What makes a person a guru

The time frame that I have with people is limited. So I am making myself available only as a Presence, not as a person. As a person, I am just keeping a certain face — in many ways within the framework of your expectations. If I have to use my person also as a device, then it needs much more trust, and maybe more time.

People who are with me for longer periods of time find me an impossible person, which I am not with you. Your personality is constantly evolving, beaten around by life. Whichever way life beats you, you will become that kind of shape and form. Your personality is constantly being constructed by external situations.

The one whom you call as Guru is not a person. The whole process of self-realization means someone has transcended his personality and then he carefully crafts a personality as it is necessary for the kind of role that he wants to play. In a limited way, on the surface, you too are building your personality to suit your activity.

A being who is experiencing himself beyond limitations does it in a very deep way. He structures every aspect of his life as it is necessary for the role that he has chosen to play. It is a conscious construction. When it is a conscious construction, it is just a device, it is not bondage anymore. Any moment, he can just pull it down. Even now, the way I operate as a person is very different in different places.

It may be shocking for you if you see me in other kinds of situations. Because you have fallen into the comfort of knowing this kind of person, when you see another kind of person, you are unable to handle it. And both of these emotions are not allowed to cross certain lines. Within those lines, you are constantly being thrashed around so that after some time you will know, this is not a person.

This is not a human being. Either he is a devil or he must be Divine. That which is not in your experience cannot be taught to you intellectually. To take a person from one dimension of experience to another dimension of experience, you need a device which is of a higher level of intensity and energy.

That device is what we call as Guru. The Guru-shishya relationship is on an energy basis. A Guru is touching you in a dimension where no one else can touch you. There are many ways to move your energies to Ajna. But from Ajna to Sahasrar, there is no particular way to do anything. It is just a jump. It is because of this that the Guru-shishya relationship has been held as the most sacred relationship in this culture. Sometimes, advanced students of a guru will also begin teaching on their own, without claiming to be a full-fledged guru.

This is something you often see in the study of yoga. Lineage is especially important to emphasize today, for people looking to undertake deeper spiritual study under a guru.

Has the teacher you are looking to study with been authorized in some capacity to teach by their teacher? Who have they studied under and learned from? When looking for a guru or spiritual teacher, treat it not entirely unlike applying to a university. While, as a prospective student you may not be in a position to judge the spiritual attainment of a potential guru just as you may not as a freshman grasp the complexity of the work of any professor , you nevertheless should try to assess the history and qualifications of any prospective guru.

It is perfectly acceptable, if not commonplace considering the seriousness of the relationship, for someone to switch guru. This can be because your own spiritual needs have changed, your previous guru dies, perhaps because your guru has themselves changed in their teachings and methods, or recommends that your path is better off with someone else. Contrary to what you might think, this is not a modern phenomena. Spiritual texts such as the Srimad Bhagavatam mention some individuals having multiple guru, as their spiritual quest progresses.

In Hindu culture, prostrating yourself before someone is a sign of deep respect. You will see devotees do this before a guru and in temples before murti images of the divine, used to focus devotional attention. This is done, in both cases, not because the devotee literally believes they are bowing down to God, but rather because of their devotion to the Divine principle embodied or manifested before them. You will also often see people touching the feet of their parents and other people whom they respect and imbue with authority and devotion.

The feet are the focus in both cases, as the book What is Hinduism? And darkness cannot perceive light within itself. Left to our own devices, the ego will forever run the show. But if the switch is turned on by one already embodying the light, then we can perceive our true nature as it has always been.

The battle between dark and light, between the ego and the soul , is the fundamental action in this world of duality. It is a great blessing that true gurus have come in every age to lead us back to Truth and the realization of our innate light and love. So, now that we've discussed what does not make a true guru, let's discuss what does :. Finally, a true guru does not have to be embodied to continue guiding devotees.

A master such as Paramahansa Yogananda left extensive writings with his darshan blessing , which continue his lineage and message. But many students prefer the personal connection they feel with a living teacher. One easily accessible, fully Self-realized master embodied today is Amma Mata Amritanandamayi. She is known throughout the world as the "hugging saint," purely exemplifying love and compassion as well as serving humanitarian needs worldwide.

Continue reading about How to Find Your Guru. To help you bring attention to your doshas and to identify what your predominant dosha is, we created the following quiz.

Try not to stress over every question, but simply answer based off your intuition. After all, you know yourself better than anyone else. Toggle navigation Menu. Jennie Lee January 12, Updated: July 29, Source: Thefinalmiracle - Dreamstime.

Written by Jennie Lee. Author of Breathing Love: Meditation in Action and True Yoga: Practicing with the Yoga Sutras for Happiness and Spiritual Fulfillment, she is a compassionate coach for students who want to apply the deeper teachings of yoga to their goals and challenges on and off the mat. She coaches on the island of O'ahu, and by phone or Skype internationally.

Full Bio. Related Articles. The Main Message of the Gurus.