श्रीगुरु-उपासना
Veneration of Shri Guru
Audio recording by Ami Bansal
I experience the sweetness of “devotion to Shri Guru” when I become absorbed in the inner experience of the Guru, in guru-bhava. I have just returned from a seva visit to Shree Muktananda Ashram. The joy of immersing myself in the Guru’s practices and the longing to always live in the experience of the Guru’s love continue to foster the feeling of devotion in me now that I am back at home.
Milano, Italy
For me, shri guru bhakti sometimes rises up on its own, straight from my heart. At other times, I experience it when I consciously invite Shri Guru’s presence into my awareness. Whenever I feel dry or want to shift my inner state, I consciously visualize Gurumayi ji, and within just a few minutes, my heart begins to overflow with love and devotion.
Today, while listening to the first and second “Veneration of the Guru,” I felt so clearly how closely connected these two factors are—“darshan of Shri Guru” and “devotion to Shri Guru.” I experience that one naturally awakens the other. What a beautiful way to invite devotion in and to taste its sweetness in the heart.
Thane, India
It is wonderful to have the opportunity to bathe daily in a different aspect of Shri Guru. Today, I am experiencing a deeper sense of knowing what “devotion to Shri Guru” means for me. It is imbibing and following the Guru’s teachings. It is offering seva and dakshina to express, in a tangible way, my “devotion to Shri Guru,” and to experience the purity and fullness of the inner Guru. It is dedicating my life to service to the Guru, and to studying, practicing, assimilating, and implementing Shri Guru’s teachings in my daily life.
Sydney, Australia
When I meditate on the form of my Shri Guru, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, I try to anchor my awareness in her voice, her words, her laughter, and her gestures. As I do this, shri guru bhakti naturally wells up within me. I feel filled with the sparkling energy of Shri Guru.
Sydney, Australia
I am filled with enthusiasm for my “devotion to Shri Guru” because I know that there I will find the necessary resources to navigate this life with dignity.
Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, Argentina
As I hear this exquisite Sanskrit phrase read aloud, I visualize the photograph of Gurumayi I keep in my car. In this image, I feel she is smiling at me with such enthusiasm that it has left an imprint in my mind. Whenever I recall this image, I am filled with a surge of bliss. For me, pausing throughout my day to experience this darshan evokes my “devotion to Shri Guru.”
Quebec, Canada