Role and Importance of Guru in Yoga Tradition

Every soul is destined for Self-realization, and in the end, will achieve the highest of perfected states. Only through deep inner communion with the higher planes of reality can we experience the subtle unity of the phenomenal world. Using the sword of discrimination, the yogis cut asunder the crude and fleeting sense attractions of the impermanent, material dream.

What we are in future is being determined in each passing moment here and now—based on our current actions and thoughts. We are not, however, a mere puppet in the hands of the Creator, but a far more active participant than mortals realize. How then, are we to move beyond the limited confines of books and intellectual development in the aim of transcending individual thought and action to the awakened spiritual life in which action and thought may become stainless and holy?

The person from whom this soul stirring impulse comes is called Preceptor or Guru, and the importance of this quickening impulse cannot be overstated. Nothing can be done without the Guru. Spiritual knowledge is a matter of Guru-Parampara—it is transmitted from Guru to disciple. The Guru is God incarnate and the doorway to liberation. To see the Guru is to see God. The Guru is the active voice of God. In the Guru, you have the ideal of liberated perfection and the human example from which to mold your life. The Guru is a divine shepherd, carrying souls to God’s kingdom.

The Guru’s grace enables the disciple to perceive the latent spiritual power within, and shows the doorway to the Super-conscious. But it is the disciple who must step through it. The dimension of transmission is directly proportionate to the spiritual qualities and thirst of the student. It is like turning the key to start the car. The Guru may assist in turning the car on, but unless the disciple is strong, determined and firmly committed to the Guru and the goal, the car will not move. The Guru can point the way, assist in directing the student to the right frequency and station, but the tuning in to that frequency is up to the disciple. The Guru is the motivator and provides the initial boost, but it is the disciple’s responsibility to keep the fire going through tapas, abhyasa, sadhana and loyalty.

There is no more powerful way of conquering the fickle mind and samskaras than personal contact with and service to the Guru. The student who is under the guidance of Guru is safe from all. Guru is the fortress against the lower nature and all obstacles and difficulties. It is not enough to have a Guru. The secret is in following the Guru’s instructions. Those who rely passively on the Guru do not have much success. The Guru will never interfere with the disciple’s free will, so the sadhaka (student) must remain in perfect psychic tune with Guru. Even in what may seem the most simple, trivial advice, vitally important instructions are often given.

My Guru always said, “Yoga is complete obedience to the teacher.” The Guru forces you to look at your behavior, and a true Guru is never concerned with what people think of them. The Guru knows the subtle signs in each disciple’s temperament and knows precisely what is needed for the removal of illusion and the full realization of truth for each unique Sadhaka. Guru takes on the task of guiding the soul from identification with the material world to the spiritual world of Divine consciousness. This at times requires criticism and the pointing out of patterns and behavior the student may not wish to look at. This can be unsettling or unpleasant, but like surgery to remove a boil that is festering, once the pattern or behavior is removed, the healing can begin. The Guru is your spiritual surgeon. Guru may at times appear firm or stern, but that may be the treatment that is needed to clean away negative behaviors and misperceptions within the lower mind.

Guru is the conveyer through which the spiritual is brought through. The Guru conveys the messages of the Imperishable. When the disciple attunes their will with the Guru, they are saved from all trouble. Every Master (including Lord Jesus) had a teacher, a preceptor. The charcoal does not become red by itself. The spiritual path is beset with obstacles and difficulties. Without a Guru, it is easy to become bewildered, lost and lose faith. The Guru who has gone before will guide you safely through the deep inner mysteries and processes of the soul teachings.

There are foolish students who claim they do not need a Guru, or that they have several Gurus. You cannot serve two Masters. Very often, these people will say, “I am my own Guru,” or “I do not need a Guru. If we are all the same and the same God dwelling within others is dwelling within me, why should I not listen to myself?” While all the waves may be in the same ocean of awareness, composed of the same substance, some waves are higher than others. Some waves are higher due to their independent nature. The smaller waves have long ago lost their desire for individuality and independence, ever content to remain in their source. The difference between a Master and a student is in the level of consciousness.

Sit at the feet of the Guru and follow Guru’s guidance. Beware of the ever-changing and fickle mind. Cultivate strong faith. Follow the Guru. Adore the Guru. Copy the Guru. Be loyal and reverent. You will have rapid spiritual progress. A Guru is absolutely necessary.

Discipleship is a great adventure. The relentless observation of one’s thoughts obliterates the ego, revealing the ineffable bliss at the innermost core. The nectar of immortality is revealed and the disciple crosses the ocean of samsara forever, uncovering the one true Guru within their own heart. Armed with the joy of God communion, without a desire for praise, honor or boon, they then carry others forward.

God is the one true Guru. All disciples belong to the One from which we come.