Guru Purnima

This morning my husband said, "It's Guru Purnima," and a passage from Shiva's Arms flashed through my mind:
Alice...muttered into the embodiment of the slippery culture she had married into. She had expected Ram to explain something intricate to her about this god, something that would make sense of the contradictions.
Here's what my husband told me:The July full moon is observed as the day sacred to the memory of the great sage Vyasa, who wrote the Mahabharata. This day also marks the onset of the rainy season, a good time to begin spiritual lessons that will extend into the next four months. Celebrants wake up at 4 a.m.on Guru Purnima, to meditate and chant intensely (Japa).Dhyaana moolam guror murtih;Pooja moolam guror padam;Mantra moolam guror vakyam;Moksha moolam guror kripa. After bathing, they worship their Guru, or his picture, with flowers, fruits, incense and camphor. They fast on only milk and fruit the whole day. In the afternoon, they sit with other devotees and discuss the teachings of their Guru.
Keep a good thought for your favorite teacher this weekend!