Guru’s Blessings on Zoom

Sannyasi Bindugyana

In 2021, I was in Rikhia during the Sat Chandi Mahayajna. In one of his satsangs Swamiji said, “You who are present are blessed to be here and to be part of this anushthana. However, even if you were not here this sadhana would be happening because this is Sri Swamiji’s sadhana and it is happening on another dimension as well.”

Shortly after, I returned to Munger and then left for Bulgaria where Swamiji’s sentences kept ringing in my head. I felt the mantra sadhana which came alive was also created by God’s wish and Guru’s grace. I was blessed to be in Bulgaria and share with others the experience of the magic and abundance of Satyam Yoga Prasad.

Go ahead with full steam

On 2 February 2022, three people met on Zoom. For two weeks, we were chanting for Devi. We listened to the CD available on Satyam Yoga Prasad and chanted along on our computers or with our mobile phones in hand. Within a few days, more people joined and we decided to practise one topic for two weeks each.

Then we received Swamiji’s permission, “Go ahead with full steam and wholeheartedly, involve other participants, and let them be part of the planning. If the sadhana is ongoing it might need more preparation and organization.” Now there was no stopping us. As Sivaratri was coming up, we chose Shiva as our next topic. Again every morning from 7.30 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. we met. We inserted the text of each chant on our presentation in Roman and Devanagri so we could read, listen, look at the beautiful pictures of our Gurus and chant.

Our chanting of stotras, bhajans and kirtan improved day by day and the effect of the practice was felt by all. Participants of this sadhana felt closer to the ashram, to Swamiji and Sri Swamiji. They started their day with positivity, optimism and a lot of energy. The day had a new focus and was strongly connected to the Satyananda Yoga tradition and to Guru.

We added topic after topic, and thus two weeks were dedicated to Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Ganesha and Hanuman. For Guru we decided to do a longer sadhana, dedicated to Swami Sivananda, Sri Swamiji, Swamiji and Swami Satsangi.

At the end of the chanting, we would suggest some further reading for each topic, especially the many Satyam Tales, referring everyone to Satyam Yoga Prasad. People had heard of it but were not aware of the immense treasures it contained and now discovered and explored this beautiful gift Swamiji has given to all of us.

Every two days, a different person was leading the session.

For many it was the first time to lead the chanting of Om and the Shanti Path and Shanti Mantra. They were happy and honoured to be given the opportunity, and felt even more connected to Paramahamsaji, our tradition, the sangha and to the sadhana.

Adding the sankalpa

After Swamiji’s go-ahead, we introduced another component to the sadhana. Every month on Guru Bhakti Yoga, the group made a sankalpa to live one of Swamiji’s New Year Sutras for 2022 for the coming month:

  • swasthya – look after your own health
  • sajagata – cultivate awareness
  • sanyam – self-discipline in life
  • sammaan – respect
  • vinamrata – humility
  • kartavyaparayanta – the zeal to perform your duties
  • nishtha – commitment

To this we added the ongoing sankalpa of serving Guru’s mission in the best way possible. When the war broken out in the Ukraine, we added the sankalpa to live for peace among people and in the whole world.

News of our sadhana spread quickly. Every day at least 30 people met in the morning, some joined during the week, others on weekends. In total 60 yoga aspirants became part of this sadhana, and 25 participated every single day. Listening to the voices of Sri Swamiji, Swamiji, Swami Satsangi and the residents of Ganga Darshan transported us to the ashram in Munger. After two years in isolation, this sadhana was a boon of happiness and connection, and gave all a feeling of belonging. People were at home with their families, others were alone in a hospital participating with their mobile phones and for one hour they were able to forget their pain and suffering.

There were days when we could not end the Zoom session with Shanti Path because everyone was crying; they had been so moved by the chanting and the presence of their beloved Gurus.

One day during the two weeks dedicated to Hanuman, many of us had an experience while chanting the Hanuman bija mantra. On the recording Swamiji says, ‘Sit comfortably and focus the awareness at the eyebrow centre.’ We all felt that there was no more computer in front of us, instead Swamiji himself was sitting right there in front of every participant. Nobody wanted this experience to end; it was so real. After chanting the Hanuman kirtan, we fully accepted his qualities and tried to live them throughout the day.

A tribute

This sadhana will continue throughout 2022 and 2023 and is dedicated to Sri Swamiji’s Centenary as a tribute to his immense work for the welfare of humanity.

Now I am back at Ganga Darshan and happy that a group of devotees is committed to maintain the sadhana. The topics are prepared until the end of 2023, and their hard work and dedication will ensure that the presentations and the sadhana continue. I would like to thank all participants for the sincerity and joy they brought every morning with them, and above all, I would like to thank Swamiji for his support and blessings for making this sadhana such a beautiful, inspiring and uplifting time.