By Barbara (Girijananda) Hess

With Gurudevi’s new album, chanting brings me to such a blissful inner space. 

I feel the eternality inherent in Guru, the remover of darkness, revealing the light. OM flows into Guru which flows back into OM. I coast inside on the slow, melodic repetition of OM Guru, OM Guru, OM Gurudev. I become aware of the infinite depth of my own Self. 

This is what the Guru does — she removes my darkness to reveal the light of my inherent Divinity to me. She shows me the source of illumination inside. The formless and the form at the same, time, she guides me in coming home to my own Self. This chant opens me to this ever-expanding awareness. 

Recorded at our Vowed Order retreat, this chant is a call and response between Gurudevi and the chorus of vowed members. During our recording session, my heart expanded. I perceived the devotion of Gurudevi singing to her Guru, my own devotion, and the devotion of my fellow vowed kula singing to her. 

The powerful simplicity of this chant stays with me wherever I go. I find myself singing it out loud or silently many times during the day. Even amidst daily life busyness, I am drawn inside to the bliss of my own Self, the One Self Being All. Jaya Gurudev!