Who needs a Guru when life is perfect?

On one hand, a set of humanity is confused and questions: who is a Guru? What does a Guru do? Why does one need a Guru? On the other hand, there is a set that questions the very concept of a Guru. In this series, I attempt to address all questions/assertions.

Modern Humans handle this dilemma very uniquely. This unique state is shaped by several factors: increased information in the guise of knowledge, constant exposure to various ideas and opinions, the need to fit into certain social groups—whether with rebels or conformists, growing loneliness, heightened need for validations and increasing desires fueled by marketing and social comparisons, and the constant stress of meeting standards and expectations.

To appreciate the problem better, let us consider the example of Raju, a highly educated individual placed in the senior leadership of a US $70 billion corporation. He met his current wife at IIM and they decided to pursue their dreams together. Raju’s Dad was a clerk with the Government of India while his Mom was a homemaker. He grew up with 2 more siblings – an older sister and a younger brother. At 47, Raju has a 16-year-old daughter. His wife Priya works for another large corporate and earns a similar wage as Raju’s. Together, they enjoy a modern lifestyle and embrace liberal thinking. Raju has had casual relations with many women across several countries, but he takes pride in his loyalty towards Priya. Aware of his habits, she still has faith in Raju’s love for her.

Raju has a friend from his schooldays, SK. They have had a similar childhood. SK is into meditations and spiritual practices. Despite trying hard, Raju can’t understand SK’s silly pursuits given he could be just as successful. Raju had done meditations as a part of several corporate trainings and supports adopting anything that helps make people more productive. As a student of Psychology, Religion, History and Philosophy, he knows all there is to know about Spirituality. In fact, his habit of reading at least one book per week had its fair benefits. In his numerous discussions with SK, Raju found him to be intelligent, yet somehow narrow in his approach.

Raju’s life is perfect—there’s nothing wrong; he has everything sorted: a fit body, an intelligent mind and high energy levels. Couple this with loads of money he earns, the influential people he networks with and the prestigious address he resides at. Recently, Raju has started learning Hindustani Classical music. He has developed the ability to realize any goal he sets his mind to. His life is a lot of fun and he has it all figured out! So, why pursue silly things like Spirituality to which SK is devoting his life?

Guru? Who the damn is a Guru? Why would someone need a guru when all it takes is setting a goal and achieving it? What can a Guru do differently that Raju can’t do on his own? Maybe Raju is already a Guru. What if he authors a series of books about his success and garnishes it with a few anecdotes of his failures (people love to read about those who fail and then rise like a Phoenix!) and becomes a Guru in his own right? In fact, he could even start a podcast to interview successful (and some not so successful) people on their life journeys, becoming a podcast guru in the process! People will invite him to speak at various forums. He may also start an NGO to advocate for and solve some environmental issues, fund climate-related ventures, support similar founders and become their “Management Guru.” Alternatively, he thinks of quitting everything at the peak of his career, diving deep into scripture studies coupled with philosophy and psychology. What if he starts a retreat somewhere deep in nature? What if he could teach some people, live off the land sustainably, write a book or a blog and influence the world?

But why walk that path at all, he muses, rubbishing such thoughts aside. He has a good life and a great address. A few years more and he will be on the boards of several large multinationals. He can already travel to any part of the world he likes. He has grown accustomed to city life and its benefits. Why upset everything? Let things be the way they are. He has built all this with such great effort. Anyone would kill to be in his position. Why not just enjoy where he is? After all who has seen what lies on the other side? All these talks of purpose, potential and divinity can be done over a great bottle of wine too! As long as one has money to spare and power to get people across, life is great! This play book is tried and tested. Why question it?

Despite all these musings, Raju can’t get over the fact that every time he meets SK, he finds his life attractive. Raju has tried to ridicule SK, called him fake and a fraud. Yet, he is there, joyful, happy and glowing. SK doesn’t need any trappings/ distractions to be happy. Raju is unable to dismiss/ignore SK’s existence, no matter however hard he tries.

Circling back to the question, Who is a Guru after all? Is Raju his own Guru or does he need one? Stay tuned as the answer unveils in my next article in this series.