The Guidance of a Guru

The guidance of a guru often takes the most subtle of forms, sometimes it is the things that have not been said that offer the most guidance.

This type of guidance says, 'you' are the expert on 'you'. It is this type of Guru guidance that states explicitly, 'I am here standing by. I trust you. You are doing everything right.'

These are sentiments that Maharishi Omji has set forth into my consciousness, not always in words, but with his ability to penetrate deeply and thoroughly into the heart of any matter which is of concern to me. Guruji will give guidance. He will give insight and wisdom to any situation, but it is when I am most in need or more specifically most in want of someone to tell me exactly what I should do that he says nothing.

During those times when nothing seems to be working out as I think it should, and I'm feeling my emotions ruffled, my gut unsettled, Guruji will phone, relieved I will pour everything out and wait for his response but rather then answer or console he will say, 'We will talk tomorrow.'

It has long since become apparent to me that -'we will talk tomorrow' is code for we won't be talking for awhile. Whenever he says those words, I sigh and resign myself to waiting.

One of Guruji's teachings is on the 10 qualities of Dharma, in my notebook in bold letters is written this one of the ten...GREAT PATIENCE.

Waiting is a pet peeve and obviously one of my life lessons. I seem to always be waiting. Even the I-Ching conspired with Guruji recently when I sought insight from that oracle on progress that seemed to be going too slow. The I-Ching said in so many words: Wait. Things take time to develop.

It is usually during the time of waiting that all of my concerns resolve themselves, if I remain calm and adaptable, steady and determined, content myself with my sadhana. Slowly, diliberately the Universe begins to cultivate the path of certainty for me, if I can allow things to develop naturally, everything seems to fall into place. I begin to feel an inner elation. Everything works out better than could have been imagined and then my Guruji comes to mind. I remember his words, "Have faith in the Divine and you will do just fine,"  suddenly I am filled with the sensation that everything has worked out for me because he has done it all. Of course he will give all credit to the Divine, but something inside tells me he has mitigated, possibly pleaded with the Divine on my behalf, but not only on my behalf, he does it for all; he takes on suffering for the ills of all of humanity. Who else would take pain into themselves so that another need not suffer. This is what Guruji does silently, often those around him are not aware of the pain he is enduring.
Is it possible? I never doubt it. Guruji is a phenomonon on earth. All of humanity is blessed by such a Divine presence. His support is always felt and his guidance is like a precious gem to be treasured.

The Ten Qualities of Dharma:
Great Patience
Forgiveness
Discipline of the Senses
Courage
Knowledge
Truth
Calmness
Non- Stealing
Cleanliness
Purity of Thought

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8OJZPu00AI
www.yogausa.org

Maharishi Om

I am still reeling with thoughts of the evening I spent with Maharishi Om  last week. I was invited quite spontaneously to a small gathering at the home of an acquaintance. A phone call.

"Come," they said "He wants to meet you."

An Indian saint was visiting. He was only twenty minutes away! Why would he want to meet me? But when I arrived I felt instantly that I already knew him and he knew me. As we spoke I felt he knew me better then I knew myself.

It is always a great blessing to meet an incredible being on earth.
In my time I have met many beings alive with the sacred energy of love and light, enlightened beings like Maharishi Om. Living Buddhas. Humans who by many lifetimes of severe and austere practices of total devotion to advancing the soul have attained the highest pinnacle of human evolution in this lifetime, Enlightenment and beyond.

The soul one day remembers the true purpose of its existence and begins a ceaseless endeavor to reclaim its birthright, self realization. Or as in the story of the Buddha realizing the mind with its ceaseless desires as the cause of dissatisfaction with life seeks to find a way out of the suffering.

Buddha sought a teacher and techniques to bring peace of mind yet later gave up his teachers.

Endeavoring on a spiritual path brings it's own pain as we stumble along making mistakes, following the wrong path, following teachings that do not suit and teachers that are still evolving themselves. It is fair to warn the novice that not all spiritual teachers are necessarily good. Not all Gurus are enlightened, not all Gurus mean well. The Buddha left his teachers when they could not help him find what he was looking for, peace of mind, and the end to suffering.

