My Lord Loves a Pure Heart – Excerpt 3

I love the teaching in this excerpt! Is the glass half full or half empty? Do I focus on gratitude for my blessings, which are many, or do I give attention to those elements around me that need changing—in my opinion, of course? The classic conundrum—feeling lack or feeling fullness. It’s my choice.
 
May I choose wisely in each moment. May I remain focused upon the Divine!
 

Recently I was contemplating what Gurumayi wanted me to hear inside from her. The following words arose: “Cleverness is the enemy; wisdom is the friend.” 
 
Having been raised in a family where “cleverness” was extolled, I have spent many years in my sadhana making an effort to turn the base metal of cleverness into the golden virtue of wisdom. I am grateful to Gurumayi for sharing this vivid depiction of how the mind can obscure the gifts of grace. 
 

At first, I didn’t understand why these magnificent verses from Shri Bhagavad Gita were followed by Gurumayi’s experience in darshan with the dissatisfied man. So I contemplated what I could learn from that contrast.
 
Using the chapter title, “Steadfastness in Knowledge,” as a clue, I realized that I too had been brought out of “the dark tunnel” of my life-before- shaktipat, in part by the power of the Siddha Yoga practices to foster “steadfastness in knowledge.” Before that, my mind too often leapt around from thought to thought, from desire to desire, like the proverbial drunken monkey that’s just been bitten by a scorpion.
 
Now I see this excerpt as a powerful reminder to me to always stay connected to the “true knowledge” permeating my deepest spiritual experiences, and to the grace-filled insights that have been granted to me ever since I received shaktipat initation. It reminds me to not just gain true knowledge, but to hold it steadily within my heart and to keep it shining brightly in my daily awareness.  
 

As I reflected on this excerpt, I realized how much my Guru has supported me at different stages of my life. I remembered that when I had started walking the Siddha Yoga path, I was in distress. When I got back on my feet, I continued to follow the Siddha Yoga path and my life became more pleasant. Then my desire to gain knowledge grew, because I realized that I can master my life only through the grace and true knowledge of a Master.
 
The more knowledge I gain and put into practice in my life, the more gratitude I feel for my Guru. And the more gratitude I feel, the quieter and wiser my mind becomes. 
 

This excerpt invites me to remember why I am following the Siddha Yoga path. My mundane wishes are fulfilled through the combination of my self-effort and the support of Shri Guru’s grace. But basically, I have gained knowledge and wisdom from the Siddha Yoga teachings imparted by Bade Baba, Baba, and Shri Gurumayi, and those teachings always support me to navigate this world of samsara fearlessly, realizing that I am never without the protection of Shri Guru`s grace.
 
Like the man that Gurumayi spoke to in darshan, I have not yet seen the Blue Pearl. But I consider myself to be most fortunate to be walking the Siddha Yoga path and to have Shri Gurumayi in my life, who always guides me through her teachings and by helping me to discover knowlege from within.
 

Reading this passage has ignited a feeling of contentment within me. Instead of focusing on what I think I lack in my life, I should always hold firm to these truths: I am loved by God. I have the Guru in my life. I’ve received the most precious gift of shaktipat. I’ve received the great redeeming mantra, Om Namah Shivaya. I’ve received the knowledge of my true identity.
 
May I always hold this true knowledge within me!

I can never thank my Shri Guru, Gurumayi Chidvilasanada, enough. Every single time I have needed her assurance, her protection, her grace, her love, I have received it all. I am more than fortunate to have a living Siddha Guru.
 
Gurumayi’s explanation of the line from verse 7:17 in Shri Bhagavad Gita, which says, “I am exceedingly dear to the one who is immersed in wisdom, and he is dear to me,” is such a reassuring statement to me, especially now when I’ve been wanting someone to appreciate my hard work and growth. Gurumayi teaches me that it is the Lord himself who has assured me of how much I am dear to him. And in my mind, I know so well how much the Lord is dear to me.