Even if an aspirant outwardly meets my requirements, I may accept or reject him, and the aspirant also has the same choice, to accept or reject me. The relationship between the Guru and disciple must be one of mutual acceptance and mutual satisfaction. A person may be a brilliant student and he may want to study, but he may not care for a particular school even though it teaches the subjects he wishes to study. Similarly, a soul may have aspiration but, at the same time, it may not care for my particular help. When a student comes to study with an ordinary teacher, the teacher allows him to study as long as he pays the fee. In my case, I do not ask for money; my only fee is aspiration and regularity. When I concentrate on a soul, immediately I know whether it can be helped by me. If I feel that my help will be of no avail to that particular person, then I don’t want to waste either my time or his time, although I do appreciate his aspiration. Sometimes I reject people and tell them that some other path is more suitable for them. I make this decision on the strength of my oneness with the soul: I see its possibilities, its aspiration and its union with my soul. I can easily tell if a person is ready for my instruction or if he is meant for me.
There must be an inner harmony of acceptance on the part of both of us if I am to be able to help the aspirant run towards his goal. During the first six months or so with me the aspirant has the chance to demonstrate his sincerity. At any moment during this trial period, if I see that he is not suited for my path, I will tell him so. At the same time he, too, has the right to reject me if he finds that my way does not suit him.
During this early period, both the teacher and the student examine each other. The student examines the teacher to see if the teacher is right for him and the teacher also has the right to examine the student to see if he is going to stay. During this time I am usually very strict with the seekers. I do not give any interviews; only for a second or two I may say “Hello” and that is all. I get the best results by being strict. Those who are really sincere go very fast and those who are not so sincere in the beginning try to become more sincere. Finally, there comes a time when they either have to accept me wholeheartedly or reject me totally.
When seekers accept me wholeheartedly I take full responsibility for their life of aspiration. At that time I am proud to say, “He is mine, she is mine.” If a seeker doesn’t accept me wholeheartedly and goes from one group to another, he then brings all his confusion to me. He says, “This teacher has said this, that teacher has said that,” and so forth. So I tell him, “I want you to keep only what you have learned from me and I will tell you only what I see in you. What others see in you is their business; what I see in you is my business. When I am ready to take you wholeheartedly, you also have to take me wholeheartedly. God gave you the opportunity to leave me from the beginning. There is no compulsion to stay.” In this way I get wonderful results from my disciples.
Some people I consider as members of the Centre and some as disciples. If you become a member, you can participate in our functions and you may attend our meetings. You may attend irregularly; you can come once in a blue moon if you want to and I will not blame you. If you become a disciple, however, you have to feel more committed. A disciple is totally committed to the Centre whereas a member is not. The more you commit yourself, the more you get. If you become a disciple, I expect you to become part and parcel of the Centre and please me in every way. At the same time, as a disciple you have the right to expect everything from me when it is a matter of peace, light, love and concern. So, to become a disciple is a very serious commitment. Members are like very good acquaintances; they have aspiration, but disciples have intense aspiration and also dedication.
My path is quite strict. I want only those disciples who feel an urgent need for God-realisation. Some people enter the spiritual life for other reasons: they want to be satisfied with a little peace, light and joy in their lives. Their aspiration does not go so far as Self-realisation. They have every right to their own limited goals, but in such a case I have to say that my path is not the path for them. I am not the right Guru for them. I only wish to have as my disciples those seekers who are crying for the highest Truth and Light.
To those of you who are pulled by the outer life, I wish to tell you that this is not our first or our last life. If we do not accomplish something in this life, we will have ample opportunity to accomplish it in another lifetime. But if we try to do everything at once, we will not be able to do anything well. So let us be clever and make a promise that for the next forty years or so, for this one lifetime at least, we shall do everything divine, we shall try our utmost to realise God. Each year of this lifetime let us keep the same promise, the promise that we shall have faith in ourselves, in our path, in our Master, in the Supreme. At the end of this incarnation the Supreme will know what is best for us. If we have missed some significant experience in the outer life, He will give it to us in some future incarnation. In the meantime, let us devote ourselves wholeheartedly to one goal in this incarnation.From:Sri Chinmoy,Surrender and realisation, Agni Press, 1976
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