Does one need a guru?

[Karin]

Originally Posted by Hubert

What if the guru says you must climb the tree and throw yourself to the ground with your head forward ?
I heard a story like this. All disciples refused, but one. That one was saved by the guru, but doing this, he gained instant liberation. (Samadhi)

I heard this story in a yoga ashram and thought it is a crime to tell this story as they did - to follow your guru without thinking yourself. There are lots of instable persons who already do this (yellow press likes to write about it ...).
No dictatorship can be possible if people take responsibilities themselves and think themselves. I think thats what people need to learn a lot. They are already following any kind of leaders much to much. We need to have more civil courage, standing up ourselves without waiting for any leadership.

Originally Posted by Janet Carpenter

your inner guru, however, is comfortingly close, 24/7. Eventually, it gets more and more worth it, to brave the inner chaos, to train yourself to recognize the still, small voice within, and more possible to see gurus in chickadees and sidewalk clowns, to understand your truth is always available within, and then anything, ANYTHING at all, even a breeze, can trigger a valuable message for you.

Yes!
You can take your life as your guru! You can take your boy-/girl-friend as guru and other people who are close to you, who easily push your buttons, the nature ... .

And you can also have a teacher for yoga.
I avoid the word guru here as I think never ever should anyone do what another person is telling him/her without questening it. Every guru is - no matter how much he/she is in his/her spiritual way - just a human being and can be wrong, can get cracy, ... .

Its easier to give the responsibility for your own life away to a guru and just do what you are expected to to.
But if you want to evolve as a human being (and not only in a whatever spiritual way) you need to take the responsibility for you yourself.

[justwannabe]

I find a lot of peace in the last part of your post janet. You put the words I wanted to say, in a way I did not. I think when I can let go of ego I can find the inner guru, if only for a moment. so when I quiet myself/ego, then I can listen to what i had within all along.
ooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Hubert]

Originally Posted by Karin

I heard this story in a yoga ashram and thought it is a crime to tell this story as they did - to follow your guru without thinking yourself. There are lots of instable persons who already do this (yellow press likes to write about it ...).
No dictatorship can be possible if people take responsibilities themselves and think themselves. I think thats what people need to learn a lot. They are already following any kind of leaders much to much. We need to have more civil courage, standing up ourselves without waiting for any leadership.

If you are in the mountains, with no climbing and mountain experience, do you follow the guide or not ? The whole point of having a guru is to walk a safe road, and doing so achieve heights you would not be able to achieve alone.

But you are right in that if that guru is not a real guru than you fall on your head and die. So the bad thing is not obedience, a virtue often overlooked in todays democracies, but being obedient in the face of ignorance.
Obedience is a great way to get rid of the ego. In a world what lacks so much the sacred, the faith in something higher, respect is a rare attitude. When you respect someone or something, obedience comes from the heart. If someone is well trained in this, can be obedient even if he/she does not understand the reasons of the actions required by their master. The fact that people's obedience or faith was abused historically so many times, does not mean that obedience is something wrong per se.
So it is bad to generalize. Obedience is not blind faith, but faith in the judgement of someone wiser. It is just hard to accept for the ego that there are people wiser than us. And because noone is perfect, it is usually easy to pinpoint a flaw in a otherwise great man's character, than discard his whole teaching or life. That's why most people never find a real guru, because they don't see the wisdom behind the surface, what's usually flawed.

There is probably more to the story I said. Probably the disciples knew the guru well, otherwise why would they follow him ? They had faith in him to a certain extent, based on his former teachings and "signs". But only one of them was advanced enough to have faith in him to the level that he did not care for his own life.

You assume that it is expected from you to do the same. This is not the morale of the story. The morale is that there are people who are capable of this kind of selflessness.

[Hubert]

Originally Posted by Karin

I heard this story in a yoga ashram and thought it is a crime to tell this story as they did - to follow your guru without thinking yourself. There are lots of instable persons who already do this (yellow press likes to write about it ...).
No dictatorship can be possible if people take responsibilities themselves and think themselves. I think thats what people need to learn a lot. They are already following any kind of leaders much to much. We need to have more civil courage, standing up ourselves without waiting for any leadership.

