Blue Lagoon

B l u e L a g o o n
A Relationship with a Spiritual Teacher

If you have a little musical talent, you can learn to play a guitar all by yourself. Just by listening to others, watching them play and playing a lot yourself, over the years you can learn a good bit that way. But you can learn a lot faster with a mentor, a skilled master who can point out that if you just hold your arm this way, you can reach the strings more easily and move around too. Of course, you’re bound to learn this yourself eventually -- when you’re 65.

The best athletes in the world, the Olympians, all have personal coaches. And they were quite talented even before they found their coaches. Since what we spiritual seekers are up to is nothing less than self-mastery, doesn’t it stand to reason that we’ll be more effective and successful in our endeavors if we get some guidance from someone who has already achieved self-mastery? This is a no-brainer.

Wonderful books by wise people are real treasures. Altars with spiritual objects and images are safe havens. But a religious symbol or a picture or statue on the altar won’t knock us on the head when we doze off during meditation. A spiritual teacher who loves us will sometimes point out our foolishness to speed us on the way. And that’s the ticket home; find your guru

Guru in Sanskrit means remover of darkness or ignorance. However beware, sometimes the ego masquerades as your guru. It’s very useful to have a real person showing the way. But when we become convinced that having a personal spiritual preceptor is a key for all the locks, now what? We can’t insist on exactly when our teacher will appear. We can’t just snap our fingers. It’s like finding our beloved. But we can prepare ourselves for the re-union. It’s like using a Hatha Yoga Book or CD before venturing to check out the active Yoga instructors in the area.

As you come across others’ teachers and you consider them yourself, observe those teachers: are they attached to their students or to name and fame, or both? Sometimes you may go on a few false starts. You might have thought a certain spiritual teacher was right for you, but after awhile you may sense this is not what you were really looking for. That’s okay, don’t drop out now. As an old Navy Seal, I can tell you that you often have to swim through coral reefs to reach the blue lagoon.

Students and guests at a program sometimes would ask Swami Satchidananda how to find their guru, how to know if this is the right person? Sri Gurudev would say. “Ask about his spiritual background, his lineage. See how he manages funds. Look carefully at his students -- do you like what you see? But finally,” he added, “the eyes meet and they don’t want to part.”

The relationship with one’s spiritual teacher is quite subtle and even irrational, sometimes with words, sometime with no words. You ask him one question and he often answers another, which was your real issue, but you weren’t conscious of it when you asked. It’s hard to follow a person who’s always seems to be changing and will challenge you, sometimes even hurt your feelings.

Some time ago when I was editing his commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God), with Gurudev’s encouragement I was also rewriting all the verses or slokas into modern English. A couple years had passed. One day he called me. “How’s the Gita coming, Prahaladan?”

“Just fine,” Gurudev,” I replied.

“The operation will be a success, but the patient will be dead,” he said.” I got the message and completed the manuscript in a few weeks. He wasn’t talking to me just about that book project, but also about the way I’d been doing my whole life.

Perfect Service A long-time devotee, Amma Kidd tells a story about when she was serving as an assistant in his house when Gurudev had guests visiting. They were sitting together before a glass coffee table when she brought over some coffee and dessert. After the guests had gone, Gurudev called her over. “Amma, see this clear glass table; it renders perfect service and is nearly invisible. Let your service be just like that.”

Some guests had given a beautiful Tai Chi demonstration for Gurudev and some of his secretaries. After they left, he told his secretaries, ”Be just that centered, clear and peaceful – only do it ten times faster.”

The Refuge And of course, your spiritual teacher is always a refuge of love and comfort. After my dad died and I’d come back to the Ashram from his memorial service, Gurudev saw me in the hallway, came over, took me into his arms and held me near his heart. That was all and that was plenty.

On another occasion, I was fortunate to be among a few guests at a small dinner with Gurudev. Ice cream was being served for dessert with a goopy fruit topping that could be added. I jumped up to help serve the topping. As I reached over to spoon some over his ice cream, I spilled the fruit compote right onto the clean white table cloth beside his plate. I was mortified. Immediately, but unnoticeable to others, Gurudev gently laid his napkin over the dropped fruit and softly whispered to me, “Oh Mama.” I was able to continue serving.

Some of the things he told me over the years: “Pass the word. Do your own book. Use your own experiences. Make the letters clear and straight.” And he also said: “You know the teachings. Now can you live them!” To this day I live with that challenge and this great calling.

