In the Vedic Calendar, there are special days dedicated to honouring teachers, both known and unknown, who hold sacred space for seekers to learn, imbibe and grow on the path. Guru Purnima – the Full Moon day in the Vedic lunar month of Ashadha – is most significant as a day to honour the ‘Guru’ principle.
When we were students of Indian classical art forms, we were taught all through our years of training to offer our ‘Namaskaar‘, ‘Pranaam‘ or ‘Salutation‘ to the Guru (Teacher), before beginning a performance or recital. Seeking the blessings of the Guru is symbolic of honouring the river of wisdom that flows continuously, from one being to another.
On this day, the Moon transits through the zodiac sign of Sagittarius, considered to be the seat of the Cosmic Teacher.
We may have the experience of interacting and relating with the Guru principle through a Teacher as a physical being, in this life, or as an intangible source of wisdom. It is important to also honour the Guru as the light of wisdom that comes from a path of inquiry and self-reflection, growing in the light of the inner ‘Guru’ or ‘Yogi’, finding alignment with an inner truth, the light of the Self, that grants peace within, despite the wavering nature of external circumstances.
This is also the perfect day to commit to the study of a new subject. If you are a student or practitioner of any form of Yoga, honouring the Guru is the perfect way to renew your commitment to the practice.
The light of the Guru shines as that knowledge of the Self that is gained through a deeper study of the texts of Yogic philosophy, such as the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Yoga Sutras, the Mahabharata or the Ramayana. We bow to that light, and ask that it may ever illumine our thought flow.
With love and peace,
Sai Ganesh Nagpal
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