If you are in the mountains, with no climbing and mountain experience, do you follow the guide or not ? The whole point of having a guru is to walk a safe road, and doing so achieve heights you would not be able to achieve alone.

But you are right in that if that guru is not a real guru than you fall on your head and die. So the bad thing is not obedience, a virtue often overlooked in todays democracies, but being obedient in the face of ignorance.
Obedience is a great way to get rid of the ego. In a world what lacks so much the sacred, the faith in something higher, respect is a rare attitude. When you respect someone or something, obedience comes from the heart. If someone is well trained in this, can be obedient even if he/she does not understand the reasons of the actions required by their master. The fact that people's obedience or faith was abused historically so many times, does not mean that obedience is something wrong per se.
So it is bad to generalize. Obedience is not blind faith, but faith in the judgement of someone wiser. It is just hard to accept for the ego that there are people wiser than us. And because noone is perfect, it is usually easy to pinpoint a flaw in a otherwise great man's character, than discard his whole teaching or life. That's why most people never find a real guru, because they don't see the wisdom behind the surface, what's usually flawed.

There is probably more to the story I said. Probably the disciples knew the guru well, otherwise why would they follow him ? They had faith in him to a certain extent, based on his former teachings and "signs". But only one of them was advanced enough to have faith in him to the level that he did not care for his own life.

You assume that it is expected from you to do the same. This is not the morale of the story. The morale is that there are people who are capable of this kind of selflessness.

[justwannabe]

Originally Posted by Hubert

If you are in the mountains, with no climbing and mountain experience, do you follow the guide or not ? The whole point of having a guru is to walk a safe road, and doing so achieve heights you would not be able to achieve alone.

a thought
if you are stranded in the mountains and there is no guide, then what? Do we believe that we cannot find our way?

[souljourney108]

Hi Guys,
I think you are all gurus...we'll find our way. ..sometimes others can help.
Here are some gurus on youtube:

YouTube - John Sherman Meets Gangaji - Part 1
YouTube - John Sherman Meets Gangaji - Part 2
YouTube - Gangaji
YouTube - Being Alone/ Adyashanti
YouTube - Eckhart Tolle, not reacting to content, www.soundstrue.com
YouTube - Self-Cognizing Emptiness
YouTube - OSHO - Strange Consequences

Wishing all peace,
love Soul

[Hubert]

Originally Posted by tubeseeker

a thought
if you are stranded in the mountains and there is no guide, then what? Do we believe that we cannot find our way?

Than you are one who was foolish enough to venture to such heights alone, and you'll have to manage it alone. Even so, you probably will have somone who'll watch over you, your guardian angel, to say it in christianism's terms. And the guardian angel might say, I am sick and tired of this irresponsible fool, it's time to teach him a lesson. And you almost die, but you are miraculosly recovered by some trackers who happen to pass there. Than you'll say to yourself, damn me, if I ever venture to the mountains alone.
Isn't it smarter than to, at least, consult a guide, who already covered the track you want to do ?

[Nichole]

Hello Dear Ones,
I want to invite everyone to read (or reread) Mukunda's original 2 posts that began this thread.
There are gorgeous gems there that should be savored.

Many Blessings,

[Karin]

Hello Hubert!

Originally Posted by Hubert

If you are in the mountains, with no climbing and mountain experience, do you follow the guide or not ? The whole point of having a guru is to walk a safe road, and doing so achieve heights you would not be able to achieve alone.

I follow the guide as long as I think he/she is right and knows what to do. If I am in doubt about that and think something else is better I will not follow.

And thats the same with my yogateachers, my psychotherapist … . I respect that they have lots of more knowledge and experience (at least in specific subjects) than myself and might "see" a lot of things were I am to blind for. But the last responsibility is with me. And if I notice something is not good for me I'll trust my inner "guru" and none outside "guru".

