The photos of the night and predawn sky with an abundance of stars capture the magnificent presence of God everywhere. Beholding such beauty stirs me in the deepest and best of ways. Just as there are no known boundaries to the universe, there is no end to my sense of wonder when I look at these photos. Such visuals are medicine capable of soothing and inspiring the beholder.
I am so grateful for the photos that make the peace inherent in the grand, star-filled, wonder-filled sky so available to us.
New York, United States
When I look at the photograph of that peaceful courtyard, I am reminded of the saying, “As above, so below.” The play of colors in the flower bed and the sky above is not unlike the composition of a classical painting—the gold and rosy hues above the landscape mirror the yellow and vermillion flowers at the foreground of the photograph; similarly, the gray and white colors of the rooftop subtly accord with the clouds above.
The
Shiva Sutra also declares:
Yatha tatra tatha’nyatra, or, “As here, so elsewhere.”
As I study the nuances of this scene in nature while reflecting on the meaning of this sutra, what I glean is that heaven’s effulgence can be found in every particle of earth; and that when I cultivate virtues and good actions, like a steadfast gardener, heaven on earth is possible.
New York, United States
In one of the images I saw a cloud angel with outstretched wings over the
kailash of the Bhagavan Nityananda Temple. My entire being understood that the Guru’s protection is everywhere.
Maine, United States
I usually find myself looking at the nature galleries on the Siddha Yoga path website when I am in my office, in the midst of a hectic environment around me.
Every time, without fail, as I take in the first image, I can feel my muscles relax, and I take in a long, deep breath. When I let it out, something inside me releases. The feeling of being in nature, of being on the grounds at Shree Muktananda Ashram, of being embraced by the Self, overtakes me.
Afterwards, I speak a little more slowly, sit a little taller, become a little quieter. I smile and laugh more frequently, and I feel the space around me change too. I have created my very own yogic bubble, and it expands outwards! I can see it affect my coworkers.
To me, this is the true testament of the power of the Self. Once I find it in
myself, I become a conduit to help others access it
themselves.
New York, United States