Renewing Your Inner and Outer Landscape

After contemplating this teaching, I think that maybe I should stop naming things solely from the perspective of my mind. Instead, I can try to approach things from a fresh point of view, one born of pure, thought-free awareness. So, I will attempt to experience something before I name it. Staying in a space of inner silence, I will listen for the name that is being whispered within.
 

Massachusetts, United States

Pune, India

This teaching from Gurumayi brought about a lovely shift in my life. I was very sad about the departure of my beloved brother, although I was very grateful for the way he had passed. Those two feelings seemed to be competing within my mind. After reading Gurumayi’s teaching, I was able to reframe his passing, and I experienced tranquility and gratitude.
 

Colima, Mexico

I had been thinking that the career transition I’ve been going through for the past several years felt like a mistake—something that was happening because I hadn’t been able to see clearly enough to find the right course earlier in my life. Yet after reading Gurumayi’s teaching today, I decided to look at the process afresh. As I did so, I realized that, in reality, the transition truly is a gift, one that is giving me the ability to discover a deeper part of myself and align my career to it. From this perspective, it’s not simply a career transition, but a fresh beginning.
 

California, United States

In God’s Presence
 
My Lord, 
How will I come to know you, to see you, to love you?
In the darkness of the night,
when all light has faded?
In the brightness of the day,
when shadows have dissipated?
 
In the contraction of my mind,
where my clarity is jaded?
In the sweetness of my heart,
when my spirit has elevated?
 
 
Or looking deeply into
The symmetry of a fragrant red rose?
Or being awestruck by
The nightingale’s soulful, tender tones?
 
 
Maybe listening to the tales of sorrow 
of a long-lost friend now returned?
Or being immersed in the joy and delight
of my son’s profound insight?
 
Perhaps, my Lord, 
I will come to fully 
know, see, and, love you
When the silence resounds
in the still, empty throb 
of infinity.
 

Fitzroy North, Australia

A few days ago I applied Gurumayi's teaching of “renaming” to my meditation practice. I have often found it difficult to meditate and wondered how renaming might change things.

At the start of meditation these words came quickly to mind: “Meditation is to enter into the silence of God.” A little later these words came: “Meditation is to enter into the peace of the Guru.” Toward the end of my meditation, these words arose: “Meditation is to enter the Heart of the Guru.” I was then bathed in a state of tranquility, accompanied by the sound of OM. I was unperturbed by thoughts. What a blessing!

As the days went by, I continued this approach of renaming my meditation practice. Now, each day I sit on my asana and enter meditation by repeating these words to myself: “I enter the silence of God, I enter the peace of the Guru, I enter the Heart of my Guru.” And I go into meditation! I am so grateful.
 

Crozon, France

Gurumayi asks, “What words will you use? What imagery will flow from your pen?”

Love. Happiness. Gratefulness. I see butterflies flying with different words on their back. “Happy” written on a feather. “Love” written on a feather. “Grateful” written on a feather. 
 

a six-year-old from New York, United States

As I’ve studied this teaching from Gurumayi, I’ve come to realize that there have been a set of subtle, yet powerful, undermining messages that I’ve been sending to myself unconsciously over the years. These, in turn, have helped to create a series of negative inner habits that have impeded the progress of my sadhana.

In the process of reclaiming and renaming, I felt inspired to speak out loud to myself in a positive way. I am amazed at the results this has brought. Doing this has allowed me to hear my own feelings and thoughts in a fresh way and, in the process, begin to silence my judgmental inner critic. It has brought about a new level of self-discovery and self-acceptance. This practice has made me even more inspired to know who I truly am.
 

New York, United States

I have been thinking about how I can fully understand and apply Gurumayi’s teachings in “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving….” Then recently, during meditation, I became aware of a familiar sense of deep fear that seems to have been with me throughout my life. Although in the past I have worked to overcome it in so many ways, still it had remained.

