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The Practice of Dakshina

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July 1, 2016

Dear all,

Shubh Gurupurnima!

The month of July is dedicated to the worship of Shri Guru. On the Siddha Yoga path, we have the great good fortune to receive grace and blessings from three Gurus: Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, Baba Muktananda, and Bhagavan Nityananda. Gurupurnima is a golden opportunity to contemplate the gift of shaktipat and the teachings we have received from our Gurus. The transformation we experience in every aspect of our lives is both indescribable and priceless. It is natural for our hearts to express profound gratitude to our Gurus. Therefore, on the Siddha Yoga path, the month of Gurupurnima is dedicated to the practice of dakshina. I will write more about this practice a bit later.

Gurumayi’s Message for 2016 is

Move with steadfastness
toward becoming
anchored
in Supreme Joy

During this month of July, our study of Gurumayi’s Message for 2016 is focused on the word Supreme.

In Italian, my native language, the adjective suprema derives from the Latin supremus, which means “highest.” Supremus has its root in superus, which means “that which is above.” On the Siddha Yoga path, we think of the word Supreme as a descriptor of that which is above differences and beyond comparison—the Self.

The scriptures of India use the Sanskrit word parama to describe that which is supreme—that which is most excellent, transcendent, and beyond the ordinary. The supreme Self is that which is universal; it is the quintessence of who we really are.

On Gurupurnima, we honor and worship Shri Guru, who has attained the supreme state. The Guru’s grace awakens us to the awareness of the supreme Self within, and the Guru exhorts us to engage with the Siddha Yoga teachings and practices, which will give us the lasting experience of the supreme state.

Let me share with you three ways that Gurumayi’s teachings and the Siddha Yoga practices—and the grace with which they are imbued—support me in recognizing and relishing the plenitude of the supreme Self within.

The first is my practice of turning my attention toward Gurumayi’s teachings again and again throughout the day. Reminders of the Guru’s teachings are available to me wherever I go. I find them in an unexpected gesture of kindness from a stranger at the bus stop, in the wisdom of a colleague’s feedback, in the respect that manifests between my wife and me, and in the blossoming of our adorable eleven-year-old daughter. These are all ways in which I gain a deeper understanding of the truth of Gurumayi?s teachings, and experience the presence of the supreme Self in everyone and everything.

The second way I connect with the supreme Self is through regular study of the teachings on the Siddha Yoga path website. Contemplating the teachings, which are conveyed through diverse media, is my first practice in the morning before meditation. Sometimes I marvel at an exquisite photograph in the nature galleries; sometimes I reflect on the Guru’s words. I find that each and every element on the website is a threshold to experiencing the Supreme within. How lucky I am, and how lucky you are! How lucky we all are to have this extraordinary bounty of wisdom so readily available at our fingertips. All I can say is: Che meraviglia! Grazie mille, Gurumayi.

Let me share with you some of my favorite elements! I hope that you too will participate in and learn from them. They are:

The Siddha Yoga path website is supported by many Siddha Yogis in the global Siddha Yoga sangham, who love to contribute to this vast treasure trove of life-transforming images and words. Let me recommend one specific way you too can contribute to the website during this celebratory month of Gurupurnima: you may submit a photo of the waxing moon for the Gurupurnima Moon Gallery.

The third wonderful and significant Siddha Yoga practice that gives me access to my own inner Self is my regular offering of dakshina. Dakshina is one of the core Siddha Yoga practices and the practice we will be focusing on throughout July. We offer dakshina in recognition of the teachings that the Guru imparts. Over the past few years, consciously engaging in a Monthly Dakshina Practice has opened me to the eternal cycle of giving and receiving.

Since this month of Gurupurnima is dedicated to the Siddha Yoga practice of dakshina, I would like to share with you how I do it: I make my offering on the same day of each month. On that day, I take a moment to pause and connect with my purpose for offering dakshina. As I practice smarana, the conscious recollection of the Guru’s grace, a shift takes place in my inner state. I become aware of the space of fullness and quietude within, where the bond of love with the Guru is ever deepening and expanding. In this way I have come to see that the practice of dakshina subtly and significantly strengthens my relationship with my own Heart.

