Guided by Greatness

As babies, we have our parents to guide us and love us. In childhood, we are often drawn towards our family members and school teachers, who introduce us to many facets of this amazing world. As teenagers and youth, we rely on our friends to be our mentors and we pick up many things from them. Our friendships often sculpt our personalities and influence our choices and decisions. Later on in life, we may have guidance counselors and professional mentors, those who teach us how to succeed in the work-a-day world. Sometimes we are influenced by a particular book or by videos of a popular speaker.But a guru can come to us at any age or stage, and it is because of such great masters that we come to claim our lives and realise that there may be many influencing factors, but most of them will be at the superficial level. They won’t all introduce us to the most advanced, evolved, mastered and truly happy version of ourselves, like Krishna did for Arjuna. Only the guru can do that and the guru is so much more than what is referred to in modern language as a ‘life coach’. We shouldn’t choose a guru or mentor because others are flocking towards them. Our needs may be different. Instead a true mentor is one whose words and actions will inspire us. Someone who is approachable, ‘real’ and who understands where we are coming from, without judgment..It may seem at first that all the effort is being put in by me, to keep going back to the teacher, to listen, to question and to learn. It seems at first that ‘I found the guru’, but later it becomes apparent that ‘I was found’. All I did was search for answers to life’s questions with sincerity. The guru did the rest. I was heard and understood, even if I never said a word, and I was given exactly what I needed. When the time is right, that meeting happens and life is never the same again…Then it is down to us, not to lose any opportunity to learn. Whether happy, sad, confused, embarrassed, moody, annoyed, regretful, or whatever else—keep going back! Mark what is said, repeat those words to yourself, live them. See your teacher in all surroundings, observe their interactions with others, how work happens, how life happens. The physical proximity is not the most important part, but it’s important to see someone living the values, so that you will be encouraged to do the same. Most importantly, connect at the ‘vision’ level and not with how the guru looks, dresses and speaks. If we look at those external things alone then when the teacher is not around, we are likely to lose touch with the teachings. Swami Chinmayananda would say, ‘Look at the pointed, not at the pointer.’When we have been touched by great words, we will come to study them, personalise them, and eventually share them. Being inspired, living a life of inspiration, and inspiring others is the best thing that one can do with one’s life and the best that one can try to ‘give back’ to one’s guru. Our parents bring us into the world, and the guru teaches us how to live here. The genes of our parents give us eyes, and the guru gives us the correct vision. No words of gratitude and commitment can do justice, but here is a beautiful excerpt of the song lyrics of ‘You Raise Me Up’ by Josh Groban:You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,You raise me up to walk on stormy seas,I am strong when I am on Your shoulders,You raise me up to more than I can be.

Guided by Greatness

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