A Review of Guru Within Guru Without by Padmanabha
(Infinite Heart Publications, 2026). ISBN: 979-8-9958409-0-9 There are few words/concepts when it comes to the pursuit of the spiritual that are more misunderstood, maligned, and mysterious than the word guru . The dictionary definition is surprisingly straightforward: A Sanskrit term for a spiritual or intellectual guide, teacher, or master. All students, after all, require teachers and guides. In 30-plus years of spiritual study and practice, I have had many teachers and guides, but not a single one that I would term a guru. For many folks who grew up in the sixties, the word guru conjures images of the Beatles and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi falling in and falling out. Those with a deeper knowledge of student-seekers and their gurus might think of Ram Dass (Richard Alpert) and his guru Neem Karoli Baba, or even Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love encounters with (the unnamed in the book) Gurumayi Chidvilasananda and Bali’s Ketut Liyer. No matter your level of knowledge ab...