By Gurudevi Nirmalananda

Christmas celebrates Divine Light in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. While most call him the “son of God,” he called himself the “son of man.” As a yogi, I can describe him as an incarnation of Consciousness, a light unto the world.

Driving down the streets, I am delighted by all the lights on the buildings and in the yards. In the Northern Hemisphere, these year-end holy days come in the shortest days of the year, shining light through the dark.

Hanukkah comprises eight nights of candle lighting, commemorating the miracle of the oil lamps in the rededicated Temple in Jerusalem. As a yogi, I light candles on my altar daily, to honor the Divine outside and inside.

Kwanzaa has the lighting of candles on seven nights, paying tribute to worthy principles that underlie African-American culture. These are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. As a yogi, I see these as principles of Consciousness that lie at the foundation of our practice and our lives.

Solstice celebrations date as far back as the Neolithic period, 10,000 BCE. They are found in the history of many places including Rome, Egypt, China, Persia, Peru, Native Americans and more. Stonehenge is built for the winter solstice. As a yogi, I love the light that shines through the dark, especially shining through your inner darkness so that you become an agent of Divine Light.

Each of these beautiful traditions invoke light in their own way. While the principles and stories behind each of these celebrations are inspiring, the participants’ focus is usually more mundane. Family gatherings, gift giving and feasting are important communal activities, but they rarely mention the holiness of the event. When they do light candle or attend a religious service, it is a small percentage of the time that they spend together. Their focus is on each other.

As a yogi, I found that looking outward left me unfulfilled. I tried. I focused on the people. I focused on the candle flame. I focused on the memory of Jesus. I focused on the highest principles of life and the idea of light shining through the dark. And I still felt empty.

All of these celebrations look outward. Yoga’s focus is on finding your own inner light. Thus I confess that I lost interest in these beautiful festivals long ago. My joy is daily. My bliss is continuing. My experience of the Divine is internal, the bedrock of Beingness that supports my existence as well as yours.

Yet I delight in gathering with others – not so that they will fill me up, but so I can see their inner light shining through their eyes. To me, you all glow with the light of Consciousness all the time. This is why I bow. Again and again I bow.

By Joan (Jayadevi) Bragar

My first time hearing the Guru Gita being chanted was overwhelming. 

How could anyone chant, no less memorize or understand, something that was one hundred and eighty-two verses long? This is what I thought the first time I heard the morning recital of the Guru Gita at Svaroopa^® Vidya Ashram. 

I asked a longtime member, “How did you memorize the verses?” She replied, “I’ve been doing it for a long time.” She and others clearly loved this chant. I was curious, but not convinced.

Fast forward one year, I was back at the Ashram for Gurudevi’s Blue Pearl Retreat. This time I was prepared with new resources that Gurudevi has painstakingly provided. Her new book, Yoga’s Sacred Songs, includes all of the Guru Gita verses in Sanskrit, along with the translations, rendered by her into English. Not only could I follow along, I could also understand what we were singing. 

Now, in my morning home practice, thanks to Gurudevi’s 2024 album, Mystical Song of the Guru, I listen to her English version. On her Honored Guru Gita album, I listen to the Sanskrit version. I alternate these versions of the chant throughout the days of the week. 

The English version teaches me the importance and value of revering the Guru as your Self. The Sanskrit version’s sonorous tones sink deeply into my heart — ever expanding me into Consciousness.

I am grateful for Gurudevi’s beautiful singing voice that brings us these ancient teachings in a delightful way. The Guru Gita gives us access to a spiritual tradition that moves me ever deeper into my Self.

Listen and enjoy!

Gratitude and devotion are not the same thing.  Gratitude is always for something, it’s transactional.  You get x, so you feel grateful for it.  You say, “Thank you.”  You even know how to say thank you whether you’re grateful or not.  But hopefully you get to enjoy being grateful. Still, it’s a transaction.  Devotion is unfounded, even unbounded.  When you experience devotion, it’s…  

—  Gurudevi Nirmalananda

From Gurudevi’s full discourse “An Attitude of Gratitude“

By Joan (Jayadevi) Bragar

Back in January, when I first got Gurudevi’s 2024 Calendar Journal, I had no idea how I would use it. When I open it now, I read pages filled with insights and reflections on my yogic journey. 

This practice continuously deepens my connection to my Self as Shiva. For example, today’s quote from Gurudevi was:

“The trick in relationships is this: for a yogi, the friction is about changing you, not helping you get what you want from others.”

This teaching reminds me how to have something to give to my family over the holidays. I need to find it within myself first. Through meditation, especially daily meditation with Gurudevi in her Meditation Club, I am filled within. Thus, I am supported in having peaceful and loving relationships with my children and grandchildren.

Before we meditate, Gurudevi expands on the day’s Calendar quote. She reads the section of her teachings article from which the quote comes. I use the journal pages to take notes on it and to reflect on my experience after meditation. This journaling practice deepens my grasp of our mystical tradition.

Our new 2025 Living Mysticism Calendar Journal is now available in the Ashram store.  It has convenient references for every daily quote. These support you in going to the source articles to understand each quote more deeply. The 2025 pages are also slightly larger, so there is more room for writing what you are learning. I especially appreciate this for, in 2024, I often wrote sideways up the page to record all that I wanted to capture.

We have among us a living Master of the Shaktipat tradition — Gurudevi Nirmalananda. My appreciation for this blessing deepens as I use her Living Mysticism Calendar Journal. Through it, I deepen my connection with her.

There’s an easy way to get out of your own way.  When you find yourself blocking your Divine Essence from shining through, give your mind a mantra recess.  Just do five or ten minutes of mantra. And then…

—  Gurudevi Nirmalananda

From Gurudevi’s full discourse “Getting Blasted“