In this degenerate age,
people think, think
Spiritual Teachers
must look this way
or that way,
superficial plastic;
Authentic Gurus
can surprise us as
rough-cut, rude,
nothing expected,
Spiritual Weirdos;
People look for
flashy gurus,
flamboyant entertainers,
cliché spiritual salesmen,
who will most certainly
lead them astray!
Seek the down-to-earth Guru!
Seek the Guru who gives good advice!
Seek the Guru who never deceives!
Seek the Guru who truly wishes,
from the depths of their heart,
for you and all beings to
Awaken!
A poem by Robert Aho © 2026
Those who are thoroughly enslaved by their unenlightened vision have some very strange, rather odd ideas when it comes to expectations of Spiritual Teachers, as well as Spiritual Practice. This is why we need to truly Aspire to Awaken, creating a Spark of truth and intuition. We also need to find someone who is genuine, someone with more Spiritual Experience than we have who can truly help us to Awaken. If the person we ask for help is superficial, in it for all the wrong reasons, more inclined to looking the right way, building a spiritual business of sorts or loving all the attention of being a teacher, then we are just wasting our time. The Guru must be genuine or there is no point.
When we truly understand that our own vision is one of being unenlightened, then we have reason to proceed with caution. Our unenlightened expectations rely upon superficial notions that keep us from meeting an Authentic Guru. Our preconceived notions get in the way. Our tendency to make impulsive decisions without investigating our actions first will lead us to places that may lead to tragedy and trauma.
This is why we must begin with a genuine Aspiration to Awaken, even before we meet our Guru. At least if we have that Authentic Spark held in our heart center, we will be able to remain on the Path, not just intellectually learn about it. Being authentic anchors us onto the Spiritual Path.
A superficial unenlightened expectation will lead us astray, likely to traumatic experiences. It doesn’t matter if the teacher has been hailed by institutions or throngs of admirers, meeting all the criteria of our unenlightened vision, if they are not genuine, they are of no use. Being genuine means that they actually have certain realizations, such as realizing emptiness, living altruistically, or realizing the Nature of Mind. We need someone who is deeply genuine.
The genuine Gurus out there don’t have the glitzy groomed look of the mega-church preacher or some other cliché. If a teacher is genuine, then we can discover them by being genuine ourselves when we Aspire to Awaken. Relying upon unenlightened expectations to guide us, utilizing stereotypes and preconceived notions, will certainly create harm at some point. People cannot truly enter or remain on the Path if they have not authenticated their own intention, remaining devoted to their own Ultimate Guru, who is found within in that Spark we create with our own Aspiration to Awaken, which is Bodhicitta.
On one occasion, about fifteen years ago, I remember leading a group in meditation, when a man suddenly burst into our meditation space, disturbing the group. I had just given instructions and we were deep into meditation. About a dozen people were gathered around in front of me.
Everybody lost focus when the man said something like, “Oh, I guess I came to the wrong place.” He seemed a little bit perturbed as he turned to leave.
“What are you trying to find?” I asked at once, before he could leave, “This is a meditation group and we’re practicing Shamatha right now. You are certainly welcome to join us.”
“Well, you are certainly not Tibetan, and you are obviously not wearing robes!” he exclaimed. He then left in a huff, thoroughly outraged, mumbling something about how he had taken all this time to come all this way, only to have his expectations dashed like that. This disturbance actually created a very negative ripple effect, planting many seeds of doubt.
The next week only two people attended. The week after that, I was teaching just one person. No one told me anything about why they had a change of heart. When I sent out a group email, one person became upset that I made him feel guilty for not attending, others remained silent. I was very surprised by this turn of events that this one unenlightened expectation had set in motion. We had been very content prior to this.
When I saw how people did not seem interested in genuine teachings, I almost gave up as well. It took my own death, as well as some convincing from my Root Master to bring me back to this notion of helping people awaken in an authentic way. I ask something simple of my students, something very easy that anyone can do. When thinking of those who seem overwhelmed by life, telling me that they have no time to meditate, I ask that you meditate at least twenty minutes each day in an authentic way, as much as you can. First genuinely Aspire to Awaken, then keep this samaya, this sacred oath. Meditate whenever possible, meditate in both dreams and daily life.
Blessings of Source,
Rigdzin Robert Aho
Robert Aho is the author of Timeless Luminosity and The Frog: A Spiritual Autobiography, Spanning Many Lifetimes. Both books, written after his death experience, give advanced spiritual advice regarding the complete Spiritual Path, inspiration for living each day and words of encouragement, with the intention of helping people to stay committed to their Spiritual Path, as well as preparing for death. This ultimately leads to discovering your own unlimited power within, which leads to Awakening. Both books are available on Amazon, Zenith Bookstore, as well as various other sources.