On this day, though, I suddenly heard my inner voice say of this fear: “It’s a habit.” That simple act of identification changed my perception of this emotion. In fact, it now felt separate from me, from my Self. I understood that a habit is something I have the power to change. I look forward to changing this habit and replacing it with a new way of being, one where I feel grounded, safe, and full of well-being.
 

Washington, United States

Recently, I had been experiencing some challenges at work. One day, I decided to try to make the situation better by applying what I had learned from contemplating Gurumayi’s teaching. So, I started to rename some of my thoughts. For example, I replaced, “I’m worried,” with, “You’ve got this.” In this way, I set about renaming my inner narrative. I also created an intention that specified exactly what I wished for the workday to bring. As I aligned my inner posture with this intention, I soon began to feel a greater level of confidence and humility. I also felt more open toward my co-workers and toward what the day would bring. Then, the outer world seemed to mirror my inner experience—clients appeared satisfied, a co-worker spontaneously gave me a heartfelt gift, and an ill colleague shared that my messages bring peace to her heart. By putting into practice what I learned from Gurumayi’s teaching, I have begun to feel the presence of God so strongly in my daily life. 
 

California, United States

As I read and reread Gurumayi’s teaching on “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving…,” the energy of its content seemed to invite me to revisit my shaktipat experience. When I received shaktipat, I wrote about this new awe-filled experience in my journal, describing it in simple words. Over the years since then, I have often pondered my journal description as a way to treasure this most precious and auspicious gift from my beloved Gurumayi.

However, Gurumayi’s teaching encouraged me to relive my shaktipat experience from a new perspective. So, with eyes closed and a calm mind, I used new, power-filled adjectives to describe my memories of my initiation. As I did this, it felt as though my shaktipat experience was reborn. Contemplating and assimilating this shift in my perspective, I felt renewed. Gratitude permeated my being and filled me with bliss.
 

Nairobi, Kenya

Recently, I asked my wife if we could change our usual habit of watching television after dinner and instead spend time chanting, meditating, and studying the Siddha Yoga teachings. She immediately agreed, and we happily spent the evening engaged in spiritual practices. Later that night, when I lay down to sleep, a crimson flame appeared in my field of vision. It had distinct tongues of flame that glowed softly in a fanlike pattern.

Something deep within me seemed to connect with the essence of this flame, and my heart filled with a soft but powerful joy. After this vision disappeared, the joy in my heart continued to grow. I recognized just how much I love and appreciate my wife and how precious this love is. I also felt that the Guru’s love imbues every action that I take in my life. I believe that our effort to turn movie nights into devotional nights has opened a new channel of love and connection to the Guru. We have reclaimed the sanctity of our evenings, and I have connected with what Gurumayi calls the “divinity emitting its mesmerizing light.”
 

Vancouver, Canada

I feel tremendous gratitude as I read this teaching by Gurumayi, both for the grace that led to my own recent experience of reclamation and for Gurumayi’s encouragement to explore and give words to it.

I particularly loved Gurumayi’s references to Vedanta, since my reclamation has been all about a daily practice of simply being aware that I am. This means observing more and more clearly the difference between who I truly am, the Self, and the thoughts and sensations that belong to the mind and body.

This experience has been exactly as Gurumayi describes: “It brings a kind of freshness to that which you have possessed all along.” I feel as excited to continue my sadhana as I did thirty years ago when I first received shaktipat!

I have just begun to write down my new understanding, and I’m very much looking forward to finding the words and imagery to do it justice—perhaps a poem or song!
 

Brech, France

Gurumayi’s teaching inspired me to reflect on how to rename my new relationship with my divinity, Shri Kundalini Shakti. In the last few months, I have experienced her as vibrating love and a silky, quiet presence. During meditation, I have practiced tuning into my own vibration. In doing so, I have discovered I can open my arms to the Self, feel its embrace, and stay in its infinite, quiet, silky space. I feel so grateful for these quiet and deep meditations.
 

Plougonvelin, France

This teaching was very timely for me as I have recently had the experience of reclaiming a new meaning of my name. Part of my name means “to receive the best.”

