Darshan
There is a Sanskrit word, darshan. The literal translation is “vision” but it has deeper meanings. It also means a vision of the divine. And deeper still is the meaning of the blessing that you receive when you see the divine.
So pilgrims go to shrines and “receive darshan” from the deity that the shrine is dedicated to. They receive a blessing by gazing on the representation of the deity.
Gurus “give darshan” to their followers by making themselves available for viewing and usually the touching of their feet and so their followers are blessed by being in the presence of a holy person.
I choose to see this in an even bigger way and whenever I talk to someone who reminds me that life is good and that I am blessed simply to be alive, I thank them for their darshan. I thank them for the blessing I have received from them reminding me that life itself is the greatest blessing of all.
Thank you my friends for your darshan.
