Guru Is

Guru* is the rhythm in my heart and the pause between the beats.

Guru is a second skin surrounding the mortal body.

Guru is each of my steps.

Guru is the winding path that takes me to his mountain abode.

Guru is the hand I take when my feet are sore.

Guru is the endless expanse of wordless knowledge that opens up inside you when you meet him.

Guru is the power that makes you collapse into meditation against a pillar in his temple.

Guru is the heat of fire you warm yourself by, with guru.

Guru is tea with god.

You say, “I am back.”

Guru says, “You never left.”

Guru is your laugh at how useless that sentence is.

Guru is the ancient cedar that shades his hut.

Guru is the storm that topples the tree.

Guru is the fragrant planks cut from the trunk.

Guru is the bees and the beehive in the doorpost of his room.

Guru is the rain over his abandoned slate roof.

Guru is the eternal separation and the eternal hug.

Guru is the finger plugging the hole in the dam holding back the ocean of knowledge.

Guru is the flash flood that washes away the path he laid down for you.

Guru is the gate keeper and the storm.

Guru is the lighthouse and the ocean.

Guru is the cool river in which you say, ”I am thirsty”.

Guru leans close and says, “Who Am I?” It is not a question, answer it.

Guru dangles his legs and laughs with love at your confusion but looks on silently when he sees your wisdom unfold.

Guru keeps telling you the same anecdote and he only stops repeating it when you stop believing you have heard it before.

Guru pretends to be clever; guru pretends to be ignorant; It is all for your benefit.

Guru is the zero manifesting all the numbers.

Guru creates a miracle and says, “Oh… it was nothing”.

Guru is the silence of awe taking away your breath when you sit with him.

Guru is the tears of joy he wipes from your face when you recognize him.

Guru is the silence between his words.

Guru is the heartache you feel when you are apart.

Guru is a door.

When he comes to you, knock.

Guru opens inwards to the eternal black night.

Guru is the I without the am.

Without am, only I is.

Guru is the death of his body.

Guru is the fire that burns his remains.

Guru is the space left behind.

Guru is the flickering of the flame on his tomb.

Guru is the light that envelopes us all.

Guru is my second skin.

Guru is my heartbeat.

Kaare Troelsen- Vijay Shyam, August 2020

(* Guru is not a specific person. Guru is your essence)