Thursday, December 22, 2011
Topic of Today : Have faith in your guru
Have faith in your guru
(Have faith in your guru)
Guru or a teacher is essential for every individual. There is an element of ignorance in every individual and, whilst we all perform many activities in our lives, many of the things we do could be considered wrong and could cause us to lose the opportunity of living a good life.
A guru can be our teacher, can remove this ignorance and can also bring in the light, that is wisdom.
Navigate your way
For example, if we want to visit a new city, what would we do? First, we would ask around to find people who have already been there. We would talk to them. We would check the route, perhaps look for shortcuts or consider different ways of getting there. We would make inquiries about the location itself. Finally, we might even talk to a travel agent. In order to arrive at the proper destination, we would check out all these small details, even if a package deal is offered!
Similarly, if we want to live a life of joy (the new way), we need to know the proper path. But who is a suitable teacher? Since we are all searching for different things in life, we will all be taught by different gurus. Different gurus will have to teach us what we need to know and show us the path to attain our goals. It will not be the same person for us all, but it will be someone who can show us the way.
A guru is not someone who will teach you only about a particular religion or who works for a particular religion. A guru is a person who shows humanity the right way of living life. A guru shows an individual the path of wisdom and love.
Careful selection
How does one select a guru? First, there has to be an element of trust, but not trust gained through testing the guru. If we think we can test a guru, we assume that we are capable of authenticating the particular individual as a guru. If this were so, we would not need a guru for we would then ostensibly have the very knowledge that we presumably sought in a guru.
Look for a guru who does not preach about a particular religion, as such teachings apply only to a small section of people. A guru is one whose teachings are meant for all of humanity, irrespective of religion. Gurus don't go around asking people to choose them. It's the individual's choice and decision as to whether someone will be their guru. It is through this choice and through faith that one will acquire knowledge and learn how to live the right way. The decision should come from within.
Once we have selected a guru, it is essential that we put trust and faith in the guru in order to receive the right knowledge. With your affinity to your guru, create a bond. You must surrender to your guru, in order to shed ignorance and learn the right way of living. Moreover, if the students do not have faith and trust in their guru, then, at times, the guru could be misunderstood.
Patience, faith, surrender
Only if we are patient will we fully understand the teachings of the guru. Patience is needed, not just in this respect, but also in all other areas of life. Only through faith and patience will we receive the opportunity to learn, to gain understanding, and to attain peace in life. The other point that needs to be stressed is that we could cause huge problems for our guru if we don't have faith in him, especially if we don't understand him.
Life itself is a pathway of faith. It is only possible to lead a complete life if one has a guru and places implicit faith in him. Surrender is also a necessity.
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