Journey to Enlightenment Part 01

Author(s): Chitrabhanu, Chetana Catherine Florida, Nirmala Hanke, Raksha Penni Helsene
Publisher: Create Space

Page 19

Fall 1992: Gifts of Chitrabhany
LaLita-Lucille Doke, Prachi-Pat Thiel and I journeyed to New York this summer to help celebrate Gurudev Chitrabhanu's 70th birthday. Many students and friends from all over the country were there for the celebration. I wrote this letter and message the morning of Gurudev's birthday and want to share it now with all of you.
Dearest Gurudev: All of the students in Michigan wanted to join in celebrating your birthday today, so as I say “happy birthday” to you, Gurudev, it is said with the echo of over 100 students from Michigan.
With birthdays we always think what we can give the person. However, all I can think about is what you have given to me. So using your name CHITRABHANU as my focus, I would like to share with you what you have given me.
C is for Creativity - getting me to see and understand my personal power to be creative. H is for Help - giving me the help I needed to get through those "dark times". I is for Integrity - Being my example of what integrity is in working with everyone. T is for Truth - Through the light of your awareness, I become more and more aware of the truth. R is for Reconciliation - to reconcile all of my differences with people so the “molehills” do not become mountains. A is for Ahimsa - to be non-violent and more reverent for all life. B is for Better to Best - learning how to live better to become the best that I can be. H is for Healing - how all things can be healed with, and through, the light of inner awareness. A is for Adoration - for life and for you Gurudev. N is for Not - as you have shared what to strive for in life, I have also seen what not to strive for! U is for Unlimited ness - what we experience when we truly experience who we really are.
I thank you for all these gifts. What I would like to give to you on your birthday is my love and commitment to you as my teacher in helping you to spread the message of “ahimsa" (non-violence) to all those I meet and work with everyday.
Namaste,
Chetana
20 - Journey to Enlightenment