At the beginning of 2020, my aspiration was to establish a regular meditation practice. I soon noticed that when reciting
Shri Guru Gita, I was experiencing a flutter of fear in my heart. I decided to just observe this fear and not give it a story. As the months passed and I began to better understand my fear, the fear subsided and my yearning for the Self increased. My aspiration to have a regular meditation practice transcended the fear.
In the later part of 2020, I have been meditating daily. Every effort, every day, draws me deeper into the serenity of the Self. I recall a writer saying that meditation was his favorite practice. I have refined my aspiration to becoming someone who also says, "Meditation is my favorite practice."
New York, United States
Our 4-month-old granddaughter loves to be sung to as she falls asleep. Today, in this blessed season of light, I was carrying her in my arms and humming the melody of my favorite Christmas song,
Silent Night. Then, to the same beloved tune, I began singing
Atma ki Prashanti, Gurumayi's Message for this year. My granddaughter soon fell peacefully asleep. As I continued singing the words of the Message, I too entered a very deep space of tranquility.
New York, United States
During a recent experience of
Sweet Surprise 2020, as I was waving a light for the
arati, I had the strong recognition that every insight, no matter how big or seemingly small, every revelation or change in perception comes from the Guru. I felt that all my inner experiences are Gurumayi’s gift to me.
I used to think that whatever degree of solidity in
sadhana I had achieved was
mine to keep. Yet today I understood that each achievement is a gift from the Guru, a gift of her own Self. It is not some
thing that she gives me, it is her Self that she gives me.
With this understanding, I am filled with humility and gratitude. What amazing grace I have received!
Athboy, Ireland
Recently I participated in a
Sweet Surprise for 2020 online. During meditation and while Gurumayi was singing, I saw a golden column of light clearly, at the core of my being, luminous beyond imagination. The roaring of the entire universe seemed to move through my being. I sensed that this column was not limited to my body, but rather could expand in any moment to the size of the entire universe and back. I experienced this universe as a warm, comforting, peaceful, and yet very dynamic place.
New York, United States
When Gurumayi asked us to identify our intentions, wishes, vision, dreams, prayers, and aspirations on January 1, 2020, during
Sweet Surprise, I hardly knew where to begin. Now, thanks to multiple participations in
Sweet Surprise, the Meditation Sessions, the Workbook questions, and all the supports available through the Siddha Yoga path website, I have and will continue to find answers. This has clarified my focus in life and has already brought some of those fresh visions to fruition.
One night I dreamed that Gurumayi was uplifting the world by tuning up each of us with her questions. We were like instruments in a global orchestra releasing “Peacefulness of the Self” into humanity and our world at this time in history.
Washington, United States
Sweet Surprise has been my dearest friend throughout this year of 2020. Participating two or three times each month has given me shelter on stormy days and a space to celebrate sunny ones; on many a night, the lingering strains of the
bhajan Gurumayi sang have chased away my fears and sweetened my dreams.
Each participation has been a new pilgrimage into “Peacefulness of the Self.” No two are alike. Fresh understandings surface each time, making the pathway into this inner space easier to find. This practice has been wearing down some of my rough edges, and I notice it’s easier to choose calmness rather than irritability when I’m tired.
Now with so few days remaining to participate in
Sweet Surprise, I cherish my chance to participate two more times. I am endlessly grateful to Gurumayi for her grace that leads me, year after year, into deeper understandings and direct experiences of teachings I have loved since Baba’s time.
Washington, United States
Last Sunday I had the opportunity to participate once more in
Sweet Surprise 2020, and I had an amazing experience. Gurumayi’s words landed in my heart with such power and filled me with happiness and love!
I had new understanding about the questions that Gurumayi was asking us and new appreciation for the wisdom from the students who had been invited to give their answers. From my point of view, Gurumayi was demonstrating the Guru-disciple relationship in such a powerful way. I realized, as I answered these questions for myself, that deep wisdom would emerge from within. I felt that, even inside me, I could find living scripture. I felt that the Guru was bringing this scripture to light so that I could live by it and through it.
This understanding filled me with tremendous gratitude for the Guru’s grace!
Vancouver, Canada
I awoke early to participate in
Sweet Surprise after tossing in my sleep, wondering how I could best support my parents, both of whom are unwell.
During Gurumayi’s talk I felt the stirrings of an aspiration to talk with my mother about her life, as I don't know a lot about her childhood or teenage years.
I am grateful to the grace of
Sweet Surprise, which has revealed such a practical way to become more peaceful and spread light in my world.