So the bad thing is not obedience, a virtue often overlooked in todays democracies

You know about the Milgram Experiment?
The results show how willingly most people are following … .

Obedience is a great way to get rid of the ego.

It’s a great way to escape from taking responsibility for yourself.

In a world what lacks so much the sacred, the faith in something higher, respect is a rare attitude.

Well, that doesn’t need a guru. You can see the sacredness in a flower, in the sunrise … in life itself, the universe, the nature or god (or however you call it)

When you respect someone or something, obedience comes from the heart.

No. But I am probably more like a cat than like a dog. And thats maybe different for most people.
Respect means for me, that the other person is on the same level and not something "higher".

The fact that people's obedience or faith was abused historically so many times, does not mean that obedience is something wrong per se.

Thats true.
Its probably just not my picture of what I want human beings to be: free individuals, taking responsibilities for themselves and who like to meet other humans with respect on the same level.

You can find lots of people who willingly followed their guru for a long time and later on somehow managed to come out of it as they noticed that it is not doing them good. Then they have to learn again how to live without their guru as they don't know how to organise daily live themselves.

But of course if people decide that they want to live like that and are happy with it and do it just for themselves (and do not involve children in it ....) ... I can't say anything against it (as long as they are free to leave as they want to).

Obedience is not blind faith, but faith in the judgement of someone wiser. It is just hard to accept for the ego that there are people wiser than us.

Hm, I don't know if that is hard for people. I know lots of people were I willingly accept that they are much wiser than me.

And because noone is perfect, it is usually easy to pinpoint a flaw in a otherwise great man's character, than discard his whole teaching or life. That's why most people never find a real guru, because they don't see the wisdom behind the surface, what's usually flawed.

Thats just what I mean: no whatever guru will never make a mistake.
But the concept of a guru is - as far as I understood - just to follow without questioning as he/she is never doing a mistake.

You assume that it is expected from you to do the same. This is not the morale of the story. The morale is that there are people who are capable of this kind of selflessness.

Isn't it that often people who are not capable to live on their own are blind following a leader/guru? And in this Ashram were a lot of people who looked very lost in life, willingly to follow anyone who makes them believe that he/she is their guru. That was it what made me angry, as I think this people need support to manage their lives themselves and not someone who tells them what to do.
I think a lots of these gurus (not all) are just eager to get a lot of power ... .

Regards,
Karin

[justwannabe]

Originally Posted by Hubert

Than you are one who was foolish enough to venture to such heights alone, and you'll have to manage it alone. Even so, you probably will have somone who'll watch over you, your guardian angel, to say it in christianism's terms. And the guardian angel might say, I am sick and tired of this irresponsible fool, it's time to teach him a lesson. And you almost die, but you are miraculosly recovered by some trackers who happen to pass there. Than you'll say to yourself, damn me, if I ever venture to the mountains alone.
Isn't it smarter than to, at least, consult a guide, who already covered the track you want to do ?

we all have made foolish journeys to the forest, desert, or middle of the sea, that is what makes us human. And yes, at times humans can be irresponsible.

[Karin]

"All these godman, gurus and flunkies are offering us a new oasis. You will find out that it is no different from other mirages."

(U.G. Krishnamurti)

[Hubert]

A guru is a relalized soul, one who attained perfection. A realized soul surpasses this world, even higher worlds, the gods' world and he is anchored in the Ultimate Reality. He's body still belongs to this world, and that can be killed if he chooses so. He is wearing the body as a cloth.
I never met such person in my life. But that does not mean they not exist, or I would not follow him if I met him. So the question is not the need for such person in your sadhana, but perhaps our ability to assess his presence.

Also the question migh be: do you believe at all in spiritual worlds, higher powers, gods, angels and so on (use your culture's terms here, be it kamis, boddhisattwas, anything), do you beleive if there is something more that what the senses see ? Do you beleive that there is even a higher thing than those ? I only had one single extrasensorial event in my life, but that is enough for me to put these questions away, and believe. Faith is what we have until we see it ourselves, with our own soul. Opening the chakras is opening our spiritual eyes. Having that single experience, I long for knowledge. I know I am blind and imperfect. I did learn the hard way that nothing lasts. Maybe I have grown bitter, too, because I am still attached to the things I know cannot last forever.

