared, and my inner vessel is brimming over with contentment.
 
The wisdom of Gurumayi and Baba is like pure gold for me. So when I read and study their words, I get the opportunity to renew this experience and feel the direct connection with the Siddha Gurus.
 

In 2017 I bought the book Jnaneshwar's Gita: A Rendering of the Jnaneshwari by Swami Kripananda. I then put it on my puja for a few days, and asked Gurumayi to help me understand this work and give me the determination to read it from beginning to end.

When I read the blessings of Gurumayi at the very beginning of the book, it was as if the fire of enthusiasm had been kindled in me. My mind soaked up every sentence and really bathed in every statement of this wonderful work. I love reading it over and over again!

When I look at my mind today, I notice that I can observe it much better, that it has become calmer, that I can let go of negative thoughts more easily, and that I can enjoy more and more the priceless freedom of a quiet mind.
 

This excerpt from Gurumayi's book My Lord Loves A Pure Heart reminds me that I need to constantly make the effort to willingly and regularly contemplate my Guru’s teachings. Only then will my mind’s negativities and impurities be washed away and replaced by purity. And I know that when this happens, Gurumayi's teachings will arise of their own accord.