The Hidden Teachers

A spiritual friend who has read thousands of books, having a post graduate degree from the UK, meeting a number of world wide spiritual teachers shared his stories, there are times in your soul journey when reading, listening to lectures, talking to the others are no longer adequate. At the same time there is a deep longing to learn deeply within.

To put it more precisely, deeply learning from the teacher inside. Quoting one of the beautiful messages of the Upanishads: "to learn the unteachable". A kind of learning process which is unimaginable to the common people. It is even more difficult for those who always run away from trouble and problems.

On the contrary, for the deep souls this approach of learning is unavoidable. It is the only way available to the spiritual seekers who want to grow deep. To repeat an old phrase: "once the student is ready, the teacher will come". The spiritual notes then, the Gurus can appear in many forms. From calming into threatening.

As one grows deeply, the Masters will mostly come in painful and frightening ways. That's the reason why, in the sacred places of Tantra especially, the symbols of Gurus displayed are mostly threatening and frightening. Just in the case a spiritual seeker is not mature enough, do not try to enter this dangerous region.

As the opening door on this path, life will be marked by many difficulties. Not only it is difficult materially, but also spiritually. And the deeper one grow, the trouble will come from the closer person. At the same time, the intensity of problems will increase from time to time. The thing that makes this spiritual path more challenging, it does not give any option to run away. The only option that is available is to face it.

It can appear in the form of troubling children, an unlucky life partner, a very demanding parent. As the time goes, the burden is getting worse and worse. Until a soul traveller has no point of return, one has no choice except to face all difficulties with honesty and sincerity. Surprisingly, after being gently hugged by the hands of honesty and sincerity, suddenly miracles come as savior.

While life books written by human being have final chapter that leads to final conclusion, the book of life written by God does not contain any last chapter. It does not provide any final conclusion. The trials are endless. That is why, for the deep souls there is no time which is completely free from trials and temptations.

Repeating the finding of the famous psychologist Carl G. Jung, as long as seekers still have dark rooms inside (by which read: something which is suppressed and denied), there will be shadows that follow them wherever they go. The shadows can appear in the forms of a person who hates, attacks, cheats, or even kills.

It is similar to avoiding the shadow of the body, the more one tries to avoid the shadow, the more the shadow will follow. At such a complicated level, a seeker has no choice except to be the close friend of honesty sincerity. In Tantra, it is called a deep devotion to the Guru. It is not only a good name and good reputation, even one's life is dedicated to the teacher.

In Buddhism, there was a luminous story of Jetsun Milarepa who gave his total life to his Master Marpa. In Hinduism, there was a touching story of Mahatma Gandhi. In the moment when Gandhiji's  body was shot, Gandhiji called his Master's name: "Shri Ram, Shri Ram ...". That is the journey of deep souls. The teachers can appear in various forms. From the very scaring faces to the very calming ones.

Author: Gede Prama.

Photo Courtesy: Gaillardo Jose.

Proofread By: Kirsty Spence.