Many of us need a guru or mentor to help us navigate the rough waters of daily life, and while few people today have a formal guru-mentor relationship, the spirit of that relationship lives on through life and career mentors who come in many different forms.
Actress Renita Kapoor says that the teachings she received from her guru have “led to several turning points” in her life. She adds, “I was extremely depressed. I had no idea how to organise my life, relationships and career. Everything was falling apart…. It was at that moment that I was guided and shown the way. I was living with a victim mentality, but my guru made us realise that we are responsible for our own journey. We have to accept the events in life and flow with them instead of lamenting what has happened. I am a different person today because of these life lessons and I am proud of that.”
Kapoor esoterically declares that her teacher is “the universe or nature,” but adds that under that umbrella, “many learned people and enlightened souls have touched and guided my life.” The stage and screen artist reveals that for over 15 years, she has listened to motivational speaker and spiritual mentor BK Shivani, Jamaican spiritual teacher Mooji, and self-healing advocate Louise Hay. “I have also met with Shivanandji one-on-one,” Kapoor says. “He explains spirituality in a very straightforward way, so it’s easy to understand.”
Of course, the guru can only show the way; the disciple has to put in the effort. Kapur asserts, “During meditation and listening to the guru, changes happened — sometimes slowly, sometimes suddenly. I feel that gurus choose us and come into our lives, not the other way around.”
Author and screenwriter Dilip Talreja agrees with that last sentiment. “They say that gurus appear when you need them,” he points out, before adding with a laugh. “For me, once my guru played his role in my life, he disappeared.” He continues: “To borrow a line from A Streetcar Named Desire, I have always relied on the kindness of strangers, so almost strangers became my gurus. My yoga teacher, Raju, taught me asanas that helped me regain my confidence after a health crisis. My Art of Living teacher helped me strengthen my lungs. My meditation teacher introduced me to the concept of being a sakshi, or witness, to life’s events, which grounded me.”
A dedicated teacher can shape a child’s worldview even at an early age. Talreja says, “When I was in sixth grade, my quiet English teacher Mr. Rao asked me to come in front of the class and read my essay out loud. I was terrified, but when I finished, the teacher clapped thunderously and urged the rest of the class to do the same. She pointed out that using descriptive language like ‘He devoured the sandwich’ shows imagination in writing. Afterwards, she took me to the school library and said, ‘This is where you belong.'” Talreja’s penchant for writing was acknowledged by his Hindi professor, who coldly told him, ‘You write very well, but don’t write like Gulshan Nanda, write like Premchand.'” These teachers ensured that young people made writing their calling in life.
While thanking his teachers, Tarreja is philosophical: “After all, life is the biggest teacher. Unfortunately, sometimes these teachers don’t give us a chance to retake the exams we fail.”
Shivakumar Keskar, Partner at SmartX, passed his business management and computer science exams with distinction but realised the importance of mentors after entering the corporate world. He says, “My manager at Shell Engine Oils, UG Murthy, played a key role in my transformation from a college student to a corporate professional. From him, I realised how relationships are portrayed in corporate life. I had experienced this before but more often than not it hurt me more than it trained me. Then, my manager at Coca-Cola, Venkatesh Mahadevan, taught me my first leadership lesson. He encouraged me to lead in my own way. I started taking initiative and gained the confidence to do what I thought was right.”
The business world is notoriously competitive, but Keskar was fortunate to continue to find mentors who supported him. “I learned first-hand from my manager at XIUS, Gautam Roy, that the devil is in the details,” he says. “I always watched Roy dissect information without criticizing it, and this attention to detail has stayed with me. Finally, I was in my early 40s when I met Clifford, who was a manager at both CSC and Daraa Al Baraka in Saudi Arabia, and thought I already knew most of it. But it was Clifford who helped me fine-tune my leadership style, my communication style, and showed me that I could be better.”
Keskar, who has had several gurus, analyzes, “Finding a guru is important, but it doesn’t happen until the right person comes along in our life who can have a profound impact on us. That person could be anyone and they might only teach us one lesson, but this one lesson from the right guru can change our personality forever.”
Published: Sunday, July 21, 2024, 12:05 AM IST
