Swami says “Do more Yoga.”  In our Ganeshpuri retreat, we are deeply immersed in all the practices. Starting our day at the Nityananda temple at 4:20 am and ending with dinner around 6:00 pm, the day is filled with chanting, meditation, asana, satsang and darshan.  Some days we have vichara or a fire ceremony and always an abundance of food, even some shopping and even more meditation, Plus we get Ujjayi & naps in between classes. We are truly fortunate to have this concentrated time in this most auspicious and sacred space.

Valentine’s Day, I was blessed with two opportunities to chant Shree Guru Gita.  First I went to Gurudev Siddha Peeth Ashram; stepping over the threshold into the Ashram there is peace that passeth understanding.   Then again with Swami; we did the English translation.  Have you ever really taken time to read the translations? Join us…

Click here for the Ashram’s website posting of Swamiji’s Guru Gita pronunciation lessons. Pick one, any of them, and read the English translation, practice the Sanskrit verse, and read the English verse again.  Allow it to unfold within you.  Swami makes it so easy and accessible.

If you’d like to take this a step further, purchase The Nectar of Chanting and deepen your practice with the chant.  Swami also has a CD, Honored Guru Gita available in the bookstore. For a short daily practice, in less than 10 minutes you can get thru the introductory mantras, verses 1 – 10 and the closing mantras.

It was delightful to experience the full chant at the Ashram, stepping & steeping in the lineage and experiencing the decades of devotion so many have shared.  May your own practice one day lead you here, to the fullness of your own experience.