I’ve always been in awe of those yogis who have had their Gurus magically appear for them, showing up in all different forms at the right time to shine a light on the yogi’s practice. I spent many years seeking this type of relationship, but as much as I tried to present myself to my key teachers as a ready and able disciple, no force, human or other, appeared in quite the way I envisioned.
Don’t get me wrong; I have and have had some amazing teachers in my life and consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have studied with whom I consider some of the best yoga teachers of my time. Students constantly inspire and challenge me, and countless other extraordinary beings contribute to making my daily life mentally stimulating and enchanting. I’ve even had moments questioning whether or not those teachers are my Gurus…but somehow my lack of certainty has stifled the mere possibility. You see, my concept of Guru is bigger than my mental ability to second guess, or analyze the nature of the relationship. I always figured that if and when it happened, I would just know, kind of like falling in love, or meeting a soul mate.
Maybe I have had an idyllic picture in my head of how it would be to have a Guru. I’ve envisioned a special relationship, one that is tremendous effort but incredibly rewarding. A relationship based on trust and deep understanding, enriching one’s knowledge and acceptance of a larger self- one that is interconnected with all beings and limitless. In fact, what I’m describing sounds a lot like the relationship I have developed with myself by means of practicing yoga.
Teachers are fundamental in accepting one’s self unconditionally. To have the blind faith in another being needed to develop the surrendering fully of one’s energy and intention instills both humility and confidence, enabling a progression outside of one’s daily drama and into the interconnectedness of all beings.
My experience has been that teachers come in and out of our lives in waves. When we are open to it, the possibilities for learning are limitless. As we ebb and flow and continuously transform, our influences are also likely to change. It is only the teacher that accepts us unconditionally who can nurture us over a lifetime. Is the one guru, like the only true asana, the Self?
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