Scaling Everest [Was: Do You Guru?]

[Guest guest]

Hi Colin:

 

Thanks for your really wonderful, realistic and

inspiring distillation on this issue.

 

I tend to agree with OmPrem and Kochu and others that

a guru is needed at some point. A true spiritual

journey can be like trekking up Mount Everest. Sure,

it's possible you to make it all alone, but it's more

likely you'll make errors and end up at the bottom of

some bottomless ravine. With the proper professional

training and guidance, however, any reasonably

conditioned person stands a decent chance of reaching

the peak (though there are never any guarantees).

 

I think of Bhakta as the safest path; the lowest-risk

approach to the easiest peak. But the easiest path

also tends to be the longest, most circuituous route.

Here, the guru functions to keep you focused and

inspired and fresh all through the long journey --

through the difficult stretches of sameness and

boredom, where progress may be steady but is largely

undetectable. S/he helps you "keep your eyes on the

prize," so to speak.

 

Following Tantra (particularly Vamachara), on the

other hand, is like scaling Everest's Kangshung Face

-- the most difficult, but also the fastest and most

spectacular route to the peak. The excitement is

almost constant, the views are shocking and

magnificent -- but you cannot allow any of this to

distract you. The slightest misstep can result in

instant doom. Here, the guru is like a firm instructor

-- not the friendly, inspiring guru of Bhakti, but a

wizened pro who's made the ascent many times, has

guided others there, and has no interest in some

undisciplined novice who's simply out looking for

adventure and a quick thrill. If you're in the

expedition, you're in all the way.

 

So yes: People need gurus, whatever path they choose.

And yes, those gurus will appear if and when you're

ready for them. But I do not believe they necessarily

will appear in the form of a Maharishi or Swami, in an

old-school guru-chela relationship. If that's what's

right for you, that's how it will happen.

 

But for most of us, it happens just as Colin suggests,

and I'll quote him: "Sometimes we receive her help

through a living teacher, who may be man or woman,

eastern or western, well known or not. Sometimes we

receive help through a teacher who is no longer

incarnate. Sometimes we find guidance in written lore,

sometimes in own dreams, visions and reflections."

 

And sometimes we receive guidance and direction from

Devi Herself. There have been times when this has

happened to me (and probably most people reading this

as well), and the feeling is unmistakeable. I feel

like I have been blessed with many gurus -- people who

have emerged from nowhere and pointed me to the next

outpost along the trail. People who've picked me up

when I've fallen. And yes, authors long or recently

dead. Rishis and sages from ancient times through the

scripture they left behind. Even a friendly dog who's

jumped into my lap and cheered me up in a moment when

I felt too alone to bear.

 

Colin asks: "Why should any of us feel either inferior

or superior to people who are receiving her help in

other ways?" He is right. Because there is only one

guru -- and She is the One who manifests in every form

and being in the Universe. She *is* that scripture,

that friend, that dog, that rosebush that always makes

you smile. She is the one and only Guru, if only we

are ready to receive Her in whatever form She feels is

appropriate for us at any given moment. That is what

the sages mean when they say, the guru appears when

the chela is ready. Because when the chela is ready,

the scales fall from her/his eyes, and s/he sees what

was always there.

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

In spite of my last response I would love to find a guru. Does anyone

have any candidates who are yet living? Share the wealth! Don't

hold out on us less fortunate. If you like someone please tell us.

-

Devi bhakta

Tuesday, April 16, 2002 9:00 AM

Scaling Everest [Was: Do You Guru?]

Hi Colin:Thanks for your really wonderful, realistic andinspiring

distillation on this issue. I tend to agree with OmPrem and Kochu and

others thata guru is needed at some point. A true spiritualjourney can

be like trekking up Mount Everest. Sure,it's possible you to make it

all alone, but it's morelikely you'll make errors and end up at the

bottom ofsome bottomless ravine. With the proper professionaltraining

and guidance, however, any reasonablyconditioned person stands a

decent chance of reachingthe peak (though there are never any

guarantees).I think of Bhakta as the safest path; the

lowest-riskapproach to the easiest peak. But the easiest pathalso

tends to be the longest, most circuituous route.Here, the guru

functions to keep you focused andinspired and fresh all through the

long journey --through the difficult stretches of sameness

andboredom, where progress may be steady but is largelyundetectable.

S/he helps you "keep your eyes on theprize," so to speak.Following

Tantra (particularly Vamachara), on theother hand, is like scaling

Everest's Kangshung Face-- the most difficult, but also the fastest

and mostspectacular route to the peak. The excitement isalmost

constant, the views are shocking andmagnificent -- but you cannot

allow any of this todistract you. The slightest misstep can result

ininstant doom. Here, the guru is like a firm instructor-- not the

friendly, inspiring guru of Bhakti, but awizened pro who's made the

ascent many times, hasguided others there, and has no interest in

someundisciplined novice who's simply out looking foradventure and a

quick thrill. If you're in theexpedition, you're in all the way.So

yes: People need gurus, whatever path they choose.And yes, those

gurus will appear if and when you'reready for them. But I do not

believe they necessarilywill appear in the form of a Maharishi or

Swami, in anold-school guru-chela relationship. If that's what'sright

for you, that's how it will happen.But for most of us, it happens just

as Colin suggests,and I'll quote him: "Sometimes we receive her

helpthrough a living teacher, who may be man or woman,eastern or

western, well known or not. Sometimes wereceive help through a

teacher who is no longerincarnate. Sometimes we find guidance in

written lore,sometimes in own dreams, visions and reflections."And

sometimes we receive guidance and direction fromDevi Herself. There

have been times when this hashappened to me (and probably most people

reading thisas well), and the feeling is unmistakeable. I feellike I

have been blessed with many gurus -- people whohave emerged from

nowhere and pointed me to the nextoutpost along the trail. People

who've picked me upwhen I've fallen. And yes, authors long or

recentlydead. Rishis and sages from ancient times through

thescripture they left behind. Even a friendly dog who'sjumped into

my lap and cheered me up in a moment whenI felt too alone to

bear.Colin asks: "Why should any of us feel either inferioror

superior to people who are receiving her help inother ways?" He is

right. Because there is only oneguru -- and She is the One who

manifests in every formand being in the Universe. She *is* that

scripture,that friend, that dog, that rosebush that always makesyou

smile. She is the one and only Guru, if only weare ready to receive

Her in whatever form She feels isappropriate for us at any given

moment. That is whatthe sages mean when they say, the guru appears

whenthe chela is ready. Because when the chela is ready,the scales

fall from her/his eyes, and s/he sees whatwas always there.Aum

Maatangyai NamaheDo

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