Finding Your Inner Guru

Posted by Tisha Morris on May 12, 2009

Over the years as the East has met the West there has been an influx of spiritual teachings from Eastern religions and thought.  With this emergence, the idea of a guru has become more and more commonplace in our language and culture.   And it has predominantly been the Eastern gurus that have introduced to the West the ideas of enlightenment, self-realization, meditation, and zen.   Likewise, many have followed the guidance of a guru, i.e. become a student, in order to take a faster track towards enlightenment.   In fact, the Sanskrit word guru means “that which dispels darkness.”

When you imagine a guru, you may think of an 87-year old, bearded man with a thick accent.  But your guru may look very different.  Your guru may be your yoga instructor, therapist, minister, healer, or even a non-physical angel or guide.  Or your guru may be someone you’ve never even met, such as Eckhart Tolle or Deepak Chopra.   Either way, it is those people that have helped us along our journey of dispelling the dark to find the light.  And to them we say Thank You.

But there comes a time when we simply outgrow our guru.  For our guru is simply an outer reflection of that which already resides within us.   In other words, we have what they have and need their help in finding it within us.  That could simply be finding our “light” or “true essence” buried beneath the layers of darkness.  Or it could be a specific missing aspect of ourselves that we are seeking.   In fact, it is not unusual to unconsciously seek out a guru that represents something  that we are seemingly missing within ourselves similar to the way we attract romantic relationships into our life.  Thus the actual relationship with the guru can be as important as the teachings themselves. 

Once that aspect has been healed or one has reached a point where the inner guru is a match to the external guru, there is no longer a need for the external guru.  Continuing the teacher-student relationship beyond this point can actually become a hindrance to one’s growth.  Likewise, ending the relationship can be the most difficult and rewarding opportunity for personal growth (for the teacher and student).  At that point it is time to find a new guru that is a new match, or to simply become your own guru.  In fact, our true guru is not a person but a principle that resides in your own heart.  This inner guru will guide you to the person to whom will assist you on your journey and/or it will simply guide you.  In Sanskrit, this principle is called the upaguru, or “the teacher within.” 

The benefits of the teacher-student relationship can be extremely beneficial to our personal growth and cannot be understated.  For this reason, it has become entrenched in the Eastern spiritual traditions and spreading through the West.   But it is important to note that even in such a case it is the upaguru at work guiding one to find that teacher.   And a true spiritual teacher knows that the upaguru is our ultimate guide to which we should ultimately and permanently connect, not them.  So honor and be grateful for the teachers that come into your life.  But know that your greatest teacher is your inner guru.  And so honor and be grateful to yourself as well. 

Namaste.