Walk With Me

No. I am not a "Guru." Nor am I a therapist offering therapy. I am an ordained rabbi and experiential educator (M.A.Ed) from an accredited and respected institution, with over a decade's worth of experience and wisdom.

However, the teacher and author Chogyam Trungpa suggests that the word "Guru" is overused. He suggests that it would be better to speak of one's "spiritual friend" because what occurs is a mutual meeting of two minds. This is a matter of mutual communication rather than a "master-servant" relationship between a "highly evolved" being and a "miserable confused" one. In the master-servant relationship, the highly evolved being may appear to be looking down at us. Their voice is penetrating, pervading space, in which every move they make is a gesture of wisdom. But this type is more of a lecture than a relationship.

Nor is it helpful to choose someone for your teacher simply because they are famous. Someone who is renown for having publishing stacks of books, and converted thousands of people. Instead, the guideline is whether or not you can actually communicate with the person, directly and thoroughly. How much self-deception are you involved in? If you really open yourself to your spiritual friend, then you are bound to work together. Are you able to talk to them thoroughly and properly? Do they know anything about you? Do they know anything about themselves for that matter? Is the teacher really able to see through your masks, and to communicate with you properly and directly? This is the guideline rather than fame or wisdom.