If the Guru is ultimately one's own Inner Self, why does Baba emphasize listening to and reflecting on the Guru's stories?

This apparent paradox is central to the path described in Chapter 19. While the ultimate reality is that the Guru and the Inner Self are one, the mind is clouded by ignorance and desires. Listening to the Guru's stories, reflecting on them (Manan), and meditating on them (Nididhyasan) is the prescribed method to clear these clouds. Baba says, "if you keep in your mind what you have heard with your ears, the mine of your own welfare will open." The external teachings of the Guru act as a powerful catalyst to awaken the disciple to the internal, non-dual truth. It is through this very process that the bonds of ignorance break and one realizes the unity that was always present.