Guru Purnima - Celebrating the Teachers

Today's full moon is celebrated in India and abroad as a day to honor our teachers, or Gurus, the individuals who have shown us the next step on our path. 

"Guru" itself means "one who removes the darkness of ignorance," and is commonly used to refer to both spiritual teachers and pragmatic teachers alike. The term can include academic teachers in formal schools, as well as mentors and guides who help us move towards Truth.

 My Veda chanting teacher emphasizes that in our traditional class opening mantra, "Om shri gurubhyo namaha," the term guru is in the plural form. We are honoring the multitude of teachers who have touched our lives, as well as the generations of teachers that came before them to pave the way, whose names we'll never know.

Guru Purnima, the full moon day in the Hindu lunar month Ashadha (which often falls in June or July), is a time to appreciate the interconnected web of guidance that has made our development possible. It points to the necessity of humbly learning from others who have the experience and generosity to guide us. 

It also reminds us that we are never alone - we are held by wisdom itself that moves through the vast web of humanity over time, finding receptive hearts and minds and planting itself in each generation.

Today is an opportunity to simply remember the teachers who have graced our lives, to light a candle in their honor, and to continue to move towards the light they have helped reveal.