समय के समक्ष
In the Presence of Time
~ Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
For me, “the mellifluous ring of time” refers to the pleasant sound I have heard since childhood—a sound I can hear only if I am very quiet.
I associate it with the starry sky I used to see more of as a child. Sometimes, after going to the movies with my family, we would arrive back home after dark and stand in our courtyard to look up and admire the vast, starry sky. In that darkness, we would be awed by the stars of the Milky Way. During such silence, I might hear the nada, “the mellifluous ring of time.”
Now, if I stop to listen to this continuous sound, I feel an even deeper calm and awe, with God as my own awareness.
Georgia, United States
When I read “The mellifluous ring of time,” I was curious about the etymology of the adjective mellifluous. I discovered it was from the Latin noun mel meaning “honey” and the verb fluere meaning “to flow.” Thus, mellifluous combines these two elements to represent something smoothly flowing like honey, or sweetly sounding—in reference to the sound of music.
My first response was to marvel at the beautiful, liquid gold of honey itself. Next I appreciated its maker, the marvelous bee, a priceless pollinator. Praise be to the bee!
As I turned within, I visualized a golden river of honey flowing around a group of Siddha Yoga musicians. As they chanted, the golden liquid entered subtly into each one’s sushumna nadi, their central energy channel. The music soared to new heights of sweet perfection. Soon the distinction between the river, the musicians, and their music blurred. In a divine instant, all that remained was a golden hue and the sweet pulsation of “the mellifluous ring of time” resonating throughout all eternity.
New York, United States
To call time “mellifluous” is to hear the divine in the drip of moments. Using this word suggests to me that existence is neither a dirge nor a discord, but rather a hive in which seconds of time are distilled into something golden—a sweetness that outlives the sting of endings. The ring closes, but the hum remains: pure honey.
Mexico City, Mexico
Upon reading these words, I recalled that time is expressed through vibration; there is no time without vibration, and there is no vibration which can take place outside of time. I believe that the state of our heart determines the nature of the vibration (or sound) that we experience. The quality of feeling in a moment of time is a reflection of the vibration we are experiencing at that moment, often so subtle and beyond words.
When my heart is sweet and open, I experience time as having a mellifluous vibration. And the miracle of that mellifluous vibration is that it is experienced by others who come into contact with me. I know this through the unexpectedly sweet responses I receive from others by merely being in their presence. That is often how I become aware of my own inner state and of my sweet connection to the Guru.
New York, United States
Today I got up early to experience the morning in the forest. It was a divine experience, and the beauty and harmony I was able to experience filled me with deep gratitude and joy.
I experienced “the mellifluous ring of time” through the joyful chirping of the birds and the deep silence of the pure atmosphere of the forest.
Konolfingen, Switzerland