One & Only
The Elder and I had lunch the other day. We oohed and aahed over the Champagne Lunch on the menu, but despite the identical twinkles in our eyes, neither of us dared to return to work in a bubbly mood. Being completely sober didn't stop our conversation from sliding from one topic to another until we couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. Eventually, the subject of having a guru arose.
"Why do you have an attachment to teachers?" she asked.
"I don't know," I mused. "I suppose I've always liked knowing I have a teacher to guide me, to keep me on the right path."
"Why can't you be your own guru?"
"What if I'm wrong?"
"You still don't trust your inner guru 100%. What are you afraid of?"
"Making mistakes."
"So what if you do?"
"I'll feel stupid."
"Who would know?!"
"I would," I sighed. "And I will beat myself up for it and start wondering if I will wind up at the wrong Truth."
"The wrong Truth? My dear, there is only one Truth. So how can you end up at the wrong one? The paths you choose may sometimes be wrong, but the Truth never will."
Duh! See, this is why I like having teachers!
*My definition of a guru is anyone who assists in your spiritual growth and not necessarily a yoga master, a religious leader or those with a formal education in theology/philosophy/and what-have-you.
The Elder and I had lunch the other day. We oohed and aahed over the Champagne Lunch on the menu, but despite the identical twinkles in our eyes, neither of us dared to return to work in a bubbly mood. Being completely sober didn't stop our conversation from sliding from one topic to another until we couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. Eventually, the subject of having a guru arose.
"Why do you have an attachment to teachers?" she asked.
"I don't know," I mused. "I suppose I've always liked knowing I have a teacher to guide me, to keep me on the right path."
"Why can't you be your own guru?"
"What if I'm wrong?"
"You still don't trust your inner guru 100%. What are you afraid of?"
"Making mistakes."
"So what if you do?"
"I'll feel stupid."
"Who would know?!"
"I would," I sighed. "And I will beat myself up for it and start wondering if I will wind up at the wrong Truth."
"The wrong Truth? My dear, there is only one Truth. So how can you end up at the wrong one? The paths you choose may sometimes be wrong, but the Truth never will."
Duh! See, this is why I like having teachers!
*My definition of a guru is anyone who assists in your spiritual growth and not necessarily a yoga master, a religious leader or those with a formal education in theology/philosophy/and what-have-you.
posted by starlight | 6:14 AM
2 Comments:
Hi Starlight, this is a tough one.In my lifelong quest to find myself and my relationship with God, I've fallen at the feet of too many God-men Gurus , only to find that they have feet of clay. That they too are groping with the same answers we are seeking. While I respected each and every one of them for their kindness,for their knowledge and for their strength to walk that chosen path, in a roundabout way I learnt that the Eternal Guru is within us. There is a sikh prayer which says 'there is only one god - his name is truth'. Perhaps that is the only Guru we need. To walk the straight and narrow, to live in truth and to really listen to that voice within us without any doubt.
That's my problem, Anon. I don't trust that inner voice 100% yet. Always doubting myself. Sigh. I've never had a guru but I have had a few people in mind until I discovered their feet of clay. And that hurt. So this is another of my quests this year - to find that connection with the Eternal Guru and trust that Guru. Thank you so much for sharing how tough it was for you too. :)
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