समय के समक्ष
In the Presence of Time
~ Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
When I first read Gurumayi’s teaching “The sands of time,” the image of dunes came to my mind. I envisioned how sand dunes move and change, like life’s ever-changing circumstances. I continued to contemplate, and at the end of the day it dawned on me that, for me, “the sands of time” are like the sand in an hourglass. I thought about how time slips away like the sand that trickles down through the tiny hole—each grain symbolizing our personal time ticking by.
Yet the outer form of a classical hourglass traces the symbol of infinity, which is beautifully depicted in Gurumayi’s Message Artwork for her Message for 2025, “Make your time worth your time.”
So, inside the hourglass is my individual, limited time, trickling constantly. Yet, outside is everlasting time, the ever-present infinity of time.
Mexico City, Mexico
When I read “The sands of time,” I immediately think of ”the shifting sands of time,” a reference to the highly elusive and changeable aspects of both sand and time. A strong breeze can change the contour of a beach or a sandy place quickly and substantially. In the same way, I have seen that dramatic change in my outer circumstances can occur in a small amount of time, which may be unforeseen.
The Siddha Yoga practices help me to be anchored, resolute, and grounded in my inner Self, no matter what is happening on the outside in the shifting “sands of time.”
Pennsylvania, United States
For me “the sands of time” evokes the image of a solitary beach or a desert. I imagine them untouched, without footprints, representing the infinity of time with its incredible possibilities. In this image there are no samskaras—no traces of past impressions. Nothing disrupts the infinite beauty of this golden expanse. The only footprints I can see are the footprints left by the sublime feet of my beloved Shri Guru. I just have to follow them to reach the ultimate goal, while walking in my own unique, wonderful, inimitable way.
Bologna, Italy
I feel “the sands of time” drifting through my fingers as I try to capture and embrace every precious grain. I pray to hold onto each grain, though it might be present for only a golden moment and flow out of my hands like the river of life—never within my grasp—into God’s hands.
Nora, Sweden