3 masters you would like to meet and why

[YogaIsLife]

I had been warming this in my heart for quite a while: whenever we read inspirational stories of someone having found a good master/teacher/guide or we resonate with the words of a particular wise man or woman (as we see him/her), we feel inspired, motivated, and filled with light and hope. At least that is what happens to me

So I throw this challenge here for those who have felt it: name three gurus or masters, dead or alive, real or maybe not so real, that inspire you and why you would choose them if you had the chance. To give the example I will name my three and why:

- "Socrates" in the novel "The way of the peaceful warrior" by Dan Millman,
- "Devi" in the book Tantric Quest by Daniel Odier and
- Nisargadatta Maharaj (an Indian guru, this one 'actually' existed

Well, the first two are characters in (semi-)autobiographical novels and are supposed to have existed although they could have been romaticised a bit. The reason I liked this masters are because they were challenging and forever fresh in their approach to their teachings and to their students, not saying or acting exactly as the students might have anticipated or thought they should act, but always ready to bend the next corner of the mind in the direction of what is most true in each one of us. They also seemed to have very personal relationships with their disciples, treating each one as unique and giving to each one what each needs most, thus making the teaching unique in its nuances for each pupil, in space and time.

Now, let me know your list and why!

[christiane]

Hi YIL,

I'm already blessed to have met 3 guides..
- Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, still present in the body.
He initiated me to the yoga techniques I'm practising everyday..Deep gratitude for this gift, although my heart doesn't 'vibrate' to Him as 'my guru'. But I have deep gratitude and respect for Him.
- Osho...here, although He's left the body, He IS HERE..
in every word, and between the lines.. here it's a love affair for me .. I can't see Him as a guru..or a person.. rather the echo of the truth I feel in my inner core.. and there is a strong attraction to his grace and fragrance.. that's why, to me, it's a meeting every now. Each time my heart is in tune with Him, it's a merging.. Just Love Him.
- Maryam Nour: my actual guide.. an enlightened woman who opened my eyes 5 years ago through her TV show.. and who is guiding me and initiating me everyday now.. I'm simply in love with her, and there is true attraction like you would be attracted to your Lover. It's a kind of Erotic attraction but on a higher plane. I'm still looking forward to the ultimate merging, and She's opened her door. It's just that I have fear and I don't feel ready yet. But soon I will..! Thanks to her light, I had my latest deep experiences. She's an Osho Lover too, a friend, a sister, a living inspiration..
Like Osho, I can't really grasp her as a person, rather a quality of divine energy.. she's a channel to what I'm thirsty for..

So to sum up: in those 3 guides, in fact, the common guide is the same divine taste I'm seeking.. this is my true guide.. Those 3 enlightened beings are nothing but the opportunity to get in touch with the divine in a vibrant and instant way.. In that sense I'm an opportunist

[Ananda]

namaste friends[],

mine are:
my first spiritual teacher who initiated me into experiential spirituality as i call it is named Tony but he's one of those who keep a very low profile concerning their spiritual life bcz of the work he does and doesn't teach but 1 or 2 students at a time and then kind of let's go... and i call him the ego basher[] and he is still alive and well but his teachings are more into bhakti via the esoteric way (they are experiential...) and looking back at it "that path seems to be like on another dimension than the path i am on right now but that lead to here so in deep gratitude for ever..."

the 2nd one is Kamal Joumblat and even though he has left the body; his presence is still felt as a burning bhakti and a longing to the beloved... through this guy's books i was lead to advaita and to where i am now and i heard about Kamal's books through a man who is from the druze sect when i was at a friend's store and it was all like it was meant to be and sort of had one of them dreams three days before the encounter...

the 3rd and the big grand daddy of them all is Yoganiji whom is a blessing and a grace in my life; i always wanted to meet a real saint and when Yogani came in to my life these prayers were answered and my heart knew that this is the the real deal and i am more and more a witness to that beauty everyday now... it's too bad i can't meet the guy face to face but his presence is felt as an unending outpouring of divine love as he calls it...

and a real guru always shows you that you do not need an outside guru and that the guru is in you and one of  best things about Yogani is that he took on the stand of not being a guru (but he is one hell of a teacher none the less[]) he took the stand of being a fellow practitioner who is there to help and guide others on the path... plus he's like us your normal average dude and he made it... now does that give you a clue or what[]

AYP WORKS!

and three is actually a bit too short of a list, i love the avataric incarnation Jesus and the prophet Muhamad, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi and the prophet of compassion the Buddha and Adyashanti and Anthony De Mello as well and many others...

in gratitude to all the graceful masters old and new, we couldn't have made it here without you...

in gratitude(f)

Oh and i wouldn't mind encountering someone like Sri Ramana[]; but nature provides in the right timing if there is a need that is (now i know that!)

let thy will be done not mine "in the bliss of loving acceptance..."

light and love,

Ananda

[chinna]

Thomas Merton gave me a reason to live.

Da Love-Ananda gave me life overflowing.

Nisargadatta Maharaj gave me eternal life.

Dr Vijai Shankar gave me the confidence to speak of it.

OK that's four, but only one where I come from.

chinna

[CarsonZi]

"What 3 Masters would you like to meet and why?"

You, you and you

Because you give me inspiration and make my heart overflow with Love.

Love,
Carson[^]

[christiane]

quote:Originally posted by CarsonZi

"What 3 Masters would you like to meet and why?"

You, you and you

Because you give me inspiration and make my heart overflow with Love.

Love,
Carson[^]

thank you

[YogaIsLife]

Thanks a lot for the feedback guys.

Great to see how there appears always someone "out there" who seems to click with each of our particular situations at particular times.