So this is not just a talk for me. What I share here, be it right or wrong ( and I often find that I was wrong in my thoughts) is very important to me, perhaps the most important thing in my life.
I love my wife and baby girl very much, and I would give my life for them. But that does not change the fact that I would follow my guru/master if I met him. This is hard to accept, and some of you probaly will say I am a monster, and how can such bigottry exist today.
Be sure, I would not make such sacrifice easily. (probably it would be the greatest I am capable of) I would test him the best I can do. I would provoke him, dare him, to show he is the one.
I believe that Jesus was a guru or master. And he said, the one who leaves his parents, wife, children for me, will get a hundred times more in the kingdom of heaven.

How many people leave their wife and children for somtehing as illusory that romantic love ? A thing that we all know that does not last ? That it lasts for a few years than it gives place to a deeper love ... and still how deep is that love in people who give that up for the new high gave to them by a new relationship ?
But they are not monsters or bigotts, they're just human. We forgive what we understand and we don't forgive what we don't. That's why the life of saints, prophets or the true, is a tragic one. That' why there is such a gruesome statement in John's Apocalipse about the number of the true ones who must fell before Christs second coming.

Perhaps all these sound to catholic for this place. Some of you fled here because the church disappointed you, or it just wasn't able to wake your interest. I don't ask you to be catholics or christians. Be an atheist if that what feels true for you. God is incomprehensible, perhaps an atheist is closer to Him than one who tries to depict Him. Be a hindu, or budhist, I don't care. What I believe that the laws of morality are one for all human kind. I believe that we will find if we seek, so self effort is not useless. But I also believe that we can be helped, taught.
What a beautiful and short is the commandment: Love thy fellow as yourself. It is in fact what yogins say by ahimsa. This is one of the two greatest commandments. The other is love thy God by all your heart, soul and mind. (Not exact quotations because I am not reading the Bible in english)
A yogi might say, be true to yourself 'til the end. Both of these lead to the same, just the directions where they come from differ.

So we are different in where we come from. As different types of food with the same nutrients just in different percentage, are best for different body types, perhaps the same knowledge but in different clothes is more accessable for different cultures' sons and daughters.

But in essence they are all the same. I like what Yogiraj Siddhanath says:

Humanity is ones only religion, breath is ones only prayer, and consciousness is ones only God.

But that does not mean we must throw out our heritage. We must find what's good in it, and enliven it by what's the same for all of us.

[Janet Carpenter]

It is such a paradox, Hubert, following a guru and possibly leaving wife and baby to do so. On one hand, the idea seems so cruel to the little family, how could that ever be a good thing? How could a guru encourage that?? On the other hand, when one reaches a certain level of understanding from a spiritual perspective, everything shifts.

You have a Judeo-Christian background so I can ask you, do you remember the story of Abraham? How he and his wife were told by God that they would have as many descendents as there are stars in the night sky? And they were over 100 years old and still had no child? And finally they had Isaac? And when Isaac became a young man God told Abraham to sacrifice him? And just when Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac God stopped him and told him that because he was willing to sacrifice Isaac God did not require him to do it? The Old Testament God was Abraham's guru, no?

Why is that story there?

Ultimately our relationship with our spiritual, higher self is of utmost importance. Putting that first, (a lonely, difficult, scary, unsettling thing, so a guru can be a blessing) yields the reward of recongnizing the truth of our existence here, that we are all connected (the kindgom of Heaven?). To reach for understanding of the reason we exist is for some the most important aspect of life. Often, without realizing it, our family, our job, our social standing, our ego-related concerns become more important than our true reason for being here. These things are really, in my opinion, experiences for deepening our understanding of our connectedness with all things. They are not meant to substitute for our higher truth.

When I got to this understanding, I became bitter, too. Why bother even continuing in this life, if it is to be so impermanent, and if it is so alluring and engaging, and must be left behind?