I recently participated in a Pilgrimage to the Heart retreat in Gurudev Siddha Peeth. In that beautiful environment, I experienced that all living beings and inanimate things were enjoying the blessings of nature— receiving the best. At that moment, I understood that the meaning of my name was the same.

 I felt infinite gratitude to all the people I have met in my life, to my parents, to my family, and to Gurumayi for bringing me to this realization. I understood that the meaning of my name was the meaning of my life.
 

Tokyo, Japan

For me, the Guru’s teachings are a constant source of guidance, and they always come at the perfect time. Recently I came home from work with a heavy heart. As I read Gurumayi’s teaching, I saw the exact description of myself, trapped in the darkness of my own perception, deceived by my own wrong understanding and fear.

I experienced a current of blessings, and everything I was holding onto that was causing pain and frustration just evaporated. It felt like a white dove of peace had flown to me, bringing with her the promise of new perception and freedom.

I started to explore this beautiful journey of “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving…” I sat in meditation and connected to the great inner life breathing within me at all times. I am very eager to continue recollecting the variety of words and perceptions, to open up to the gift of Gurumayi’s invitation.
 

Milan, Italy

Gurumayi’s teaching guided me toward what needs to be reclaimed in my sadhana: the relationship between my individual self and my higher Self. Over the years, I have observed that sometimes there can be confusion and misunderstanding in my interactions with others. I understood that some of my character traits needed to mature in order to heal my connections with the world around me.

While focusing my efforts on improving these traits, I’ve also remembered to appreciate my strengths, which have led to valuable achievements in my life. Gurumayi's guidance to reconceive reminded me that my higher Self includes all of my traits. I don’t have to be perfect, as long as I move in the direction of growth and maturity. Gurumayi’s teaching guides me to build the solid foundation of what I would name an “authentically whole human being.”

 

California, United States

My friend and I met to study this new teaching from Gurumayi. We took turns reading it aloud, journaled about what stood out for us, and then shared our experiences.

I was immediately drawn to Gurumayi’s teaching that “...perceived limitations become self-fulfilling prophecies. They stymie progress.” I focused on a specific challenge I’d been experiencing and wrote a list of the narratives I was creating. Then I went back and renamed each narrative.

“I don’t have other options” became “the right opportunities come to me at the right time.” “I’m unlikeable” became “many, many people appreciate me and what I offer.” “This has happened to me so many times before” became “it might seem like this is the same, but it’s not exactly the same, and I am approaching it differently; I’m always acquiring new skills and perspectives.”

I noticed that the new narratives seemed true and aligned with grace. I had the experience that, in the renaming, I was reclaiming my own sense of worth and faith in God’s presence in my life.
 

California, United States

Gurumayi’s teaching has once again shaken me up and inspired me to become more precise in my self-awareness and more attentive to my experiences on the Siddha Yoga path.
 
A few days ago, while working in my garden, I suddenly perceived that everything was clearer and full of light. I was peaceful and deep in my heart, and I felt warmth in my chest. I was connected to the Self within. But after a while my mind started rebelling. I was convinced that I could no longer hold this state and catapulted myself out of it.
 
Later I read Gurumayi’s teachings again. I realized this had been a spontaneous experience of Oneness—a gift of grace.
 
My intention is to release old conditioning and reclaim my worthiness and ability to hold my connection to the Self. I will become more conscious of the times I interrupt this connection through my thoughts. I will develop more gratitude for having these deep experiences.
 

Gottmadingen, Germany

I have been pondering the words “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving…” for several days, not certain if I was understanding them and unsure of how to implement them. This morning I asked myself: what is the most effective shift I could make to awaken my heart and clear away the cobwebs that have been clouding my mind?
 
I realized I’d been unconsciously still operating on an old conditioning, thinking of God as Father, judge, and disciplinarian. This morning the Goddess appeared and it was glorious! I experienced her as the beloved of Lord Shiva, and I felt their great love at the root of all creation. I glimpsed them spinning out this marvelous universe as the great play of their love—so far from the dry limits I’d been imposing!  
 
