Who Can Help and Guide Others?

Question: Don't you think it is a meritorious thing, or perhaps even a highly spiritual endeavour to help others. I am sure there are a lot of people I can help, especially those in spiritual field. Often, when they come to me for help, I cannot turn them away: I set aside some time for them. 

Swami Prajnanapada: "The blind should not try to lead the blind. (The person who seeks to help others) should first see light himself, and, after he HAS, it will be time enough to help.... to be able to help others, one MUST be a helper first, that is to say, one MUST acquire the ABILITY and technique to help... (If you want to help others) You MUST FIRST equip YOURSELF.... equip yourself with the ability to help... You must make sure that you are COMPETENT to help... If you are yourself in doubt, you can HARDLY dispel another man's doubts." (pgs. 109, 110, Talks with Swami Prajnanapada)

Question: Who then is capable of spiritually guiding others?

"(Only) a very good sadhak can...(He) can not only inspire people but also LEAD them and GUIDE along the spiritual path." (pg. 20, Voice of the Himalayas by Swami Sivananda)

Question: Who is deemed a good sadhak?

"Fully realise the IMPORTANCE of becoming a changed man ETHICALLY and MORALLY, before YOU can claim to be sadhak," Swami Sivananda (pg. 322, Sadhana)

Question: So, there is no way for me to help change others?

Paramahansa Yogananda: "Let YOUR example be THE way to change others' lives." (Yoganandaji's address on 6.3.1952: Rajarsi Janankananda, pg. 153)

Swami Sivananda: "You can BEST serve...your fellow-beings... by conscious Self-culture, by LIVING for the realisation of the self." (pg. 109, Sermonettes of Swami Sivananda)

Mata Amirtanandamayi: "Don't try to change the world or other people before YOU are able to change YOURSELF." (pg. 28, Awaken Children Vol. 6)

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa: "Who are YOU to help others?... This sort of too much preoccupation of helping OTHERS is also a sort of DELUSION, and egoistic DELUSION." (pgs. 200-201, Swami Sivananda: Saint, Sage and Godman by Swami Chidananda Maharaj [A Divine Life Society Publication]).

Question: What about preaching?

Swami Sivananda: "When people who are inharmonious within themselves begin to PREACH, they can ONLY spread disharmony, even though they might avowedly strive to spread peace. The rishies have called this 'the blind leading the blind.' " (Swamiji's speech on 3.10.1950: pg. 244, Sivananda's Lectures: All-India and Ceylon Tour).