I decided that I love life so much, this experience on Earth, that I would celebrate every day that I wake up on it. I would do my best to come from love at all times and to be an example to encourage others toward loving in life, as well. I release things that separate me from the truth of our existence here - - to be and to share love and joy.
And I smile.

There is an exellent book (in English), called "Old Turtle." It is a beautifully illustrated children's book that shows what I am trying to tell here. Very few words. Nice.

[Hubert]

Thanks for the reply. My former post ... I have mixed feelings towards it. Because I myself I am scare of the things I said there. But it was necessary to get it out from my system.

I am tired of myself. I must post less.

[Janet Carpenter]

I will use a yoga asana example to describe what you have just done in your emotional and spiritual area: You used courage to approach an edge of discomfort in your life, like a place of pain in a pose. Now it is advisable to use compassion with yourself in backing away from that extreme place of expansion, just like you would ease back from a screaming edge in a yoga pose. When thoughts about this subject come to mind, just as you approach the edge in a difficult pose, use breath to soften the experience, to process emotions through, to let them pass.

Please understand how important it is to allow negative thoughts and emotions to move on. Things like anger, impatience, guilt, sadness, dismay, fear. THEY are the target, the important issue. There is more solid progress in spiritual growth in that area, rather than focusing on willingness/unwillingness to sacrifice family to follow a guru.

Do you remember, Jesus saying: "if ye do all of these (virtuous) things, if ye do them not with love, it is as though ye have not done them at all?" To me, what this means is, follow your heart in your life. Be genuine about coming from love, and you will not live a life that you regret !

Happy happy, joy, joy ~ om namah, shivaya, and ~ ~

peace be with you always, even to the end of the earth

[Hubert]

Your posts are truly comforting. Thank you.
I am a swift learner ... I did try to consciously apply what you said here and in other threads. I am breathing and enjoying spring. Releasing the locked up pain and tension.

[Karin]

Originally Posted by Hubert

A guru is a relalized soul, one who attained perfection.

I don't believe in that. Even if one is "enlightened" he/she is still a human being.
You talk about Jesus - he was probably one of this "enlightened" people. But I don't believe that he was "perfect".

Also the question migh be: do you believe at all in spiritual worlds, higher powers, gods, angels and so on (use your culture's terms here, be it kamis, boddhisattwas, anything), do you beleive if there is something more that what the senses see ? Do you beleive that there is even a higher thing than those ?

Well I believe in "spiritual things", but not as something very miracle, just as something most people in the west lost contact to. I had some of those experiences (but of course it can also be that my brain is just producing it); but I wouldn't call it "higher". Some people are born with sensing things others can't and you can definetly train yourself to get them with special practices.

Having that single experience, I long for knowledge. I know I am blind and imperfect. I did learn the hard way that nothing lasts. Maybe I have grown bitter, too, because I am still attached to the things I know cannot last forever.

And maybe you get attached to the "spiritual path" instead, to have a good excuse for leaving your life?
You can take your family life as your Sadhana. Why do you search somewere else - and especially in finding a guru who takes you away from normal daily life?

I might be totally wrong, but from what you are writing, I have a guess that you are looking for something you are missing, what you can find only in yourself and which none can give to you. Or better to say: not something you are missing, but something you already have, but what you can't see right now.

[Rashmi]

