Instead of a candlelight dinner or a romantic outing, I spent the day in Hamburg with satsangati, fellow students of Acharya Prashant, many of whom I was meeting for the first time.
We spent the day reading and reflecting together.
We sang bhajans, songs of love, in public spaces.
It was simply a group of seekers choosing truth over distraction on a day the world celebrates romance and consumption.
Something personal stood out for me.
In daily life, I can carry myself confidently, managing work, home, and responsibilities. But satsang strips away that outer identity. It confronts me with where I am still driven by fear, image, and subtle dishonesty toward myself. Alone, I can ignore these things. In the presence of sincere satsangati, I cannot.
And strangely, that feels like love too.
It was a space where pretending became unnecessary.
Where vulnerability is not weakness.
Where truth matters more than appearance.
The experience reminded me of Acharya ji’s words:
“Love is when the ego moves towards the Truth, and hence reduces, dissolves.”

~ Gita Participants from Europe, in Berlin, Germany

This Valentine’s Day looked very different for me.