The older I get, the more I understand the teachings of Ramana Maharshi with regard to “The Guru.” The great sage would always meet a devotee exactly where they were on their journey. For those who didn’t understand, he would advocate the guru in the form of a physical being; a teacher. For those who did understand, he would deny that he was anybody’s guru and point them to the one, true guru within; “The Self.”

In simple terms, and in context, a guru can be anyone we cross paths with that we learn from. The obvious examples are parents and teachers at school. But it could also mean people we have difficulties with; even enemies (for want of a better word). As we evolve, those who choose the spiritual pathway may seek out a specific guru. There is also the guru that finds the individual in accordance with the old saying, “when the pupil is ready, the master will come.”

A true guru will reel the pupil in, in order to let them go. A true guru does not require worship. A true guru points the pupil in the direction of themselves in order to seek out the guru within.

When The Guru is realised, the guru disappears.