Gurugita

The Gurugita is a scripture that is 182 verses long. It is sung early in the morning (and I mean early! At about 4 am!) with everyone at the Ashram. The whole thing takes about an hour and a half. You would have to have lots of self discipline to be able to sit there for an hour an a half singing in a language you don't even know! It's written in Sanskrit. The Gurugita is a spiritual excerpt from an ancient scripture of Yoga called the Skanda Purana. It's written in the form of conversation (which most of Yogic Scripture is) between the goddess Parvati and the god Shiva. In this conversation, whatever Shiva imagines, Parvati brings to life.

Liz really struggles with the Gurugita every morning. She gets all sweaty and agitated when she does it with everyone and time seems to drag on and on for her. She even starts skipping it and just meditating somewhere else because she thinks that it might be better for her spiritual health. But she knows that this probably isn't right, and so she goes to talk to her favorite teacher - a monk with a long name in Sanskrit translating to "He Who Dwells in the Heart of the Lord Who Dwells Within His Own Heart". Cool huh? He tells her that if the Gurugita is having that big of an affect on her, it must be working at her - in a good way. Even though she doesn't seem to believe this. He tells her that it's a purifying practice that isn't meant to be fun, but very neccessary. Finally, Liz goes back determined to make it through the Gurugita. And during it, she decides to dedicate that session of it to her Nephew. At last.... success! Liz has found the key to getting through the Gurugita in one piece.



People gathered for the Gurugita