Thornbury, Australia
After hearing Gurumayi's Message during
Sweet Surprise and her invitation to put it into practice and to make her Message manifest, three of us Siddha Yogis have formed a study group, focused on the text of Jnaneshvar's
Gita, his commentary on
Shri Bhagavad Gita. Twice a month we meet to share verses that touch our hearts in wonder and awe as we assimilate the teachings and anchor them within us in a divine inner alchemy. The peace and bliss of the Self are palpable and come alive as we study and then practice the teachings in our daily lives.
Each time we meet, we express our profound gratitude to Gurumayi for bringing us together. We are building a divine foundation for Gurumayi's Message in our hearts.
Massachusetts, United States
While participating a second time in
Sweet Surprise, I experienced a great longing to experience the unstruck sound, the pure sound. As I entered meditation, I had the sweet experience of hearing Gurumayi's voice within me singing
AUM over and over. I also felt a vibration resonating within my heart and abdomen. The experience was exquisite, and I wanted to remain in meditation listening to this sweet sound.
Later I noticed the wind blowing strongly outside. Yet I heard it differently than I usually do. I heard it as pure sound, which was manifesting as the wind. Then I started to hear so many sounds around me, yet I heard each one first and foremost as pure sound manifesting in different forms. For a while I experienced that the same sound was in everything, and this experience drew me more deeply within to my own inner Self.
I feel so blessed. This experience has given a huge boost to my
sadhana and shown me a way I can practice Gurumayi's Message for 2020.
Havant, United Kingdom
I entered the Universal Hall before dawn and was unable to view the sunrise, since it occurred during the
satsang. But when
Sweet Surprise 2020 began and I saw Gurumayi on the live video stream, all the love in my heart broke forth, as though it were the sun itself!
I understood that no matter the time or distance that separates us, Gurumayi will always exist in my heart, and we are not really separated. The love is always there.
Hawaii, United States
I registered my spouse, myself, and our two young children for
Sweet Surprise 2020, and we are participating in it together at our home every Sunday through a multiple participation package.
What a pleasure it is to see my 2-year old son sit for meditation for two minutes, and my 6-year old daughter for more than five minutes! And what a pleasure it is to chant along with Gurumayi ji and all the Siddha Yogis in the Universal Hall.
Pune, India
After participating in
Sweet Surprise 2020 for the second time, something magical has spontaneously happened to me. I feel acutely in tune with the great Self.
Abercrombie, Australia
I have participated in
Sweet Surprise 2020 every Sunday since January 1, and I am feeling so inspired about being able to participate so many times! As I repeat this practice, I experience Gurumayi’s Message pervading my being; I am able to relax and allow Gurumayi’s words to enter me fully. I feel more able to remember what she is saying and to go where she is leading me without overexerting. Each time I feel as if I have bathed in the Message and am deeply connected to the Self—as though I have taken part in a sublime retreat!
I am so grateful for Gurumayi’s powerful Message, which is helping me connect to the peace and tranquility inside, so I can share it with our beautiful world!
Shree Muktananda Ashram
Gurumayi's Message Talk and the practices in
Sweet Surprise have already become a foundation for my life and practices this year. Wanting to experience
Sweet Surprise again and again, I signed up for the Multiple Participation Package. I am so grateful for the support of this gift in my work, daily life, and meditation.
Washington, United States
The three tranquil and luminous days that preceded the New Year where I live were a harbinger of Gurumayi’s Message for 2020. During
Sweet Surprise, as I watched the falling snowflakes through the Ashram windows, I found that same feeling of serenity.
By cultivating this serenity within myself through the Siddha Yoga spiritual practices, I hope to infuse peace around me and to live in harmony with a golden heart.
Rodez, France
Sweet Surprise 2020 taught me some crucial lessons. I felt Gurumayi’s words and teachings really resonating with me, and I felt a growing desire to serve my Guru.
As I was receiving her Message for 2020, I felt a strong feeling of compassionate encouragement to love myself. Why is it so important to love myself? For me, it is a way to recognize and acknowledge the divinity inside me. I have known this for a long time on an intellectual level. However, during
Sweet Surprise 2020, this teaching really landed in my heart at a nonintellectual level, and I had the
experience of the importance of loving myself.
Texas, United States
I just finished participating in
Sweet Surprise for the first time, via webcast. I feel so utterly still inside, as though I have visited the Absolute and have not quite returned yet. I cherish this feeling and will try to cultivate it all year as I study and practice Gurumayi’s Message.
Hawaii, United States
Participating in
Sweet Surprise 2020 has ignited a fire of longing within me to become established in the Self. For me, the entire
satsang was super-charged with Gurumayi’s
shakti and with her desire for us to experience the supreme love that the great beings of many traditions have sung about in their devotional songs.
I intend to put this longing into action, into deepening my
sadhana in the coming months.
