Guru Means Teacher

But what is the teacher?

The process. If consciousness is unaware that it is governed by memories in the mind, this causes an emotional reaction. That reaction is our teacher, showing consciousness what it is holding onto, causing us distress.

In this way, all phenomena – anything that we encounter – becomes our teacher. Once this process is realised and consciousness is free of contamination by memories, clarity comes into play, and consciousness becomes the teacher in its expression and conduct – it clarifies. That is wisdom.

A physical teacher’s job is to show students this process so that they no longer have to rely on the physical presence of a guru. It’s the same as teaching someone to paint, play music or wire up a plug
… we are then free to experience and learn with every situation.

We don’t have keep running back to the teacher to ask what to do. My aunt taught me how to tie my shoe laces when I was four years old – I’ve never needed her since, even though I’ve encounter lots of types of shoes. 🙂

However, if a teacher makes the teaching complicated, vague or mystical, we have to keep going back to find out what the hell it’s all about. Different cultures have different ways. In Tibetan Buddhism, there something called guru yoga, which is a reminder of the essence of the teaching. If however, we end up worshipping the guru, we are in never-never land (an idiom used to describe an imaginary, ideal, or unrealistic place where everything is perfect and everyday problems don’t exist).

A guru is not an ornament around our neck.
It is the weight of wisdom.