समय के समक्ष
In the Presence of Time
~ Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
When I read this teaching “The fluctuations of time,” an image of a wave came into my mind, a sea wave going up and down. Time also fluctuates with ups and downs. Yet in between the ups and downs, there is a still, peaceful place inside that I love.
In my outer life, I can feel very uncomfortable, but when I go inside in deep meditation, I often see Bade Baba or Baba and feel peace, love, and so much joy. Thus, I offer my gratitude to “the fluctuations of time.”
Mumbai, India
I see “the fluctuations of time” as a great gift. When I have difficult times, I know that they will pass; when I have good times, I know that I shouldn’t hold on to them too tightly because they too will change. “The fluctuations of time” help me to become more and more of an observer and to not judge what time brings me. This helps me to grow inwardly, to give more importance to the steady inner world so that I can put Gurumayi’s Message for 2025 into practice.
Konolfingen, Switzerland
In contemplating “The fluctuations of time,” I thought about how time seems to disappear when I am fully focused on a task or in meditation, and how time seems to expand when I contemplate my experience of timelessness afterward. I look forward to pausing, recognizing, and savoring these moments of focus.
Washington, United States
“The fluctuations of time” shift and transform for me under the influence of sadhana. A task I resisted when young was to help clean the dishes after a meal; time then seemed to be dragging and boring. Now I love to clean the dishes. I repeat my mantra, and time becomes very fulfilling and present.
Also, I live in a world with a body that experiences so many “fluctuations of time”: from celebrating a birth to mourning the loss of a loved one, from being a child to becoming a parent, from being a student to becoming a teacher, from being single to being married. Yet beneath all these “fluctuations of time,” there is the absolute steady existence of the Self, the unbreakable bond between Guru and disciple, the presence of God. For me, this deep, eternal steadiness is what supports me and gives meaning to my life.
California, United States
When I look out of the window at the wind and cold rain hitting the landscape, I feel warm in my house by my radiant fireplace. And when I am absorbed in meditation on the back-and-forth of my breath and the sound of the mantra, the flow of my thoughts stops, and I remain in the serenity of the Self. Thus, in the home of my heart, I remain protected from “the fluctuations of time.”
Rodez, France