Guru Purnima – 2013

Through the ages, devotees in India have paid homage to the guru—the divine messenger God sends to sincerely seeking souls to bring them back to Him. On the sacred day of Guru Purnima, as we join that tradition by offering to our own beloved Gurudeva, Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, our hearts’ gratitude, we have an opportunity to dwell anew on the priceless gift of being drawn to one who can lift us from human to divine consciousness. In the search for soul-fulfilment, our finite, sense-bound mind is pulled in many different directions by the diversity of this world and the influence of maya upon our perceptions. But with the help of a true guru, the path becomes straight and clear, our ultimate victory certain.

Gurudeva has told us, “Listening to the guru is an art that will take the disciple to the Supreme Goal.” In his omnipresent love and wisdom, he reaches out to each soul who takes refuge at his feet; our part is to cultivate the ability to listen on an ever deeper level, that we may receive to the fullest his guidance and grace. If our attention is lacking, the inspiration gained from his words easily fades amidst the preoccupations of daily life. When, however, with a concentrated mind we put ourselves in his presence and inwardly absorb even one liberating truth he has given, it becomes a motivating force, an instrument of the guru’s help. Our human reason, though a vital tool in our efforts to follow him, is also subject to the ego’s bias—its preferences and vulnerabilities, which affect our ability to hear his guiding voice. At times the mind rationalizes our desires as being the guru’s will, or resists what the “little I” finds difficult. A deeper level of attunement and understanding comes if we listen with both an open mind and a trusting heart. As we respond to the pull of God’s grace and the guru’s love, realizing that he wants only our highest good, the protective shell of the ego begins to melt away. We become more pliable to his transforming touch, more open to what we need to change. In surrendering wholly to him with humility and devotion, we allow the power of the guru to work unhindered to hasten our soul’s unfoldment. Even when challenging circumstances confront us, we are better able to accept them as part of the purification process that draws us closer to God.

Through the sacred meditation techniques Gurudeva taught, he has given us the most direct means of communing with him—by listening to him with our soul. The static of the ego ceases when restless thoughts and emotions are stilled, and our soul’s intuition awakens to perceive the guru’s presence. As we touch his infinite consciousness our receptivity is heightened. We understand his thoughts with a clarity that transcends the medium of words. If with your whole being you listen to him and follow him faithfully, he will help you to overcome every obstacle until you attain union with the Divine Beloved of your soul. Jai Guru!

In God and Gurudeva’s love and unceasing blessings,