Shaykhs or Sufi teachers, Gurus (including Hindu Gurus, Sant Mat Gurus, and Sikh Gurus), Buddhist teachers, including Tibetan Lamas (which is really just the Tibetan word for Guru), and Mahasiddhas (who may be claimed by both Buddhist and Hindu traditions) are some of the subcategories of spiritual teachers.
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Many Western spiritual teachers exist, some of whom claim a spiritual ancestry from the East and others who do not.
The phrase “spiritual teacher” originates in Western tradition and refers to a broader understanding of spirituality.
How do I choose a spiritual teacher?
In that vein, every problem has a spiritual root, although there are addictions and diseases that may necessitate medical attention or care above and beyond meditation. An experienced instructor will not simply pray or materialize the problems gone, but will (sometimes unavoidably and strongly) warn you that more immediate attention is required.
4. They are not residing with their mother.
It's difficult to be an artist, a leader, an entrepreneur, a teacher, or a trailblazer. It's the polar opposite of what's expected. There will be difficult times ahead. Especially if one lives in a densely populated, high-priced metropolis. There will be times when you need to AirBNB your house to make money for the weekend. Years of bridge work may be required. (In fact, the longer the bridge job, the better because someone is laying a FOUNDATION, which takes time and integrity.)
What does a spiritual teacher teach?
A person tasked with teaching a human or universal being what they need to know, study, and understand on a spiritual level in order to contribute to their soul agreement, soul purpose, or spiritual progress.
A spiritual teacher could be anyone we recognize and know, as long as we have a long-term or lifetime relationship with them.
How do I become a guru?
While reading the new Inc cover article on Tim Ferriss, whose 4-Hour Workweek business has turned him into the ultimate Silicon Valley lifestyle guru, I was thinking about this. Then there's Suze Orman and a slew of other personal finance experts, all of whom offer identical advise but have personalities large enough to attract followers and fans.
Of course, there's a lot of luck involved, as well as a lot of hard work unfortunately, more than 4 hours per week. However, here are a few suggestions that appear to be helpful.
1. Establish your brand. Gurus require a subject. After all, only a few people can become experts in a variety of fields. Anne Lamott creates great fiction, but it's her religious work that gets her welcomed to churches, where she's greeted by loving followers. What subject do you have control over? It should ideally be broad, but not too cluttered with other gurus. Even if it is, you can carve out a niche for yourself (finance for millennials; time management for entrepreneurs; exercise for the 50+ set).
2. Tell an excellent tale. You don't need a degree to be a guru, but you do need a cause for others to pay attention to you. This is frequently a conversion story the kind of St. Paul on the road to Damascus story that humans instinctively enjoy. I used to be terrible with money, and this is what I've learned since then! I used to work 24 hours a day, but then I discovered how to outsource everything!
Can anyone be a guru?
Someone who is a guru is the precise translation of the word guru “Darkness is banished.” Ignorance is the source of this darkness.
Though any master teacher is sometimes referred to as a guru (the term “guru” is now used very loosely in English), the term “guru” traditionally refers to a religious or spiritual teacher who not only has deep knowledge that can lead to moksha (liberation or enlightenment), but also has direct experience of Divine vision or grace that has been assimilated into their way of being.
Traditional pupils lived with their guru, at least for a while, with the guru basically taking on the role of a parent, though this is significantly less frequent today than it previously was.
Though most people in the West associate gurus with Hinduism, the title is also applied to spiritual instructors in the Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh traditions.
No. Although having a guru is not required, most Hindu traditions believe that having one is extremely advantageous to one's spiritual knowledge and progress.
To put it another way, while you don't need a guru to achieve enlightenment, having one makes it easier.
This is analogous to embarking on a new voyage. It is much easier to travel with someone who has already completed the journey or at the very least is familiar with the route. Following their written directions makes the trip easy even when they are not present. You can also explore on your own and get to your destination, but it will be more difficult. Progress will most likely be slower, and the risk of going in the wrong way will be greater.
The spiritual advancement of their followers is guided by a guru (known as shishya). Instructions are personalized according to the guru's spiritual, psychological, and practical understanding into what is required for the pupil to learn and grow spiritually.
Until the latter half of the twentieth century, all, or at least the majority, of teaching was done through an oral tradition, in which information was passed directly from teacher to pupil. Students frequently lived with or near their guru, or paid frequent visits. While the oral tradition is still revered, the majority of gurus have authored substantial speeches on their teachings. Many also provide live or recorded internet lectures to students all over the world, have formal pupils on every continent, and their teachings may have a significant impact on the lives of countless spiritual searchers who will never study in depth or meet the guru in person.
No. Though this may be what comes to mind when someone thinks of the word guru, there is no religious or cultural mandate for a guru to be male. In reality, there have been numerous notable female gurus throughout history and today. In the last half-century, Sri Sarada Devi, Sister Nivedita, the Mother, Anandamayi Ma, Mata Amritanandamayi, Gurumayi, and Amma Sri Karunamayi have been among the most renowned.
Although Hinduism as a religion does not have a single leader, each teaching tradition that makes up Hinduism places a high value on teacher lineage. Guru-shishya parampara is the term for this relationship.
The majority of today's gurus were formerly shishyas of another guru in the same lineage. However, a guru may emerge who is generally recognized as an enlightened spiritual master due to their own past sadhana (discipline and study), but this is uncommon.
Only when a recognized guru gives permission for one of their shishya to carry on the tradition as a guru may that student use that title correctly. Advanced pupils of a guru may occasionally start teaching on their own without claiming to be a full-fledged guru. This is something you'll see a lot in yoga classes.
