श्रीगुरु-उपासना
Veneration of Shri Guru

Nearly three decades ago, I began offering guruseva as a spontaneous offering from my heart, awakened by the grace of shaktipat-diksha. I was so full that I simply wanted to offer seva as an expression of love and gratitude to my Guru. Slowly, without my realizing it, this offering deepened into a spiritual practice. Every day, as I set aside time for meditation, I set aside time for seva.

I began this sacred practice wanting to give my skill, time, and energy to my Guru and to the Siddha Yoga mission. But somewhere along the way, I understood that there was no comparison between what I offered and the extraordinary gifts I received. And so, questions began to stir in me: Who, really, is serving whom? What is my inner state as I serve? How am I interacting and responding to my fellow sevites? Holding these questions with awareness has allowed me to offer seva effectively and also from a space of purity.

Thane, India

For this year’s celebratory satsang in honor of Baba Muktananda’s birthday at the local Siddha Yoga Meditation Center, I was given the opportunity to prepare prasad. I thought that Baba would probably prefer a delicious Indian prasad, but despite a great deal of effort, I was unable to make it properly, and the result was inedible.

I asked Baba for help, and Baba asked me inwardly, “Which ingredients do you like best for prasad?” I replied inwardly, “Fruit, nuts, and chocolate.” Baba then said, “Good. Create a prasad with those!” So, with lots of love and enthusiasm, I created an offering from these ingredients, and even the first attempt tasted delicious to me—I was sure Baba was pleased!

I learned so much from offering guruseva, and, above all, that I can let go of my own preconceptions in order to give my heart the space to offer seva to my Guru.

Konolfingen, Switzerland

My experience is that when I offer guruseva, I find myself in an entirely different world. In that state, there is only sheer joy, enthusiasm, love, and devotion. My heart experiences a unique state of being—one of complete acceptance of every situation and a willingness to learn from every circumstance. My sole purpose is to offer my deepest gratitude and love at the lotus feet of Shri Guru.

Guruseva teaches me that every task in my daily life should be performed as an offering. It teaches me to accept every situation that arises in my personal daily life, and it strengthens the belief that Shri Guru resides within every individual. Through this, the teaching of seeing the divine in one another is effortlessly put into practice.

Pune, India

For me, guruseva is one of the most mysterious of Siddha Yoga practices! While I offer my energy, my time, my skill for whatever the task is, there is also some mystical ingredient that gets activated that regularly surprises me. I cannot always draw a line between my actions and what is refined or improved within me—but there is something—some glimmer, some potency that always arises in response to offering guruseva. Often, it is an inner recognition: an upsurge of patience in a moment of reactivity, an evenness of mind, a generous impulse.

This is not an ordinary equation or transaction. Rather, it is a full offering and a full receiving, an abundance of love and grace received from the Guru that is never-ending. My relationship with Shri Guru is strengthened exponentially when I venerate the Guru through offering guruseva.

Massachusetts, United States

During the 1990s, I offered guruseva in the kitchen at the Siddha Yoga Ashram in Oakland. On weekends, there were usually two cooks, and the ingredients were prepped before the cooks arrived.

One Saturday, there was just one cook—me!—and none of the ingredients for the meal had been prepped.

I prayed for grace and began to gather ingredients for a familiar meal.

Sevites began drifting in, sorting and chopping vegetables. I commenced cooking, but “I” certainly wasn’t the one who cooked. Everyone and everything I needed appeared, the timing was flawless, and a precious vegetarian meal was prepared.

Afterward, a young man told me he had never seen anything like the concentration and flow of energy that had occurred. I never doubted myself nor did I waver from what needed to be done. I experienced that the Guru’s grace was amazing; it completely supported what needed to be done. This was an experience I will never forget. For me it illustrates how transformative guruseva has been to my sadhana.

California, United States

I feel I’m only beginning to scratch the surface of the immensity of guruseva in my life.

For many years I offered guruseva in Siddha Yoga Ashrams and experienced the Guru’s joy and lightheartedness in my own being. Sometimes the experience of joy did not occur until after my offering of seva was complete. Looking back, I see how, through this practice of guruseva, I uncovered the experience of aligning with the Guru’s energy in my own body.

Warrnambool, Australia

When I offer seva with love and surrender, it fills my heart with immense gratitude. In those moments, I experience oneness.

For me, offering seva is a sacred opportunity to remain connected with my Shri Guru’s love and teachings. As I offer seva, I often experience that the feeling of “I am serving” gradually dissolves, and I experience bliss, love, and grace.

Pune, India