Big Boys Gone Bad

[Yoda]

Imo, being an enlightened crackhead etc isn't that big of a deal. If you have something to offer the world, you'll get your students. But it would be nice to be open and non-hypocritical about it... maybe they could follow the example of rock stars.

 

I think that with so many examples of cagey gurus, that students have now gotten more sophisticated about the whole thing. Now the situation is more like a professor coming on to a student... nobody is deified too far these days that the situation can't be handled.

 

I've been trying to think of evil female gurus, but haven't come up with any. There must be some out there.

 

Just like MLK or Gandhi had their imperfections, they still had a very positive influence on the planet. In the same way, I'd imagine that Muktananda, Trungpa, Osho, Maharishi, etc had a net positive effect opening up new ideas and practices and possibilities to the world.

 

Btw, what's the dirt on Tolle?? He's due for some about now and I've heard a few rumors...

 

Yoda

[witch]

Does Witch count?

 

Hey! I've been very good. Not interested in collecting disciples, although that would be easy enough. My thing is very facty--no need to meet me, just understand my science and take a bunch of pills and do some basic exercises--pre-Chia exercises. And some people don't respond anyhow. All I ask is the people who do respond, that they tell their friends. And spend the $16 on my book.

 

Not that chi extraction isn't delicious! But I do manage to keep myself under control, for the most part.

[doc benway]

 

 

I've been trying to think of evil female gurus, but haven't come up with any. There must be some out there.

 

 

How close does JZ Knight come?

Perhaps not evil...

[rain]

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Edited April 17, 2008 by rain

[VeeCee]

Interesting quote on Amazon.com in the review of this book:

"The wisest men follow their own direction and listen to no prophet guiding them. " - Euripedes

 

I've been thinking a lot about this quote, and it really makes me wonder who, if anyone, I would be willing to follow to the ends of the earth (so to speak). Honestly, I think if a fully recognizable Jesus showed up at my door tomorrow I would have a hard time because I would be reluctant to follow anyone who says "Here, let me do all the thinking for you."

 

Seriously, when I hear stories about these so-called gurus, I can't help but think how do you know who's good and who's bad? How do you know who is really concerned with your spiritual enlightenment and who's in it for a buck? How do you know who really is enlightened and who's just nuts? At least I'm reasonably certain that I'm not going to tell myself to drink poisoned Kool-Aid or burn down my own house while the ATF is battering down the door.

 

Thoughts?

Edited September 24, 2007 by VeeCee

[Leidee]

...How do you know who really is enlightened and who's just nuts?...

 

 

There is no enlightenment and we are all just nuts.

 

L

[VeeCee]

There is no enlightenment and we are all just nuts.

 

Good answer!

[doc benway]

I've been thinking a lot about this quote, and it really makes me wonder who, if anyone, I would be willing to follow to the ends of the earth (so to speak). Honestly, I think if a fully recognizable Jesus showed up at my door tomorrow I would have a hard time because I would be reluctant to follow anyone who says "Here, let me do all the thinking for you."

 

Seriously, when I hear stories about these so-called gurus, I can't help but think how do you know who's good and who's bad? How do you know who is really concerned with your spiritual enlightenment and who's in it for a buck? How do you know who really is enlightened and who's just nuts? At least I'm reasonably certain that I'm not going to tell myself to drink poisoned Kool-Aid or burn down my own house while the ATF is battering down the door.

 

Thoughts?

These are excellent questions! I'd highly recommend you consider looking into the work of Jiddu Krishnamurti. I'm currently reading "To Be Human." According to him, and many others of like opinion, there is no advantage to following anyone for very long. Then you are simply thinking like they think rather than awakening. It's like a door that a teacher can point you toward but you must open it and experience what's beyond. Krishnamurti implores you to "doubt, question everything that I say.." and "test everything in practice in your own life..". Another guy with similar ideas, though somewhat differently expressed, is UG Krishnamurti. Here's a link to a very good site filled with his works. Notably, all of his writings are freely downloadable and reprintable with no copyright concerns. That, in itself, is telling... http://www.ugkrishnamurti.org/index.html

PS I don't think the two Krishnamurti's are related...

Edited September 24, 2007 by xuesheng

[Pietro]

There is no enlightenment and we are all just nuts.

 

L

Thank you! I was trying to understand what was wrong with me, as the more meditation I was doing the less interest I was with enlightenment, and here you go. The answer of a lifetime said as a joke.

[doc benway]

There is no enlightenment and we are all just nuts.

 

L

That's probably as close to the truth as you can get on paper!

[Leidee]

A few years ago, when I started on this meditation qigong tai chi thingo, I really thought I would find or achieve enlightenment. I didn't

 

If any of you have read the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, Lestat says (paraphrased) that we don't really change or learn anything new (he is referencing the supposedly unlimited potential for emotional/spiritual/intellectual growth in an immortal vampire's life), we just become more like who we are. Got me thinking...

[Yoda]

Here's a fun online book:

 

http://www.strippingthegurus.com/

[rain]