How do I know which Guru is right for me?
—Susan, US
Dear Susan,
From our own perspective, it looks like it is up to us to FIND our Guru. Yogananda tells us that God leads us to our true Guru. It might help you to think of your search in this way. Swami Kriyananda has encouraged people to focus on their love for God, first. As you deepen your devotion, your willingness to change yourself, and your eagerness to be free from ego limitations, God sees that you ar ready for a Guru and will guide you to him/her.
If you have found someone you think might be your guru, there are some things that can help you. As you study his/her teachings, do they seem familiar to you? Do they resonate with you on a deep level?
How do you feel about the disciples? Do they seem to be on your wavelength? Do you feel very comfortable with them? The disciples can be a good barometer in sensing if you are also a disciple of that Guru.
Yogananda said to people, If you feel drawn to this path, follow it. If it is NOT your true path, I will guide you to your true path. To some extent this is true for other paths also. Swami Kriyananda has said that if you find a spiritual path that seems wholesome and attractive to you, you should follow its techniques. By doing so, you can increase your spiritual magnetism and devotion to God. In this way, you will develop enough spiritual magnetism to attract your true Guru.
Some things to think about when looking at a path:
1. A true guru tries to help you to attune to God’s presence within yourself, as opposed to worshipping a him/herself. Do you feel that this guru is trying to draw you to him/herself or to point your devotion to God?
2. The Guru should be helping you to develop your own inner strength and intuitive guidance, as opposed to making you depend weakly on him or her to tell you what to do.
3. You should feel an increasing inner peace, joy, and clarity in your life.
4. A true guru comes to help the disciple find God, not to gain anything for him/herself personally. If the energy around a “guru” feels like a “taking” energy, he/she is probably not a true guru.
These are just a few thoughts. You might enjoy reading The New Path by Swami Kriyananda. He tells of his own personal search and how it led him to Yogananda. He also tells hundreds of stories of what is was like to be a disciple of Yogananda. In reading this book, you may feel a greater clarity of what to look for, and inspiration along the way.
In divine friendship,
Anandi