The fundamental to gain the knowledge is that until and unless it is not given by anybody else, it cannot be listened and cannot, therefore, be contained in mind failing which it cannot be used in action. This is why someone is badly needed to preach. For example, let a newly born baby be earmarked to live in a lonely cave in a dense jungle.
If we take care of him by all means but do not make any verbal contact for his any type of education, thus we will find that when he will even attain age of twenty five years ,he will remain ignorant, foolish. When we will keep him out of cave in the open air, he will not know even any languages or worldly knowledge either spiritual or materialistic.
Question arises, "Why he remained ignorant or foolish or illiterate?" The answer is very clear that he was not provided with his mother, the first teacher and he was not provided with any Rishi or Guru for spiritual/materialistic education etc. Now a days too, the races are still living in the dense jungles separated from the modern world's civilization, are still illiterate and they even do not wear the clothes. In this connection again another question arises, "Why the seven days of week, twelve months in a year the names of cow, horses, trees etc are the same at every part of the world."
Keeping aside the languages if we think unprejudiced then we will come to the conclusion that somebody has taught us to pronounce mother as mother, father as father ,brother as brother ,tree as tree ,water as water, blood as blood, man as man, woman as woman at every part of the world and somebody has definitely taught us the science and deep knowledge of Yoga, Karmas, worship etc.

The oldest several holy books and the Rishis have already invented the answer thereof. In this connection Patanjali Rishi his Yoga Darshan has also cheerfully recited his experiences towards the facts after study of Vedas,Topasya, trust in God ,hard Yoga practice and when he achieved the last and final motto of human life is SAMADHI i.e. realization of God.
His superb words of realisation are quoted in Yoga Darshan as under:

"Sah Eshah purvesham api Guruhu kalena anavachhedat".

Meaning: -The God is the Guru of the ancient Rishis also, being beyond the limitation and calculation of time.

Comments: - God is immortal. He was before the creation. He is present from the time of creation and will remain when the time will come of destruction. He will remain after the destruction too. That is why he will continue the creation as usual, and will remain again Guru of the new creation. But open the other hand human being will not remain alive for ever, and traditional Guru knowledge will be finished in human life At the time of total destruction of the world.

Vedas are originated by God and Yoga knowledge has been preached in Vedas. See Rishi Yagvalk Smiriti`s Shaloka. "Hiranya Garbha Yogasya Vakta". Hiranya Garbh mean- God,Yogasya =of Yoga,Vakta=Teacher. So God is teacher of Yoga knowledge.
So the result of deep study of vedas, Shastras, Bhagwat Geeta, Ramayana and other holy books concludes that the first Guru of our ancient Rishis is almighty God. Thereafter, the Rishis/Munis/Acharyas/Gurus have been teaching us the spiritualism/materialistic knowledge up till now.

[Hubert]

Originally Posted by Karin

I don't believe in that. Even if one is "enlightened" he/she is still a human being.
You talk about Jesus - he was probably one of this "enlightened" people. But I don't believe that he was "perfect".

He probably was not perfect because only God is perfect. But I believe he was as perfect as a human being is ever capable of.

And maybe you get attached to the "spiritual path" instead, to have a good excuse for leaving your life?

I might be ... but do you know my life to judge me for that ?
Still, you are right. Just there are times when everything we care for just crumbles, regardless our best efforts. Some go to therapyst, some drink their brains out, some seek comfort in the company they are close with ... but there are trials when none of these help. Than the real questions arise: who am I ? Why does this happen to me ? Why do I live ? And to answer these honestly one must go beyond the usual accept things as they are attitude.

You can take your family life as your Sadhana. Why do you search somewere else - and especially in finding a guru who takes you away from normal daily life?

I am not doing this. I was saying that I can imagine scenarios when the obvious choices won't make it. I said it would be the highest sacrifice I am capable of. Do you think I am keen of doing that ? But if I had to, I would be capable of either part of that choice. I hope I won't have to make it, though.

This is like in a story: Various people visited the saint, and praised him because of his rennunciation. But he said - you are the real saints because you give up on more: your own beatitude and supreme bliss for worldly things. So this is all relative, and personal karma counts for more than trying to find a generalised answer.

I might be totally wrong, but from what you are writing, I have a guess that you are looking for something you are missing, what you can find only in yourself and which none can give to you. Or better to say: not something you are missing, but something you already have, but what you can't see right now.

