Today I continue with the exploration of that vast subject that we call “Guru”.
The Expansive Nature of Guru
Yesterday I spoke about the expansive nature of Guru. Guru encompasses and permeates the entire world; Guru can also act through forms in the world, so Guru is in the midst of the world. Guru is also inside of us. The need to be able to see this expansive nature of Guru is extremely important.
The Guru Principle is always working in Our Lives – Removing the BlindnessToday I want to read the next verse for you which I think is extremely important because even though knowledge is right before you, even though the truth is right before you, we are unable to see it. Listen to this verse:
Shree guroh paramam roopam,
Viveka chakshuragratah,
Manda bhaagyaa na pashyanti,
Andhaah sooryo dayam yatha“
Just as the blind person does not see the rising sun, so too those who are unlucky do not see the supreme form of Guru even while using discrimination.”
They are not able to use their discrimination to see the supreme form of Guru; in the same way that a blind person cannot see the rising sun. The sun is rising in all its glory but the blind person is unable to see it. I think this is extremely important, the reason being is that the Guru Principle is always working in our lives.
The Need to Become More Aware, to Search in the Right Way
I said yesterday that the whole Universe is working in this process of evolution trying to take us from darkness into light, helping us to express our soul consciousness, but we are unable sometimes to see all the leads, all the messages that are right before us. So the need to become more aware, the need to search in the right way is extremely important. I told you yesterday how I struggled for the first week in trying to understand what this was all about? What is this new phase in my spiritual development? Only when I was able to understand this, then the blindness went and I could really pursue the journey.
Our Blindness can be an Inspiration in Leading us to the Light
Is it possible that our blindness should be an inspiration? The fact that the sun is rising, the fact that this Guru is everywhere around us, this Guru Principle, and we are unable to see it, we are blind to it. Can that be an inspiration to lead us into wanting to see this Guru Principle before us? I think this is extremely important and relevant in our lives because we may have family members who are pushing us to grow, but we do not see it like that. We become victims and see that life is working against us, by giving us family members who are pushing us in a certain way. We may have the same kind of situations at work, or we may have the same kind of situations in our own physical wellbeing when we are challenged by disease. We may be involved in broken relationships. Are all of these manifestations of the Guru Principle?
Removing the Veil
Every challenge in our Universe, whether physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, has a lesson in there somewhere; the Guru Principle is in there. When we are unable to see the deeper meaning of this, then we become like the blind person before the rising sun. Can you imagine a person not being aware of such brilliant radiance that is coming simply because they cannot see, their eyes are veiled? It is extremely important for us, not even thinking that we have to meet this great teacher somewhere - is it possible that right before us, right were we are – in our homes, in our work places, in our relationships around us – that the Supreme Guru is there but we are unable to see it? For me the important thing is learning how to remove this veil, that right before us we can see Guru at work.
Are we ready for a Physical Teacher?
I completely believe that when we are ready for a physical teacher, ready for that manifestation of Guru Tattwa in a physical person, it will come to us, it will be drawn to us. Sometimes we want to have the perfect teacher before us, but are we the perfect student? Are we ready to learn, or is there blindness within us? Even if the perfect teacher is there manifesting radiance like the rising sun we are unable to see it, or do we become very critical because of the veil? Can you imagine if you tell a blind person the sun is there? They may say that you are really ignorant and foolish, that there is no sun?
Do not be a blind person before the Rising Sun
The lesson here is that the Guru Principle is ever at work, it is never absent, and right where you may not think it is - it is; right before you. In the physical challenges, in the relationship challenges, the workplace challenges, life challenges, it is right before you. Wake up to it. Do not be a blind person before the rising sun. Do not be the person who cannot see even though endowed with discrimination. Do not be that unfortunate person, who though having the power of discrimination cannot see, or cannot learn from the lesson before us.
I think that this message is more powerful than you can think, because when you are looking for the perfect teacher. You are saying “I need the perfect teacher to come and teach me” yet the perfect ultimate teacher, the Supreme Guru is working with you, right before you and you are not able to see it.
This verse is always an exciting verse when I read it because in 1975 that veil began to shift and I could see the rising sun of the spirit. I wish that every human being can see this, that the veil of ignorance can be removed. The one that makes us feel that the person next to us is an enemy, the one that makes us feel like a victim even though we have so much power inside, so many choices within us, we think of ourselves as a victim.
Seeing the Supreme Form of Guru right before you – teaching you
In your spiritual journey can you see that the teacher is right before you? Can you see that the Supreme Form of the Guru is right before you, teaching you through every response, teaching you through exchanges with people in relationships?
How can you deserve the most powerful teacher if you are not learning the lessons that are right before you? I think those people who begin to see that, begin to strive to be different, begin to desire to be different - “I want to see, I know there is more before me, I want to see, I am not satisfied with what is before me, the lesson is right before me, I want to see”. Those are the persons who are deserving of those teachers – when they are ready to see, when they begin to learn from what is around them, when they begin the think there is a lesson and there is a teacher right here.
Begin to give up your blindness. Andhaah (the blind). Do not be a blind person before the rising sun of spirituality. Use the power of your discrimination to see the Guru Principle in everything around you, to see the ultimate teacher in the Universe ever at work. It is right before you. See it.
Conclusion
That is the teaching for today, ponder upon it:
“Why can’t I see when it’s right before me?” “Let me use my intellect to the fullest, that I may begin to see that Self within me, and that Self within the Universe that is teaching me, that is the Guru”.
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