Self-Realization and Other Awakenings

guru the quality in us we most cherish to become and
own. Some want a nurturing mother or father, all
accepting, all caring, all loving.
Others may want a stern, warrior-like, strong guru
who can contain us, protect us, lead us, or show us the
way to greatness or whatever.
Others want a wise man, like Carlos Castaneda’s
Don Juan.
You see, we seek the guru that we think will show
us that part of ourselves we most desire to become,
and if they appear to be failing at that, we have
several choices: leave for another guru that will fill
that need, or allow the current guru to show us parts
of ourselves that may be as valuable or more valuable
than that which we seek.
I was fortunate enough to study directly under six
Zen Masters, Muktananda, and Robert Adams.
However, during the years of study with these eight, I
got to meet and know well many, many other teachers,
famous and not, such as: Ram Dass, the Dalai Lama,
Trungpa, Hsun Hua, Ananda, Song Ryong Hearn, Ed
Wortz, Krishnamurti, U.G. Krishnamurti, and many
others.
What I discovered is that all were first, human.
They were ordinary men with some extraordinary