Your female intuition ... you are again right. I miss love. Not the love I feel for my family and my close ones, what is a steady, deep and humble love, as I realise my own but also their weaknesses too, but I miss the ever consuming fire of love when me and my beloved merge into total union. This is not a bodily wish, but the deepest cry of my heart, an unsatiable longing and hunger. Sometimes it is so strong that I feel empty, cold and dark inside, like a black hole, and this feeling is terrible. And I also found that no man or woman can ever fulfill this. Don't get me wrong. I am a very lucky man. I have everything I might desire. And I am happy, sometimes very happy. I enjoy walking the park in may, watching over my daughter, or my wife attending to her things sunday morning. I love my body, and my practice. I enjoy my friends company. But at night , when there is quiet and dark, sometimes I wake up and the longing begins ... and there is no answer. But I have faith that there will be one.

[Rashmi]

Dear friends
while browsing Divine life societies website i have found these reflections of Swami Sivananda ji on guru, a realised soul and gyani, he is no more i am pasting it for interseted souls for guidance :

THE NEED FOR A SPIRITUAL GUIDE

Q. Is a Guru necessary for Self realisation?
A. Undoubtedly. A spiritual preceptor is absolutely necessary for everyone. In the initial stages an aspirant will have to face many difficulties and doubts in his path. He must have somebody who is much more acquainted with the subject of his quest than himself and to whom he can approach to get his doubts cleared. Even ordinary secular sciences have to be leamt from a teacher. A primary student would not fare well in his examination if he reads his lessons all by himself without the aid of a private teacher or without having to go to school. To leam the science of Self knowledge one must have a reliable guide. He should study well the very best of the literature available on the subject, so as to effect a necessary moulding of his ideas and intellectual conviction, together with the advice of his teacher, through faith, devotion, perseverance and practical application to the pursuit of his quest, as well as through observation and company of holy men. It is only the Guru who will find out your defects. The nature of egoism is such that you will not be able to find out your own defects or be convinced of their pemicious effect. In the case of a very few emotionally matured, intellectually precise, decisive and enlightened, and spiritually exalted souls, they themselves can be their guide, and the purity of their heart will enable them to decide the voice of God from within and guide them accordingly.

Q. Is it essential to leam Yoga from a Guru, who has himself done Yoga Sadhana and has achieved success in it?
A. Yes, one needs the guidance of a Guru. But he can do a lot at home itself and gradually evolve. The world is a great teacher. You can leam ever so many valuable lessons from it. While leading a householder's life you can develop many virtues. Self control should be practised while living in the world of temptations. You can do Japa, Asanas, Pranayama and meditation at home. Lead a simple and austere life. Be honest and charitable. Induce your wife too to read religious books like the Ramayana, the Gita, etc. Thus you can prepare yourself gradually for the rigid life of a Sannyasin. Maintain a spiritual diary and send it to me for review. Come here for your holidays and undergo the necessary training and discipline. If you suddenly desert your family you shall be giving a shock to them. Let it be gradual: in the course of some years all bonds will be broken, when you can completely devote yourself to Sadhana.

Q. What are the qualifications and essential qualities of a real Guru, teacher or a true guide? Is it possible for an ordinary human being to select a real guide? If so, how?
A. Real Guru is a Srotriya, Brahmanishtha, one who is leamed in the scriptures and established in Brahman. He who is wise, desireless and sinless can be a true teacher and guide. The Guru, by virtue of his wisdom and capacity, draws towards himself the souls fit to be guided by him. When one feels that he is thus spontaneously drawn to a Mahapurusha whom he cannot help loving, admiring and serving, who is an embodiment of. unruffled tranquillity, mercy and spiritual experience, such a great one can be taken as the Guru. A Guru will be free from lust, anger, greed, egoism, hatred, jealousy, selfishness. He will have self restraint, peace, perfect knowledge of the technique of all practices of Yoga, balanced mind, equal vision, generosity, tolerance, forgiveness, patience. He will be able to remove the doubts of the aspirants. In his presence all doubts will vanish by themselves. He will be in possession of divine knowledge through Nirvikalpa Samadhi. In his presence you will enjoy peace; you will be inspired and elevated. In his presence you will have a peculiar thrill of joy, peace and upheaval. A Guru is one in whom the disciple can find no defect and who se