Gurumayi’s teaching in this excerpt about “renewing your contract with life” every day opens up a whole new perspective in my life and in my mind. It emphasizes for me the immeasurable value of every instant of my life. This perspective brings a powerful wave of new energy, zealous enthusiasm, and sparkling wonder to what lies ahead of me.
Ville St. Laurent, Canada
Recently I made a serious commitment to prioritize spiritual practice in my life—to allocate my time according to my life goal of attaining freedom. Since then, I have taken steps to shift my habits to create more space for reflection, meditation, and chanting. I’ve begun witnessing each thought that throws me off, and noting it in a journal in order to catch it earlier next time.
I’m learning that this commitment does indeed need to be refreshed each and every day. Some days flow with ease for me in performing practices, while others manifest physical challenges or family responsibilities that seem to draw me away. I may also get attracted to being busy and efficient at “getting things done.” I need to constantly remind myself that the foundation of my life is my Guru, her teachings, and the practices. And then begin again...
Connecticut, United States
Reading this excerpt by Gurumayi reminded me of one way that I have established for implementing its teaching. Every morning I try to begin my day with the mantras honoring Lord Ganesh, offering salutations to the Lord and asking for protection and removal of all obstacles.
I learned the importance of daily morning prayers from Gurumayi’s teachings. For me, it’s like saying, "First God, then everything else.”
New York, New York
Nature is a privileged place in which I experience freedom. I find that when I connect with nature through walking or botanical discovery, I feel happy, joyful—and free. Because nature follows the cosmic order, which is constantly being renewed over the seasons and years, I believe that freedom emanates from, and reflects, its divine source.
As a human being, I also participate in this process of creation. Thus, every day I win my freedom once again by constantly renewing my mind in the heart, the divine space of the Self. In this way, I lead a disciplined life, which keeps me in harmony with the universe.
Rodez, France
The statement that freedom must be nourished every day appealed to me very much.
For me, freedom also has to do with physical well-being. When I was younger, I practiced hatha yoga regularly. Then over time I neglected this practice until I stopped altogether. The result was that I started to have back pain again and again.
A few weeks ago I took a hatha yoga lesson again and was amazed at how good my body felt afterwards. I realized that in order to enjoy freeedom, I need to constantly renew the well-being in my body.
Unterlangenegg, Switzerland
As I contemplated this excerpt, it reminded me of Jyota se Jyota Jagao, the opening prayer that we sing at Siddha Yoga satsangs. Its beautiful refrain says, “Light my lamp from your lamp, O Sadguru... Remove the darkness covering my heart.”
Because I received the gift of shaktipat, my inner flame has been lit, guiding me through the turmoil of life and always reminding me that God is within me. However, Gurumayi’s words in this excerpt remind me that I need to keep this inner flame ablaze all the time through the Siddha Yoga practices, including contemplating and implementing the Guru’s teachings. This in turn will keep me from falling back into that space of inner darkness.
Nairobi, Kenya
I just love this excerpt because of where I’ve been in my life and where I am now by the grace of my Guru. I love the fact that I need to renew my commitment to freedom “every single day.” And now, with all these excerpts from My Lord Loves a Pure Heart helping me to let go of my false concepts and habits, together with the blessings of the mantra Om Namah Shivaya and Shri Guru Gita, I feel I am on my way to understanding the freedom that is most definitely available to me.
As the shackles of constraint fall away, I am starting to be able to embrace the beauty of my life in the fullest possible way. I am being given permission to embrace my true Self, and revel in the gift—and in the joy of knowing that this gift is something that is not just for me, but rather for the welfare of all people.
Melbourne, Australia
Through her teachings Gurumayi has reminded me over and again that I am an awakened being, and she has also shown me “how to make the experience of freedom new every single day.” Just a few of the ways I have learned to do this are by “singing God’s glory” with great enthusiasm, by being humble and kind in my actions, by valuing the divine gift of shaktipat, by moistening my heart with gratitude, and by reflecting on the question, “Who am I?”
I offer my salutations to Shri Guru, who is the true bestower of ultimate freedom.
Sydney, Australia
I love this reminder! I am aware that there are times when I subtly lose connection with the immediate experience of my own heart. I notice that when I am in this state, I can read a teaching from Gurumayi and enjoy the beauty of it. I will acknowledge its truth and then go about my day with only a vague memory of what I have received.
I have learned that when I take the teaching and actively ask how it is real for me, right now in this moment, and when I take care to bring it with me into my day, then my heart leads in all I do. As someone who loves to bake bread, this level of active, conscious engagement reminds me of the way a great loaf of bread comes from kneading the dough thoroughly, taking the necessary time, staying attuned for the moment where it comes alive, and only then proceeding to the next step.
Hampton, Australia