The Nityananda Institute in Portland, Oregon hosted the 3 Gurus event in September, 2006. Swami Chetanananda, Swami Shankarananda, and Master Charles Cannon gave us an extraordinary week. They brought wisdom of ancient traditions to us in three very unique ways. Swami Chetanananda emphasized the importance of the teacher in growing a spiritual life. Swami Shankarananda spoke about the Shiva Process of Self Inquiry. He discussed how an awareness of the self could uplift one’s experience of life. The third guru, Master Charles Cannon, called for a new God for our modern society. He spoke to how a balanced, innovative approach can bring greater peace and equanimity to our every day life. The overall theme of the week was “Great Beings” and a salute to the great beings in their common lineage. 

The 3 Gurus program began with five evening sessions, Monday through Friday nights. The format of the evenings varied. Some featured talks by the gurus, and others were question answer sessions. Each night, the gurus gave darshan and made a personal connection with everyone attending. 

Every night was inspiring, lively and entertaining. The teachers demonstrated such camaraderie, such an ease and love for one another, that it extended to everyone present.

Saturday and Sunday were a meditation intensive, with each teacher taking a turn being the presenter for a one hour talk, followed by meditation and shaktipat. Swami Shankarananda began on Saturday morning and Master Charles gave the Saturday afternoon session. Swami Chetanananda was featured on Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon included questions and answers and darshan with all three gurus. It is most unusual to receive empowerments from three different teachers in a single weekend, and the power of it was remarkable.

The 3 Gurus program is unique in featuring three teachers from the lineage who have developed different techniques of meditation and approaches to spiritual practice. The premise for the program is that by being exposed to three different styles, a person can find what resonates most strongly with him. Swami Chetanananda said that part of the reason that they came together was because their gurus had provided intense atmospheres of unconditional love for them, and in turn, they were interested in preserving that atmosphere for us. For those participating for the first time, it was a wonderful introduction to a spiritual life. And for those of us who have been studying for years with one teacher, it was an opportunity to share in a feast of warmth and good feeling.

Each guru took turns sharing his views with us. Swami Chetanananda discussed the need for a student to grow spiritually. He talked about the process of growing, of awakening a sweeter, finer, deeper place within us. In order to engage in the process, we need first recognize that there is something more to life, and we need to be in the presence of a real guru. There, we can enter into a field of unconditional love. Our contact with the teacher penetrates our tensions, disappointments, and self rejection, and awakens and expands the core energy within us. When we awaken the energy, we begin a process of transformation which ultimately gives us a profound sense of well being. 

Swami Shankarananda taught the technique of Self Inquiry at the retreat. This system teaches us to use our inner wisdom to uplift our every day experience. He explained that because events have passed through our egos, we can not come to things as they are, and that most people have layers and layers of ego. He says that if we can get rid of some of the layers, more light comes through. The Self Inquiry Process can uplift and expand awareness and improve our ability to communicate.

Master Charles Cannon spoke of the need for a new God in modern spirituality, a new god that can be experienced by anyone here and now. He says that this new God is not a separate being, but that it can be found within each person, and that an authentic model must include a practical way to experience God directly today. He says that divine communion must be accessible to all - In today’s world, we have the opposite of divine communion: we have mundane separation and fragmentation. Master Charles’ message is that the new God is you and me.

In working together, the teachers demonstrated an unconditional love for each other that their gurus had demonstrated for them. They brought to us a powerful message of the inner self and unconditional love, and they grounded this message in the experience of love. These three remarkable men have dedicated their lives to the upliftment of their students. Because they are established in a state of unconditional love, it pours forth from their heart and soul and is available to anyone who is willing to listen.

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