A word on faith in the spiritual teacher

To have faith in those who are from another place and another time... Throughout my spiritual journey, I have made many friends and seen them gain and lose faith in sadhakas, teachers and gurus after hearing something they said or did that does not align with their idea of what is spiritually or politically correct. Our ideas and opinions of what is right and wrong have always been (and will, for the most part, always be) influenced by our upbringing and environment, both past and present. Western society is vastly different in its ideals and opinions from Eastern society, and you will seldom find a spiritual teacher who has succeeded in their sadhana (or is very advanced in their practice), fully agreeing with the views of a Western-bred spiritual enthusiast or aspiring sadhaka. I have always encouraged looking at someone’s actions over their words, as even the words of sastra can be difficult to understand and, at times, to agree with. For example, growing up in a society that encourages free sex and the consumption of alcohol and illicit substances as a means of enjoyment can make one resistant to acknowledging their negative influence on spiritual practice, and therefore lead one to be averse to the spiritual path instead of asking why that is (this is one very basic example to make a point). Sadhus have been known to awaken from samadhi after centuries. Some, through yogic siddhis, have extended their lives for hundreds of years. Although these are exceptional cases, they serve as a reminder of the possibilities attainable through yoga and sadhana. They remind us that we might not really know where the person in front of us comes from; and how could we expect such an individual, who is situated in transcendence, to conform to our understanding of reality?

Returning to the topic of faith, I have found that there is often a moment when the Western spiritual aspirant loses faith in Indian spiritual teachers after hearing them say something, or after reading something, that is too controversial for the Western mind to digest. In response to this doubt and loss of faith, I would like to challenge the Western spiritualist with a few questions.

The first is this: given your conditioning and the environment into which you were born and grew up in, do you expect your Eastern guru’s views to be identical to yours, or to make immediate sense to you? And if that were the case, would you truly trust someone who agrees with everything you believe, without ever challenging your views in any way?

My second question is: outside of your teacher’s teachings, have you familiarised yourself with the sacred texts — the Vedas, Puranas, Upanisads, and Tantras? Have you made a genuine effort to have your doubts about sastric statements clarified, and are your teacher’s teachings in line with those statements? If not, have you asked the necessary questions to address these apparent inconsistencies?

Thirdly, have you considered your teacher’s actions? Are they rooted in genuine love and respect, or do you perceive an affection that seems to arise from a desire to please others and gain their approval? While someone’s writings and speech may appear overly harsh, as they are supposed to dismantle the comfortable illusions we cling to, their character and presence can melt our heart through a deeper expression of love and affection. Also reflect on what that person has achieved, and ask yourself whether you have attained even a fraction of it. Are they merely preaching the words of scripture, or are they also living them? Knowing someone’s daily routine and recognising the signs of their spiritual development can help you discern whether you are dealing with a sincere devotee of God or a phony.

Finally, ask yourself: what is the true foundation of your faith? Is it a sincere longing to know and experience the truth, or is it rooted in the emotional, mental, and physical comfort provided by community-based spiritual or religious groups? If the latter is true, you will most likely eventually find yourself deeply disappointed by the actions of someone you associate with your religion or beliefs and end up rejecting spirituality altogether. Or you may begin to compromise your own convictions, holding back from asking necessary questions out of fear of losing your friends, your community, or even your lifestyle. You must also remember that a significant part of spiritual life lies in its tests, and one of these may require you to choose between truth and community, or between God and religion!

You may also notice that as someone advances spiritually, they start to appear mad to the rest of the world. To even glimpse the realm of transcendence, we have to relinquish our fixed notions of what is normal and socially acceptable. One who has seen God, who has experienced something beyond this material realm, will not always act in accordance with it, nor will they be concerned with what others think of them. Such a person may be judged and criticised, but I challenge those of us who have been conditioned to accept only what is socially convenient as real to look beyond this self-imposed barrier. If we are unwilling to do so, we risk losing ourselves in the fog of our own judgment and being denied access to the transcendental experiences that arise from the association (physical or otherwise) of such great souls.

So this is an invitation not to cast judgment on the spiritually advanced based on a something they said that is too difficult for the mind to accept. If such doubt arises, which is natural, pray for its clarification. Do not suppress it, as doubts are healthy when they arise from a sincere desire to understand the Truth. Ask your mind to release you from its constraints and turn to your heart, requesting direct experience of that knowledge through which you will be able to discern truth from untruth (and a true person of God from a pretender).