How does one develop Trust or Faith in a Guru or God? 

First of all, what is Faith? (Faith or Belief or Trust)  Imagine two people having a conversation about Swami, you and someone else. You both know about Swami, you are talking about Swami. A third person, who does not know anything about Swami, he is listening to this conversation. You are saying – I went to Bhagawan’s door(seeking Bhagawan) and my prayers were fulfilled by Bhagawan and my faith has bonded with Him (jud gaya)..So what happens, the third person who is listening to this, he thinks ok, I will also go visit this Baba, he develops some faith based on hearing this conversation. After a while, say next day or the next week – he hears two people criticizing Bhagawan, they are saying this Baba is fake, there is no Love etc. And he thinks – I am glad I did not visit this Baba and I have been saved from this Baba.

So what did this person have? He only had thoughts, prejudices(vichaar), arguments, but no personal experience to fall back on! Whatever is based on arguments, the faith that is based on arguments, that will definitely break one day. But whatever is based on personal experience, for eg. if I told you there is a Goddess temple(Maa), go there, your payers will be answered. In truth, what really happens is – the time for your prayers to be answered is imminent and since the time has come, you will receive(find) your Guru or the place. So you get something that you isn’t just hearsay – an experience of your own!

When you have an experience of you own, you form a bond. Once a bond is formed, no one can break it. Even if 100 people talk(badly) about it, your own experience cannot be broken. So whichever place you visit, where you ‘chit’ or ‘mind’ does not get involved or bond, don’t think something is wrong with that place. That place is just not part of your mind, your ‘chit’ is not able to form a bond there. Do ‘Namashkar’ to the place and change your path. Don’t criticize it. If your mind can’t form a bond, change the direction. Don’t criticize.

Where your Atma will find peace, the place that is for you, you will reach it. Where your thoughts cease completely, (try to)become One with that thing. That is your place!

So faith is built on one’s own personal(practical) experience. The more practical your experience is, (as compared to just hearing about other’s experiences), the stronger the faith. Never form a belief based on what you hear.

Second thing, do not judge others. Never ever judge others. Only judge yourself. You do not have the authority to judge others. Look only at yourself!