How important it is to a have a GURU on this path ?

[AudibleLocket]

I am reading Yogananda autobiography,

In India Gurus are very respected, they have a culture of devotion to their masters.

Do you guys think it is crucial to find someone like that in your life ?

[Rigel]

21 hours ago, AudibleLocket said:

Do you guys think it is crucial to find someone like that in your life ?

No. Might be helpful. Might not be. Definitely not crucial. 

[Inliytened1]

Depends on where you are at in life.  It you discover spirituality at 50 you could awaken instantly and not need a guru just from a lifetime full of suffering.

[Charlotte]

You will soon realise you are the Guru

[TrynaBeTurquoise]

They can be useful but the #1 thing to watch out for is if they dogmatically insist that you absolutely need them or that their way is the only way. Any external guru is also you existentially, but you can more directly tap into your inner guru for guidance. 

Edited October 18, 2019 by TrynaBeTurquoise

[Skanzi]

Well, in this day and age there is no necessity anymore really to seek out a guru to be with physically. The internet is full of guru's you can watch video's of, or you can read (e-)books on their work. So the necessity of physical closeness has largely been abolished.

However, that does not mean that having a guru to be close with on a personal level wouldn't be very helpful. It gives you an oppurtunity for someone to open your heart to, and the guru can personally direct you with the ignorance you're dealing with, instead of you personally seeking out advice over the internet, which is much less personally directed and therefore has a much greater possibility of misleading you —which ultimately usually has to do a lot more with your own ignorance than it has to do with the truth of the statement or advice.

I myself however have not found such a guru to be physically close with. Perhaps it's not my path to be with one. The absence of having a personal connection with a guru can however greatly teach you the value of self-directedness and the creativity that is required to shape and understand your own path. Yes, it has made me very creative and innovative. And self-reliant; independent.

Being with a guru has its pros and cons, and so does not having a guru.

But don't forget that just having a capable life coach or someone like that, or even a good friend, can already act as a great facilitator and mirror for your personal growth.

Edited October 18, 2019 by Skanzi

[CreamCat]

You are not very different from a chimp at a zoo. You need some guidance.