Every seeker may have experienced God guiding them in their spiritual journey at some point or the other. This aspect of God that guides the seeker is the Guiding Principle of God, also known as the Guru Principle. This principle brings a seeker to spiritual practice and guides at each step of the seeker’s journey. This is why the Guru Principle holds special importance to a seeker. Naturally, a sincere seeker of God feels gratitude to the Guru Principle in all of the ways it manifests in the seeker’s life. While any day is a good day to express gratitude to the Guru Principle, there is one day, called Gurupournima, which is particularly significant. This is because on this day, the Guru Principle is 1000 times more active in the universe. In fact, the Guru Principle becomes more active during this period.
This means that if one keeps the right perspective and makes the right efforts, one can benefit greatly at a spiritual level both during the period leading up to Gurupournima, and on Gurupournima day itself. This year Gurupournima is on 21st July (as per India Time) depending on the part of the world. Here are some ways you can benefit from the increased activity of the Guru Principle during this period.
Maintaining a learning attitude
Sometimes we may face situations in life that challenge us in different ways. By maintaining a learning attitude towards all of life’s situations, we align ourselves with the Guru Principle and can benefit from what it is showing us. There is a saying that, “the situation itself is the Guru”, hence we can keep the spiritual emotion (bhāv) that each situation we face is being given by God for our learning. We can ask God what He is teaching us in each incident.
Increasing gratitude for what God is giving
God has created the entire Universe. He has given us this life and is sustaining it at every moment. He provides us what we need so we can focus on spiritual practice. However, most of the time we are unable to keep this awareness. Increasing efforts to offer gratitude to God helps to develop and maintain the spiritual emotion of gratitude, which enables us to make rapid spiritual progress.
Increasing efforts in spiritual practice quantitatively and qualitatively
The period leading up to Gurupournima is highly conducive for spiritual growth. By making more efforts in spiritual practice during this time, we can attract more of the Guru Principle towards us and derive maximum benefit. We can increase our efforts both quantitatively and qualitatively. A quantitative increase in efforts could mean spending more time chanting, doing more Personality Defect Removal, spending more time offering service to the Absolute Truth (satsēvā), etc. A qualitative increase could mean chanting with spiritual emotion, making efforts to perform satseva with concentration and perfectly with less mistakes, introspecting deeply on mistakes and where we can improve, etc.
Offering what you have to God
God is ready to give us everything, but how do we become eligible to receive what He is giving? By offering whatever we have to God, we create within us the space to receive His blessings. We can offer our mind to God by chanting and practicing Personality Defect Removal sincerely. We can offer our body and intellect through different satsevas. We can offer our wealth by donating to Saints or spiritual organisations that are dedicated to spreading Spirituality based on Universal principles. SSRF provides various ways for interested seekers to offer their body, mind, intellect or wealth. Out of these, offering one’s wealth is the easiest, but one receives the most benefit if one offers at all levels as is possible.
We wish you increased spiritual practice during this time and a Blissful Gurupournima!
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