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| 135 6 The Guru-Disciple Relationship The guru-disciple relationship is a defining characteristic of HIMMs. Followers of HIMMs consider the guru to be an enlightened human being or even a manifestation of God. Some of those who practice TM do not enter into a guru-disciple relationship with Maharishi, but many do. With SRF and Siddha Yoga, the guru-disciple relationship is foundational. When I asked meditators about their first encounter with their guru, the responses revealed that it was a life-changing event and often took them by surprise. Bryan’s response was typical: I was at Encinitas, California, on a silent retreat. They have a very nice dining room there with a large picture of Master [Yogananda] on one wall. I was just sitting there, enjoying the peace of the place. All of a sudden instead of it being a picture, it was as though he was really there. I thought, “Oh my God, he’s really here.” He came through that strong. And I had a feeling like I didn’t have to worry about anything. I’m part of his family. It was so strong! I wanted to cry. I felt so accepted and loved. I felt held in that presence. I’ve come to learn since then that that’s a real spiritual experience . It’s the most powerful thing that’s ever happened to me. As I listened to people speak of their guru with devotion and reverence— many with tears in their eyes—I realized that the guru was experienced similarly by HIMM disciples, regardless of who the guru was. I wondered whether the source of this love came from within or from something the guru had conveyed to the person, and whether there was also an unspoken creed about the nature of the guru that they had learned, perhaps even subconsciously . I was also curious about how similar the traditional Hindu view of the guru was to that of Americans involved with HIMMs. Gurus, as spiritual authorities who are often considered divine or semidivine , are a Hindu phenomenon, yet the concept of a spiritual master has antecedents in the Judeo-Christian worldview as well. For example, the Jew- 136 | In Their Own Words ish Hasidic tzaddick is often believed to have supernatural powers and is accorded absolute authority over his disciples’ lives. Jesus is considered both God and human by many, although most Christians believe this combination to be unique to Jesus. The idea of a god-man was also found in the GrecoRoman world. From the sixth century bce to the time of Christ, wandering philosophers, poets, prophets, and fortune-tellers were often considered divine and were known as “sons of man” and sometimes “sons of God.” Kings of many cultures have been considered divine. In HIMMs the guru is understood as a person who has reached the pinnacle of spiritual development. This engenders a hierarchical relationship between guru and disciple, with the guru having full authority. It also places the guru outside of conventional norms. This hierarchical relationship is not a permanent reality though. Since disciples believe their spiritual journey will culminate in the same pinnacle of development as the guru’s, the hierarchical aspect of the relationship is provisional. At the deepest level, the guru and disciple are considered equal and united.1 The Guru in Hinduism As commonly understood, the guru is considered qualitatively different from other people. This view is explained by contrasting the laukika and the alaukika. While an ordinary, worldly person (laukika) perceives difference and separation, the guru, as an enlightened, “unworldly” person (alaukika) perceives unity. The guru has extraordinary access to divine power that the ordinary person lacks. Disciples gather around a guru, creating a community , which is “the dynamic, sacred center of Hinduism.”2 These communities are considered extended families called kulas and can be distinguished from each other along sectarian formulations according to the deities and philosophies they follow. The term “guru” has been used in various ways throughout Indian history. The word originally meant “heavy” and sometimes carried the connotation of “extraordinarily powerful.” It was probably used in this sense in the Rig Veda (ca. 1200 bce) when it modified the word “mantra,” meaning the mantra was “weighty” in its influence. Although guru does not become associated with “teacher” until the Chandogya Upanishad (ca. 900–600 bce), the concept of the teacher, or acharya, as a man of good behavior who establishes rules and institutions was present as early as...

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