Sadhana Sangama Trust: Summer Camp - Update 5 (birthday special)

21 May 6.30 AM session:

Today is Gurudev’s birthday and the excitement filled the air when the Parivara assembled at 6.30 am in the Dining Hall. The children were highly charged and with bubbling enthusiasm started planning yesterday night itself to put up some show in the evening to celebrate Gurudev’s birthday in their own style. It was heartening to see families from different places with different background and their children becoming one family during the camp and travel in the path of Sadhana with lightness and joy. This was possible because of the Tapas that Gurudev is doing to create one family, Sadhana Parivara. Gurudev, tussi great ho ! (an expression to adore the greatness of Gurudev in Punjabi slang)

Morning was cool and pleasant, as usual. During evening walk with Gurudev yesterday, Gurudev exclaimed and wondered that Baba (Swami Rama) this time wanted to bless us all with LANGUAGE and SADHANA PANCHAKA.

Gurudev started the class with guided meditation. Oh! Surprise !! Gurudev’s birthday celebrations have begun. It is going to be a day–long celebration it seems. We did record the celebrations and if it is possible we will upload it here in this article or else we will give a link to the video here.

Gurudev with ease connected the celebrations with LANGUAGE. He started by saying that nothing is planned in his life and whatever happens it happens at the right time. He attributed this to the LANGUAGE that he speaks from within and that is ‘mein nahi, tu hi’ (Not me, it’s only you). Gurudev says this is the language of harmony, language of ATHA.

When you develop this LANGUAGE things happen automatically. You need not put effort, plan things. Events, things happen. That is the power of dropping and remaining still from within. Gurudev strengthened this by supplementing the concept of PROCESS.

We are all in PROCESS, whether we consciously recognize it or not, acknowledge it or not, accept it or not. What happens with most of us is that we think that we are the PROCESS and hence the suffering and anxiety. The moment we think that we are the PROCESS and we are in no way different from the PROCESS, then automatically planning, effort, struggle, joy, disappointment everything starts happening in us. For us this is life, being alive, being intelligent.

On the contrary, the reality is that we are NOT THE process but we are WITH THE process. For example, the hurt is there. No doubt. But we assume that we are the hurt which is not so. This is where the detour happens. If at all we have to put effort, it is here that we have to concentrate our energies and stop this detour from happening. Now follow carefully.

What does concentrating our energies imply? It means it is here that we have to practically apply the LANGUAGE Harmony and the technique ATHA, staying in the present. When we get hurt, what we have to do immediately is start living that moment, ATHA and consciously remember that we are here for Harmony. Not to retaliate. Not to hurt the person who hurt me. If we can bring in this stability, every time, then we can break the habit of assuming us to be the process and detach ourselves and understand that the process is happening in us.

When such a transformation happens then the joy, the freedom and confidence that we will experience cannot be described or defined. This is a direct experience which is definite. But again let us not get deceived that if we succeed in this one time it will stay with us forever. It may for some, but for most it has to be repeated every time when we are stuck with such processes in life.

The concern that GURUDEV was sharing is the concern of the Rishis and Spiritual Masters of our Tradition which is that we, as sadhakas, should not stop till we see our TRUE SELF, that we are divine and we are capable of achieving this. Our Tradition is not at all interested in creating hierarchies in the path of Sadhana and connect with every Jiva independently. There is only compassion and not comparison.

Gurudev with all sincerity appealed to all of us to drop and detach ourselves from the process and be with the process, consciously by presenting his own life as an example and inspiration for us to follow. On his birthday, which is very auspicious for us, may we all reaffirm our dedication and commitment to Gurudev not to give up this Sadhana. This is the only way, I think, to be in constant touch with Gurudev and enjoy the brilliance and compassion uninterruptedly and this is the best birthday gift which we can offer to Gurudev and which he will cherish the most.

Ah! the tempting fragrance of Upma and Kesari disturbs my flow and it is really time for me to join others in breakfast.