Guru Poornima

Dear Devotees,
Wow! It's been a while since I last wrote, but it has been a little busy here at the Ohio Vedic Temple. One reason is that we are preparing for Guru Poornima. Ok, most of you probably have no idea what I am talking about. Once a year, in the Vedic tradition, we celebrate a holiday called Guru Poornima. On this day in July on the full moon (Poornima means full moon) we honor our gurus. A guru is a guide, a friend, a teacher, a parent, someone who takes you from the darkness to the light. More then anything, a guru is a guiding energy who ultimately helps you understand "Tat Tvam Asi", you are that, you are consciousness itself. Guru Poornima has been celebrated for thousands of years in India.
Now devotees have the opportunity to celebrate the holiday right in the USA by coming to the Ohio Nithyananda Vedic Temple. Of course, you can always honor your own Guru at home, but by celebrating at the Ohio Temple, you can really be part of the true Vedic tradition. Some activities that you can participate in are: a gratitude meditation; Guru Pooja (offering to the Guru); Maha arthi (a fire ritual) on the banks of the beautiful energized river behind the temple; and Chandra Namaskar, a yoga sequence honoring the full moon. Wonderful prasad (blessed food) will be offered and of course amazing energy!
We are celebrating on July 25, so if you can, come, come. If you can't, give a prayer of thanks to your personal Guru on that Auspicious day. Thanks for reading. Check back in! I will write an entry complete with a picture once that sacred day is over, so thank you again!

This is a Sanskrit prayer that honors all the gurus.

Sadha shiva samaarambhaam / shankaraachaarya madhyamaam /
asmadaachaarya paryantam / vande guru paramparaam //

The meaning is

Sadha shiva samaarambhaam: Starting with Sadha Shiva. or Shiva, the first Guru, the Adi Guru.

Shankaraacharya madhyamaam: To Sri Adi Shankara, one of the great Masters in the middle of the lineage.

asmadaachaarya paryantam: And to all the other Gurus in the lineage.

vande guru paramparaam: I bow to the entire lineage of Gurus who have spent their lives for the sake of mankind.