I have been looking at the Sunrise Gallery every day since it was posted. I feel that with each visit, the sun rays light up my perception, revealing a quieter landscape, within and without.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
As I looked at this impressive slide show, I could feel the enthusiasm of all the devotees who committed themselves to get up early, often in very cold weather, and get themselves positioned to capture the most perfect image of the sunrise. Looking at each photo, I can feel each devotee saying to themselves, behind the camera at the moment they got the shot, "Yes! That's it! This expresses my love for God and the Guru!"
South Carolina, USA
Thank you so much for these amazing pictures. I’ve looked at them many times.
On New Year’s Day, I drove over 140 miles to the Siddha Yoga meditation center in Los Angeles for the live stream of
A Sweet Surprise.
I traveled early, came into fog at the coast, and then went right into the meditation center. So I didn’t get to see the sunrise on that morning. However, the whole time I was driving and then waiting for the
satsang to begin, I was experiencing the
shakti of the live stream from Shree Muktananda Ashram. And although I didn’t see the physical rising of the sun, I experienced a beautiful
shakti sunrise that morning.
Thank you, Gurumayi.
California, USA
Around the world in 162 pictures! East or West, North or Down Under, sea or mountains, countryside or city, snow or grassland, warm or cold—wherever we are, the same sun rises at the horizon.
We are connected by the all-pervading presence of the Guru’s grace, shining brightly or softly like the sunrays, spreading happiness, warmth, and light in our hearts. I couldn’t imagine a greater family in my life than the Siddha Yoga family. I am immensely grateful.
Thank you, my beloved Gurumayi. Thank you, all of you around the world.
Singapore, Singapore
Thank you all so much for sending and making available these beautiful pictures of the sunrise around the world on January 1, 2014. I didn’t know there were Siddha Yoga devotees in some of the countries represented here. Viewing these pictures fills me with such hope and optimism because I realize that there are Siddha Yogis all over the world, united in knowledge and love of the Great Heart, the Self, with all its virtues of love, honor, generosity, gratitude, and courage.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for guiding us in pursuit of greater and greater unity with the Self of all.
Minnesota, USA
I was very moved as I looked at the images. It felt as if the dawn and sunrise of purest love, unity, and awareness were taking place within me and in all those locations. When I saw the photos of Gurudev Siddha Peeth, I felt an incredible surge of remembrance of the times I spent there. It was so vivid.
Today, looking at the names and photos of all those places where the sun is rising, I feel as if I am sitting at the Guru’s feet in a new way, with the experience that the Guru is within me all the time, revealing a state where another magnificent sun is rising.
Merci infiniment, Gurumayi.
Ramonville Saint Agne, France
Each photo of the sunrise is a lesson for me about the wondrous presence of our beloved Guru, who reaches out to us all with the light of love, and who shines everywhere at once. The sun of the Siddhas illuminates our
sadhana with the brilliant rays of teachings and practices, each of which is a divine path to the One who is ever present!
Gurumayi, thank you for sharing your life and light with us wherever we are on the planet!
Massachusetts, USA
What a beautiful meditation it is to see the sun wake up the world as it turns to a new year. I had the sensation that the sun was the eye of God, an image I often see in my meditations. I felt the Guru's love in each image.
How glorious this world is! It is made even more beautiful through the loving eyes of Siddha Yogis as we are brought together in this celebration of the dawning of 2014.
I send thanks to all the photographers who shared their paradise with all of us. May the new year be as shining and exquisite as this sacred Sunrise Gallery!
New York, USA
Some of these images are breathtaking!
Thank you to all the Siddha Yoga students around the globe who took the time and the effort to take these pictures and upload them so that we all could see the beauty of nature as it appears in different parts of the world.
Thank you to all the SYDA Foundation sevites who offer their time and skills to make sure we are able to see them just a few hours after they are sent.
Gurudev Siddha Peeth
As I was watching the photos of the global sunrise, I noticed that my breath had completely deepened to one deep inhalation viewing a photo, followed by one long exhalation while viewing the next. The breathing was completely in sync with the timing of the slideshow, and with each breath, the mantra resounded, filling my heart and head.
