I am definitely guilty of searching for gurus. I get attached to my favorite fitness trainers and start selecting classes based on who is teaching. I find new doctors and follow their recommendations religiously. I follow interesting people on LinkedIn, read their blogs and try their ideas.

Sometimes it works, more often, though, it doesn’t. My longest guru affection was to my first real yoga teacher. I came to class at least once per day (I was a student back then, with plenty of time!), followed his diet recommendations, and stopped almost every other workout. It was a hard landing when I saw him at random workout sessions and eating unhealthy food. The guru lost his magic. Disappointed, I turned to aerobics instead. 

The more recent guru experiences were less long-lasting. I abandoned my last physician and all her recommendations after half a year only (when I finally read the medicine leaflets). And, nowadays, I couldn’t care less who is teaching the next fitness class, as long as she or he gets me moving. 

However, the guru thing made me think. A book on yoga* which I read recently defines the word guru really well: ‘A guru is not someone who has a following. A guru is one who can show you the way. Then, you and the guru separate and continue each your own journey. The guru helps you find your own way.’ 

That makes a lot of sense. Good teachers show you how to do things and are happy when you leave them in a better place than when you first met them. Good doctors help you with your pain and don’t want to see you again for the same issue. And if they cannot help you, they will guide you to the one who can. As I was not able to distinguish the good from the wrong guru, I was simply falling into the ‘fake guru’s’ trap.

I hope there will be many more gurus in my life. The real, good kind of gurus. 

Do you have a guru? 

Take care, 
Katya

‘The Heart of Yoga’ by T. K. V. Desikachar is wonderful. It reads almost like a religious book, but without the attempt to make you believe in anything else but the desire and possibility to evolve and some kind of higher power (universe, god, luck – you choose). A very well-articulated, easy-to-understand guide to living a fulfilling and meaningful life. Very, very highly recommended, even if you do not practice yoga (yet).