What is the essential relationship between a student, a teacher, a Guru, and God?
At its core, the relationship is what each of us believes it to be. We live according to what we truly believe is real. But then the question becomes: "Where did these beliefs come from? Who taught them to us? And, how can I get my belief system right?"
Beliefs are often handed down—from family, community, culture, religion, you name it. But most of these are secondhand and distorted versions. They carry bias, prejudice, limitation, cultural traits, and confusion. Only one belief matters to a true student: God’s. God’s belief is pure. All others are filtered through human perception and can lead us astray. Please let me explain.
The Student-Teacher Relationship
A student’s relationship with a spiritual teacher reflects the degree to which dreams, hope, faith, belief, action, and truth align. The more sincerely a student follows a teacher’s guidance, the more he/she receive the teachings —sometimes more than the teacher intended, sometimes less. It’s proportional. It’s karmic. You get what you earn.
A true spiritual teacher’s role is to provide a projection of hope, and teachings aligned with God’s and Guru’s truth. A true teacher exists to serve this mission. If a teacher provides more, that’s a blessing beyond duty. The question each student must ask is: Has my teacher inspired the hope of more in me and teachings to provide for this hope? If the answer is yes, that teacher has fulfilled his/her purpose.
A teacher is not the end goal. A true teacher is the beginning of the journey. If a teacher claims infallibility, he must walk in complete alignment with Divine Will. Few do. That level is typically reserved for a Guru.
The Difference Between a Teacher, a Guru, and God
A teacher has limits. A Guru does not. And God? God defies description. Even trying to define God risks misunderstanding. “Prey ye avoid it,” as Shakespeare’s Hamlet said.
A true teacher and student share a relationship rooted in transparency, mutual respect, and accountability. The teacher’s teachings speak for themselves. Teachings span the full range of human experience—from the profound to the absurd—and are reconcile through the principle of non-judgment, the elimination of doubt, and the experience of the teachings. This is what a sincere student seeks. It awakens the soul.
When a teacher recognizes spiritual growth and transcendence in his student, the teacher is blessed. Why? Because the teachings have taken root. The elevation is mutual. In fulfilling his duty, a teacher becomes more than a transmitter—he becomes a witness to transformation, and his blessing capacity expands. That’s all you can ask of a true teacher.
Teacher, Guru, and the Lineage of Truth
As a teacher aligns more closely with the Guru’s truth, the relationship deepens. The teacher begins to reflect the Guru more clearly. But—and this is important—even if the teacher merges with the Guru’s consciousness, he remains a teacher to his students. He doesn’t become the Guru. That’s a sacred boundary. Here’s the distinction:
A Student is one who is sincerely seeking more out of life. He/she has the hope that life can become better and better.
- A teacher is one who kickstarts spiritual development through inspiration and teachings.
- A Guru is one who has merged into God and provides the truth and the example of living the teachings.
- God is the totality of all existence, the source behind ALL, the student, the teacher, and the Guru.
A great teacher is like a divine salesperson—someone who can "sell" truth to those who have forgotten it. That’s real service. That’s God’s work.
The Golden Chain
When the Guru and God think as one, truth flows without distortion. The golden chain is established: from God to Guru, to teacher, to student the Golden Chain flows through this relationship. Blessings expand. The teacher blesses the student, the Guru blesses the Golden chain, and God blesses ALL—including and especially the sincere student who then becomes capable of blessing others.
This is the progression:
- God’s Will is followed.
- The Guru reflects that Will.
- The teacher inspires students through the Guru’s truth.
- The student is elevated through that truth.
When this alignment occurs, the student becomes empowered, enlarged, emboldened, and spiritually expanded. The truth is not just learned, but is sincerely practiced in living it. Life becomes a flow, a glow.
The golden chain? It blesses anyone who comes into contact with it—whether they know it or not. That’s not the point. The point is: the student becomes part of a spiritual collective whose only job is to bless—equally, without judgment, prejudice or bias.
The Danger of Judgment, the Power of Love
Every tradition, religion, and path has its own technology for connecting with God. A sincere student who avoids judgment can learn something valuable from all of them.
Judgment breeds doubt and doubt kills hope.
Without hope, there's no spiritual projection.So find a teacher, a teaching, or a path rooted in non-judgment. That's where true teaching begins.Patience. tolerance forgiveness, understanding, are a reflection of God's, conditions, facets of non-judgement. They all lead to love—a love beyond time, space. A love so total, so infinite, that God cannot deny your prayers. This state is called ‘Life as a living prayer.’ So yes, be careful what you pray for. But more importantly, be clear that your prayers are in harmony with divine purpose. That’s the key to liberation.
Final Words
As judgment fades, prayers are answered more frequently. Without judgment, there is no doubt. Without doubt, all things are possible. Live your devotion. Live your teaching. Live your dreams—but only if they’re ‘Kosher’—aligned with God’s truth. If they are, nothing can stop you.
In Perfect Harmony,
Your Partner and Friend on this Fantastic Journey,
Hari Jiwan
