समय के समक्ष
In the Presence of Time
~ Gurumayi Chidvilasananda

Contemplating this teaching, I asked myself, “What is the substratum—the underlying foundation—of time?” Immediately I remembered a vision I had during meditation in the early years of my sadhana. In the vision I saw Lord Shiva sitting majestically, looking straight at me. His compassionate eyes conveyed a penetrating intelligence filled with the power of his consciousness and unconditional love. I felt a shift occur as I gazed at him and suddenly realized that he was not breathing; in fact, there was no movement of any kind—yet he was so alive! Filled with wonder, I saw that Lord Shiva inhabited a dimension beyond time.
I have contemplated this vision many times, yet this teaching of Gurumayi’s helps me to understand it on a much deeper level. I now see that “the substratum of time”—time’s very foundation—is Lord Shiva’s dwelling place, the timelessness of pure, eternal Consciousness.
Georgia, United States
I’ve been contemplating “The substratum of time,” and what has unfolded for me is this:
The pure base of time is being present to love,
love as the pure source.
It’s what I hope and pray to fill every moment with.
When I look back in time,
what matters most are the moments of love.
This base, this foundation, is the source of connection:
with others, with myself, with Truth.
That deep, profound feeling
has always been love.
It is what has helped me when I have fallen apart.
For me, love is “the substratum of time.”
Nora, Sweden