London, United Kingdom
Participating in
Sweet Surprise 2020 has ignited a fire of longing within me to become established in the Self. For me, the entire
satsang was super-charged with Gurumayi’s
shakti and with her desire for us to experience the supreme love that the great beings of many traditions have sung about in their devotional songs.
London, United Kingdom
It was so powerful being with Gurumayi in the Universal Hall for
Sweet Surprise, and there are so many layers of experience for me to contemplate.
In the days since
Sweet Surprise I have felt really different-- open and present in new ways. What a treasure! The deep gift of
Sweet Surprise is something I will contemplate throughout this year.
Auckland, New Zealand
Just before
Sweet Surprise 2020 started at 2:30 a.m. here in Sydney, I went outside for a few minutes. It was sprinkling very lightly and I felt blessed by the gentleness of the raindrops.
I loved participating in
Sweet Surprise in the auspicious hours of the early morning. It seemed as if I received Gurumayi’s talk and the Message itself at a much deeper level of my being. And this time, my eyes received the Message as well as my ears.
In the days that have followed, I’ve been aware that the
satsang is working somewhere inside me way beyond my normal level of waking consciousness.
Sydney, Australia
Gurumayi's Message felt like a powerful gift, for me to unwrap delicately throughout the year. I feel so blessed and privileged to have this guidance. Receiving the Message feels like coming home.
My intention is to use the Message as a road map as I walk the path to the ultimate goal.
Montreal, Canada
Gurumayi's Message was so deep that I felt serenity in my entire being. I could feel the Message entering into each pore of my body and spreading unconditional love for my Guru. My mind became very still.
What Gurumayi said in the
satsang made me appreciate that human birth is so valuable and time should be used wisely; I am also grateful that the Guru’s teachings enhance my discipline in
sadhana and in my daily routine.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for your teachings, which are infused with an ocean of compassion, wisdom, and love.
Bedford Gardens, South Africa
My heart is overflowing with gratitude for the compassionate generosity of our Guru.
Before
Sweet Surprise, I was wondering, “What more could I possibly want?” And I realized I had a deep longing for another opportunity to chant with my beloved Gurumayi, for another chance to glimpse her form, to connect one more time with her sparkling eyes, and to hear her voice as she imparts her teachings and experience of
sadhana.
I also appreciated the format of
Sweet Surprise 2020. I really felt as though I were sitting in the hall at her feet. And now I am looking forward to working with and contemplating Gurumayi’s Message as 2020 unfolds.
Geelong, Australia
We began our experience of
Sweet Surprise 2020 today in the predawn darkness. As the
satsang unfolded, I found myself becoming enveloped in the simplicity of the Truth that Gurumayi's words revealed. I felt blessed by the snow we could see swirling lightly around outside, adding to the magic of the moment.
Slowly the daylight filtered in through our windows and, since we were using a home-theater projector, the sunlight mingled with Gurumayi's image on the screen, which grew lighter. At the end of the
satsang, we watched in awe as Gurumayi's image dissolved into pure light. It was magic!
Cowichan Bay (British Columbia), Canada
It was just before dawn as I drove to the Siddha Yoga Ashram in Oakland for
Sweet Surprise 2020. Although the sky was almost completely overcast, the horizon was clear with a few wisps of clouds turning bright pink. When I later reflected on the
satsang, I realized that, no matter what may appear to be the dark clouds in my life or in the world, I just need to turn my awareness toward the light within me.
California, United States
For the first time, my wife and I received
Sweet Surprise and Gurumayi’s Message at home. Our preparations for the
satsang felt like the
seva we offer in the Siddha Yoga meditation center we attend. And the
shakti—so sweet, so serene, so powerful—enveloped us. Our apartment became sacred because we welcomed Gurumayi into it. It was a profound experience.
Evry, France
As I listened with focus to Gurumayi speak during
Sweet Surprise, I felt calm and relaxed, like nothing else even existed except for every word that she spoke. When she gave her Message for 2020, this oneness, this recognition was instantly there. The very end of the
satsang was especially powerful for me. I felt intense energy in my heart chakra; it felt very warm and that feeling stayed with me for a long time afterward. I will never forget this. I am so blessed!
Florida, United States
I am grateful to Gurumayi for all her love and blessings, for her
darshan, and for her Message for 2020. This Message has given me more understanding to walk further along the path with more determination and to sing the Name with more enthusiasm.
Chittorgarh, India
As Gurumayi gave us her Message, I felt as if each word moved through me with its own unique vibration, evoking a corresponding vibration in my heart. This experience pulled me inward as if I were dropping deeper within, layer by layer, until I reached a space of steadiness, silence, and calm. In that space, each word of Gurumayi’s Message was gently throbbing. I closed my eyes and simply enjoyed being with the Message.
