Page 185 - Wisdom Unfurled

and for that knowledge or erudition is hardly of any help. This is what has been declared in our tradition too, na medhaya na bahuna srutena.
Indispensability of the guide
The Master observes that the help of a guru or a Master is absolutely necessary for the aspirant who is determined to go on up to the final stage of realization, though there have been some rare instances of saints who have attained perfection by mere self effort surrendering themselves directly to God. But such examples are very rare and it is a very difficult course which can be followed only by persons endowed with uncommon genius.
The Master explains the need for practical guidance on the steep and slippery path of spirituality and states that the aspirant has to pass through various points known as Chakras (figuratively called lotuses), which are centres of the concentrated energy of the Real Power of the Divine Force inherited by man and located in different places within the human frame. The intervening space between any two centres is characterized by a network interwoven by numerous intricate fibres. In his march the abhyasi has to pass through the entanglements of these networks and has to spend a considerable time as well in them to complete his bhog or passing through the process of unfolding the intricacies therein as may be required in each case. The stay can often be quite long and in most cases it is almost impossible to extricate oneself from the intricacies by self-effort alone, though some may succeed somewhat in the initial stages of advancement as has happened in the case of most of the sages in the past who had tried it with self-effort only. They remained lingering for their whole life in the first or second stage and could not cross them. Further in the advanced stages of spirituality the person encounters slippery conditions of the place and though he advances a few steps he slips down again and the process repeats with the result that higher ascent becomes arduous and well-nigh impracticable. In these circumstances it is only the forceful push of a worthy Master that can bring the aspirant out of the whirl pool and enable his movement on to the next higher stage.
The worthy Master is only He who has Himself attained perfection or complete negation of self. The aspirant must connect himself with such a Master by feelings of love and attraction. It does not matter much what conception of the Master is entertained in the practicant’s mind, whether it be that of father, mother, friend or servant; it is solely the choice of the aspirant. The loving connection with him is what is more important.
Guru as Mother
The Master however states His preference in this regard, when He counsels the conception of the Guru as mother to be the most appropriate and