Petals!

Wondering what is the significance of Guru Purnima?  To offer gratitude to one's Guru is the highest form of worship.  World over, Guru Purnima is observed as a most sacred day that marks one's devotion and gratitude to the Guru, the spiritual Master, Guide and God. Hinduism places utmost reverence to the 'Guru-Shishya' relationship.  [READ: Gayatri Mantra - Why Chant it]                                                  [Image: Pexels ]                   Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, whose 'Autobiography of a Yogi' inspired millions of seekers worldwide to embrace the spiritual path with sincerity, reminds every seeker on the path: " Humility comes from seeing GOD as the Doer, not yourself. Humility lies in the heart. Whatever you may be doing, tell yourself constantly - 'God is doing all this thro...

The first time I saw Him, I had a letter clutched in my palm. I was eleven or twelve years old. He ignored me and did not accept my letter. He took my heart instead. Loving Him is enough – the ultimate experience in my last sojourn of this life. So many reasons to love Him: He is my best friend, the one whom I share every secret and emotion with. He laughs at my fears and says lovingly, “Why fear when I am here?” He has stood by me and showed me that nothing is lost when one’s life falls apart or when one’s trust in humanity crumbles.  He alone helped me see that God is Love and that in our veins that same love runs like an invisible channel waiting to be channelized into the Universe. He taught me that my pain is nothing but an inevitable awakening from the Universe – an awakening of love, compassion and awareness. Even in the midst of bone chilling pain, His smile appeared to me, He made jokes that I found myself smiling at and I found the ...

Recently, my seven year old son told me “Amma, why do you call yourself a writer when you never write?” I asked him ‘Why do you think that I am not a writer?’ He said, “I never see you write, Amma.” After this dialogue with my son, I have increasingly thought about my secretiveness in the writing process. For instance, I cannot write in a public place. I cannot bring myself to bleed on paper with a hundred people or their voices hovering around me. I need to be completely alone to write, to unwind and to bleed on paper. I have wondered if this secretiveness has done me any good and whether there was something not ‘normal’ about my writing process.  The seven year old’s question stemmed from curiosity and I began to contemplate seriously on my writing process and thought of sharing it with you, dear reader. Perhaps you can help me gain clarity on my writing process. Or perhaps you can simply listen and be with me now at this moment. Writing:  The early years make a ...

                  Love without a price tag, conditions attached or the fine print of debt  At the age of five or six years, I told my Dad that I would never ever opt for an arranged marriage, especially the transactional ''bride seeing'' ceremony, where the bride is paraded around like a fancy showpiece before a bunch of curious strangers, who are more interested in how much gold she is wearing than her IQ. Dad, being my ever patient, serene hero, just smiled that calm, soothing smile that some of you are already familiar with and he said, ''Sure, that's fine." I was expecting a full flung family drama, a storm, maybe even being thrown out for the audacity of breaking the much-treasured family tradition. How dare a girl even say such a thing to her parents, right? Nothing happened. Dad was so cool. Then it struck me - maybe I am adopted. That's why it doesn't matter so much to him.  I did manage to summon ...