The guru’s job is to intercede for us; he is having hard job of pulling our mind away from matter towards spirit. There is a great tug of war going on at the level of our souls where he is pulling us God-ward while we are still fighting for the little comfort of the mortal existence.
He is showing us the true shelter and safe haven in God, no matter how unbelievable it may appear to us at times. And sometimes for the purpose of quickly snatching us away from our misery he creates delusion and more turbulence as to speed us on our way. We stumble and fall many times in keeping up the pace with him. And sometimes we realize that we loose the ground on which we stand. And that frighten us then the doubts creep in and we start to lose the faith and courage to move on and we dig our heels like a stubborn donkey.
And the delusion the guru creates sometimes has the function to test our faith and love for him. Only when our faith is unshakable by any adversities or outward circumstances than we are rightly to be called the kings. And our kingdom is the sense of inner freedom and our unbroken Divine Communion. These inner vistas are larger that all the kingdoms of all the kings and emperors that ever walked this earth. Their conquests were temporary and passing. When we are capable of taming our anger and pride we can be rightly and truly called victors. Than we can relate to the biblical proverb: “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)
One may think that coming to the ashram will bring us the security we are all searching for. How mistaken we can be in assuming that anything of this world, no matter how beautiful it may appear to the senses, will put the peace balm on our souls. That will never work for this world is made in a way that whenever we find ourselves secured in a thought or a place, the outward circumstances will give us a good shake to remind us that we are still “writing on the surface of water”.
The only true and lasting security is the realization of our true identity as sons of God, no matter if that realization finds us within the premises of the ashram or outside. Those who live outside long for and dream of being in the ashram, falsely assuming that living inside the ashram will bring them security and salvation. And those who are inside may feel secure that no effort will be needed to achieve the lasting security.
Outward circumstances do not matter. They may be helpful or at times act as obstacles but if we look at them as opportunities to rise above our human imperfections and as instruments of our spiritual growth we can race fast heavenward.
related article: http://www.bhaktimarga.org