As I watched sunrise after sunrise, I realized that the slideshow was a lovely
japa mala,with each golden sun a cosmic bead.
New Mexico, USA
What an awesome display of Mother Nature in these dawn photos. Such tremendous beauty and color, each radiating the stillness, joy, and awe of our divine creation. Such a wondrous experience!
Thank you, Gurumayi. And thank you to all the photographers.
Launceston, Australia
Thank you for making these exquisite photos available to us. They affirm our oneness and the beauty of our world. As I watched the sun in each photo, I kept feeling Baba's presence in each and his continuing love for all of us.
Happy New Year to all of us everywhere, with peace and love in our hearts.
New York, USA
I viewed the flow of images in the Sunrise Gallery, in awe of their beauty. This experience drew me to explore my inner kingdom—the love, peace, and beauty that reside within my heart.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for this great gift!
Ohio, USA
I woke up this morning, went to the Siddha Yoga path website, and looked at all of the photos in the Sunrise Gallery. I was smiling throughout at how the sun manifests its light in each location differently, yet remains the one sun. Soon afterwards I chanted
Shri Guru Gita, and this verse stood out to me:
Salutations to Shri Guru, by whose existence the world exists, who shines through the form of the sun, and by whose love sons and others are dear to us.
After
Shri Guru Gita, it was so quiet and still.
Thank you, Shri Guru, for such a wonderful moment.
Modiin, Israel
Each resplendent scene filmed by devotees around the world for this gallery of New Year’s Day 2014 sunrises reminds me of the many colors, shapes, styles, flavors, strengths, and varieties of
shaktipat initiation, as the
shakti brightly bursts forth or gently ascends through the dark peacefulness.
California, USA
To help create an auspicious start to this very special day, I viewed at least the first fifty sunrises that were posted on the website this morning, while I was waiting for the live audio stream of
A Sweet Surprise 2014 to begin. Just as wonderful as seeing the visual beauty streaming in from distant corners of the world was my sense of participating in a huge, joyful family reunion. As the locations shown swept westward across the globe, from New Zealand and Australia to Japan, and on to Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India, it felt to me as if each Siddha Yogi who had sent in a photo were waving to me across the miles and saying, "Here I come! Isn't this a glorious day?!? Be with you soon in the universal hall!"
Illinois, USA
Thank you for such a nice gift of the sunrise pictures from all around the world. Viewing these pictures, I feel that the whole world is one. Though we are all viewing the sun at different times and from different locations, we are feeling the same sunrise of grace and
shakti rising within our own hearts.
Mahidpur, India
The sun has not yet come up here in California, but looking at the sunrise in Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and India, I know that the sun does not rise only for me. We are one! I feel so blessed to be sharing the sunrise of our
sadhana,
A Sweet Surprise, with fellow seekers around the world.
Thank you, Gurumayi! Happy New Year to all!
California, USA
In experiencing the dramatic beauty and geographic sweep of the sunrise photos, I couldn't help remembering the quotation from the
Kularnava Tantra that appeared in Swami Akhandananda's letter of invitation just a few days ago: “Many are the gurus who are like lamps in homes, but rare is the Guru who illumines all like the sun.”
Thank you, Gurumayi, for your limitless generosity in lighting our path, year in and year out, with your teachings, your wisdom, and your love.
Mumbai, India
What great gifts we are receiving this New Year's Day: Gurumayi's Message for 2014 – and these magnificent photos of the sun rising all around the world! How beautifully they fit together: just as these sunrises usher in the dawn in countries all around the world, so does
A Sweet Surprise usher in the dawn of a new chapter in our
sadhana.
Hong Kong, China
It’s exhilarating to be crossing the threshold into 2014 and to be viewing these images of the rising sun knowing that in each of these locations people are receiving Gurumayi’s Message on this very day.
So many awakened hearts in so many locations, opening to receive the Guru’s words—the precious wisdom that will guide our progress through the year.
We are all so blessed.
Melbourne, Australia