Words ‘Guru’ and ‘Teacher’ aren’t the same. The Guru doesn’t simply stuff you with knowledge, but he imparts to you a heightened awareness (‘deeksha’). Having a Guru, or a master, was never just considered a matter of pride in ancient India; it was mandatory to have a Guru. Not having a master was looked down upon as a sign of misfortune.

Every human being comes to this planet with a subconscious, unconscious, and conscious mind. As the conscious mind starts becoming more active, learning begins. The presence of the Guru is essential for any learning to happen.

When you consciously acknowledge the Guru, that is when you learn more. You also might have experienced that in life, sometimes you feel stuck, and the Guru’s presence moves you through. Events, situations, and concepts can all make one feel stuck. Many times, one doesn’t even know that one is stuck. Guru’s presence makes you realize that you are stuck and helps you move forward.

Moving from where you are stuck to having the flow in life towards its ultimate goal is the second benefit of having the Guru.

The third benefit of having the Guru is when you have a desire for something. In order to get it, you need guidance. You need someone to give you what you want. But then there is no end to desires, and sometimes you aren’t even sure of your own desire. That is where the Guru comes into play. The Guru principle or Guru-tattva will give you that which is good for you and not everything that you want.

The fourth is the attainment of liberation or inner freedom. Guru doesn’t let you remain in an illusory world but helps you wake up and look at what the ultimate reality of the universe is. That is freedom, or liberation.

Knowledge, forward movement, achievement, and freedom: you gain these four rewards by having the Guru in your life.

Now, how to recognize the Guru! Upanishads have mentioned five signs of the Guru. In the presence of the Guru, knowledge flourishes, sorrow diminishes, joy wells up without any reason, abundance dawns, and all talents manifest.

In the presence of the Guru, one feels more alive. The pinnacle of intellect is awakened intelligence. The Guru invokes not only intelligence but also the intellect. Knowledge may or mayn’t invoke intellect, but in intellect, knowledge is inherent. As no ‘sanchita karma’ is left in an embodied Guru, the self-shines through.

Have you observed yourself when you give great pieces of advice? You offer effective advice when you aren’t involved in that situation. When you yourself are in trouble, you don’t get great ideas. But when somebody else is in trouble, you are very good at advising them! Wisdom dawns when you are out of the mess. If there is wisdom, how could there be a mess? Guru is the one who is out of the mess and watches the chaos.

You know about circuit breakers. A circuit breaker automatically interrupts the flow of electricity when an overload or short circuit occurs. It prevents damage to the electrical system. You can say that Guru is such a circuit breaker. When something happens that the mind can’t handle, the Guru comes in and saves the mind.

Guru is not the body. Guru, God, and one’s own self are synonymous. Often, one recognizes wisdom but sees a gap between wisdom and one’s own life. The purpose of becoming a disciple is to bridge that gap. Being with the Guru means spontaneous integration of wisdom. Respecting the Guru simply means honouring your higher self.

(Writer is a is a gl obally renowned spiritual leader, humanitarian, and peacebuilder. He is also the founder of The Art of Living foundation, according to the Art of Living)