The teacher can’t walk the path for us. But he can point the way and give us tools to smooth the journey. We use the external guru until we have an unquestioned connection with the internal guru.

And what if your teacher dies, leaves his body, transcends? What then? Should you look for another person to show you the way if you’re not yet completely “realized?”

Yes and no.

According to the sages, nobody ever really dies. “What is, always is,” says the Bhagavad Gita, “and what isn’t, never will be.” Our bodies come and go like old clothes that we discard. Consciousness continues. A deep relationship with a spiritual teacher – or with anyone we really love – surely transcends a physical death. Sri Gurudev taught that, “The guru‑disciple relationship never ends. It’s always there. Whether the guru leaves the body, or the disciple does, they are not ever separated.”

Over the ages devotees from all walks and paths report on-going, spiritually intimate relationships with their spiritual preceptors – even after one or the other has left the body. Moreover, so many sincere seekers report connecting with a spiritual teacher whom they never met in person. For example, many down-to-earth Christians report a very real and on-going relationship with Lord Jesus, who left his body almost 2000 years ago.

I remember when a group of us were traveling in India with Sri Gurudev. At one location in the evening some Indian devotees were dancing a tale for us all. One of the dancers in particular was captivating us. "The dancer is telling the story of my life,” Gurudev explained. “He's never seen me before today.” He saw that surprised us. “I have many devotees who are very close with me and who've never met me physically." That opened my mind a little further.

Beyond Time and Space Even these days many Yoga practitioners speak of an intimate connection with Swami Satchidananda – and they never knew him in person. “Sometimes it’s better that way,” Gurudev used to say. “When you come to your teacher in person, the ego sometimes jumps up and gets in the way.”

Even so, I still think it’s good to have a teacher to talk with occasionally. He or she need not “replace” your long-time beloved, your spiritual preceptor, your Satguru.

The great 18th century hassidic master, the Baal Shem Tov, Master of the Good Name, told his disciples to find a wise teacher to assist them after he’d gone on. But how will we know who to choose? they said. “Ask him how to overcome pride,” said their teacher. “If he gives you an answer, keep looking. You have to watch out for pride ‘til your dying day.”

After Sri Gurudev left his body in August, 2002, I looked about to find him in some astral plane – so I could keep in touch with him. Then one morning I heard his voice speaking. “I’m here, Prahaladan; I’m inside you now.” That’s not possible, I thought, what about all my foolishness? “That’s okay, I’m here anyway. Time for you to be that Satchidananda.”

Staying Close So many of Gurudev’s disciples and devotees report very similar experiences, and the same message. Over the years when I had to lead a spiritual program I would go before my altar and ask Gurudev if he’d please step in and do it. Even after he left his body, I’d still do this. Recently I thought I heard that familiar voice say – “You don’t have to call on me; you do it this time.” I protested and asked, “Won’t you do it just one more time.”

“One more time,” that voice said, “but next time you do it.”

I agreed. Recently I led a Passover Seder at the Ashram in Virginia. As usual, we set up a small table for the prophet Elijah with his own wine (grape juice) glass. In past years Sri Gurudev would come in, sit there and share the Seder with us. Of course, we always filled the glass, and did so again this Passover. After the Seder as I was packing up my guitar, I noticed that the wine glass beside his plate was empty. I hadn’t seen anyone come and touch it or drink it. So I concluded that he was there and it all went okay.

As the great Tibetan Yogi, Milarepa lay dying, he called his closest disciples forward and whispered his last teachings to them: “Don’t do anything you’d feel sorry for later.”

Last Words On July 20th 2002 I went to a Guru-Poornima weekend celebration at the Virginia Ashram, a full moon time when disciples and devotees traditionally honor their guru – and the ultimate guru also. I didn’t realize this would be the last time I’d see my beloved Gurudev in person this lifetime. A few weeks later, while visiting with devotees in India, he left his body rather suddenly. That July morning at Yogaville, I was still in the habit of taking notes as he spoke. These are the last words I heard my teacher say:

“The gurus are everywhere
When the moon is full the mind is fully open
This is Guru Poornima [Enlightening Fullness]

“You learn from everybody and everything
If you’re ready to hear

“Give all your fruits to others, and pray:
Make me a good listener!

“Take lessons from everyone and everything in life.”

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