Being fooled into believing someone is a true and sincere spiritual teacher is not difficult. Considering there is no way to gauge the caliber of a teacher unless a person has attained some level of advancement themselves.  Pinning all of their hopes of spiritual evolvment on the teacher, the spiritual aspirant opens. Vulnerable and completely accepting, the heart is handed over in exchange for the soul's evolvement. 

The student believes the teacher is selfless and godlike. And in many cases the Guru does not disappoint.
But if it is found out that the Guru too has desires and is not free of greed or impure actions it can make continuing on the spiritual path a challenge.

My message is take heart! There are Gurus of impeccable integrity. Many of them enlightened beings from India.

I once heard a self proclaimed master say enlightened beings are what India produces, like technology from Japan and medical advancement from Germany, India's product is enlightened beings. Yet the Indian population is full of skeptics. They consider most if not all gurus to be charlatans, fakirs and to use an English term, fakes.

It is the non-Indian follower on a spiritual path who is more willing to place the mystical, exotic, possessor of mysteries and secrets on a pedestal. What does one hope to gain by this association? What would possess a person to give up autonomy? Because ultimately, to follow a Guru is be told what to do, how to live and even how to worship.

'Guru' is a Sanskrit word commonly used to mean spiritual teacher. Maharishi Om says, 'Guru means true guide, like a mother.'

But Guru is also known to mean one who dispels darkness or one who leads a person from darkness to light.

It is the hope of coming out of the dark that draws the sincere seeker. The hope of truly knowing oneself. A seeker is more often then not plagued with questions. 'Is this all there is to life? Who am I? Why am I here? Why do I feel like there is something I do not know?' All at once the seeker will proclaim, 'I WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH!' And as they say, when the student is ready a teacher will appear.
Probably from India.

There have been scandals surrounding Gurus for as long as there have been Gurus. Any novice westerner would be hard pressed to understand why one of the most beloved Hindu gods- Lord Krisha, had hundreds, possibly thousands of lovers. This is considered a divine leela, (a cosmic play performed on this plane instead of in the heavenly realms). And the Hindu epic Ramayana tells of the great and noble slayer of demons, Lord Rama who asked of  his wife who 'might' have been untrue to walk into the fire to appease his distrustful followers.

In the years since the early 1970's I have been following Gurus and over the years have watched many modern day 'leelas' as they transpired. Baba Muktananda, Rajneesh-aka-Osho were both scrutinized for their interactions with devotees and Rajneesh for his accumulation of unfathomable wealth. More recently Vishwananda and  Nithyananda have been surrounded by similar scandals, yet they continue to have followers.

To follow a guru is to trust completely that your soul is safe in their care and keeping.

Ultimately the truth of our nature lies within each of us. The answer to the question, Who am I? can not be found outside of the self. And although the spiritual teacher can point out the way, can show the techniques, and even carry part of the burden, the work has to be done by our self. We must be willing to sit in quiet introspection. It is written in the Bhagavad Gita that any effort will garner results. I was often comforted by this line said to be God speaking to the disciple, 'Take one step towards Me I will take ten towards you.'

We must be willing to give attention to the ceaseless clamoring of the minds' inner chatter. For in truth like a child demanding attention, a child who will not stop until it is given what it wants, the thoughts in our mind require attention. To give time to the mind, to sit and observe the thoughts and the process of thinking is to have made a quantum leap on your personal path to awakening. The answer to the questions we seek are within. The water in a torrential rain storm is no different from the water in a calm lake or the tear in your eye. The ache in your heart and those tears are a part of the quest to awaken to the truth that lies waiting to be known.
I AM THAT!

Please view my new blog: http://ascensionpioneer.blogspot.com



Here are two sites with amazing information:
http://www.yogausa.com/  (yogausa.com)
You don't have to sign up to listen, just click play.

Under - Bhajans, Slokas and Mantras I found some beautiful flute music:
-Meditation Flute Music Mp3/ Nice Native American flute, very peaceful
-Hindi Intrumental MP3/  The piece titled : 'Awakening' is beautiful
- Other Mp3 / Indian Bhajans (prayerful chanting- 'Guru Avatar' and 'Om Namah Sivaya' are my favorites)

For a more female prespective:
http://www.gurumaa.com/ (gurumaa.com)