Guru Purnima 2018

The Yoga Research Foundation is delighted to announce our annual Guru Purnima celebration to be held on Sunday July 22nd 2018 at the Miami ashram of our revered Guru, Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda. We would like to welcome you to an evening of festivities including a delicious vegetarian feast, enchanting kirtan and bhajans, and the highlight of the evening, Swamiji’s special lecture. Join us for this special event as we express our gratitude and adorations to our beloved Gurudev for his tireless dedication in shining the lamp of wisdom to illumine the path of spiritual advancement.

The goal of Yoga is to discover one’s essential nature through integrating the four aspects one’s personality – actions, emotions, will, and reason. Through persistent and sincere practice, this process of spiritual evolution leads one to realize that there is no separation between oneself and the perceived world. In Yoga philosophy, the Guru plays an indispensable role in facilitating a successful achievement of this objective. Just as a person with poor eyesight is unable to behold the splendor of a majestic natural vista, an aspirant is unable to clearly formulate a mental picture and pathway of successful attainment of the goal without the guidance of Guru. The Sanskrit term Guru literally signifies, “He who illumines the cave of the heart.” “Gu” means “cave” and “ru” means to illumine.

Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi teaches that God is the Guru of Gurus, the Supreme Guru. But since a human being is unable to comprehend the Divine Self until his mind is highly advanced, a spiritual preceptor is needed. That guide is the Guru – one who, through his intuitive understanding, has experienced the revelation of the oneness of all existence. The Guru is like a bridge from the aspirant’s conditioned mind to Absolute Consciousness.

As we celebrate Guru Purnima and reflect upon the great blessing of being in the presence of an enlightened master to guide us, let us remember the time-honored maxim that the highest service in gratitude to one’s Guru is to dynamically live the wisdom that has been imparted. A key underpinning of Swamiji’s teachings rests in the notion that an aspirant should strive to live a life based on righteousness, dedicated to the development of spiritual virtues such as universal love, compassion, understanding, tolerance, patience and perseverance. When we act in accordance with this dimension of virtue, we become true yogis in life.

Let us celebrate Guru Purnima by living a life rooted in Yoga. With our Guru’s grace, march on the path of righteous conduct. Don the armor of willpower, raise the sword of spiritual insight, firmly hold the reins of the senses, and live a joyous life brightly illumined by pure reason.

To all Gurus – we offer our deepest adorations and gratitude. Jai Gurudev!