This is only the beginning, but I am ready to listen and open to the new perspectives I know the Goddess will reveal. Together we’ll rename and reconceive all the subtle layers of my misunderstanding.  
 

Washington, United States

I have read this teaching several times. The first few times, my perceived limitations were at the forefront, telling me: “I do not understand it” and “compared to others who write so eloquently, I still have a long way to go.”

As days went by and I kept reading the teaching and the shares, I understood a little bit more. I discovered that I was taking for granted the peace and tranquility I often experience when I meditate. I had forgotten how my mind and my relationship with my mind have changed through the years since I started following the Siddha Yoga path.

I want to always remind myself that I am so fortunate to be on this path and that my goal is to experience divinity. I know that with Gurumayi’s grace and guidance I will continue to put forth self-effort toward this goal, no matter the challenges in my life.
 

Willemstad, Curacao

After reading Gurumayi’s teaching, I longed to find a way to rename and refresh my experience of the inner Self. Realizing I could not approach this solely with my mind, I decided to “be open to grace” and notice what might arise.

A day or so later, as my mind quieted at the end of a demanding day, these words arose unexpectedly from within: “You are the part of me that knows.” With the words came a feeling of deep recognition and reassurance.

I reflected on the understanding that within me is the source of all knowledge—the Knower. I had not used the word Knower before to describe my experience of the Self! 

With excitement, I remembered Baba Muktananda’s teachings on the Knower. As I reread Baba’s teachings, they felt more meaningful to me, and delightfully new.
 

Havant, United Kingdom

Gurumayi’s teachings have brought me to a whole new level of understanding about myself. I asked myself: Who exists within me? Is it God and me? Who is this “me”?

When I thought about it, I realized that only one exists within me, and that one is pure Consciousness, which has the form of light and love. Everything else is just layers of words that I say or think about myself.

Whenever I become aware of pure Consciousness, a feeling of happiness arises in me. It seems as if all the happiness on this earth arises when I become aware of my true Self. I always want to remember who I really am, and this is why I meditate every day and study the teachings of the Siddhas.
 

Konolfingen, Switzerland

Gurumayi’s words stretch me to expand my understanding. I was particularly awed by “all these perceived limitations become self-fulfilling prophecies,” because yesterday I was pondering how I limit myself by subconsciously holding on to old concepts. Now, I feel inspired to see how I can reclaim, rename, and reconceive these observations into words that will be more uplifting and transformative for me.
 

Connecticut, United States

I am grateful to Gurumayi for rejuvenating how I see and experience my life and the world around me. What had I taken for granted? My breath. What is the breath? I’ll rename it spanda. My breath is the holy pulse of love, of consciousness, of creation, of the Guru. If I reconceive this life-giving force and tell myself exactly what it is I am inhaling, perhaps my ego will subside and divine light will shine through me.
 

New Hampshire, United States

Gurumayi’s teachings about “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving…” spoke to me as if they had been written just for me!
I have been going through a metamorphosis recently. As I rename the narrative of my life, of who I am and who I want to be—mostly on the professional front—I am reclaiming, in all its truth, who I truly am.

A couple of weeks ago, I was working through something, and, on reflection, a new outlook emerged—“Have a beginner’s mind.” I hadn’t thought about this in terms of renaming, but that’s essentially what I did. And I truly experienced Gurumayi’s words, “It can be immensely beneficial to engage in such an act of renaming. It keeps you curious, alert, and invested in returning to your own essence. It brings a kind of freshness to that which you have possessed all along.” It does, indeed!
 

New Jersey, United States

Reading Gurumayi's words in “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving…,” I am reminded of how important it is to bring a sense of newness to sadhana. One way I do this in regard to Gurumayi's Message for the year is to look up key words from the Message in a thesaurus and then rewrite the Message using the new words. When I do this, I find that I understand the Message from a different perspective and, consequently, I gain new insights.
 

