Q&A with Swamiji .....29 ...Swami/Guru

[Guest guest]

Question from Brian:

 

What is the difference between a Swami and a Guru.

 

 

Swamiji's response :

 

There are many levels of Gurus. Guru can be a title of respect for

any teacher. Or a Guru can be an individual's personal ideal of

divinity. There are many relationships in the middle between these

two. A Guru can be an example of how to live with God, or a Guru can

give information about it.

 

A Swami is ordained. It is a title of respect offered to someone

authorized to teach. There are two ordinations: one from above, as

when your Guru authorizes you to teach; and one from below, as when

your students give respect because they want to learn.

[Guest guest]

Swamiji,

 

I have been following this Q/A with interest.

 

May I ask, can you tell us anything on your own process of

ordination from your own Guru.

 

These terms are very interesting, they seem to absorb a certain

amount of weight from our own experience. I appreciate how you bring

the students into the equation.

 

I feel, the Guru is one who is both a friend, and loved, trusted,

and is very much aligned to seeing God. It is sort of a living

ideal. Too many people use the term to their own ends; it is very

precious in its pure form.

 

OM. Please send love to Maa. And love to you and all the Mandir.

 

Steve C.

 

, "Latha Nanda" <lathananda>

wrote:

>

> Question from Brian:

>

> What is the difference between a Swami and a Guru.

>

>

> Swamiji's response :

>

> There are many levels of Gurus. Guru can be a title of respect for

> any teacher. Or a Guru can be an individual's personal ideal of

> divinity. There are many relationships in the middle between these

> two. A Guru can be an example of how to live with God, or a Guru

can

> give information about it.

>

> A Swami is ordained. It is a title of respect offered to someone

> authorized to teach. There are two ordinations: one from above, as

> when your Guru authorizes you to teach; and one from below, as

when

> your students give respect because they want to learn.