Stripping The Gurus

[RyanO]

[Enishi]

I've been glancing at some of the chapters. There is some good information but the skeptic materialist arrogant vibe does kinda sully it. More spiritual seekers could really stand to read this stuff though so they stop idolizing gurus and setting unattainable superhuman moral standards for themselves and anyone who teaches.

[Gerard]

There is a lot of misinformation about reaching a high spiritual level and having sex. Having sex won't make you a non-desirable person if you happen to attain enlightenment in real life. You are still bound by a physical body and you can't deny it because by doing so will be creating an internal conflict which only leads to frustration.

 

Some people have a very low sex drive (very Yin) and are capable of not needing sex for a very long time; others are totally the opposite. But who is here to judge that the first group are the real gurus whereas the second group are charlatans?

 

Each to their own, and I repeat again there is a lot of misinformation on this topic.

[RyanO]

[RyanO]

There is a lot of misinformation about reaching a high spiritual level and having sex. Having sex won't make you a non-desirable person if you happen to attain enlightenment in real life. You are still bound by a physical body and you can't deny it because by doing so will be creating an internal conflict which only leads to frustration.

 

Some people have a very low sex drive (very Yin) and are capable of not needing sex for a very long time; others are totally the opposite. But who is here to judge that the first group are the real gurus whereas the second group are charlatans?

 

Each to their own, and I repeat again there is a lot of misinformation on this topic.

 

I think the issue is less about sexuality and more about hypocrisy.

[voidisyinyang]

[ralis]

I was checking out his blog which is the research for his second book. There's some interesting research but he's just scrapping the surface. Another great guru expose blog is

 

http://guruphiliac.blogspot.com/

 

Thanks for posting this.

 

ralis

[tyler zambori]

You know, after seeing that guruphiliac blog, it occurs to me that

a big part of the problem there is seeing the ego/ body-mind as

something to be transcended. That, and the friggin

guru-worship thing that the Brahmins love so much.

 

I wonder if starting from a viewpoint of aligning rather

than transcending is a better way to get started,

right from the beginning. I think I'm gonna like this.

[ralis]

You know, after seeing that guruphiliac blog, it occurs to me that

a big part of the problem there is seeing the ego/ body-mind as

something to be transcended. That, and the friggin

guru-worship thing that the Brahmins love so much.

 

I wonder if starting from a viewpoint of aligning rather

than transcending is a better way to get started,

right from the beginning. I think I'm gonna like this.

 

 

The typical guru will vehemently deny the existence of an ego, or self. Then tell you the nonexistent self must be transcended! The finest hypocracy money can buy!

 

The point of authoritarian abuse discussed in the book is what I attempted to convey to Bobby on the other thread. For some reason some human primates see no harm in following someone like Weor!

 

ralis

[voidisyinyang]

You know, after seeing that guruphiliac blog, it occurs to me that

a big part of the problem there is seeing the ego/ body-mind as

something to be transcended. That, and the friggin

guru-worship thing that the Brahmins love so much.

 

I wonder if starting from a viewpoint of aligning rather

than transcending is a better way to get started,

right from the beginning. I think I'm gonna like this.

 

http://www.freedom-house.us.com/stories.php

 

Reddy was sentenced to eight years in prison, required to repay US$2 million dollars, and will be a registered sex offender upon his release. Two of his sons received lesser sentences for conspiracy to defraud the INS as part of plea agreements. Reddy was released April 2, 2008.[1] The Reddy family currently operates numerous apartment complexes in the Berkeley area under the names Reddy Realty and Everest Properties, as well as the Pasand restaurants in Berkeley and Santa Clara.

 

http://fij.org/news/sifry.php

 

Last June, he had a meeting with a book publisher who was interested in Robbie's doing a book about sexual slavery in America, and the very weekend before his health collapsed for the last time, he and Christine polished a three-page book proposal on that very subject.

 

It starts with this paragraph:

 

L. Bali Reddy was venerated in the small village in Andrah Pradesh on the West Coast of India where he was born. Year after year, he would return from America, where he had amassed a fortune from his Berkeley, California, real estate empire. In India, he built Hindu shrines and schools for the poor. So great was the villagers' respect for Reddy that some parents gave him their daughters to take to the U.S. for a good education or jobs. But instead, over a 15-year period, Reddy smuggled these young girls, some just 11-years-old, into Berkeley, California, where he used them as whores and cheap labor.

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

http://www.freedom-house.us.com/stories.php

 

 

 

http://fij.org/news/sifry.php

 

Did I miss something? What does this relate to?

 

 

I must say, clearly we are in the Post-Guru phase of our development.

[That Guy]

I've been glancing at some of the chapters. There is some good information but the skeptic materialist arrogant vibe does kinda sully it. More spiritual seekers could really stand to read this stuff though so they stop idolizing gurus and setting unattainable superhuman moral standards for themselves and anyone who teaches.

(Concerning sai babas case)

 

"skeptic materialist arrogant"

You'd be like that too if you saw hoards of people being completely stupid by following a false guru based solely on their misguided faith, giving up what they work hard for so they can please this guy. Believing in miracles they haven't even tried to verify...

