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Welcome to Day 9 of our 40-Day Retreat.

Yesterday I spoke about the ultimate power of the mantra and that is - the realization of the mantra.

Identifying with the Guru Principle in a Human Being
This principle, we call Guru Principle. Guru Tattwa that pervades the Universe is not an easy principle to meditate upon. But it becomes more possible when we can see that principle operating in a human being. That is when we can identify a little more with that principle.

The danger in observing this Principle in a human being is to consider that it is coming from the physical person, rather than the Guru Principle. Then we think that the Guru Principle is a man or woman and we lose the sense that it is not a man or woman, but it is beyond man and woman. It is a principle in the Universe that can manifest through a man or woman. So this is extremely important.

The Realization of the Mantra “Guru”
Although this Principle is in the whole Universe, and the whole Universe can guide us, when it comes to the realization of the mantra “Guru”, then we need to see this example (or it becomes easier when we see this example) in the human being. That was a turning point in my own spiritual journey because I had read so many books, I had done all kinds of practices, but they were dry, difficult, had little result and it was agonizing, painful.

Being in the Presence of Beings who manifest Guru Tattwa
Then I read a book one day, by a great teacher who said “That experience of higher Consciousness cannot come just by reading books or by performing rituals, or by contemplating philosophies”. He brought to me a very interesting point, which was the turning point in my own journey, and he said “If you were to be in the presence of one who manifests this Guru Tattwa, that presence will have a great impact that can stir something inside you, and inspire you powerfully on the journey.”

Now this became very interesting for me and I began to wonder what would it be like coming into the presence of such a person who manifests this Guru Tattwa? I was about 20 years and my goal became at that age “How do I find someone who manifests this Guru Tattwa?”

I saved up my money and I travelled from Trinidad to India. I travelled through India looking for those Beings who manifest the Guru Tattwa. I did find people whom I think manifest different degrees of Guru Tattwa. But the one who manifests Guru Tattwa in fullness. In reading Guru Gita, that person is called Param Guru, “the Highest Guru”, a “Sadguru”, I did meet such a teacher. If one wants to experience the fullness of Guru Tattwa, if one wants to meet such a teacher who manifests the fullness of Guru Tattwa, then it makes it easier for us on the journey.

Like I said yesterday, we see an example, we believe it is possible, and when we get the guidance, because now the Guru Tattwa is in a person, we can begin the exchange of communication with the person. When we ask a question to the Universe, sometimes we are not sure whether the answer will come or not come, but when we ask it to a person directly, there it is, an answer will come and when we can discuss the answer, we can clarify.

Having Guru Tattwa manifesting in a person is a wonderful thing and a great help on the journey. Like I said, one of the dangers of this is when we think that the person is a human being and then we begin to criticize. But when one sees the fullness of Guru Tattwa in a person, we see beautiful qualities that are difficult to criticize. Although sometimes human beings cannot believe such is possible, they will still criticize.

For those of us who are more receptive, it becomes very difficult to even criticize because in such a presence we feel tremendous love, we feel no judgment, we feel great peace, we feel a lot of caring, a lot of kindness and compassion, and those qualities are tremendous in the human experience. We all crave to have them, from our companions, from our friends, from our families, we all crave to have these qualities. And then we see it very powerfully in Guru.  So this Guru Tattwa, understanding this Guru Tattwa is an extremely important thing.

Importance of Understanding the Principle of Guru Tattwa
I’m going to give you a verse from Guru Gita, it is a beautiful verse. In my experience this verse is very powerful because when I think of my own journey I completely agree with this verse. I am going to read the English first so that you can relate to the English and you can appreciate the Sanskrit words even more.

It says…

Japas…which means repetition of mantra, sacred formulas, prayers...it says…Japas…austerities, observances, pilgrimage, sacrifice, charity, without understanding Guru Tattwa, all this becomes a mere waste. (repeated 2x)

The Sanskrit…

Japas Tapo Vratam Teertham
Yagyo Daanam Tathaiva Ca
Guru Tattvam Avigyaaya Sarvam
Vyartham Bhavet Priye

…All of this is a mere waste without the knowledge of Guru Tattwa.

Grace is Guru Tattwa
Now in my own journey I struggled as I have said before. When I went to this beautiful place in India I did not meet the physical teacher, but something happened inside of me, a powerful awakening of energy, that is how I know that we have an energy body.

A very powerful experience of love came to me, as though some block was removed from my heart. There was no physical teacher, but I began to feel the guidance of a power inside of me. It became real to me, that there was some kind of power inside of myself that was guiding me; it was such a huge manifestation of grace. And I said that Grace is Guru Tattwa.

Guru Tattwa – Guiding Power is inside of us
From that time, that guidance has never left me. It made me connect with God as a Principle inside of me. Then I began to think, “This is what Guru does, Guru puts you in touch with that power inside of you”. I had great respect for the physical teacher, simply for creating the kind of environment that was so filled with energy that allowed me to tap into my own being.

In a way, in hindsight, or when I look back, I am very happy that I did not meet the physical teacher, otherwise I may have been judgmental, seeing a physical form, and the limitations of physical form. So the impact was so great without a physical Guru. I spent a few months in India taking this experience deeper inside of myself, and leaving India with this powerful feeling of this Power guiding me from inside and I thought to myself, “This is what Guru really is.”

Two years later when I had a physical meeting with the Guru which was after two years of tremendous guidance and experiences, I couldn’t relate to the physical being because I was so conscious of this inner Guru. And I tried to develop a relationship with the physical being because I was grateful, I was in gratitude, but it just couldn’t happen.

Guru is a Mentor, a Teacher, an Example
I struggled with that for a few days and then one day, I just closed my eyes and I listened to the physical Guru speaking…because I loved his voice…and then I began to feel a shift in my Consciousness, that voice was coming from a ‘centre of being’ and ‘power’ that seemed to be so vast.

I thought to myself, “That is where I want to be, that is what Guru really is”, that inner Tattwa that was manifesting in that person. Throughout my stay, I really didn’t need to ask any questions, I didn’t need to meet with him, all I needed was to be around him, so that I could ‘feel’ Guru Tattwa, and that was an amazing experience. So I left with the satisfaction that the Guru is inside of me and that the Guide is only a mentor, only a teacher to help us to go there.

Guru will take the Disciple inside to Realize Guru Tattwa
I say, and I continue to say “If any guide, any Guru, any teacher is ‘worth his salt’, then he will take the disciple or the student inside of themselves, so that they may realize the presence of Guru Tattwa within them.”

It is extremely important to understand that all teachers in our Universe who carry Guru Tattwa are able to influence humanity. I believe that there are different degrees of Guru Tattwa and the Guru Gita also tells us about different kinds of teacher, which I will pursue later on. But this gives us the ability of being in the presence of Guru Tattwa, and it gives us the possibility of meditating on Guru Tattwa.

Now, I’ll take you into a few minutes of meditation. But to reflect, practices become meaningless without the true understanding and experience of Guru Tattwa.

Post meditation remarks: