When the guru is alive, it’s a jungle

When the guru is alive, it’s a jungle. When the guru is dead, it’s an office. 

– Amma, paraphrased by DN

Yes, when the guru is alive, everything is alive, rich, and moving. It’s unpredictable, and just like in a jungle, you may get eaten by a tiger (the guru). Even if there is an institution, it’s secondary to the guru.

After the guru is gone, the institution remains, and it becomes more rigid. It may still be valuable, but it doesn’t have the fluidity, aliveness, and the guidance it had when the guru was there.

Of course, even in institutions – like the main religions – there are occasionally people who live and embody awakening, and have some of the jungle with them.