My Guru

I have several Gurus (deeply influential teachers). Some have come to me in dreams, some I have sought out and so traveled to see, and others have recognized me when I sat before them. With them all I have felt a strong sense of connection / direction. Perhaps my greatest guru - my greatest life course guide - is Mahatma Gandhi. Here is an excerpt from a bio site:

Mahatma Gandhi got inspiration of Civil Disobedience by reading a book of an American.

He had been greatly influenced by the teachings of an American by the name of David Thoreau. Thoreau was graduated from Harvard University ninety years ago, and then spent twenty-eight dollars building a cabin for himself on the lonely shores of Walden Pond, in Massachusetts. He lived there like a hermit, and refused to pay taxes; so he was thrown into jail. He then wrote a book on Civil Disobedience, saying that no one ought to pay taxes. People didn’t pay the slightest attention to his book then; but, seventy-five years later, Gandhi read that book, away out in India, and decided to use Thoreau’s tactics. He felt that England had not kept her promise to give India self-government; so, in order to punish England, Gandhi urged the people of India to go to jail rather than pay taxes, and he also urged his followers to boycott English goods. When the British placed a tax on salt, Gandhi led his follower to the sea and they made their own salt.