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There is no greater discovery than finding a living guru who can help you navigate the troubled waters of life, says Shivi Verma

I often get intrigued by seekers who say that they do not believe in having a guru. That they can reach their destination by listening to their inner sad guru alone. Perhaps they are right because the aim of any guru too, is to connect you with your own inner Master. But from the very beginning, I knew that I needed to have a guru, since the spiritual path had opened up for me in a very challenging way.

All of a sudden, I was exposed to such high vibrations that it was impossible for me to make sense of what was happening to me. Multiple dimensions would open up before me, and I would go bonkers trying to figure them out. Secondly, I also needed an authority figure who could validate my experiences to me, since nothing that I was going through could be found mentioned in the scriptures. Was I going crazy? Was I hallucinating?

In those acutely trying times, if hope and solace came from somewhere, it was from the Masters. Though I had not been able to find my guru, I would connect deeply with the Masters of the kriya yoga tradition on an energetic level to seek guidance and protection. I never felt that they were not in body anymore. Every time I read their books, they would come alive to me. I could feel a distinct energy around me, which came directly from them.

I remember having simply spoken to their photograph in my room and getting my wish fulfilled by them. But I was not satisfied by this alone. I wanted to be at the feet of a living Master. And I wanted to be trained by him. I wanted to enjoy the guru-disciple relationship. But nothing materialised for a long time. Frustrated, I gave up. I realised that there was nothing to life except this moment, to live fully, and all the rest was mere sentimentality.

Interestingly, within a few months of giving up my search, I was blessed to meet a Master who I instantly and intuitively recognised as my guru. But accepting him was not easy. When I faced him, I realised that my ego was militating against the idea of submitting to a human being. I detested going to him and acknowledging that someone could be greater than me, superior to me. The reality was vastly different from how I had imagined it to be. Finally, forced by circumstances, I had to seek his refuge and surrender at his feet. 

After this, my world transformed. I was enveloped by his unconditional love, kindness, benevolence, protection, and grace. My life became magical. I began to experience what it is to be sheltered and cared for by the Divine, at all times in one’s life.

But the best part is that instead of being a physical presence in my life, my Master chooses to communicate with me through my heart. The more I listen to it, the better my life becomes. I don’t miss being in his physical presence. If the purpose of spirituality is to connect with you inner sad guru, then I can confidently say that my embodied Master has helped me reach there faster than my own efforts could ever have.