Life Lesson - Teacher Student Relationship

The teacher (Guru)- student (Shishya) relationship is a profound, non-hereditary bond based on teachings and resonance rather than physical lineage. A true teacher is essential to break the chains of ignorance, sensual desires, and karmic tendencies that the mind carries across lifetimes.

Key Aspects of the Relationship:

• The Nature of Meeting: Meeting a teacher is not merely seeing or hearing them; it is when the teacher’s wisdom and detachment truly become the disciple’s own.
• Transcending the Mortal: Material possessions only bring temporary pleasure and perish with the body. However, the mind survives, and the teacher helps refine it beyond attachments to wealth or family.
• True Connection vs. Incomplete Connection: The connection is deemed incomplete if the teacher's wisdom only reaches the ears, and feelings fluctuate (sometimes strong, sometimes weak).
• Bond of Resonance: Similar to how a child inherits traits from parents, the disciple resonates with the sound of the master, allowing for a transformation that removes human weaknesses.

The Role of the Teacher:

• The Redeemer: The teacher is seen as an awakened master who helps break the chains of false identification with the body.
• Master of the Mind: The teacher helps the disciple overcome emotional rollercoasters, inertia (tamas), and sensual cravings.
• Bestower of Wisdom: The teacher enables the disciple to shift from a life of bondage to one of self-realization and inner peace.

The Teacher-Student relationship is ultimately aimed at navigating life, overcoming attachment, and attaining lasting happiness by shifting from the outer world to inner realization.

Life lesson - From Frustration to Freedom

We can never change two things in life — the past and other people. This often causes frustration, especially when we do not get the results we want. Frustration is also a sign of failure; every time you fail to get what you want from others, your self-esteem and self-confidence are affected.

Frustration is a form of anger that stems from failure. In this situation, you allow negative emotions to control you, thereby losing control over yourself and external conditions. Most of the time, situations will not be as you want them, nor will people behave as you expect. Therefore, you need to decide whether to continue allowing others to dictate your reactions, which results in a loss of your rule, control, and personal power, or to decide that no matter how others behave, you rule over your responses; you decide what you want to think, feel, and communicate.

If another person tries to control you and gets frustrated because you don’t do what they want or you aren’t who they expect you to be, they get in a bad mood; they get angry. And then, what do you do? You need to place an invisible barrier or a bridge of good wishes between you and them in such a way that they cannot enter your world with malicious intent, nor do you leave your own circle of positive influence.

Gradually, they lose their dominating influence over you. In the same way, when you try to control people, you lose your positive influence over them. Instead of winning their trust and cooperation, you create a breakdown in communion or sour relations.

Inspirational Quotes #2

 

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you.” 

                                                   -Walt Whitman