London, United Kingdom

I’ve been holding Gurumayi’s teaching “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving. . .” close to my heart to see what insights may emerge to inform my sadhana right now. Today I realized I want to reclaim my longing to know God.
 
I am grateful for how content I feel in my life. Yet when I look at myself closely, I see a certain passivity, a sense of satiation that implies being done. This teaching from Gurumayi is prompting me to step outside my comfort zone so that I can experience true contentment—the full experience of the Self.

I want to reclaim my early days of sadhana, when I was hungry for the whole Truth. Reconceiving my meditation, I will let go of complacency to see what grace has in store for me.
 

Michigan, United States

A few days ago, I gave a talk to a large group of people. There was laughter; there were tears—the energy in the room was palpable. I felt great about the talk. But afterward, as I watched a video of this talk, my lifelong nemesis, my inner critic, raised its ugly head. It chirped on and on: I was inarticulate, I was too informal, and so on.

Reading the words “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving…,” I knew this was the compass I needed to navigate my uncomfortable feelings. I read Gurumayi’s teaching with a beating heart. My feelings began to ease as I reached the last paragraph and read, “When you notice your divinity emitting its mesmerizing light, how will you keep your inner critic at bay and remain undaunted?” I’ve decided that I’m “reclaiming” the awareness that my inner state is rooted in the Self. I’m “renaming” this experience as a “lesson.” And I’m “reconceiving” myself as imperfect yet striving to do my best.
 

California, United States

When I read Gurumayi’s teaching “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving…” for the first time, the final paragraph particularly inspired me. It occurred to me, if I can simply take a pen in hand and create my own universe, what sets me apart from God?

This evening, I read the text aloud with some other Siddha Yoga students. Later, as I recorded my reflections in my diary, I realized that I was truly writing—or creating!—my own life. I often feel uncomfortable reading aloud, no matter how much encouragement I receive from others who enjoy listening to me. I worry about making a mistake—and then a mistake happens. So, I wondered, how it would be if I did the opposite—if I said, “I can do it”? Then I would be creating my own universe in which I see myself as I truly am. Then I would be connected with my divinity.
 

Obing, Germany

Recently, during a Siddha Yoga Sadhana Circle, our group studied and contemplated how to put Gurumayi’s profound and thought-provoking teaching into practice. In my case, I made a mental note to take more time to journal and explore the experiences that may arise during meditation.  

This morning in meditation, I had a vision of an unusually large and beautiful orange butterfly that danced dazzlingly in my awareness for a while. Afterward, I contemplated the qualities of butterflies, such as lightness, joy, and freedom, and pondered what message this experience was giving to me. As I did so, I recalled that I had committed to participate in the Siddha Yoga Sadhana Circle on a weekly basis in order to enhance my progress in sadhana. Upon further reflection, the image of the butterfly seemed to be a sign from my Self that I am moving in a positive direction. I feel that this meditation experience is telling me that studying the Guru’s teachings more frequently is likely to bring freedom, lightness of being, and joy.
 

Burnaby, Canada

When I first read Gurumayi’s teaching, I wasn’t sure that I was completely understanding it. But I then re-read it twice more, reminding myself that the Guru’s words transcend intellectual realms and contain a deeper level of meaning. Later on, when I was meditating, a realization suddenly arose within me that I can start renaming strong emotions and challenges as gifts from the purifying force of grace. I have begun to do that and, as a result, I already feel a greater connection to my own inner power.
 

Mexico City, Mexico

For me, the bliss of each moment is free from the worries of the past. It provides a unique perspective from which a new narrative of the past can emerge, a grander history forged from a moment of bliss.
 

New York, United States

I have been going through a period of extreme negativity. But when I read Gurumayi’s words, I could feel the light wanting to break through. My focus seemed to become clearer, and I felt I was rising above what I have been experiencing. Now I wish and intend to reclaim this uplifted feeling more and more.
 

