Do you need a guru?

[Kalika]

I feel like I'm lacking direction. I know people have said to 'just be', be what exactly? (I'm joking)

I have learned (only recently) to accept and appreciate whatever feeling comes my way (whether that be positive or negative), and to sit with it. This in itself is a biggy for me as I was not one to 'feel' because that nonsense was for sissy's < which is utter nonsense. Now that I have opened my heart chakra (or so I believe) I can now 'feel' and not block, defend, deny, or repress, I am no longer scared of feeling feelings.

I'm not sure if all of my chakras are open or how to go about doing that. I didn't intentionally try and open my heart chakra, for some unknown reason it did its own thing. And now that it has opened (or so I believe as I have no other explanations for this) I'm curious to know how to progress.

As the title says... do you need a guru in order to progress spiritually? Or do I just be?

[shivatar]

From what I've heard it varies. Some people work best with one, some don't

it varies as to where a person is on their journey, maybe they need help of a guru for a few years, maybe for 2 decades.

[firstandlast]

If your heart chakra truly opens, I believe that there is no turning back-- But that to have structure may be important for your own well being; your heart will not allow you to be mislead, but until your mind and heart are really brought into union, this may not seem to be the case; and really might seem the opposite--

It might be useful to experience a few gurus in depth of various cultures; or whatever sects or such you vibe with-- But ultimately no you do not need one to continue, but that must you have one due to unforeseen reasons (there might be more political/unique circumstances to your own being), a teacher will come when the student is ready.. that is something I can only say is something to be of high occult value.. the teacher will come--

[shivatar]

Originally Posted by firstandlast

If your heart chakra truly opens, I believe that there is no turning back-- But that to have structure may be important for your own well being; your heart will not allow you to be mislead, but until your mind and heart are really brought into union, this may not seem to be the case; and really might seem the opposite--

It might be useful to experience a few gurus in depth of various cultures; or whatever sects or such you vibe with-- But ultimately no you do not need one to continue, but that must you have one due to unforeseen reasons (there might be more political/unique circumstances to your own being), a teacher will come when the student is ready.. that is something I can only say is something to be of high occult value.. the teacher will come--

if one goes and finds a teacher... does that still count as "when the study is ready the teacher will come"...

ive always wondered that, if the student walks himself to the gurus place of business, sits down and asks to be taught. is that the same as "the guru appears" because i feel the wording is mis-leading.

the student prepares himself, then activly seeks the guru, then consciously follows the guru in good faith. not simply leaving once the guru says something that offends their delicate sensibilities.

to make progress with a guru one can't be wishywashy. You can choose many gurus until you find one you like, but you cant simply do that, find a guru you like, then leave him once the going gets tough. I can assure it will get tough by the way, why do you think people want gurus?

Oh yeah, people want gurus by the way. Its a necessity for some. But for practically everyone, we all just agree "life is easier with the guru", spiritual development is easier with the guru.

Sometimes a person respects someTHING as the guru. rather than a person who claims to be guru. This interaction has also been of help to specific individuals. the guru is more like a relationship than a person. Not all gurus claim to be gurus, some are silent.

[Kalika]

Originally Posted by firstandlast

If your heart chakra truly opens, I believe that there is no turning back--

I do not know why. I do not know how. All I know is that I can now do what someone (I will call them TF, though I'm still not 100% on that) asked me to do a long time ago. They (TF or not) asked why I would not let myself feel. Now I can, and I'm not sure why exactly. But I can. So I kinda want to give them a big hug for that.

Originally Posted by firstandlast

but until your mind and heart are really brought into union, ...

My mind has always led the way. Now my heart has a say, so this is where I am lost. Thank you so much for your comforting words. I have yet to experience this moment of when they actually become one? I use a question mark because at this stage I do not know. If I am reading your words correctly, when they unite, a teacher will appear?

Either way, I am ready, nervous! But ready. This is a new playground for me.

[Kalika]

Originally Posted by shivatar

if one goes and finds a teacher... does that still count as "when the study is ready the teacher will come"...

ive always wondered that, if the student walks himself to the gurus place of business, sits down and asks to be taught. is that the same as "the guru appears" because i feel the wording is mis-leading.

the student prepares himself, then activly seeks the guru, then consciously follows the guru in good faith. not simply leaving once the guru says something that offends their delicate sensibilities.

to make progress with a guru one can't be wishywashy. You can choose many gurus until you find one you like, but you cant simply do that, find a guru you like, then leave him once the going gets tough. I can assure it will get tough by the way, why do you think people want gurus?

Oh yeah, people want gurus by the way. Its a necessity for some. But for practically everyone, we all just agree "life is easier with the guru", spiritual development is easier with the guru.

