Blow Thy Music Through My Shattered Reed
Jun 06, 2022by Nayaswami Narayan
“Bamm!” My guitar hit the dais at our Ananda East LA temple with a sudden thud. Not to mention it was during our Festival of Light service which is supposed to be an inward celebration of the soul’s redemption and freedom.
What happened? My guitar was strapped over my shoulder when without my awareness the strap began to loosen. As can happen with guitar straps, it came undone rather quickly. At that time my hands were raised above my head for one of the “Aum” blessings that are part of the Festival of Light. Before I could grab it, the guitar crashed to the wooden platform with a loud “Kabam!” Everyone was startled by the loud crashing sound. (We do an “awake and ready!” at the beginning of each service, but this was a new type of rude awakening!)
Along with everyone my immediate reaction was “Ouch!” At the same time I wanted everyone to know the guitar was fine and everyone was okay. So I instinctively said out loud to everyone, “It’s okay.”
Actually, what I didn’t realize at the time is my guitar did suffer a severe blow to the back of it where some of the wood cracked and broke. Thankfully, it still plays beautifully!
Like glossing over the guitar’s dent, many times we sugarcoat painful experiences in life saying, “everything is fine.” How many times have you said, “I’m fine” when really you’re in some type of physical, emotional, or spiritual pain? If you say you’re fine, how will anyone come to your aid?
This incident reminded me of the importance of being honest with ourselves. We don’t overcome the darkness by ignoring its reality. Nor do we enter into the Light of God by giving special attention to the darkness. As Swami Kriyananda says in a song, “You can’t drive out the darkness with a stick!”
The way out of pain and suffering is to sincerely cry to the Lord for help. As Paramhansa Yogananda said in his poem, My Guru: “As a naughty baby I cried for my Mother Divine, and She came to me as my Guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar.”
Try this prayer: “Mother, I’m not fine! Everyone is NOT okay. Fine I will be when I receive your fine vibrations of ecstasy. Come, Mother, into my temple and make me truly refined in Thee!”
When we honestly and sincerely pray to God to release us from delusion and suffering, He will heed our prayer. As Paramhansa Yogananda expressed beautifully in one of his Whispers from Eternity:
O Master Piper! gather together, from all the highways and byways of truth’s numerous expressions, all the uncompleted songs of lonely hearts seeking attunement with Thee, and let them grow into complete melodies of joy through the love‐playing flute of life!
Joyous fine rays of love & light to you!
Nayaswami Narayan
Blow Thy Music Through My Shattered Reed
from Whispers from Eternity by Paramhansa Yogananda
Thou Master Piper, blow Thy music through the reed of all religions—so often broken by sectarian selfishness—and bring forth Thy one theme of truth. Dress that divine melody with many golden chords, showing the richness of Thy Spirit.
And, O Master Piper! gather together, from all the highways and byways of truth’s numerous expressions, all the uncompleted songs of lonely hearts seeking attunement with Thee, and let them grow into complete melodies of joy through the love‐playing flute of life!
On my silence‐tuned radio‐mind I listened daily for Thy thrilling, anciently familiar flute notes. I tried to tune in to them, but Thou seemest so far, far away, and at first the busy static of restlessness crackled in my silence. Then at last, however, with a few fine, careful touches of concentration, I heard a soft rustling sound, as if on wings of space. And suddenly I heard Thee piping softly, then more loudly and ever‐more loudly, with a swelling chorus of all earth’s goodness and the latent nobility in all hearts.
Fine Beyond Time by Nayaswami Narayan
I’m truly fine.
Beyond all time
Where sublime
Rhymes shine
Singing “Be Thou mine.”
Ah, yes, I’m truly taking in
The fine wine of your timeless time
May I get all drunk in Thy name
Now and forever!
