Love you, Randy! You’ll always have a place of honor in my heart.💖
Happy birthday, Randy!
Happy birthday, Yogananda!
I’m so grateful for my guru and the many ways he has blessed my life.
Jai Guru!
Like old times
We celebrated Jyotish’s birthday in the lower gardens of Crystal Hermitage this afternoon. Choir sang a couple of songs; Anandi led blessings for Jyotish and then for Jyotish and Devi together (they leave Wednesday for Italy, then India); cake was served. Then (I can’t think of a better way to say this) Jyotish and Devi gave darshan.
This is one of the definitions I found when I went to double-check the meaning of “darshan”: an opportunity or occasion of seeing a holy person.
It felt very familiar to be in the astral beauty of Crystal Hermitage gardens; surrounded by great souls who happen to be dear friends and spiritual family; observing Jyotish and Devi as they interacted with person after person, radiating boundless love and deep wisdom. It brought back memories of birthday parties for Swamiji and I found myself thinking that it felt sort of like “old times”.
Thank you, Jyotish and Devi, for all you do to further the growth and expansion of Ananda, and for being our divine friends.
Gratitude
Another birthday celebrated. Another solar return begun. So much to be grateful for…
I love responding to all the birthday greetings on Facebook because it’s a fun walk down memory lane. I enjoy that once or twice a year connection with people who are a continuing part of the fabric of my life, even though our lives no longer intersect.
About twenty years ago I experienced an “aha” moment of realizing just how blessed I am that I like people and people like me in return. That’s not a skill I learned or something I can take credit for; it’s my good karma and a gift from God.
So many of our gifts and talents are like that–pure and simple gifts from God. But in our egoic human-ness we take credit for them and start thinking how “special” we are, instead of offering them back up to the Divine in humble gratitude.
Almost fifteen years ago Swami Kriyananda, the founder of the spiritual community where I live, gave me the spiritual name of Bhagavati (don’t worry if you’ve known me by my given name for decades; I still answer to Sharon as well). He shared quite a bit about the meaning of the name Bhagavati, but the only thing I remembered afterwards is the phrase: the fortunate one.
Isn’t that beautiful? As someone who’s often had a difficult time feeling content and at peace with what is, my spiritual name reminds me every day to remember–and give thanks for–the abundant blessings that make me the fortunate one.