Your Mother is Your First Guru

Those are words I will never forget. I first heard them in 2007, while studying under Shri Yogi Hari. As a fairly new mother of two children, it was like music to my ears, but what struck me most was I had a new perspective on my mother. In the past, I had focused all of the things she didn't "know" and the challenges I faced with my mother throughout my teen and early adult years.  In what ways was my mother my wise, spiritual teacher?

Truthfully, she really didn't talk too much about "God" to me, in part because her 1950's strict Catholic education left a bad taste in her mouth. Although I did once convince her and my dad to take me to a Baptist church for a couple of years, but the "no dancing" rule and general hypocrisy of fellow churchgoers became a turn off and we stopped.

No, my spiritual journey was self directed... or was it?

My mother taught me a lot explicitly:

No matter what you accomplish, you are never better than anyone.
Share.
Be helpful to the elderly.
Education first. Boys later.
It's okay to fail, as long as you did your best. 
Read.
Always better yourself.
Try different things. 
Don't listen to what the other kids say. You be your own person.

But as I deeply reflect back on my childhood years, I think her best teachings came through her Being:

My mother was slow to anger.
She was patient. It always amazed me how she could wait in the longest line up and never become restless. EVER.
She was playful and often joked around with me.
She taught me it was okay to cry. "Get it all out"  she would say to me in moments of distress.
She loved me well. Cuddles. Hugs. Kisses. She would always say to me "I love you more than life itself." As a grown woman, I can say,  I believe her. 

It has been decades since I've been able to be with my mother for Mother's Day because of her strict work schedule, but today I will be able to honour my first guru, as you do the same for yours.

Happy Mother's Day.