The Syllable gu means darkness. The syllable ‘ru’ means destructor of darkness. Therefore, ethnologically speaking, a guru is someone with weight and relevance as a teacher who can remove darkness and shows us the way.
We are so reluctant to have a third person show us the way that we are relieved when we hear the frequently misinterpreted phrase, “The real guru is inside you”, this is totally true. Certified by the yoga scriptures and teachings of a genuine spiritual master.
For a clear understanding I quote Jiddu Krishnamurti * 1895 -1986 he says:
Guru is who liberates me of my load – not he who imposes his load on me but who eliminates mine. The gurus have invaded this continent, the Americans have become so naive that generally impose their weight, load, ignorance, believes, traditions and change their restrictions for another and continue with lack of liberty. In this country and also in India, it has become a fashion to accept the authority of a guru.
J.Krinshamurti tells us we won’t find truth by means of another.
In the first place, why do we want a guru? We say we want a guru because we are confused, and its easy, he will tell us what is the truth, will help us understand, he knows much more about life than we do, has vast experience and we have little, will help us due to his vast experience – so on so forth. That is, we go to an instructor because we are confused. It is evident that if we were profoundly happy if we had no problems if we understood life completely, we would not look for a guru.
J.K. says: Let´s first examine the idea that a guru can eliminate our confusion. Is it possible that someone can dissipate our confusion? Confusion is the product of our reactions. We have created it. Do you think that another person has created these miseries, this battle in all levels of existence, internal and externally? Confusion is the result of our lack of knowledge of ourselves. It is because we do not understand ourselves because we do not understand our conflicts, our reactions, our miseries – that is why we go to a guru, because that what we think will liberate us of that confusion. Truth can only be found by yourself, Not by anyone else.
We can only understand ourselves in relation to the present, and that relation is the ‘guru’, not someone from outside.
Let us think over these words at the closing of the year. Take time to keep silent, cellphone off (dare you to) in a quiet and private place and permit the farthest sounds that you can hear come to you, a bird chirping, bells ringing, a car passing by. Little by little begin to isolate the external noise and listen to your internal noise, be your ´guru, your phycologist. Observe the rattle inside you without letting it trap you, and just let go. Find yourself¡
Leticia Mancera
www.yogaintegralmexicali.com