Importance of guru in yoga?
Yoga is not just a physical exercise regime. It can and does take on many forms and much practice. It can, and is, if one accepts it, a lifestyle. It’s an ancient practice that has been passed down through gurus and (like many other things), watered down, manipulated, changed, interpreted and adapted by people and through texts. There are many, many, many, many layers to us as human beings. If you have ever tried to ask yourself the question (especially after a situation which was difficult for you), "is that honest"…..then wait for the answer……then ask it AGAIN (to yourself), you may begin to get a glimpse of why it is important to have a guru. If you have ever really wanted to know, to understand and to "get" something, on a cellular level (only to realize you don’t get it at all!), then you have a fundamental understanding why it is important to have a guru when practicing yoga. We, as humans, are tricksters, are great at denial, love to feed our egos, and have a yearning for more more more. Gurus are guides, they are devoted to the yogic path of discovery and along that twisty-turny path that is sometimes cloaked, it is oh so helpful to have someone there saying "maybe take a look at this, peek around this corner, under that tree, close your eyes, and take a breath……now, what do you know?"
