The Importance of Gurus: A Look into My Most-Influential Guides

Author: Allie O.

Similar to yesterday's post, I want to share a few special gurus without whom I would not be the person I am today. They are in no particular order because each one comes to me when I feel the need to call upon them for help.

Lord Krishna 

Lord Krishna is a Hindu deity. He is the bringer of love, and when I devote myself to his gentle yet powerful presence, I feel within me the mirrored, gentle glow of his spirit. He awakens my heart chakra, freeing me from the tendrils of my darkened soul. He reminds me that love is free, and it is pure. 

Through my meditations and prayers to Lord Krishna, I find negative, unloving energy that I have been harbouring. He helps me channel my energy towards that which we all seek: divine peace and divine love, ridding me of the negative thoughts and emotions that have blocked the gateway to my heart centre. 

Master Choa Kok Sui

Master Choa Kok Sui, mentioned here, is the founder of pranic healing, a form of energetic cleansing, and the Meditation on Twin Hearts. Both of these teachings have been instrumental in my spiritual and psychological well-being. 

When I hear his voice in the guided meditations, I am overcome with relief and comfort, knowing that the powerful healing he has captured forever through these recordings is available to me when I most urgently need his help. The meditations quickly and effectively calm my mind of static and unnecessary stimuli. I feel myself relax into a deep state of utter peace, connecting with my higher self.

I also apply many aspects of pranic healing to my daily life; the 7 minute exercises loosen trapped energy; the aura cleansing with my hands directly rids my soul of dirty energy; and the incorporation of salt and lavender into my baths and spray bottles absorbs and ensures that negative energy does not quickly return to my replenished aura.

Paramahansa Yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda brought his Self-Realisation Fellowship to the west from India, spreading the wisdom of his holiness to all. Most notable is his Autobiography of a Yogi, which I am still reading. 

The reason I am still reading his autobiography is because the dense and awe-inspiring work leaves me needing months- even years- to absorb. I have encountered many revelations thanks to this guru. 

He also has a wonderful collection of prayers, chants, and songs of worship that lift my spirits and remind me that I am part of a greater whole. 

Another great aspect of Paramahansa Yogananda's teachings is that he unites parts of multiple religions by showing that Jesus Christ's teachings are similar to the teachings of Krishna. His theories give me hope that one day different religions will come to realise that they are not so different after all, and unite under the shared desire to love and be loved.

Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the first guru I came to know. As someone who grew up with Catholic parents, I struggled to become indoctrinated in any way to Catholicism. While I never acquired the beliefs of the organised religion itself, I still learned to value the power of Jesus. 

He symbolises forgiveness, and not just of others, but of myself, too. It is with this symbolism that I gained insight into the importance of connecting with a holy spirit. When I am struggling to forgive myself or others, I ask Jesus for guidance, and he shows me the way. 

Jesus dying for our sins so that we may be forgiven and allowed to enter heaven is much like how we must allow our judgements to die in order to experience forgiveness to the fullest. It is the only way to peace. It is the only way to even the slightest hint of heaven on earth. 

Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva aids me in my struggles to overcome fear. For this, he is perhaps the most important guru in times of emergency. 

For example, when I was very sick last month, I was so dehydrated that I needed to be rushed to the emergency room and receive IV fluids. One of my greatest phobias is being injected with a needle in my veins in the crook of my arm. I felt extremely panicked, and the nurse had to call in another nurse to administer it. I told her I only needed a few minutes to collect myself. During this time I breathed deeply and chanted "Om namah Shivaya om" over and over again. She inserted the needle and said with surprise how I was actually better than many patients who had not been as afraid as I was initially. 

I owe this bravery, and many others like it, to Lord Shiva. He is the destroyer. He destroys that which I do not need, that which holds me back from important choices and mindsets. I have overcome fears of heights, of blood tests, and of other medical ailments thanks to this guru.

An Overview

When I was younger I did not understand the purpose of having gurus in one's life. I always thought it sounded strange to devote praise and worship to a deity. As I experienced more hardships in my life and felt the restrictions of my abilities to overcome these hardships, I came to accept this element of my self-discovery.

What I did not realise is that it is not the guru who brings forth change, but the relationship between the guru and devotee. The devotee can only change so much as s/he is receptive to the teachings that guru has to offer. Sometimes, we are not met with the answers we expected. Sometimes, it takes hard work to allow a guru to guide us through tough times. In the end, however, the spiritual growth, divine peace, and infinite love make the challenge worth it.