We are in a tantric tradition. Tantra goes about it completely differently. Tantra says, “Let’s just shred anava mala.” Through Shaktipat, I will open you up from the inside out. Shred anava mala so you have experiences of your own Self. You know who you are. Go ahead…
— Gurudevi Nirmalananda
From Gurudevi’s full discourse “From the Inside-Out“
By Sheralee (Shambhavi) Hancherow
Interviewed by Marlene (Matrikaa) Gast, Yogaratna
Last year was filled with a lot of emotional tapas along with incredible support. People don’t understand how much support is available from our Ashram.
I discovered that to undertake a healing process, I just had to stop and allow Guru’s Grace to work on different levels.
During the 2023 winter holidays, I overdid it. I pushed myself non-stop through the season. By January 2024, I flatlined emotionally. I wasn’t feeling much of anything and certainly not joy or bliss. In response, I chose “Feel” as my word for the year. I went into overdrive to try and fix myself by doing more yoga, vichara, workshops, etc.
In March, I saw an email about Gurudevi’s Office Hours. They are available to yogis who have a Shishya Membership. Fortunately, I’d been a Shishya for a decade. So I signed up for a phone call. I have always handled struggles on my own and was nervous in front of our Guru. Yet I knew she would help me.
Surprisingly, the help she gave me was not what I expected. But it was exactly what I needed: a mantra yoga buddy.
In April, I took the Healing Retreat. Being in the online option, I could experience the practices and profound changes in my own home in Canada. After that, one of our Swamis followed up and provided more support by Zoom.
The Ashram then arranged for a yogi in our community to call me every week to check on my progress. We discussed the asana and meditation practices I was doing daily to support my process. Then the yogi reported back to Gurudevi. Over the summer, I continued to work on this heavy karma and took Gurudevi’s advice to see a counsellor. Learning about the patterns that limit me opened me up to a whole new level of Grace.
During this time of releasing so much “stuff,” my word-of-the-year — Feel — was paramount. I was on an emotional rollercoaster. Vichara (guided self-inquiry sessions) with my local Svaroopa® teacher, who is also a Vichara Therapist, provided profound learning. When she was out of town, I contacted our Ashram Enrollment Advisor and scheduled vichara with a Swami. Through these sessions, I was learning about myself. Though it was not always a joyful process, I persisted.
At the same time, I found a local Ayurveda physician. I’d been seeking one for a long time, and suddenly I found her. Her diagnosis included the observation that she did not see joy bubbling up within me.
Yet now joy is doing just that. Cooking my breakfast this morning, I was dancing and singing in the kitchen while listening to my yoga music.
Yes, I’ve done a lot. I’ve learned it’s not about fixing myself but opening to the Grace that is always there. The support that comes from our Guru is profoundly deeper than I thought possible.
I have learned to tap into that Grace. It is transformational and illuminating, and I am forever grateful to my Guru, the Swamis and my yoga community.
When you’re comparing what’s happening to what you think should be happening, you’ll be lost in your reactions.
What you need to do – let’s be very simplistic about this – if what’s happening doesn’t match your plan, then you need to…
— Gurudevi Nirmalananda
From Gurudevi’s full discourse “Bondage & Freedom“
By Joan (Jayadevi) Bragar
A famous Indian singer composed “Jyota se Jyota” in Hindi as a tribute to Baba Muktananda. Gurudevi has rendered this beautiful hymn into English verses. You can find audios and lyrics of both.
We sing the full version as part of the arati (candle ceremony) honoring Baba Muktananda before the morning meditation. We subscribers to the online Meditation Club joyfully sing it with Gurudevi and the Swamis every day. The shortened version with English is sung in our Satsangs, in-person and online on Sundays and Wednesdays.
When I wanted to be able to sing along, I learned this hymn on morning walks along the harbor. Every day, I would bring two lines to memorize. I started with the chorus:
Mera Antara timira mitavo,
Sadaguru jyota se jyota jagavo.
Remove the darkness concealing me,
Teacher of Truth, awaken my inner light
You, too, can memorize this chorus and join us in song. All the resources you need are now available:
Even better, listen to Gurudevi sweetly sing it in Hindi on her new album Honoring the One Who Needs No Praise, and in English on the recently released Mystical Song of the Guru.
As the song starts to wind down, I look forward to belting out the final verse:
Jivana Muktananda Avinashi. (x2)
Charanana sharana lagavo.