Sometimes a person respects someTHING as the guru. rather than a person who claims to be guru. This interaction has also been of help to specific individuals. the guru is more like a relationship than a person. Not all gurus claim to be gurus, some are silent.

I love your way of thinking :)

hehe... I don't necessarily need a guru, though I agree, life would be easier

As long as I get "someTHING" I will be happy. Or will I? I don't know. All I know at the moment is that I feel a little lost. I mean, I didn't ASK for my heart to be open. I didn't ASK to feel ALL of my feelings and accept them as they are. I was taught (as a child) that negative feelings are wrong. I was taught 'shame' for feeling negative feelings. Now I don't care if I feel them because I am whole. I am worthy. Negative feelings or not.

Dang heart!

I am hoping a teacher will appear. I am hoping I can progress. And if nothing comes, then I will continue to 'FEEL' like I've never felt before, and this time, WITHOUT guilt or shame.

[firstandlast]

My words are better off left cryptic and vague, because every circumstance requires its own blend-- Plus, I would also mean other wordly things as well; or that of the other side, when the time is right--

Its better left cryptic as to what such a thing would truly mean to you, and that such a thing might evolve in meaning--

[shivatar]

Originally Posted by whatsername

I love your way of thinking :)

hehe... I don't necessarily need a guru, though I agree, life would be easier

As long as I get "someTHING" I will be happy. Or will I? I don't know. All I know at the moment is that I feel a little lost. I mean, I didn't ASK for my heart to be open. I didn't ASK to feel ALL of my feelings and accept them as they are. I was taught (as a child) that negative feelings are wrong. I was taught 'shame' for feeling negative feelings. Now I don't care if I feel them because I am whole. I am worthy. Negative feelings or not.

Dang heart!

I am hoping a teacher will appear. I am hoping I can progress. And if nothing comes, then I will continue to 'FEEL' like I've never felt before, and this time, WITHOUT guilt or shame.

yes it seems you are coming to what some call a spiritual awakening. I call it growing up and becoming an adult.

you're at the stage of life where you are becoming independent from your parents and the child image of self you once held as you, that means questioning beliefs that your parents hold but you dont.

if you think you are whole without feeling negative emotions then you're most likely seeing an incomplete picture and I think your heart had to open before you could recognize how wrong you were. it's not a bad thing to feel everything, it's only a difficult thing


as a teacher in training, I suggest you follow your own advice. Feel like never before, this time without the guilt or shame. That is being true to your feelings and connecting all levels of self into an integrated whole, that is what we all strive to do

[firstandlast]

Originally Posted by shivatar

if one goes and finds a teacher... does that still count as "when the study is ready the teacher will come"...

ive always wondered that, if the student walks himself to the gurus place of business, sits down and asks to be taught. is that the same as "the guru appears" because i feel the wording is mis-leading.

the student prepares himself, then activly seeks the guru, then consciously follows the guru in good faith. not simply leaving once the guru says something that offends their delicate sensibilities.

to make progress with a guru one can't be wishywashy. You can choose many gurus until you find one you like, but you cant simply do that, find a guru you like, then leave him once the going gets tough. I can assure it will get tough by the way, why do you think people want gurus?

Oh yeah, people want gurus by the way. Its a necessity for some. But for practically everyone, we all just agree "life is easier with the guru", spiritual development is easier with the guru.

Sometimes a person respects someTHING as the guru. rather than a person who claims to be guru. This interaction has also been of help to specific individuals. the guru is more like a relationship than a person. Not all gurus claim to be gurus, some are silent.

Sometimes different practices are necessary, even if they appear shallow... a shallow groove will eventually increase in depth if the river flows willingly-- even misleading guru's and such play a role within the guiding forces of nature--

[shivatar]

Originally Posted by firstandlast

Sometimes different practices are necessary, even if they appear shallow... a shallow groove will eventually increase in depth if the river flows willingly-- even misleading guru's and such play a role within the guiding forces of nature--

I agree. but if you mean a person must practice under many gurus then I disagree.

I think a person ought to settle down with one belief system, much like marriage, and only leave once they believe that the system has nothing left to give them in terms of personal growth or wisdom.

I've sampled many religions now and many gurus and with each one I had more to go. If I go back to each one of them now, I could find enough growth and material to last me a lifetime.

the point is many paths lead to one destination.

yes many paths are necessary. But in terms of effiency, its most efficient for one person to seek many paths and when they find the one that they naturally excel at they ought to settle down and begin devout practice.

without devotion certain milemarkers of spirituality cannot be surpassed.... so in some respects the guru is absolutely essential. But only under the circumstance that one is trying to reach the highest levels of spirituality and personal development. If someones goal is to improve only slightly, no guru is necessary. If someone wants an entire spiritual transformation, the guru is necessary for all but the spiritual geniuses.