The most holy day this month, and for many yogis the holiest day of the year, is Guru Purnima on Sunday. This is the day that is dedicated to the Guru, both in the physical form and in the subtle form of the principle of divine Grace. The Guru is that power of Supreme Light that guides us out of our darkness and unconditionally helps us awaken to our divine nature. Simply out of an overflowing love, the Guru helps to liberate us from our imprisoning ideas that we are less than whole or perfect. In a physical form, the Sadguru (the True Teacher) is one who has traveled the path of remembrance back to her heart, and who then returns to this world to help her disciples walk that same path back home with courage and joy. As a principle, the Guru is anything that serves as a doorway to the world of divine love. The outer Guru guides us to find the inner Guru, the source of true knowledge, power and beauty, in our heart.

�Guru Purnima, the celebration of all celebrations, is the day devoted exclusively to the Guru. All days and nights are nothing but the pulsation of the Guru�s Shakti. And yet, Guru Purnima is that day and night when even the moon reveals its full luster, when all days and nights have reached their culmination and are in suspension, awaiting a glimpse of their own Master.�   - Gurumayi

The full moon in July, (the Guru Purnima moon) is the brightest, most lustrous moon of the year. It is considered the most perfect moon of the year, hence the name purnima (full, whole, complete, abundant, perfect). Like the light of the Guru principle, its light is inexhaustible. The Guru pours her splendid light upon us like a tidal wave of Grace, yet is never diminished.

The extraordinary brilliance of the July moon derives from the perfect alignment of the earth, moon and sun. So, the Guru Purnima moon symbolizes the teacher’s perfect alignment with the Universal Source. On this day we honor spiritual teachers of all traditions. Light a candle on your altar for someone who has offered you a taste of your beauty and pure goodness. Offer your heart to that special friend who, without wanting anything in return, has given you a glimpse of your true nature. Also on this day, remember that when we honor the deepest part of our heart, we are honoring the True Teacher inside.

The Guru Purnima moon also can represent the resplendent beauty of the true disciple, who so perfectly aligns with the Guru (the sun) that he reflects the teacher’s glorious light in all its magnificence. Also remember, even if it is cloudy on the 5^th, and you can,t see the moon, know that its light in all its fullness is ever pouring blessings down upon you.

The function of the Guru’s boundless Grace is to help us get a direct experience of our own divine worth and power. The culmination of all the blessings that the Guru bestows to us is Ultimate freedom.

The Full Moon represents enlightenment, which is the full flowering of consciousness. On the Vedic calendar, Guru Purnima is the Full Moon that falls near the summer solstice, the month of greatest light. This Full Moon is important because it is the time when all divine teachers shower blessings on the earth providing increased energy for our spiritual awakening.

Being in this role has also been challenging and developmentally rich for me.    I get to encounter all kinds of parts of myself I’d rather run from.    For instance, when I was here in the role of student, there was a lovely wise woman doing this job.  When she would pick up our trash or scramble to get us something we needed, a felt a bit uncomfortable and wondered why she was doing such a lowly job.

So now here I am.  I’ve learned what “humble” feels like.  There is a certain stripped down quality that comes from playing a certain role where ways you identify yourself aren’t visible or conveyable.  This is a largely silent job, and as I pick up coffee cups and refill waters, no one knows that I’m a yoga teacher, former attorney and already a practicing coach.   I’m just the woman there to serve their needs.  This naked-ness is honestly new to me.  I never knew I didn’t know what humble felt like.  And, I don’t mean lowly or less than.  Rather, it is a beautiful humility that is internal.  It is an opportunity to be right there with this new place in me.  To feel how being without my labels allows me to receive the teachings of the course with an openness and freshness I don’t usually have. It is as though I’ve allowed myself to let of my own self-labeling and just experience, open and serve.

And, I love it.  This job is in no way about me.  There isn’t a boss or partner or even student from whom I can seek validation.  This creating and holding the space is very subtle, almost anonymous.   I am here to serve and support, to live from my stripped down humble self so that others can unfold.   Just to be, to serve.  It’s as though my spirit takes a deep sigh of relief, my body settles, and a little more joy arises.

Our asana practice can be like this, too.  However, so often in class, I see students (and, also myself)  practicing from this place of self-labels.    The “my body’s not aligned” label or the “I’m not getting it” label or the “I’m the best one in here” label and so on.  Even the body and breath have their own kind of labels:  the gripped around a technique body, the tight breath in response to a new pose, the preference for this kind of practice or pose or that.    These can be more less conscious.

I find that the more I invite that ’stripped down’ quality to my practice where we come from a place of openness, almost sweet tenderness, the more authenticity and expansiveness and groundedness the practice can enliven in us.  Just be, just support, just serve, your own heart.

Humble:

1 : not proud or haughty : not arrogant or assertive
2 : reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference