“Is it possible for you to adjust your afternoon time? I wish to go to Wadala today, and I will come late,” I asked Shital in the morning. Shital cooks my meals and helps with some household work. She comes 2 times.
“At what time do you want me to come?” She replied hesitantly.
“No, it’s okay. I will go some other day,” Sensing her hesitation, I cancelled my plan.
I’ve had ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ for over 5 years. If I’m not mistaken, I purchased it after finishing ‘Living with the Himalayan Masters’ by Swami Rama. In these 5+ years, I’ve tried to read this book 2-3 times, but no luck.
The excuses I gave to myself for not finishing this book were:
“Oh, the language is complicated.”
“Letters are small.”
“It’s too big,” etc. These excuses are pointless because in my school days, I finished similar types of spiritual books.
Just a couple of weeks back, in this weekend post, I had mentioned that I wanted to spend more time in meditation. To my surprise, I was directed to “Autobiography of a Yogi”. This book highlights the importance of meditation.
Nowadays, it’s happening to me frequently… Suddenly, my eyes become watery, and I start crying. I cry not because I am unhappy, sad, or anything like that… The reason is I feel the absence of a Guru in my life.
A true guru is the one who loves their disciple unconditionally. In the same book, it’s called “deathless love,” where Bajaji waited for the reincarnation of Shree Lahiri Mahasaya. The Guru-Disciple relationship stayed intact birth after birth.
Below is a small paragraph taken from ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ book – page no. 308. This paragraph highlights the Guru’s love for his shishya/disciple.
‘For more than three decades I have waited for you here-waited for you to return to me!’ Babaji’s voice rang with celestial love. ‘You slipped away and vanished into the tumultuous waves of the life beyond death. The magic wand of your karma touched you, and you were gone! Though you lost sight of me, never did I lose sight of you! I pursued you over the luminescent astral sea where the glorious angels sail. Through gloom, storm, upheaval, and light I followed you, like a mother bird guarding her young. As you lived out your human term of womb-life, and emerged a babe, my eye was ever on you. When you covered your tiny form in the lotus posture under the Nadia sands in your childhood, I was invisibly present! Patiently, month after month, year after year, I have watched over you, waiting for this perfect day. Now you are with me! Lo, here is your cave, loved of yore! I have kept it ever clean and ready for you. Here is your hallowed asana- blanket, where you daily sat to fill your expanding heart with God! Behold there your bowl, from which you often drank the nectar prepared by me! See how I have kept the brass cup brightly polished, that you might drink again therefrom! My own, do you now understand?’
A guru gives proper direction, helps to stay on the path, and assists in improving our spiritual journey.
I understand that I may or may not meet my guru in this lifetime. I also understand that it is not necessary to have a guru in physical form. I also understand that one can progress further in their spiritual journey through self-sadhana (practice).
However, one cannot deny the importance of having a guru. There are so many unanswered questions and coincidences happening in my life. Meditation will help with this, but the presence of a guru in life can be of great assistance.
Nowadays, I wish to visit temples, sacred places, and ashrams. These places have power to raise our vibrations.
Next month, I have a travel plan – Meherabad, Ahmednagar, for Meher Baba‘s Samadhi darshan.
I have no idea where this journey will take me, but what’s in my hands is to keep doing my Sadhana (spiritual practice) and practice surrender as much as I can. I will keep moving forward.
In the coming time, there are two things I wish to start again:
- Vile Parle library.
- Start visiting Ram – Hanuman mandir and Shri Dattatreya mandir in Vile Parle East.
Also, hopefully, I will be able to visit YSS Wadala, Mumbai.
One never knows where clues are hidden.
By reading spiritual books, one can feel peaceful. Just by visualizing great saints, one can become calm. Then imagine what level of peace one can feel in the presence of a great guru.
When we say we are alone, it’s our ignorance that speaks. We are never truly alone.
There is a whole non-physical world present. That is completely a different topic of discussion. However, we all can agree that there is someone, some higher power, responsible for this cycle of birth and death. That divine power is greater than everything.
Once we understand the importance of this divine energy, we strive to stay in touch with it using various tools: pooja, arati, prayer, meditation, japa, chanting, yoga asana, and more. The paths may be different, but same destination.
it’s funny to see myself crying for no reason. In my mind, it’s very clear, with or without a guru, I need to stay on this path.
Then I look in the mirror and say, “So stupid you are. Cry… cry all day if you want. Let’s see how much and how long you can cry.” Me talking to myself.
Most of these crying sessions last no more than 5-10 minutes.
Then by looking at my avatar, red watery eyes, red nose like a joker, I laugh at myself. Anyways things like this may happen and you can relate to this if you are on a spiritual journey.
This week, I did one more thing – I got a train pass. Wow, I will be traveling by train in Mumbai again. It will be fun. To avoid Mumbai traffic, it’s better to travel by train whenever possible.
last weekend was fun…… cooked some food in the middle of rice fields.
Are these posts becoming long?
Thank you for taking efforts to digest my silly jokes. Thank you for taking efforts to understand my broken english . 🤗
Your presense matters. We all are connected. Its 9.34 am in Mumbai, beautiful sunny Saturday morning. Before I get busy, let me wish you.
Have a wonderful weekend sweetheart.
Stay bless, stay happy. Always.
Much Love,
Arati
❤️