Sadaguru jyota se jyota jagavo!
O limitless one, Swami Muktananda,
In your lotus feet, I take shelter.
Teacher of Truth, awaken my inner light!
Hearing this perfectly sets me up for meditation. Muktananda awakens “my inner light.”
Come sing along with us!
By Gurudevi Nirmalananda
Born into bondage, your life’s task is to fly free. You begin the process like a caged bird who keeps flexing its wings, wanting to fly. Your cage door is opened by one who is already free.
This is the Shaktipat Guru’s task, to set you free by opening up the inner arising of Consciousness. Thus you discover the truth that has been hidden for so long, that your essence is Divine.
The not-knowing of your own Self is what causes all your pain. It is the result of Shiva’s decision to become individually and uniquely you. He does this by hiding himself in multiple levels of contraction.
It puts you on a merry-go-round, locked down by Shiva, going round in circles for lifetimes. What you have to do is grab the brass ring! Get Shaktipat, the inner awakening that sets you free.
The inner bolt of I-Consciousness bestowed by the Guru shatters the not-knowingness, setting you free.
Udyamo bhairavah. — Shiva Sutras 1.5
Prior to receiving Shaktipat, I had a few expansive experiences. Though they were rare and never lasted long. I wanted more. Some of my friends used substances to get there, but I preferred spending time in nature, as well as…
Atma, your own Self, is all pervading. You probably think of your own Self as being inside your body, but it’s the other way around. Your body is inside your own Self. You may think of your own Self like your soul, that your soul is found…
— Gurudevi Nirmalananda
From Gurudevi’s full discourse “Atma & Svaroopa“
You are so much more than you think you are. It is all summarized in this one sutra:
Your own Self is Consciousness-Itself.
Chaitanyam atma. — Shiva Sutras 1.1
This is the first sutra, in the first chapter of the first text of Kashmiri Shaivism, our yogic tradition. The first sutra is the most important one.
— Gurudevi Nirmalananda
From Gurudevi’s full discourse “Your Divine Essence“
By Amanda (Purna) Schmidt
A new year means a new calendar! The title of Gurudevi’s Calendar Journal — “Living Mysticism” — encourages weaving the sacred into daily life.
The pages offer space for organizing your schedule or freely journaling. And of course you can do both!
Sutra-like excerpts from Gurudevi’s teachings inspire you on each page. Embrace the yoga of spiritualizing all aspects of life. Begin a new year with a new outlook, based in the Self.
It was Baba that gave me God. That’s the Guru’s job – to give you access to what is already there inside. But you haven’t been able to find it. It can be hard to understand God and Guru. They are One, while being different. I’ll compare it to the front door of your house. It’s part of your house. You wouldn’t want that wall to be solid. You wouldn’t want your house to be without an entry portal. The Guru is the door by which you enter into…
— Gurudevi Nirmalananda
From Gurudevi’s full discourse “For the Love of God“
By Debbie (Antarajna) Mandel
Twice I contracted Covid, in 2021 and 2023. Each time it turned into long Covid.
Then I had multiple physical issues. My whole body was in reaction: heart, lungs, eyes, toes, fingers, cancerous growths on my face, insomnia and more.
I asked Gurudevi about it. She recommended I do three hours of Ujjayi a day. My first reaction: that is impossible! I wasn’t consistent with 20 minutes a day.
My next reaction was how stupid it would be to not follow my Guru’s directions! Why would I even consider not doing what she suggests?
So, over a month, I slowly built three hours of Ujjayi a day into my life in fifteen-minute segments. After several months, Gurudevi added me getting Embodyment® Yoga Therapy sessions. What? But I did it.
Yes, my health issues disappeared — lungs, heart, insomnia, and all the other Long Covid symptoms. And a few months later I contracted Covid again and had no residual effects.
I always have a choice to make — bumble along on my own or follow my Guru’s direction. Choosing the latter has never led me astray. It has enhanced my inner state and, therefore, my external life benefits.
As if that wasn’t enough, I received a bonus. With Ujjayi, time has expanded exponentially, so I always have enough time to do everything. And more.
Through following my Guru, I have expanded exponentially! I live deeper in Self. I have the stamina back to go to India again on our Ashram’s upcoming India trip “Coming Home to Self.” And that is truly a yoga miracle.
practice & grace: giving you your Self
revealing the mystery
SVA Blog 