The Sanskrit meaning of the word Guru is: the dispeller [Gu] of darkness [Ru]. Generally understood as guide, teacher, spiritual master, saint, etc., etc.

From one perspective one could say that the founders of religions were Gurus, (Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad, Jewish holy men and women, prophets, Hindu deities, saints, etc., and of course all of the other not mentioned great ones).

The Indian concept Guru is more apparent in Hindu spirituality than in other religions. And secondly in Buddhist spirituality, which grew out of Hinduism (just as Christianity grew out of Judaism).

In the Hindu, Buddhist, and other spiritual paths, there is the concept of the true Guru, being one who is above human smallness. Now it really gets good as everyone lines up and shouts, “My Guru is the best!”

Shree Maa’s interpretation is quite interesting, “Wherever there is teaching, the Guru is present.”

A man asked a great Guru to define “the grace of the Guru.” The Guru asks the man how long would it take to get to his home by sea? By rail? By air? After the man replied, the Guru said the grace of the Guru is like air travel. Providing the fastest way to the place of our origin.

I must say that one’s karma or design will dictate each person’s needs, it seems there is an endless combination of variables. Some people connect with one great being and never change to any other influence, and some never have any human influence in their spiritual path and they go forward.

There are many theories about the concept of the Sat Guru or true primordial Guru. One very interesting one is that the Sat guru is the essential force found in all Gurus, and the same essence as the self of all humans. So one could say that the guru removes the darkness (ego) of a human and what is left is the self.

If Hinduism were a great tree with trunk, branches and roots, then the trunk would be Yoga, which is spiritual science based on practical experience, with a focus on truth and a system of practical techniques to merge all of the great realities together to a state where there is no division. To embrace spiritual Yoga and sadhana with dedication is similar to having a Guru.

As for me, like many others I had many influences, and then in my fifties my own Nityananda came to me in meditation and changed my life forever.

click here to access InternetYoga.com's collection of photos of Nityananda
 
click here for CosmicHarmony.com's life history of Nityananda, complete with many embedded photos

A wonderful example of bakti yoga (devotional union) is that of the Devotee / Guru relationship which can develop in a multitude of ways.

Outwardly one can experience the guru on many levels (mother, father, deity, etc.).

The Guru can be experienced and perceived as every particle in the entire of creation.

The Guru tells us to know this one by meditating on our own inner self. We can literally give the guru everything (hopes, failures, fears, results of our actions, sexuality, addictions, egotism, desire for self realization, greatness of being, etc.)