The Beautiful Role of a Spiritual Teacher or Guru

A genuine spiritual teacher is simply here to help you recognize your true nature.

Hi dear one,

First off, let's dive into the word "guru." It's got this fantastic Sanskrit origin. "Gu" means darkness, and "Ru" means ‘remover of’. So, put them together, and you get "guru," which means ‘remover of darkness’. Beautiful, isn’t it?

In the world of the yoga philosophy, a guru is someone who's "heavy" with good qualities, not just someone with physical weight, rather a person who carries wisdom and goodness in abundance.

There is an old story which illustrates the beautiful bond between a Guru and the disciple. One day the sage Kapil was in deep meditation. In his meditation, he had a vision of his guru and God himself walking towards him. He knew he had to bow down, but didn’t know to whom he should show his respect and love first. In the end he decided to bow down to the feet of his Guru first. Thanks to Guru, he found God. Without Guru, he would have never experienced the Divine.

So, what's special about a spiritual guru's role? Well, it's not just about passing on knowledge; it's about helping the student recognize their own inner wisdom and nature. It's like teaching someone to notice something they already have, kind of like trying to teach someone to have shoulders, when they've got them already!

It has been said that your guru will find you when you are ready for your study, your journey, to begin.

In my case, I met my spiritual guru and mentor in 2006. Her name is Nalanie Harilela Chellaram and I can truly say that my life would have been very different without her in my life.

Nalanieji, my beautiful guru and mentor

I jumped on my first teacher training with her that same year. It was a one year course of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (the science of the mind). And boy, did this knowledge change me, challenge me, elevate me and enlighten me into a different being. I went to weekly Satsangs, listening to teachings about the Yoga philosophy, which is very scientific and spiritually deep. The word Satsang is made up of Sat, meaning truth, and Sang, which means together.

Regular teachers often have specific information to impart, with the expectation that the student will be better off once they've learned it. But a spiritual guru is more like a guide, pointing to something that's already within the student. They're helping you see what you've got inside you.

Nalanie always told us to use her as a crutch until we had the knowledge and practise well-grounded in us. Then we should give up the crutch and walk steady by ourselves.

The teaching function of a guru works on a relative level, until you realize your deeper nature. Then, the role might evolve or even fade away, and that's okay. Just like how we use nouns to describe temporary functions, it's not a fundamental part of anyone's true identity.

A genuine spiritual teacher is simply here to help you recognize your true nature. The real measure of their success is how deeply you realize who you really are. Everything else is secondary, unless it serves this subtle, but beautiful goal.

I have been so lucky and will be forever grateful for what my beautiful guru Nalanie has given me. Her knowledge, love and generosity to everyone around her, is so amazing to watch and feel. She is the only one I have meet in my entire life who 100% walks her talk. She is the real deal, even though she does not like to be called a guru. She prefers teacher or mentor. Always humble.

Finding a guru is a personal journey. It's essential to approach it with an open heart, and discerning mind. A potential disciple should consider the guru's qualifications, lineage, teachings, and compatibility with their own beliefs and aspirations. Trust, respect, and a deep spiritual connection, are the keys to a strong guru-disciple relationship.

The disciple trusts the guru's guidance, and the guru shares wisdom unconditionally. The disciple's progress depends on their sincerity and willingness to put the teachings into practice.

So, in a nutshell, a guru is like a spiritual friend, mentor, teacher and guide, all rolled into one. They help you uncover your inner potential and set you on a transformative journey toward self-discovery and enlightenment.

Isn't it just amazing how the guru-disciple relationship can bring profound insight, peace of mind and fulfilment into our lives? So if you don’t have a spiritual guru/mentor in your life, keep your mind and heart open, and who knows, your guru might just find you when the time is right.

Until next week. Stay grateful and curious.

Much loves,

Kim