It was strange to me during this trip to realize that I'm not the only one who has gone this direction with the background I have.
What I mean by that is this:
One of the people we went to India with was a leader in the organization I grew up in. I always found him intimidating and a little scary, didn't really get to know him at all. This trip I got a chance to talk to him and really enjoyed his company.
He has been traveling to India frequently and meeting with the guru there. He said that if he had to give a label for himself, he would consider himself a Hindu. He participates in the culture and does his best to fit in when there.
This all started about seven years ago, which strangely is exactly the same time I started identifying as Hindu.
I was out in California, on my own, and just discovering that my beliefs were Hindu beliefs and beginning to explore Indian culture and trying to figure out where I fit in. At the exact same time, this other person was doing something very similar!
This person totally understands that I'm not ready for a guru, understands much better than my parents. He did say, though, that he has come to believe in the guru's grace. I had an experience that has me thinking I might be starting to believe it too.
I can't go into too much detail without revealing information that I don't want to be on this blog, but something happened right after we went to see the guru that helped my mother to accept and deal with something in my life that has been a source of a lot of conflict. It was very unexpected and startling and I don't know whether to chalk it up to a coincidence or to believe in something more. I'm going to sit with it for a while and see what I think.
I do understand about not being ready for a guru. Many scriptures say that when you are ready for a guru you will find one, and that attempts to "make someone" your guru when it feels wrong will just be a false path.
ReplyDeleteIts quite odd when you meet people who used to be in a position of authority over you when you are now equals. When I visit my dad I sometimes see my old maths teacher and have had some interesting conversations with him (he has very unusual beliefs, he is a liberal charismatic Christian) but it somehow feels strange.
Good to see you having some magical experience... I'm a born Hindu and no such stuff happens to me Not that I expect it .
ReplyDeleteI know, Akshay! Isn't that weird? I have never had an experience like this. And it wasn't huge or stunning, it could be chalked up to coincidence easily. But it was still a little creepy and odd.
ReplyDeleteTandava, yes, it's like shifting my perspective and twisting my brain in a new way to have an adult relationship with people who were above me before.
ReplyDelete@Aamba..I know what you mean...creepy but non religious stuff happens to me all the time..and it just happens.
ReplyDeleteI dont have a guru, never felt the absence of one but then I dont have any ill feelings towards any of them. Many hindus do respect them view them with immense devotion.Books are my real gurus for now.surya.
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