All dependence on another is futile, for what others can give others will take away. Only what is your own at the start will remain your own in the end. Accept no guidance but from within, and even then sift out all memories for they will mislead you. Even if you are quite ignorant of the ways and the means, keep quiet and look within; guidance is sure to come. You are never left without knowing what your next step should be. The trouble is that you may shirk it. The Guru is there for giving you courage because of his experience and success. But only what you discover through your own awareness, your own effort, will be of permanent use to you. Remember, nothing you perceive is your own. Nothing of value can come to you from outside; it is only your own feeling and understanding that are relevant and revealing. Words, heard or read, will only create images in your mind, but you are not a mental image. You are the power of perception and action behind and beyond the image.

~ Sri Nisargadatta

[I am That - Chapter 98]

The work of the spiritual teacher is like the work of Cupid. The work of Cupid is to bring two souls together; and so is the work of the spiritual teacher: to bring together the soul and God. But what is taught to the one who seeks after truth? Nothing is taught. He is only shown how he should learn from God. For no man can ever teach spirituality; it is God alone who teaches it.

~ Hazrat Inayat Khan

The mark of wisdom
is to discern the truth
from whatever source
it is heard.

~ Thiruvallavar

The greatest help or service you can do to the world is the imparting of knowledge of the Self. Spiritual help is the highest help you can render to mankind. The root cause of human sufferings is ignorance. If you can remove this ignorance in man, then only can he be eternally happy. That sage who tries to remove the ignorance is the highest benefactor in the world.

~ Swami Sivananda

The work of the spiritual teacher is like the work of Cupid. The work of Cupid is to bring two souls together; and so is the work of the spiritual teacher: to bring together the soul and God. But what is taught to the one who seeks after truth? Nothing is taught. He is only shown how he should learn from God. For no man can ever teach spirituality; it is God alone who
teaches it.

~ Hazrat Inayat Khan

It is not the worship of a person that is
crucial, but the steadiness and depth of
your devotion to the task. Life itself is
the Supreme Guru; be attentive to its
lessons and obedient to its commands.
When you personalize their source, you
have an outer Guru; when you take them
from life directly, the Guru is within.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj

Guru is not the physical form. So the
contact will remain even after the
physical form of the Guru vanishes.
One can go to another Guru after one's
Guru passes away, but all Gurus are
one and none of them is the form you
see. Always mental contact is the best.
- Sri Ramana Maharshi

The Guru is the butcher of the sheep ego.
His function is to tell you, "I am Within You,"
and to give you the conviction that you are
Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. Every true
Teacher tells you: "Look within, there is no
difference between yourself, Self, and Guru."
The Guru shows the Treasure which is already
always there.
- Papaji

The greatest Guru is helpless as long as the disciple is not eager to learn. Eagerness and
earnestness are all-important. Confidence will come with experience. Be devoted to your goal - and devotion to him who can guide you will follow. If your desire and confidence are strong, they will operate and take you to your goal, for you will not cause delay by hesitation and compromise.

~ Nisargadatta Maharaj

In one spark of fire
there is the whole fire
it can ignite
whole cities and nations
one spark!
That's how the Truth
of one Person
from age to age
can shake the whole earth.
- Swami Amar Jyoti