I had one of those “moments” not too long ago. You know the ones. Where you suddenly see that you absolutely must make some radical changes and — miraculously — things fall into place to help you do it!
So I’m halfway through the “challenge” that I accepted as part of making these changes and I’m staying the course. Not only can I see and feel my health improving, but even more importantly, I can feel my will reawakening. Which is huge.
I don’t know exactly how I came lose touch with so much of my will power over the past ten or fifteen years, but it feels really good to be getting it back.
Well, I think someone up there is having fun with me! Yesterday I wrote about the coming of spring, so this is what we woke up to this morning! It’s not likely to stick for long, but still…😂
On my walk the other day I started to rejoice at the daffodils and the blossoms on the fruit trees and the increased bird song. Then right afterwards I caught myself fretting about how we didn’t get enough rain yet and what about fire season and so on and so forth.
I was shocked to realize that for the first time in my life I was denying myself the joys and pleasures of spring, for fear of what the future might hold.
Well, I immediately got a hold of myself with a strong reminder that there is only this present moment. The truth is, none of us is even guaranteed a future, so why waste NOW!
Jesus put it pretty well… Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. –Matthew 6:34
As I was thinking of Paramhansa Yogananda today, the 69th anniversary of his Mahasamadhi, I was reminded of this poem. As far as I could find out, it was written sometime in the 1950’s by “a Western devotee.” I first encountered it when I was very new on the path and the message of it rocked my soul. It still does.
The Guru’s Love You may come to him for a few seconds then go away and do whatever you will. His love is unchanging. You may deny him to yourself and then curse him to any who will listen. His love is unchanging. You may become the most despised creatures and then return to him. His love is unchanging. You may become the enemy of God, Himself, and then return to him. His love is unchanging. Go where you will and do what you will, stay however long you will and come back to him. His love is unchanging. Abuse others, abuse yourself, abuse him and then come back to him. His love is unchanging. He will never criticize you; he will never minimize you; he will never desert you because to him you are everything and he, himself, is nothing. He will never deceive you; he will never ridicule you; he will never fail you because to him you are God Nature to be served and he is your servant. No matter what befalls; no matter what you become he awaits you always. He knows you; he serves you; he loves you. His love for you in the changing world is unchanging. His love, my beloved, is unchanging.
What an amazing new paradigm we’re experiencing when it comes to our Ananda events. The necessity for doing everything online is leading to expansive breakthroughs in so many ways!
Tonight we celebrated Yogananda’s Mahasamadhi a day early (from a USA perspective) in order to be able to collaborate with Ananda India in putting on the event. So monks from the India monastery started off with chanting; then Jaya, Jyotish, and Devi spoke from the Temple of Light at Ananda Village; and then it was back to India, with Dhyana closing the event with healing prayers.
But things weren’t over yet! Everyone was invited to a virtual “meet & greet” on Airmeet afterwards. It was great fun to see so many friends from India (Vineet, Varun, Priti, Hari, Rajesh, Priya, Lakshmi, Dhyana!), but it was equally a treat to greet devotees from here in America that we hadn’t seen in ages (Jeanne, Tarini, and even the Viscogliosi’s!).
This is definitely a beautiful aspect of technology.
I was driving home from the office last night and I had a flash of insight as to why it’s been so hard to find my bearings lately. It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say I’ve been feeling completely at sea.
Well, what I realized is that I’ve been sailing (to stick with the nautical metaphor) without a rudder for much of this past year. As a church musician for the past twenty-plus years, there are always weekly, quarterly, and annual events that anchor my musical year.
This was entirely on an unconscious level, of course, but whether it was weekly choir rehearsals or months of meetings to work out event details, I had regular activities that helped me know where I was, in a very real sense.
But in this strangest of years, the events are still happening, but virtually. So there’s no rehearsing, no in-person, hands-on details for a music minister to wrap their mind around.
Most of our time now is spent finding videos of past performances that are appropriate for sharing during Sunday service. In fact, it’s early March and I find myself surprised that in a few days it will be Yogananda’s Mahasamadhi. That could never have happened when we were actually meeting as a choir and singing.
So, yeah.
No anchors and rudderless, I’ve lost my bearings, and feel completely at sea.
It’s rather amazing, but my brain seems to have suddenly shifted into high gear!
Wow.
I just accomplished more in the past hour and a half than I was able to do in all of yesterday. And I’m only stopping because I’ve been doing so well at going to bed early that I don’t want to work any later than 7:30pm.
But this feels really good. Really, really good. 😊
Today is Ramesha’s birthday and here he is with his present: a beautiful painting — titled “O Holy Night” — created in Pune, India by our friend Shamini. It arrived with a few days to spare — just enough time for me to select the frame!
I think I’ve already shared that my spiritual name means “the fortunate one.” Well, I definitely feel fortunate — and extremely grateful — that this great soul decided to incarnate and that he’s sharing his life with me.💘