I invite you to read and study the Exposition on Dakshina to learn more about this meaningful practice. I also invite you to read the beautiful Invitation in Honor of Gurupurnima from the Siddha Yoga Swamis and make a special offering. And I warmly encourage you, at this most auspicious time of Gurupurnima, to begin or increase your monthly dakshina offering.

Warm regards,

Leonardo Russo
Siddha Yoga Meditation Teacher

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    I started practicing dakshina many years ago in Gurudev Siddha Peeth, in the days when our role models were villagers who brought vegetables to lay at Baba’s feet. I would buy a piece of fruit, take it up to place before Baba’s chair, and feel uplifted. But I knew this was a token offering on my part, compared to the sacrifice of my role models who had so little to spare. So I would also place cash offerings to the Guru in receptacles in the Temple and halls of the Ashram.

    Today I make monthly dakshina offerings that are significant lines in my budget. Paying attention to making a meaningful pledge, in alignment with my changing circumstances, keeps me in touch with my heart. The practice of offering to the Guru connects my worldly life to my love for Gurumayi, and uplifts all my other practices.
     
    Thank you, Gurumayi and Baba, for this practice, which affirms for me the sacredness of abundance and generosity.

    Toronto, Canada

    I offered dakshina for many years before understanding the importance of bringing steadiness to this practice—one that is a most tangible manifestation of my supreme love and gratitude.

    Through the study of Gurumayi’s Message for 2016, I have learned that Gurumayi is showing us the importance of cultivating ongoing steadiness in sadhana. And I have seen the importance of bringing this steady quality of constancy to my dakshina practice.

    Cuttack, India

    This year I wanted to infuse my dakshina practice with fresh inspiration and so, in addition to resolving to increase my monthly contribution, I decided to offer dakshina at my home puja every day in July. Already, I am experiencing great delight and a deeper sense of connection to abundance and to other people through this practice of making daily offerings.

    Heckmondwike, United Kingdom

    I have been offering dakshina for many years, both as a monthly offering and as a way to celebrate family events and special holidays like Gurupurnima.

    My experience of the practice of dakshina over all these years has been a feeling of joy. To me offering dakshina is a very concrete way to express my immense gratitude to Shri Guru for all that she gives me every day of my life. Whenever I can give to my Guru, I feel so happy because my heart opens and expands to embrace the world. I feel I’m a part of Gurumayi’s and Baba’s great work.

    Though I can never repay Gurumayi for her immense generosity, I am thankful for the opportunity to give.

    Milan, Italy

    This letter reminds me of an experience I had a few nights ago.  I was contemplating the immensity of the blessings I have received from following the Siddha Yoga path. A feeling of gratitude welled up and I felt spontaneously inspired to offer dakshina through the Siddha Yoga path website. As I did so, I mentally made my offering to the Guru’s sandals and afterwards, I sat quietly for several minutes. My attention seemed to be magnetically drawn deeply into my heart where I experienced a gentle, pure, and potent sense of peace.

    Shubh Gurupurnima!

    Toronto, Canada

    Reading this letter has led me to reflect more deeply upon my own practice of dakshina.  While I have a regular practice, I have not always brought my full attention to it.
     
    I’m inspired to bring the same quality of awareness to the practice of dakshina that I bring to chanting and meditation, by paying attention to the inner experience of this practice and building on what unfolds. 

    New Hampshire, USA

    After reading this letter, I’ve been contemplating the word Supreme. For me, the Guru’s teachings are supreme. They uplift my mind beyond the ordinary—they bring me from a sense of confusion rooted in dualistic thinking and elevate my mind to the perspective of the Self. There I can see the Supreme, the divine universal play, the unfolding of God’s plan.
     
    This revitalizes my enthusiasm for life; I feel enlivened and purposeful. Even if I don’t yet have a complete mental understanding of everything that is happening, I look forward to stepping forth into life! When I study and implement Gurumayi’s teachings, I am able to trust the Self and to align with the benevolent intention of my heart, which is one with the Supreme.
     
    Thank you, Gurumayi!

    Berlin, Germany