What Are Top Tips For Finding A Guru?

[electroBeam]

here is a good resource on the subject: http://www.thewayofmeditation.com.au/blog/find-an-authentic-spiritual-teacher/

Whats the best way to find a spiritual guru within physicality. unlike looking for a business partner or job, you cant just look these people up on the internet. plus figuring out whether these people are legit yogis and buddhists is hard to do considering theres no such thing as a spiritual resume.

where did you look. And more importantly how did you asses their qualifications?

 

[Ether]

16 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

you cant just look these people up on the internet

Oh really? Im with my online mentor and i did huge progress with him

[cetus]

Do a Gurugle search. 

[electroBeam]

@Ether jann esmann?

[Ether]

@cetus56 Haaaaaaaaa

[cirkussmile]

Make Tuth your number 1 priority in life and eventually you will find him/her.

[AleksM]

@electroBeam

I don't recommend following a rational paradigm when choosing a guru. Use the feeling paradigm. You can find a lot of good spiritual teachers online. I think it's better to find them online, that's basicly the future of finding a spiritual guru.

 

• Do you feel like this guru is the real deal? Not think but feel.
• Do you feel a deep unexplainable resonance and connection with what the guru is saying?
• Does the guru inspire you?
• Does the guru teach you to practice some form of spiritual practice or just talking theory?
• Does the guru promote a practical spiritual approach to life? (not practice but more of an approach for every life situation) 
• Do you feel like the quality of the experience of life would improve a lot by following this guru? I am not talking about the thinking pattern that would be installed in your mind by consuming his information but rather your personal experience of life regardless of how much of his info you consume. (content of thoughts is not an experience)
• Is the guru promoting an ideal of life or a deep understanding of the actuality that is present in the now moment?
• Is the guru promoting a transformational process rather then consuming an endless stream of information?
• Does the guru promote knowing or believing?
• Is the guru focused too much on the end goal of enlightenment vs. actually telling you how to attain it?
• Does the guru overly focus on fullfilling selfish ego desires?  (status, power, sex, success, ...)
• Has the guru adopted a spiritual materialistic paradigm? ("“Spiritual materialism is that process by which the  ego  grasps at the accomplishments and progress of the self upon the spiritual path; an act by which its very nature denies the Self." )
• Do you feel peacefull when listening to this guru, does he look peaceful?
• Does the guru "slap you in the face" with some deep insights that inspire you to leave your old paradigm?

 

Edited November 12, 2017 by AleksM

[Toby]

 

[AlwaysBeNice]

The eyes, his vibe

His actions/lifestyle 

What he says (which should be that you just have to go within)

His history of committed practice

And pray for a sign(s) (praying in general is underrated)

Edited November 12, 2017 by AlwaysBeNice

[Leo Gura]

Tip #1: Don't

Learn to lead yourself. The best gurus are self-made, and they want you to be self-made too.

[Colin]

1 minute ago, Leo Gura said:

Tip #1: Don't

Learn to lead yourself.

this

[Source_Mystic]

Do not search for a guru

Search for truth.

Do not follow in someone else's shadow. 

Do not lick someone else's boots and discount your own experience.

 

[AlwaysBeNice]

1 minute ago, Leo Gura said:

Tip #1: Don't

Learn to lead yourself. The best gurus are self-made, and they want you to be self-made too.

Bad advice imo and which 'best gurus' say that?

I never hear of teachers whom hadn't had a good teacher on their own, except perhaps for Martin Ball, and perhaps Osho?

Anyways in the east it's commonly understood that the quickest and most steadfast way to enlightenment is with a teacher, and I agree, it's like meeting a future self, a good friend, lovingly guiding you.

And it's not really not about knowledge and following them, not at all, good teachers know this, it's a bit about being shown your blind spots and getting tailor made advice, but it's mostly it's about recognizing and melting into the same heart through their radiance of spiritual presence/light.

 

 

[Ether]

@AlwaysBeNice I sure know having my mentor sure helped me develop my conciousness really quick, but i did all the work but he helped me a lot

[Socrates]

@Leo Gura Still though, man's got to learn, right?

[Shin]

Often times a guru has a specific way to teach, and this specific way is all about how HE discovered the truth himself.
It's not that you can't find a guru that resonates a lot with you, it's just that you'll have to do things at least slightly differently, so in a sense it's pointless because you could do that without him.
Knowing that, it also means that following a specific teaching from a specific teacher (only him), can totally block you in the path, because you may never get the particular way this teacher is trying to teach you.

Also the only thing a guru can do is to point very precisely what presence is and how to experience it, and this is very difficult to do, almost impossible, because even if it's explained extremely simply, it is still overlooked and not understood.
After you "got it", there is no need for a guru, it is totally and utterly pointless, because the only thing there is to "do", is to remain present, it's all there is to do really ...

So don't be eager to meet a guru, just listen to Eckhart Tolle or some other teacher online that you kind of resonate with, that's enough.
Now if you can meet one in real life, that's good, but don't expect him to help you more than a random video of Eckhart Tolle, that's not gonna happen.

 

[Key Elements]

Do self-inquiry & self-actualization as much as possible, gradually, on a daily basis, step-by-step. Understand enlightenment as much as you can gradually. Then, you will be running into the 'right' people and the 'right' gurus who will be offering the 'right' information about yourself at the 'right' time. And, you'll have something to give too. It'll be a fair, meaningful exchange.

-The purpose of a guide, guru, or teacher is to introduce you to your own light.

[Toby]

@Shin After reading this in "The Power of Now" I decided to look for a teacher:

Quote

Only you can do this. Nobody can do it for you. But if you are fortunate enough to find someone who is intensely conscious, if you can be with them and join them in the state of presence, that can be helpful and will accelerate things. In this way, your own light will quickly grow stronger. When a log that has only just started to bum is placed next to one that is burning fiercely, and after a while they are separated again, the first log will be burning with much greater intensity. After all, it is the same fire. To be such a fire is one of the functions of a spiritual teacher. Some therapists may also be able to fulfill that function, provided that they have gone beyond the level of mind and can create and sustain a state of intense conscious presence while they are working with you.

 

[Leo Gura]

Having teachers is totally fine. Becoming someone's follower is not good. It breeds too much closemindedness.

I don't care how good your guru is, if you become his follower, you've screwed yourself. The reason you're following him is because you're lazy and don't want to think for yourself. Why else would you follow? That's the whole game.

[Dodo]

The true Guru is "What Is", right? ?