Choosing a Spiritual Master

There have been false teachers for as long as people have been willing to follow another.  So how do we seek out a true teacher – one who resides evermore in the foundation of Truth and manifests that in every moment?

An attained master is self-realized.  They may be in the world but they are not of the world.  So immediately we can discern whether their lives manifest separateness or Oneness.  An overview of their life should reveal all-inclusiveness, and not an ego-character.  They have direct experiential knowledge about what they are teaching.  They face questions and debate with confidence, without rhetoric and argument.  Spiritual masters are compassionately detached from this world of human drama and conflict.  They operate lovingly in the world but are not swayed by its chaos.  In this context, let’s look at some specifics.

A realized being does not pursue wealth, power, or control.  On the contrary, they are humble because money and power holds no value for them.  Fleeting worldly gains pale in comparison to residing in eternal union with All That Is.  Their actions reflect the spontaneity of life, rather than the premeditations of an ego.  They reside in the present moment, and not preoccupied with the past or the future.  Their love and compassion for all of life, all of creation, is inherently transparent for all to bear witness, and is not contrived but a joyful manifestation of their being-ness.

Spiritual gurus meet us where we are in our development, and challenge us to grow from there.  They work to enlighten others, which means that they work to wash away the ego personality.  As the ego dissipates, Truth emerges.  That inherently means that it will not always feel good, that we will be challenged and will go through difficult times.  The guru will carefully craft our path forward, and guide us but not do the work for us.  The guru will never take advantage or betray the trust we have placed in them.

Spiritual masters may be associated with a particular tradition but they will never be exclusive.  They will not be zealously religious but will be welcoming of all cultures and backgrounds equally because again, they are a living example of Oneness.  There are no borders or divisions with the masters, they work to unite, not separate.

Fundamentally, a spiritual master seeks to guide others from darkness to light, with no inclination for personal gain.  So when considering someone you should ask, is their life a manifestation of this mission?  When they speak, do you see a specific personality coming through or do you see a transparent conduit of Universal Truth?  If you are sensitive enough, do you feel an energy shift in the presence of the master?  If so then that is one to follow.