As the year draws to a close, the sevites in the SYDA Foundation have followed Gurumayi’s guidance to engage in the Siddha Yoga practices of reflection and assimilation, by participating in a satsang to review the sevaaccomplishments and milestones in the SYDA Foundation in 2012. The global Siddha Yoga sangham has been experiencing the fruits of these achievements by receiving the Siddha Yoga Gurus’ teachings on the Siddha Yoga path website on an almost daily basis this year.

It has been a wondrous year…Read more that has led to a deeper understanding of what seva is as well as a clearer understanding of each seva position, the purpose of each department, and how each department can function optimally. The sevites have also developed greater skills and more efficient procedures to better utilize the support of Siddha Yogis all over the world. Sevites have found improved means for communicating about the work of the SYDA Foundation to the global Siddha Yoga sangham.

The SYDA Foundation trustees and the managers have completely supported the sevites in exploring better ways to get the work done in the SYDA Foundation. They have demonstrated their support through their generosity and their willingness to be present with whatever was needed for sevites to fulfill the core purpose of the SYDA Foundation: to protect, preserve, and facilitate the dissemination of the Siddha Yoga teachings. Their commitment to Gurumayi’s work has made it possible for the sevites in the SYDA Foundation to achieve the Foundation’s goals for 2012.

Early this year, in a satsang, Gurumayi inspired the sevites in the SYDA Foundation by giving a name to the year 2012: the Year of Putting into Practice. Gurumayi gave a talk, explaining what this name means for the sevites in the SYDA Foundation. At the end of Gurumayi’s wonderful talk, which was filled with guidance for seva, Gurumayi said, “YOPIP!” We, the sevites, felt as if a golden seed had been planted in our beings. In that moment, we knew—this was not going to be like any other year!

No sooner had this satsang concluded than some of us went straight to our offices, wrote YOPIP on cards and notes, and placed them on our computers, desks, and walls. Some of us made it a daily practice to begin seva by exclaiming “YOPIP!” and each time we did, we felt a rush of productive energy to bring to the tasks at hand.

On December 28, 2012, a reflection satsang was held in Shri Nilaya hall to review the seva accomplishments and milestones in the SYDA Foundation in 2012. Denise Thomas, the SYDA Foundation Website Department head, and Asa Siegel, Community Relations spokesperson, conducted this satsang. They had requested everyone to arrive wearing their YOPIP T-shirts; and those who did not have YOPIP T-shirts were asked to wear a brightly-colored shirt or shawl.

We are very eager to share with you about how these YOPIP T-shirts came about—especially since many of us have been wearing them regularly for a while (some of us almost every other day ). After Gurumayi gave the guidance about YOPIP early in the year, she requested a sevite to create something to serve as a tangible reminder for all the sevites in the SYDA Foundation, so they would maintain the sense of purpose that was generated when they first heard that 2012 is YOPIP. However it wasn’t until July that two visiting sevites heard about Gurumayi’s request and immediately took it to heart. They made a proposal for designing a T-shirt with the acronym YOPIP and the qualities and virtues that have been taught on the Siddha Yoga path. They created one beautiful YOPIP design for adults, and another for children.

An SYDA Foundation staff meeting was held on August 28 to inaugurate a group of young, vibrant, and newly-trained department heads, and it was during the celebration of this milestone that sevites received Gurumayi’s prasad of YOPIP T-shirts. Earlier in the year, when we had first heard Gurumayi give the guidance that 2012 would be the Year of Putting into Practice, we were so enthused about offering seva and developing efficient systems and procedures in the SYDA Foundation. Now, holding in our hands this tangible form of Gurumayi’s guidance—the YOPIP T-shirts—we felt our dedication to serve the Siddha Yoga path shift into an even higher gear.

With great joy we wore these T-shirts to the reflection satsang on December 28. This satsang included group discussions to share how we have applied what we’ve learned during this Year of Putting into Practice, and what specific actions we have taken to better contribute to the work of our departments, and to the Foundation as a whole. We relived all the months of 2012, the great and small accomplishments, and the moments of incredible joy performing the Siddha Yoga practices, which give clarity to our minds and unity of purpose to our hearts.

After a very exciting and animated discussion and sharing session about YOPIP, for an hour and twenty-five minutes, the satsang host led us into the Siddha Yoga practice of meditation. We felt as though everything we had heard and shared was for this moment: to experience God within. A profound stillness enveloped Shri Nilaya hall. The entire hall vibrated with the sevites’ intention to serve and to experience the Truth in our own hearts.

During this satsang, another satsang was taking place in Sarang. The Taruna Poshana Department, which oversees Siddha Yoga teaching and learning events for children, young adults, and families, held a YOPIP satsang for the young children whose families are visiting Shree Muktananda Ashram to offer seva. The children had a blast learning about YOPIP and physicalizing the acronym. As the reflection satsang was coming to a conclusion, the children joined us in Shri Nilaya, and together we all sang the arati, Jyota se Jyota Jagao, with our hearts soaring in gratitude.

The satsang host invited us to enjoy a delicious lunch in the Annapurna Dining Hall. Having followed Gurumayi’s guidance and reflected on the seva accomplishments of 2012 in the satsang, when we went for lunch, we had a renewed appreciation for the sevites who had worked so hard, and who work hard every day, to prepare such beautiful, delicious, nutritious meals—feasts for the eyes, feasts for the stomach, and feasts for the soul. This day felt like Thanksgiving Day in its truest form!

The reflection satsang had reignited everyone’s memories of the first golden seed of YOPIP, and the sharings had demonstrated how that golden seed had taken root, sprouted, and grown into a magnificent, blossoming tree. Through this reflection satsang, we experienced the intent of Gurumayi’s guidance for the Year of Putting into Practice: to enliven in us this teaching from one of the Siddha Yoga Messages,
“Enter the Heart, the Divine Splendor.”

Thank you, Gurumayi, for showing us the way.

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