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Gurus Online: Find Your Guru Online

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There are many gurus online, and here you'll meet a few I've found worth knowing

A guru is a spiritual teacher with advanced knowledge and wisdom, gained through meditation. The word guru comes from two Sanskrit words: gu means darkness, and ru means light. A guru is an enlightened teacher who brings spiritual light to dark minds.

Paramahansa Yogananda

My interest in finding gurus online began in December 2008 when I had a dream in which Paramahansa Yogananda appeared to me, and spoke to me twice giving me instructions which I promptly forgot when I woke up. Yet he awakened in me a desire to find spiritual enlightenment and possibly, a guru I could work with.

Paramahansa Yogananda, who died in 1952 only 128 days before I was born, was a Kriya Yoga Guru, author of Autobiography of a Yogi, and founder of the Self Realization Fellowship.

Autobiography of a Yogi

by: Paramahansa Yogananda

Amazon Price: $6.92 (as of 02/14/2012)

More books by Paramahansa Yogananda

Paramahansa Yogananda links

The Self Realization Fellowship: The Self Realization Fellowship was founded by Paramahansa Yogananda.
Ananda: A worldwide movement based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda and founded by Swami Kriyananda, a disciple of Yogananda.

Sant Mat

...Sant Mat means "Spiritual Teachings."

I learned about Sant Mat when I was a teenager - from the librarian at my school. She was a devotee and allowed me to borrow her copy of The Path of the Masters, which I read cover to cover. I was not at that time ready to participate but I soaked up the knowledge and wisdom.

My internet research shows that there's more than one guru claiming this path as lineage.

Baba Gurinder Singh of Radha Soami Satsang Beas is one of them, and Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj of The Science of Spirituality is another.

The split between the two organizations happened after the passing of The Great Master, Baba Sawan Singh. There seem to be other gurus claiming this lineage but I haven't found them online yet.

The Path of the Masters

This is the book I read when I was seventeen that impressed me deeply.

The Path of the Masters: The Science of Surat Shabd Yoga

by: Julian Johnson

Amazon Price: $40.00 (as of 02/14/2012)

Radha Soami links

The Science of Spirituality: Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj's organization. You can download videos, introductory texts, and more. Many of the videos are in the Hindi language but there are some available in English. Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj was educated as a scientist in the USA and worked for twenty years prior to becoming a guru. His master was Kirpal Singh.
Radha Soami Satsang Beas: Baba Gurinder Singh's organization has distribution rights for "The Path of the Master" and many other books. His master was Maharaj Charan Singh. Radha means soul, and Soami means Lord... so the term "Radha Soami" means "Lord of the Soul".

Swami Satchidananda

Years ago when I was about 20 I went to a yoga class in the attic room of Swami Satchidananda's San Francisco ashram on Dolores Street. I've never felt a connection with him... but many others have.

The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda

To Know Your Self: The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda

by: Philip Mandelkorn

Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 02/14/2012)

More Books From Integral Yoga

Swami Satchidananda links

Swami Satchidananda: Learn more about him.
Satchidananda Ashram - Yogaville: A spiritual center founded by Swami Satchidananda.

Swami Satchadanand

Not the same as Swami Satchadananda. I got some good insights from listening to him, and connected with what he said. In fact, he made a considerable difference in my ability to forgive past hurts.

Swami Satchadanand

Dattatreya Siva Baba

I've listened to a lot of Dattatreya SivaBaba's videos on YouTube (he has more than 200 at this time) and am always impressed by his sincerity, humility, and compassion. He is definitely a guru worth listening to!

Are real gurus found on YouTube?

...that is the question!

A friend recently told me, "real gurus aren't on YouTube." That really took the wind out of my sails - for about two seconds. Then I remembered the wisdom value I've received from listening to some of these spiritual videos.

According to the Wikipedia page on gurus, a guru "is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others." I believe all these people qualify as gurus.

Here you can listen to what Dattatreya SivaBaba has to say about YouTube:

Swami Chidvilasananda

...one of many female gurus.

In great contrast to Dattatreya SivaBaba, Swami Chidvilasananda, affectionately known as Gurumai, doesn't use YouTube. She inherited the numerous devotees and ashrams of Siddha Yoga from her guru, Swami Muktananda. My sister is one of those devotees and because of her I've met Gurumai twice, received her darshan, and have spent time in her Oakland California ashram. Once I sat in the meditation hall with hundreds of devotees, chanting for five hours straight, waiting for her because her plane was late!

She seems to be concerned with having some privacy... and I remember long ago when the Internet first got popular she wasn't encouraging her followers to use it. Now, however, she's got a website for Siddha Yoga. You can find her photograph there.

Siddha Yoga: Siddha Yoga is a path of meditation with the goal of self realization.

A site that will help you find a guru online

Gurus Feet: This is an excellent social networking site for followers of all gurus, and for people who are seeking information about gurus online.

You can listen to gurus on internet radio

Spiritual Radio Show - The Gateway to Eternity , Internet Radio for spiritual wisdom and awakening with spiritual music: The "The Gateway to Eternity" show is a channel for the spiritual teachers to provide their wisdom, teachings and blessings. The show also has guests who are working for the upliftment of humanity.

Your comments are welcome!

Let me know what you think.

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Ashanti_Rose Feb 7, 2012 @ 8:06 am | delete

It has always been my belief that we are our own best guru/guide,and that if we all listened more to our own inner wisdom,we would not need to run around like headless chickens thinking that someone else has all the answers!
Interesting lens though and I enjoyed looking through itx

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JoshK47 Dec 2, 2011 @ 10:18 am | delete

Very interesting read, indeed - thank you for sharing!

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Sarita Nov 12, 2011 @ 6:40 am | delete

The most extensive and beautiful database of gurus I came across is http://www.gurusfeet.com/guru

They have details for each guru on how to meet him/her, ashrams, centers, teachings etc.

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Sunder Dass Dec 7, 2010 @ 11:15 pm | delete

I am a Radha Soami follower , i have been on this path from my childhood, i have learnt so many things from great master

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Jewelsofawe Jan 10, 2009 @ 11:55 pm | delete

I will have to check this site out. Welcome to the Spirituality Group. I am going to put this lens on my Spirituality Group lens. I am looking at your EFT lens right now. I am doing EFT alot lately with great results. I want to get the book that is on your lens.
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