Electricians and Gurus

February 1, 2026

There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.

– Leonard Cohen

Greetings yogis,

Years ago I remember sitting cross-legged in a teacher training in the lobby at Urban Flow, Rusty Wells' third-floor yoga studio on Mission Street. Our cohort was smooshed into the lounge area for a philosophy session because an asana class was happening in the practice space. I don't remember the content of the talk, but I do remember the electrician perched on his step ladder with numerous volt meters and tools jangling from his work belt as he repaired a light above one of the changing rooms. The moment he made the connection and the light popped on, Rusty said, 'Thank you, guru.' We all chuckled, and then Rusty shared that guru translates as remover of darkness, someone who helps shine light into our unconscious ways.

Everyone is our guru. Period. And it's not always those who show up with benevolence to mentor and guide us along the path with skillful compassion and love. It's also those who push our buttons, trip us up, and trigger something in the unseen parts of our psyche. It's the person who cuts in front of us when we're driving, making our whole body flame up with a fiery rage that simmers for hours. Something in the interaction pointed at something. Was it our entitlement? Our assumption that everything should revolve around us? What a great teaching to realize our small lens of perception. It was nothing personal, but it sure poked the bear. These gurus are doing their work all day long.

If you've ever been in any kind of romantic relationship, you know what can be stirred up when someone reflects back the unconscious ways we show up—or don't. It's inevitable that something will be revealed through relating, and when we're lucky enough to find someone who will bring it all out, and if we can hold it and respect the process, then healing can truly begin. If we continue to run away from the upwelling and surge of emotions, we miss the opportunity to transform our unconscious patterning. It's not easy, but it is the real yoga.

And right now, light is being shined deep into humanity's darkness as a whole, and so much is bubbling up. The gurus are everywhere, revealing biases and prejudice that have long been lurking underneath the surface, tucked away in the recesses of a collective unconsciousness. We are bearing witness to the ugliness of racism, divisiveness, greed, hate, and power that still drive our culture and much of humanity. The gurus are everywhere, illuminating what we've pushed down and avoided for a long time. It's all coming to light.

It’s time to heal, individually and collectively. Stay safe but don't close off. Let what is happening in our culture right now crack you open, over and over again—that's where the light truly comes in. There is a teaching in every moment. Something will always arise to reveal our limited awareness and how we respond to it determines how we heal it. Yoga implores us to stay open to the unfolding, over and over, and yoga is skill in responding. So let yourself feel it all without distracting yourself and running to your devices and vices. This is where the healing begins—when we face what is real and take action to create peace within, and peace without.

May you all know peace.

Nat K

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

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