 

" unattainable superhuman moral standards"

Some can't even get subhuman moral standards....

Heres a test to see what you really think, just answer this "would you leave your young son in the care of sai baba?"

Actions speak louder than words

[Vajrasattva]

The only real Guru is your Divine Source/ Your Higher/Inner self.

 

Love

s

[doc benway]

I like the fact that people point out the human weaknesses of our gurus.

It helps keep us from getting as attached.

Gurus are simply people that have something we think we need.

All they have is a different perspective.

There is nothing else to have.

Getting attached to the guru just gives you something else to have to shed.

Books like this help that.

[Birch]

What Steve said.

 

I'm glad these texts exist as they offer another viewpoint on the guru-disciple relationship (wasn't the direct translation of the word "guru" more like "friend"?) I've wondered about Yogananda's relationship with his own guru. There are a couple of passages that made me think something was going on in the guru's bed. Not sure what. If I can find the pages again I'll post.

 

But to temper again. All of these people are still, well, people (except the real avatars, but I can't get into that because I haven't met any directly yet ;-)) and they have "people-issues" - as Taomeow mentioned in her post about Ayahusca (sp?), "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely" and I'd add, even relative power corrupts. I'm tempted to go further and I realise that it would be controversial. So I'll scale back and ask "why do groupies sleep with rock stars, athletes, presidents, bosses..." And they're not necessarily female either...I added that because it sounded like I meant just women, maybe?

[ralis]

Why do we need these people that claim they are the divine intercessors? Seems like a power grab!

 

ralis

[forestofclarity]

It just goes to show--- don't cling to the teacher. Follow the teaching.

[ralis]

It just goes to show--- don't cling to the teacher. Follow the teaching.

 

I wonder if any of them have much to offer! Separating any truth from cultural baggage and neurosis may be a waste of time! LOL!!

 

 

ralis

Edited March 2, 2010 by ralis

[forestofclarity]

Luckily, I don't have to wonder. I see the truth of practice each and every day.

 

I wonder if any of them have much to offer! Separating any truth from cultural baggage and neurosis may be a waste of time! LOL!!

 

 

ralis

[Guest paul walter]

Why do we need these people that claim they are the divine intercessors? Seems like a power grab!

 

ralis

 

Because that's what your lack of 'belief' in yourself demands?

[tyler zambori]

What Steve said.

 

I'm glad these texts exist as they offer another viewpoint on the guru-disciple relationship (wasn't the direct translation of the word "guru" more like "friend"?) I've wondered about Yogananda's relationship with his own guru. There are a couple of passages that made me think something was going on in the guru's bed. Not sure what. If I can find the pages again I'll post.

 

But to temper again. All of these people are still, well, people (except the real avatars, but I can't get into that because I haven't met any directly yet ;-)) and they have "people-issues" - as Taomeow mentioned in her post about Ayahusca (sp?), "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely" and I'd add, even relative power corrupts. I'm tempted to go further and I realise that it would be controversial. So I'll scale back and ask "why do groupies sleep with rock stars, athletes, presidents, bosses..." And they're not necessarily female either...I added that because it sounded like I meant just women, maybe?

 

And what's wrong with sleeping with rock stars?

[C T]

I'd like to think that essentially we are all our own 'gurus'. If there is harmony within, we will attract all that is harmonious - including the 'right' teachers, teachings, relationships, etc. First be a good guide to our own selves.. then there is no problem.

[三江源]

.

Edited April 9, 2015 by 三江源

[Blume]

I don't know what powers are useful for the real world. I saw the picture of one guru in one of recent threads and that guy looked abnormal who could not holda job. Throw them in the middle of people and you will see all sort of character weaknesses. Sex issues will come up , money issues, personal authority issues and what not.

 

Look at Osho i mean what mess he created in his lifetime.

 

Real guru like me will survive best in the real world. Sorry but had to tell the truth.

[3bob]

What Steve said.

 

I'm glad these texts exist as they offer another viewpoint on the guru-disciple relationship (wasn't the direct translation of the word "guru" more like "friend"?) I've wondered about Yogananda's relationship with his own guru. There are a couple of passages that made me think something was going on in the guru's bed. Not sure what. If I can find the pages again I'll post.

 

But to temper again. All of these people are still, well, people (except the real avatars, but I can't get into that because I haven't met any directly yet ;-)) and they have "people-issues" - as Taomeow mentioned in her post about Ayahusca (sp?), "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely" and I'd add, even relative power corrupts. I'm tempted to go further and I realise that it would be controversial. So I'll scale back and ask "why do groupies sleep with rock stars, athletes, presidents, bosses..." And they're not necessarily female either...I added that because it sounded like I meant just women, maybe?

 

Hi Kate, That saying of, "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely" has been around but imo it is actually not true, which is because absolute power as one with truth will absolutely burn up any corruption or untruth, thus only relative power or truths can be corrupt in such a sense. Of course if one has no faith in an "absolute" such as alluded to as the Tao that can not be spoken of - or corrupted, then such a point is meaningless.

 

Bob