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October 1998: Visit with the Guru on September 22-24 1998
Dear Lighthouse Members and Friends,
May you always recognize how blessed you are so you can consciously enjoy life to its fullest.
I felt very blessed when Gurudev Chitrabhanu asked me to come to New Your City for a three day visit, before he left for Bombay. Each day I came with my questions and each day I left with answers...and many more questions (does that sound familiar?)
My heart spills over with love and gratitude for the hours and days I got to spend with Gurudev. It was magical. Life offers everything if you are able and willing to receive it. As in: one day I am talking with Gurudev on the phone, the next day the travel plans are made to go see him and four days later I am in New York! Some students have said to me, “I didn't know you were going to New York to see Gurudev”, and I said, “Neither did I, it just happened.” Twenty years ago I would have agonized over whether to go or not to go - because of the money, because of the time off of work, because I wasn't ready, because of fear, and so on. And I probably would have talked myself out of receiving this inspirational and loving gift that was given to me.
So much has been given to us from Gurudev: The knowledge and wisdom of having Reverence for all life, Ahimsa, "The Psychology of Enlightenment" and all his other books, the teachings from the ancient scriptures, 5000 years old, and the pilgrimages to India. I could go on and on. Yet, if I or you were not open to receive, look how much of life and about life we would have missed and not known about. I count my blessings every day for having a fuller, richer, more meaningful life than I ever could have imagined having.
I would like to share one of our talks with all of you, since it pertains to all of us. The talk was about Spiritual Inheritance. Gurudev said, “Dear Chetana, people worry so much about getting so much money, but when they go, what have they really gained? The money stays...they go. What kind of inheritance do they really have for themselves? It's only the Spiritual Inheritance that goes with you when you leave the earth and returns with you when you come back.”
Gurudev went on talking and he mentioned the five years of silence he did, talking only with his Guru. Right away I thought, “ Oh no, how can I do this? Am I supposed to do this?” So, I asked him. Gurudev said “No Chetana, I have done that so you don't have to do that. That is part of your Spiritual Inheritance from me. What I have done is the inheritance your receive, just as what you have done and will do will be the students' inheritance from you and from me and from my Guru and all the other teachers.”
On the Wings of Light and Love - 43