The word ‘Guru’ in Sanskrit is made up of 2 parts: ‘Gu’ – darkness & ‘Ru’ – dispeller. Thus, Guru means, dispeller of darkness – the one who dispels our ignorance. Poornima is the night of the full moon.

While we see the moon at its fullest on the night of Poornima, it also marks the beginning of the waning phase, as the moon diminishes to the new moon night. Thus, the full moon night is an opportunity to commit yourself to eliminating something from your life. It could be a toxic habit, relationship, thought pattern, belief, emotion, lifestyle, etc. 

Guru Poornima marks the occasion to bow down to the Guru and seek guidance and blessings, as we move into a new phase. It is an opportunity to begin a new cycle of inner transformation, by eliminating all the unwanted elements within us and around us. By accepting ourselves and our situations we take the first step to blossom in wisdom. Every lesson and test we have been put through has only made us wiser.

The Guru is not just The Master we devote ourselves to, but every person who has led us from darkness to Light and Love. 

Those who broke our heart gave us an opportunity to discover ourselves, and honour and respect ourselves even more. 

Those who betrayed us, led us to trusting our instincts even more. 

Those who hurt us led us to explore in our depths the courage and strength to overcome the misery.

Those who cheated us took away what we did not need, as we manifested an even more beautiful version of ourselves. 

Those who angered us, helped us discover the peace and compassion within us. 

Those who lied to us led us to understand the Truth of Life and Being.

Those who created all the noise within and around us, helped us walk the path to inner silence.

Those who abused us, helped us discover self-respect, self-esteem and dignity of our own being.

Those who rejected us led us to accept ourselves with more love.

Those who scarred us, helped us discover the beauty of our being within the crevices.

Those who made us cry helped wash away the weight of negative emotions, so that we discover the smiles.

Everyone we have known, know and will know is a Guru to us if they serve to dispel our darkness and lead us to the love and light within us.

To forgive, is to be in gratitude for all that you have learnt, from every Guru. In fact, Guru Poornima is a beautiful occasion to bow down to the Guru within you, too. For while others have played their roles in your growing in wisdom, you too have been a Guru to many.

During an Art of Living Satsang Guruji Sri Sri Ravishankar once explained that the greeting – Jai Gurudev actually means: “I honour the Guru Energy within you.” Isn’t that so beautiful. Every time we would greet each other, we felt empowered, and humble all at once.

Nobody causes you pain because they intended to. They have only played their role as per your life’s script. The harder the lessons, the more the wiser oyu have evolved.

Spend Guru Poornima 2021 contemplating on every person who has enriched your life, till date. Wipe away the tears and recognize how they have contributed to your constant and continuous inner transformation. 

You can look at the full moon as a celestial body that adorns the sky, or a celestial ball of energy that cleanses away all that is not needed, as it washes away the darkness and ignorance, and brings you to discover your true self. The moon in its full glory bathes you in its divine energy to begin a new cycle of elimination.

As you meditate on this Guru Poornima 2021, commit yourself, through this year till next Guru Poornima, to work towards eliminating negative emotions, thought patterns, beliefs, self-destructive addictive behaviours, etc., one-by—one, taking one-baby-step-at-a-time each day.

Jai Gurudev, I bow to the Guru within you.