I am humbled and in awe over the opportunity presented to me
this week by a most generous universe. I
was gifted with the chance to spend an evening exploring, sharing and
discussing the spiritual journey with a woman whose ministry work I have come
to admire. My intention of going was to
learn more about a specific spiritual practice that she facilitates. What I
came away with was a stirring in my soul to examine, explore and delve into the
deepest part of my being for the inspiration and motivation for my own ministry
work.
As I enjoyed four generous hours of time with this
remarkable woman, I was struck by her humility, approachable character and ease
with who she was. She had a generous,
hospitable, joy-filled demeanor that spread an aura over all the work she
performed, from her private practice as a healer to her public ministry work to
the simple act of making a cup of chai. Woven through the practical lessons and
informal discussion were references to her own teacher to whom she gave credit
and thanksgiving for her own spiritual awakening and growth. She looked upon her teacher with great
adoration and a deeply held love. She
referred to him as "Guru".
The guru-devotee relationship of Eastern Hinduism is a
deeply intimate, devoted and committed relationship. According to Wikipedia, "the guru-shishya tradition, is a spiritual relationship where
teachings are transmitted from a teacher to a disciple. Knowledge
is imparted through the developing relationship between the guru and the
disciple. It is considered that this relationship, based on the genuineness of
the guru, and the respect, commitment, devotion and obedience of the student,
is the best way for subtle or advanced knowledge to be conveyed. The student
eventually masters the knowledge that the guru embodies."
Wikipedia then goes on to explain further this passing on of
knowledge (shaktipat): "The guru passes his knowledge to his
disciples by virtue of the fact that his purified consciousness enters into the
being of his disciples and communicates its particular characteristic. In this
process the disciple is made part of the spiritual family - a family which is
not based on blood relations but on people of the same knowledge."
I remember Swami Chidvilasananda (Gurumayi) speaking of the
gift of this kind of relationship. She
spoke of the profound experience of having an opportunity to sit at the feet of
the guru. The guru in their state of
purified consciousness no longer lives for themselves, but for the glory of
God. The energy that then radiates from
the guru imparts peacefulness, love and joy upon their adherents, as they are
inspired to direct their attention toward the presence of the Divine within
themselves.
The gift of the guru-devotee relationship goes beyond the
physical life of the guru. In many traditions, the ability of the guru to
impact, inspire, motivate and move their adherents, increases after their
death. No longer limited by physicality,
the adherent now has direct access to their guru's wisdom, teachings and
direction. People throughout all time
now have the opportunity to experience shaktipat through the teachings and
spirit of the guru.
As I witnessed the intimate relationship between my new
friend and her guru, I experienced awe and wonder. I also found myself feeling a little envious. I wanted that kind of relationship. I thought about my past teachers and the
gifts of those relationships but none compared to what my friend seemed to have
experienced with her guru.
As I reflected more deeply on this, I realized that for
those of us raised in the Christian tradition, this is the very kind of
relationship we are invited to enter into with Jesus, the Christ. We are invited, through the gift of the Holy
Spirit to sit at the feet of the Christ so that we may be open to receiving the
unique character of his wisdom, knowledge and compassion. We can sit at the feet of Christ, gaze into
his eyes and through the gift of grace, receive what our Hindu brothers and
sisters would call shaktipat. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when he said
to Martha,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious
and worried about many things. There is
need of only one thing. Mary has chosen
the better part and it will not be taken from her."
(Luke 10: 41-42)
This realization has caused me to reflect more deeply on the
role of Jesus in my life and what that means in the work that I do and the life
that I lead. I have brought this into my
prayer and will be open to what the Spirit may be revealing. In the meantime, I am grateful to my
new-found friend for showing me the gift of embracing the guru without as well
as the guru within.
"What is guru and who is guru?
The conscience within you is the guru - the one that guides you, the one
that enlightens you. As such there is a
guru in everybody."
Shri Swami Satchidananda