For those seeking deeper spiritual study under a guru, lineage is especially important to highlight today. Has the teacher you want to learn with been given permission to teach in some manner by their teacher? Who did they study with and learn from?
Treat your search for a guru or spiritual instructor as if you were applying to a university. Before you even approach the institution to enroll you for study, you should familiarize yourself with the university's educational philosophy, history, how its students enjoy studying there, and what its graduates have accomplished. While you may not be able to determine a possible guru's spiritual achievement as a prospective pupil (just as you may not be able to appreciate the complexity of any professor's work as a freshman), you should try to assess the guru's history and qualifications.
Yes. Someone switching guru is totally acceptable, if not commonplace, given the depth of the relationship. This could be because your spiritual needs have changed, your prior guru has passed away, or your guru has altered their teachings and practices, or recommended that you follow someone else's path.
This is not a recent phenomenon, contrary to popular belief. Some people have several gurus as their spiritual quest advances, according to spiritual literature like the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Prostration in front of someone is a gesture of deep reverence in Hindu culture. This is something you'll see followers perform in front of a guru or in temples before a murti (images of the divine, used to focus devotional attention). In both circumstances, the devotee is kneeling down to the Divine principle embodied or revealed in front of them, not because they feel they are really bowing down to God. People frequently touch the feet of their parents and other people they respect and regard as authoritative and devout.
In both cases, the attention is on the feet, as explained in the book What is Hinduism? “According to legend, his entire being was contained inside his feet. All nerve currents come to a halt here. Every organ of the body's important points are present. “When we touch the spiritual master's feet, we are touching the spiritual master.” In simpler terms, the guru's feet constitute the cornerstone of his or her physical self. Touching them demonstrates regard for the whole person.
When it comes to how pupils should treat their teacher, Hindu spiritual writings are frequently rather demanding (strict obedience, not questioning their instructions, giving over personal belongings, etc). However, just as society as a whole has shifted toward more egalitarian and less hierarchical attitudes over the last 50 years, so have student expectations of guru behavior.
Respect, deference, and dedication are still expected, but complete subjugation, as described in older literature, is no longer the norm. With this in mind, students are still expected to be loyal to their guru and have faith in his or her knowledge and practices but not to the point of blind faith. Students are supposed to remain modest in front of their guru and to credit the guru while sharing their lessons with others.
While a guru has deep spiritual knowledge to transmit and they continue to play an important and positive role in Hindu traditions there is a growing realization that they are not immune to typical human reactions to everyday conditions. Gurus are unique, but they are still people. There's also more public recognition that a guru might deviate from the spiritual precepts he or she preaches and act unethically, if not abusively, toward their pupils. When such behavior occurs, it is increasingly and properly condemned.
What does a spiritual coach do?
A spiritual coach, also known as a spiritual life coach, looks at the deeper connections that people have with the Universe. They assist people in gaining a new or deeper awareness of the world they live in, as well as the energies that run through it. A spiritual coach will employ a variety of healing modalities to assist their clients on their travels. They serve as a guidance for instilling self-confidence and compassion in others.
People hire spiritual coaches for a variety of reasons. The following are some of the most common areas in which spiritual coaches work with clients:
People frequently inquire about whether or not they must be religious to work with or become a spiritual coach. No, that is not the case. Spirituality, unlike religion, does not come with a set of rules or concepts. It's all about feeling a part of something bigger than ourselves. People can nurture feelings of love, compassion, and awareness by recognizing and honoring that connection. A spiritual coach will always respect the religious views of their clients.
How do you start a spiritual awakening?
The spiritual journeyand the resulting “spiritual awakening” we seekalways appears to take place in some exotic location or following a spectacular incident.
Perhaps you believe you need to travel to Peru to drink ayahuasca or leave your spouse to get the spiritual awakening you seek?
From the comfort of your own home, you may connect with your spirituality and awaken to the lessons that are meant for you over and over again throughout your life.
What is the spiritual awakening process?
Spiritual awakening, contrary to popular belief, does not entail a literal transformation “Awakening.”
You don't wake up one day feeling like you have a powerful energy within of you beckoning for change.
Spiritual awakening is a long process in which a person realizes that their existence extends beyond the physical realm “I” refers to the ego.
Eastern spiritualists refer to the ego, or everyday self, as the acquired mind in Taoist philosophy.
Our current selves our likes, actions, preferences, and convictions are the result of years of socialization.
These particular features we pick up, however unusual they may be, do not yet make up a whole self.
Humans are a self-preserving species as a result of evolution; it's in our DNA to resist change.
Humans are innately egoistic beings, therefore we can't help but form a bubble around ourselves and do everything we can to keep it safe.
While a firm belief in who you are and what you believe in may appear to be the very definition of the full “self,” philosophers such as Carl Jung argue that separating the “I” from the rest of the world is harmful because we inevitably begin to limit what counts as good and righteous to those qualities unique to us.
Consider this: your Spirit lives alongside your ego. The ego acquires things you enjoy and don't like, as well as convictions that distinguish what's good from what's evil, during the years of learning and interacting.
As the ego takes control, your Spirit becomes confined and inert, rather than moving beyond it.
What happens when you have a spiritual awakening?
As Kaiser argues, this is the start of your spiritual journey, as you begin to doubt everything you previously believed. You begin to purge certain aspects of your life (habits, relationships, and outdated belief systems) in order to make room for new, more meaningful experiences. You may sense that something is lacking, but you aren't sure what it is. It's common to feel disoriented, confused, and down during this time.