Massachusetts, United States

Just as spring begins, this teaching arrives to remind me that the Self is constantly being renewed. Gurumayi’s words, “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving,” represent for me a cambium—the generating cell of trees. They inspire me to root my existence in the magnificence of the Self.

By doing simple things, like performing tasks or exercises at a more convenient time and in a better way, I can create a feeling of newness and help my soul to rejoice. This sense of newness, in turn, can enable me to see others in a refreshed way and avoid falling into bland and uninspiring routines.

Recently, I bought new candles with flames that burn brightly and beautifully. They produce a warm atmosphere in which I am drawn to settle into the depths of my soul.
 

Rodez, France

This morning, as I read this inspiring teaching from Gurumayi, I felt as if I had been sleeping and that these words were encouraging and helping me to wake up. I feel Gurumayi is exhorting me to become free from being stuck in my own way of viewing the world. This guidance is of crucial importance in this particular moment of my personal and spiritual life. It is so uplifting for me to feel that Gurumayi is giving me so many tools to navigate my life in the best way.
 

Rome, Italy

I feel heartfelt gratitude for this potent teaching from Gurumayi. As a physician-author who is currently writing a book about healing, I have realized that the meaning of many profound words—such as love, freedom, and happiness—needs to be refreshed for me. I am committed to being open so that I will contemplate Gurumayi’s ever-fresh words and allow them to help me illuminate my manuscript and each moment of my life.
 

Florida, United States

Gurumayi’s teaching rings so true for me. Changing my point of view and modifying how I approach my spiritual practices—such as the way I meditate, or the way I focus on and feel the mantra when I chant—can often allow me to perceive that I am already That. Doing this creates new enthusiasm for my sadhana. It gives me a renewed impetus to discover more about the Truth.
 

Magalas, France

As I read Gurumayi’s powerful teaching, it brought to mind a recent experience. Last week, a friend asked me to define the Self. Before responding, I paused and focused on the energy in my heart. The answer that then emerged was that, for me, the Self is God that dwells within.

Ever since then, I have been contemplating my answer. As a result, my experience of the Self has shifted. Before, the concept of the Self had felt very abstract to me. However, as I have contemplated further the notion that the Self is God that dwells within, I have begun to experience it tangibly. Specifically, I have begun to feel a concentration of shakti in my being, which emanates from my heart chakra and spreads outward through my entire subtle body. Focusing on that feeling, I have begun to realize that that is who I truly am. So, instead of being identified with my thoughts, my sense of who I am is now becoming connected to that pure feeling of shakti.
 

Pennsylvania, United States

When I read Gurumayi’s teaching on “Reclaiming, Renaming, Reconceiving...,” the beautiful words immediately rang a bell for me. I realized how very true it is that sometimes a new naming revitalizes my understanding of a concept that I thought I already knew and understood.

Every year in the springtime, the huge, two-hundred-year-old horse chestnut tree in my garden gets ever-new blossoms, although it is always the same tree. I am so grateful to Gurumayi for this amazing teaching that makes me feel renewed, blossoming with new blooms, even though I am still the same person.
 

Marval, France

Upon reading and contemplating Gurumayi’s teaching, I recalled an incident in which someone suggested that I write a love letter to myself. I subsequently did so, but decided to write the love letter to my higher Self. Doing this led me to reflect upon what my relationship has been to my own Self throughout the years of my spiritual path. I also remembered when someone recently asked me if I still meditate. I responded right away in the affirmative. Then later, this question inspired me to explore my understanding of my relationship to my Self and my Guru from a deeper perspective.
 
Gurumayi’s teaching is inspiring me to try to find another level of contemplation and articulation of Siddha Yoga concepts and teachings. I am discovering that there are always new insights and unfolding expressions of love and gratitude that emanate from my own multilayered and exquisitely divine inner territory. By “reclaiming, renaming, reconceiving” these experiences, I can find renewed enthusiasm for my sadhana.
 

New York, New York