The Buddha once said, “Be a lamp unto yourself.” But shouldn’t somebody teach me how to be one? Martial arts, woodworking, dentistry, philosophy, sports, music—all of these require a teacher, a specialist coach, an apprenticeship, to excel. Can mastery over the soul and spiritual fearlessness be achieved alone? It’s really just a question of shortening the path. The teacher helps the students to do it themselves. Junior, senior—hierarchy is quite natural.
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Gurus must have authority, but also feedback. They don’t have all the answers. Total spiritual authority is not such a good idea for anyone, period.
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When it comes to spirituality, you get what you really need, not what you think you need. So be honest as to your motivation. Don’t put a spiritual mask on it. Take responsibility for your own spiritual transformation.
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Merely surrendering and practicing what you’re told won’t take care of all your neuroses. Denied parts of the self will come back with vengeance. Therefore, psychological work is an important adjunct to the spiritual path; otherwise the subconscious becomes an obstacle to spiritual integration.
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