A Flower by Any Different Identify

by Nayaswami Pushpa

Ananda Village, along with being my non secular house on earth, is a haven for flower photographers. I’m one among them! Through the years I’ve taken 1000’s of images. Swami was all the time very supportive and inspiring. He mentioned the flowers “talked” to me.

I had requested by electronic mail a gathering with Swami, and in that message I discussed that I want to have a non secular identify. After we met he didn’t carry up the subject, and I used to be tempted to only depart or not it’s, for relating to that request I had come to a spot of acceptance. All of a sudden, he mentioned enthusiastically, “Pushpa. Do you prefer it? It means ‘flower.’” After all I liked it due to its significance to me, however most significantly as a result of Swami had given me the identify.

Most of my gurubhais who’ve non secular names, have ones that characterize gods, goddesses, or non secular attributes on which they might focus. How might I exploit this treasured present to broaden spiritually? I spent many months trying to find inspiration. Lastly, a solution got here to me. Swami had written a tune within the early days of Ananda known as “Channels.” One of many verses referred to flowers and their qualities. Now I had one thing I might work with!

Flowers so smooth and fragile
keep aromatic although pressed to the bottom.
Could we thus be taught forbearance, for in kindness love is discovered.

I mirrored on the primary two strains and I got here to the conclusion that it was doable to be open (not defensive or guarded) and stay candy, even once I felt I used to be being crushed by life. I centered on absolutely listening to what others had been saying, and never permitting myself to start out mentally rebutting or defending.

The third line jogged my memory of the instruction God had given to Sister Gyanamata  (Yogananda’s foremost girl disciple) when she had needed to face difficult karma:

“Endure what I shall ship. That shall be sufficient.”

Introspection, in addition to affected person self-control, was mandatory. I endeavored to dwell by one among Gyanamata’s axioms: “What comes of itself, let it come. For what’s yours will certainly come to you.” In different phrases: settle for every little thing as coming from God, and stay even-minded and cheerful beneath all circumstances. That’s the approach to freedom.