"G" is for Guru.
This week, here in OZ, Emm and I shall be attending discourses sponsored by the Chinmaya Mission. The Head of Mission, Swami Swaroopananda will be here to give practical pointers. He is most erudite and Loving.
When I first went to CM Sannidhi, (seems like a lifetime ago!) it was in complete ignorance. Having been met at the door by the resident 'monk', he was introduced to me as Br. Gopal. ("G") He was my first 'guru'. The short translation is 'teacher'. This Sanskrit word actually means 'remover of darkness'. It is applied to those we might, in the Western tradition, call 'professor', but there are other dimensions to it.
The term is one of those which has been adopted rather loosely in business and other secular areas when referring to an expert in a given field, but this is not really appropriate, for a Guru most definitely has an ecclesiastical purpose as well as providing all secular knowledge to the shishya (disciple/student).
It was not until attending Sandeepany, however, that the full impact of what it is to surrender oneself to a Guru made itself clear to me.
Now, I didn't go blindly. There are many 'false gurus' out there, or that is to say, charlatans. Then there are those who are teaching what appears to be the same stuff, and many people gain benefit from their teachings, but there somehow lies a contradiction within them. It is so important that we have proof of living as preached.
I found this in the parampara of Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda. It lives through Gopal-ji (who is now in the orange robes as Sw. Shrikarananda), and in Swaroopananda-ji and in my own direct Guru, Sw. Advayananda, in whose presence I spent two and a half incredible years.
Why is surrender important, what does it even mean?
It boils down to having full faith, total trust, deep devotion, and bright belief that the philosophy of Vedanta can be made one's own if one can, just a little bit, drop the ego and permit a free-flowing channel of communication between oneself and the Guru. To have all those things in alignment... well, that's Glorious!
This week, here in OZ, Emm and I shall be attending discourses sponsored by the Chinmaya Mission. The Head of Mission, Swami Swaroopananda will be here to give practical pointers. He is most erudite and Loving.
When I first went to CM Sannidhi, (seems like a lifetime ago!) it was in complete ignorance. Having been met at the door by the resident 'monk', he was introduced to me as Br. Gopal. ("G") He was my first 'guru'. The short translation is 'teacher'. This Sanskrit word actually means 'remover of darkness'. It is applied to those we might, in the Western tradition, call 'professor', but there are other dimensions to it.
The term is one of those which has been adopted rather loosely in business and other secular areas when referring to an expert in a given field, but this is not really appropriate, for a Guru most definitely has an ecclesiastical purpose as well as providing all secular knowledge to the shishya (disciple/student).
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| Sw. Advayananda |
Now, I didn't go blindly. There are many 'false gurus' out there, or that is to say, charlatans. Then there are those who are teaching what appears to be the same stuff, and many people gain benefit from their teachings, but there somehow lies a contradiction within them. It is so important that we have proof of living as preached.
I found this in the parampara of Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda. It lives through Gopal-ji (who is now in the orange robes as Sw. Shrikarananda), and in Swaroopananda-ji and in my own direct Guru, Sw. Advayananda, in whose presence I spent two and a half incredible years.
Why is surrender important, what does it even mean?
It boils down to having full faith, total trust, deep devotion, and bright belief that the philosophy of Vedanta can be made one's own if one can, just a little bit, drop the ego and permit a free-flowing channel of communication between oneself and the Guru. To have all those things in alignment... well, that's Glorious!
🙏
YaYa....what a lovely post. I truly admire your commitment and devotion, they are an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteMay this week's Chinmaya Mission full of renewed fellowship.
Hugs HiC
that is glorious, yes!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post
ReplyDeletesounds like you are in the right place for you, enjoy and renew
ReplyDeleteImmerse and soak! Have a good time.
ReplyDeleteWow! Just wow!
ReplyDelete