How do you find a guru or yoga teacher?
Carefully and with discernment.
You think I’m joking?
I’ve heard yoga teachers tell their students:
💬 “You must do whatever I say—without question! Otherwise, you break the student-teacher vow.”
🚨 Red flag. 🚨
Unfortunately, this power dynamic—especially between male teachers and female students—happens too often to count.
The Problem With Power & Spiritual Hierarchies
While making this film (Yogis of Ukraine) and the book, I visited a well-known yoga teacher with a big following.
He was physically impressive—fit, muscular, and fully aware of it.
🔹 His students? A group of twenty or so much younger women.
🔹 Their expressions? Adoring. Longing. Hoping to be "his chosen one."
🔹 The unspoken message? The closer you are to the teacher, the more power you have.
This is not uncommon in yoga circles.
When Yoga Teachers Become Spiritual Predators
I knew another yoga Hatha teacher—one whose classes I regularly attended—who was sleeping with five or six of his female students.
Really.
Yet many of these women felt “chosen” by their teacher, believing they were on a special spiritual journey with him.
This isn’t just about male libido and unchecked power dynamics.
It’s also about centuries of patriarchal spiritual traditions that:
🔹 Claim women cannot be enlightened until they are reborn as men.
🔹 Use tantric texts to justify the sexualization of female disciples.
🔹 Reinforce submission to male teachers as a "path to awakening."
A simple Google search of "yoga sex scandals" or "Buddhist/Hindu teacher scandals" will tell you all you need to know.
Why Do So Many Women Fall Into This Trap?
When you have a spiritual awakening, something incredible happens:
✨ You feel open, free, and deeply connected to something greater.
✨ You start seeing yourself and the world in a new way.
✨ Your teacher feels like the one who “opened your eyes.”
🚨 Warning: This is where things can go wrong. 🚨
You mistake your awakening for love toward your teacher.
Your teacher feels like the source of your transformation—but in reality, it’s YOU.
💡 You are experiencing yourself. Your power. Your divinity.
How to Find a True Guru or Yoga Teacher
🛑 So, how to find a Guru or Yoga Teacher without falling into spiritual manipulation?
Remember Guru means that which brings you from darkness to light. Here’s what to look for:
✔ A teacher who empowers you to find answers within yourself.
✔ Someone who respects boundaries and doesn’t demand blind obedience.
✔ A mentor who does not position themselves as the “only source” of wisdom.
✔ A guide who emphasizes personal responsibility over submission.
✔ A teacher who walks the talk—not just in words, but in actions.
Final Thoughts: Own Your Awakening
Yes, a great teacher can help illuminate your path.
But your spiritual journey belongs to YOU.
Don’t hand over your power. Don’t mistake your own inner awakening for the charisma of another.
🚀 True teachers don’t demand worship—they remind you that the guru is already within you.