Bangalore, India
When I listened to Gurumayi deliver her Message for 2020, I observed a vast, oceanic space between my thoughts, a sense of timelessness. When she repeated the Message, my entire being felt submerged in this timeless space. I experienced quietness, restfulness, and deep contentment.
New York, United States
Now the year 2020 has truly commenced—for I have basked in Gurumayi's presence, absorbing her words in
Sweet Surprise. My heart is filled with steady purpose. I will be awake to the blessings that fill each moment. I will make the teachings Gurumayi has given me my own. In this way I will be a source of goodness and hope in my world.
Hampton, Australia
Experiencing
Sweet Surprise 2020, receiving Gurumayi’s Message, and having her
darshan have allowed me to open myself to curiosity and a fresh perspective on my
sadhana.
I had approached the
satsang, as well as the new year, with a longing to strengthen my direct experience of God. Today, as I participated in
Sweet Surprise, I felt the palpable pull of grace inside my being. I experienced the very thing I’ve been longing for: the presence of God. This is the greatest gift I have ever received, and today my prayer is that I may forever serve this gift, and always remember the direct experience of That.
Connecticut, United States
I find it challenging to put into words the gratitude I feel in my heart right now for all that I have received from
Sweet Surprise. I just want to hold it as the valuable jewel it is, with reverence. How magnificent is God’s love!
California, United States
I received Gurumayi’s Message for 2020 in the coziness of our Connecticut home. The sunlight streaming into the room mirrored the light of grace pouring in from the live video stream. It felt so sweet! To be in Gurumayi’s company, to experience the fullness and freedom of her being, and to feel the potency of her love at every moment made time seem to stop.
At one point, I noticed my mind shifting its stance from a sort of intense eagerness to one of simple, open receptivity. In that space I found the intimacy and connection I had been yearning for, and I knew with certainty that whatever came to me would be the perfect gift for my
sadhana. As Gurumayi presented her beautiful Message, I was able to drink it in and be deeply nourished. I am now ready for 2020!
Connecticut, United States
At one point in
Sweet Surprise 2020, when Gurumayi opened her eyes, I saw a white halo behind her. This light was gentle and gave me a feeling of purity. After a while, it gradually turned into golden yellow. This light was very soothing. My breathing became natural and deep. I felt joy, serenity, and satisfaction inside.
Sydney, Australia
Like so many people around the world, I had begun to anticipate with great excitement what Gurumayi’s Message for 2020 could be. On New Year’s Eve, after many playful guesses, I suddenly found myself simply resting in meditation, focused on one word:
contentment. It unfolded within my heart like a golden orb emerging from a lotus.
Profound contentment—the sweet simplicity of just being happy within myself—is an experience I’ve discovered through the Guru’s teachings and the Siddha Yoga path. It arises from a feeling of reverence for the reality of this sacred moment, with all of its blessings just as it is, and for who we are, just as
we are, forever embraced by God’s love.
London, United Kingdom
The moment Gurumayi uttered the words of her Message for 2020, my heart was open, moist, and ready to receive the power and wisdom of these words. I felt a deep stirring in my heart and gratitude welled up. Then a feeling of quiet spread through my whole body. I sat and received the Message and let it sink in deep, as Gurumayi repeated it.
As I was offering the flame of
arati to Gurumayi at the end, in front of our
puja, my heart again swelled with gratitude for this divine experience. I felt a connection to my innermost being and tears started streaming down. The feeling was so strong, it still remains.
I will preserve this feeling as an experience of the essence of the Message. I will let the longing and gratitude manifest and continue to inspire my
sadhana in the days to come.
Oslo, Norway
In the moment that I received Gurumayi's Message for 2020, I felt my jaw relax and my whole face soften; I felt layers of tension melting. I became aware of the vast, benevolent spaciousness within.
Looking into Gurumayi's eyes, hearing her resonant voice, and seeing her loving gestures, I realized that this year I want to be awake to perceive all the myriad ways that God manifests. Perhaps through a smile, a tree, a word, a flower, a cloud, a pet, a fragrance, or the vibrant colors and textures of food and fabric. In perceiving God's presence in these, and in myriad other surprising ways, I will become aware that it is God's presence I am perceiving as the sweet, sweet feeling arising in my heart.
Castlemaine, Australia
Today I participated in Sweet Surprise 2020 in the Siddha Yoga Universal Hall. As soon as I entered the Hall, I felt as if I was being enveloped by deep silence. And when I heard Gurumayi's voice in the beginning, an energy like a bolt of lightning passed throughout my body.
At the moment I received Gurumayi’s Message for 2020, it felt as if a warm blanket of joyful silence was covering my whole being. I could clearly hear a joyful humming sound reverberating in my whole being. It felt like an initiation into the year 2020. I am now feeling very eager to explore this Message for the rest of the year.
Pune, India