The truth is "out there"! ...

Well, not really...

[stevenbhow]

I guess I'd just like to meet and know the Guru/God/Emptiness within. Then everyone I met would be the Guru/God/Emptiness as well[].

But it would be nice to meet and talk to the Dalia Lama, Adyashanti, and Eckhart Tolle.

[manig]

Lord Shiva
http://img5.travelblog.org/Photos/43699/237676/f/1888799-Lord-Shiva-the-beautiful-3.jpg

Lord Krishna
http://www.balbro.com/s2s/radhakrishna.jpg

Lord Buddha
http://www.mandolux.com/desktops/asia/mandolux-buddha-01-l-1680.jpg

Just to say 'thank you'

[Akasha]

Namaste Everyone,

Yogani,
Osho,
& Everyone here.

Although i don't feel i have to meet them, as i feel they are here already.Not necessary;The guru/master/truth etc is within.Your life path is your own & unique;No one can walk it for you.

Self-realization ,[]with 'a little bit of help from my friends'(the Beatles)

I also like the idea of 'devi' too, a tantric goddess.

 

quote:
a channel to what I'm thirsty for..

Yes.

I want some of what they've got,and I've tasted the Light,so i know what it tastes like and i know it's in me,and it tastes so good.And i want as much as i can get.....Fill me up.......pleeease.

Thank you.

[Etherfish]

I have no desire to meet anyone. There are a lot of people and objects and places that increase our bhakti, or transmit energy to us. That is very helpful, but the inner guru is the best helper. I don't really like the idea of calling anyone a "master". I think anyone can make mistakes and get off the path. I think anyone can improve and get back on the path.

I think looking up to a master was a paradigm that has shifted. It was very helpful for a lot of people in the past, and I'm sure for some today. But for most people, what used to be looked for on the outside, is now inside.
I think the part of your mind that wants to meet great masters is not always the best guide to follow.

Having said that, I'm sure we will all experience meeting people (great and otherwise) and objects and places that are extremely beneficial to our path. We are guided to them without having to seek.

One bright side of this paradigm shift is spiritual life is much easier than it used to be.
People used to make great sacrifices and give up everything to go be with their master. Today people practice twice a day in comfort and find everything is brought to them.
And the sacrifices are much easier too - they give up all kinds of unnecessary things that have lost their value because of a new perception.

[YogaIsLife]

Hi Ether,

I agree with you - the inner guru is the best and the ultimate one, as we are all searching what we in fact are. But nevertheless I see no harm in having an inspirational teacher (we all have/had one or more). Still, like in everythign, there are "good" and "bad" teachers and one should choose with great care before "leaving everything to be with their master". A good and true "teacher" may not even call himself so and definitely does not pretend to "take you there" (only you can/are it!). In my view a good teacher or guide is someone (1) whose personality fits well with your own and (2) that has walked the path, knows the territory you want to travel and in short "lives what he talks about" and is willing to share that with you. This can be beneficial in my view, for the sole reason that it's inspirational. On the other hand you are right - spiritual life has never been easier and that is great! Blessed times indeed! And we should ALWAYS go back to our inner guide and self for guidance - that is our best and ONLY true ally. I think too many things have gone wrong in the teacher/disciple camp already, due to blindly following someone else's opinions, because that is what words in fact are...

In short - it is a very personal matter in my opinion. A teacher may suit some people, while others may prefer not having one at all, and yet others better not even get close to some for their own benefit!

[Etherfish]

Yes I agree. But here is the reason that AYP doesn't approve posts that bash gurus of any kind:
The same teacher can be good for one person and disastrous for another. I have seen people who have gained very much from a teacher who looks to me like a con artist! It's not logical. You can't look at the actions of a guru and say "See - that proves he is a fraud." and conversely, you can't look at the words or actions of a guru and say "See - that proves he is a master."
These are both the judgements of the logical mind which has nothing to do with spirituality.
So that leaves us with only inner silence as a true guide, bringing us one teacher today in the form of a newspaper article, maybe tomorrow our teacher will be a squirrel or a rock!

[YogaIsLife]

Yeah, ok Ether - but a rock for example may never teach me (or it may take a much longer time!) the nature of mind, because it simply is not conscious (or wonders)the way I am. A yogi or zen monk who have honestly dedicated years or a lifetime to the study and practice of meditation and the nature of the human mind and conscioussness may be in a much better position to teach me something quicker! Of course I am talking about the nature of the human mind and of conscioussness here.

But a rock can be a great teacher at certain times and for certain people I grant you that!

[christiane]

quote:Originally posted by Etherfish


I think anyone can improve and get back on the path.

you cannot 'get back': you are a new being each day.. at the most you can stagnate, get stuck, but not get back.

quote:I think the part of your mind that wants to meet great masters is not always the best guide to follow.

the mind is never a good guide to follow
a guru/seeker 'healthy' relationship comes from the heart.
We tend to think that the seeker searches for his guru..
But it is actually the opposite! When the seeker is ripe and ready, his guide comes to find him.. because the seeker is still 'sleeping'.. he's not fully awaken.. the enlightened one comes when the ground is ready and he shakes him up!
You can progress without any master. But it's not always safe.. (here, I think about crown chakra opening which is best taken care of by the guru).
From the muladhara to the ajna, you may manage the progression with all its elements.
But for the crown and beyond, better be in the presence of an enlightened one you trust totally, unconditionnally.
So you don't really choose ur master, rather he comes to you at the right moment.. he's a key. You are always free to use it or not.
The guru is in me, yes, true. The 'outer' guru is nothing but the mirror of this inner guru.. if he's not, he's probably not for you, for that moment at least..