Pathik

"neutral"

- I was a spiritual brother of your people, and a personal friend of Monk Gyatso." "You must gain balance within yourself before you can bring balance to the world.

Guru Pathik is a nomadic old man who seems to have great knowledge of the Spirit World and its effects on normal humans. He also seems to know very much about the nature of the Avatar and the Avatar State. He is not affiliated to any of the four nations, and thus will teach anyone willing to learn from him.

Background
Born in 50 BSC, Pathik was a spiritual brother of the Air Nomads, and a personal friend of Monk Gyatso. When they were wiped out, he took up residence in the Eastern Air Temple.

Meeting Appa


In the Air Temple, he met Appa and understood that he was not the person Appa expected, and he simply lies back, looking at Appa every so often, and receiving a growl in return. Eventually, night settles in, and Appa falls asleep. The Guru reads Appa's Spiritual energy, remarking on how Appa is so full of love and trust, but at the same time fear is moving in where trust should be. He also tells of how he had a vision of Aang and Appa years ago, and decided to come to the Eastern Air Temple and wait for the two. He then leaves Appa to rest, saying how Appa must let the clouds in his mind part and be at peace.

Come morning, Appa follows a trail of fruit made by the Guru, which eventually leads Appa to find the Guru meditating with a group of animals surrounding him. Appa decides to leave the man alone, and after flying around a bit, he comes to rest next to the guru at the top of the Temple. The Guru gives Appa a note, which he ties to his horn, and then proceeds to tell Appa about how much his energy and Aang's is intertwined. As he tells Appa this, he puts his hand to Appa's forehead, and tells Appa where to find Aang. Appa flies off, heading off to Ba Sing Se. However, the Guru's note was intercepted by Long Feng, but was later returned to Aang.

Training Aang
Aang eventually arrived at the Eastern Air Temple and found Guru Pathik meditating atop the same pillar he was on before Appa's departure. Guru Pathik introduces himself as a spiritual brother to the Air Monks, and a close friend of Monk Gyatso. Aang asks Pathik how he plans on teaching him how to gain control of the Avatar State, to which Guru replies that he must first bring balance to himself before he can bring balance to the world. The Guru first asks Aang to simply drink a liquid, which Aang does before spitting it out, as it is a strange combination of onion and banana juice.



At the Eastern Air Temple, Guru Pathik is beginning Aang's instruction of the chakras, nexuses of metaphysical and/or biophysical energy in the human body. In order to master the Avatar State, Pathik says that Aang must first open the seven chakras of the body. After determining that Aang has absolutely no knowledge of the nature of chakras, Pathik proceeds a visual representation. Using a pond clogged with algae he successfully explains to Aang the concept of chakras, stating that by removing the clogs between pools, the water is allowed to flow, just as energy is allowed to flow through the body when the seven chakras are open. There are seven chakras within the body, each with a purpose and each with a different blockage: An intense sensation results from the opening of them all. Pathik warns that the process of opening the chakras cannot be halted once it has begun- it must be completed in order to succeed. Aang accepts this risks and they begin the process.

Guru Pathik successfully guides Aang through the opening of the first six chakras. However, when Aang learns that to open the seventh and final chakra he will have to let go of his feelings of love for Katara, he refuses. Guru Pathik attempts to convince him otherwise, but when Aang has a vision of Katara in trouble, he leaves the Eastern Air Temple to rescue her. Pathik's final words before Aang's departure are a warning that Aang risks locking the final chakra, and he will not be able to enter the Avatar State at all. He never physically appears again in the series and it is unknown what became of him.

Trivia

 * A guru is a spiritual expert. The word pathik means "the traveller" in Hindi and was a last name that Mahatma Gandhi personally gave to the family of Magan Kumar, a child born to his ashram in 1938. The Sanskrit version of the name is Pathika, which has a wider range of meanings, such as 'knowing the way' or path; as a noun, it can refer to a traveller or a guide.
 * During Aang's hallucinations in "Nightmares and Daydreams", he sang The Chakras song and appeared with six arms.