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| young Annamalai Swami with Ramana Maharshi |
(from "Living by the words of Bhagavan):
Question: How long should we stay with the Guru?
Annamalai Swami: Until the 'eye of wisdom' is open one needs association with sadhus who have realized the Self so that one can become aware of one's own Self. One should also study and practice the teachings of the Guru.
If you associate with bad or worldly people your meditation will be disturbed by their thought currents. It is best to avoid their company. One should not hate or dislike them, one should just stay out of their way.
Question: Should one avoid worldly things until one has attained some of mind control?
Annamalai Swami: As long as the body is alive it needs food clothing and shelter. It is not a hindrance to jnana to earn money to meet one’s basic needs.
Question: Some people have the freedom to give up worldly things. Others do not. They have to live and work with worldly people all the time.
Annamalai Swami: Before we came into this world all the incidents of our life were predestined: where we have to live, what acts we have to perform, etc. If we desire anything other than our prarabdha, that which was already destined for us, we cannot attain it. …
All the difficulties that we experience in life have been given to us by Bhagavan in order to turn our minds towards the Self.
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