Topic of Gurus, demigods in the West

[Guest guest]

Thanks everyone for your remarks and insights on the topic of gurus. It

is best not relate one's own spiritual experiences in detail so I will

say no more. I have great respect for the guru relationship as I have

seen the practice in the Ramakrishna Order.

 

Here in America I believe most of the Swamis of the Ramakrishna Order

do not allow most of their talks to be published until after their

death. This I believe is to avoid development of personality cults. So

I feel correct in saying one needs to take care of excesses regarding

the reverence to Gurus. The Order itself takes steps to keep some of

the negative aspects of that out of the family for good reasons.

Excesses -- that is what I am referring to mostly, although some of you

were correct to pick up the fact that I personally have had difficulty

with the guru concept. Thank you for that insight. A reminder.

 

Lastly, God is the Guru ultimately as we are taught. Some great saints

in history willing endured even mistaken superiors. Sometimes that is

the path. In modern times Mother Theresa is known to have personally

begged Pope John Paul to allow for woman priests. For whatever reason,

he would not. Time will tell more on that issue, but Mother Theresa was

not one most would easily say no to. She did in fact obey and continue

about her business much to the benefit of mankind. Biblical scholars

point out today that much of Christian practice is derived from Paul's

teachings. Paul never met or sat at the feet of Jesus but declared

himself one of the apostles. My point is that discrimination and the

use of reason is a safeguard to fanaticism as Swamiji warned. Blind,

irrational faith or infatuation with " baubbles " is part of that razor's

edge, don't you agree?

 

It is true the Guru emphasis is not culturally a part of most

Westerners' thinking and, therefore, it can be difficult as someone

here has pointed out. However, it is also true that many Westerners are

among the most naive and ready followers of anything exotic and new

that comes along. Perhaps we are starving in our materialism?? Here (in

USA) we have had many personality cults with ruinous results. In the

Jewish tradition there is the commandment to " have no false gods before

me. " In Vedanta I think we would talk about " worship of the demigods. "

In the West at least we practically worship movie stars and sports

heroes. I do not exaggerate. Such worship of the demigods absorbs all

the prime time media, books, magazines, conversations--now even

creeping into the arts. You will practically never be offered anything

of a spiritual nature in the media in the USA. Instead of talks with

great living teachers, we are offered interviews with 23 year old pop

stars or movie stars on questions regarding the meaning and values of

life! Ironic, but sadly true. Isn't that increasingly true in India

too? We hear much of Bollywood here these days. In fact, India is even

now beginning to export Bollywood talent, music and beautiful stars to

Hollywood. Swamiji emphasized that our ideals must be the highest in

spite of all weakness.

 

Whatever is happening--it is happening without forethought or any

concept of responsibility for future generations. One thing we need

badly in Vedanta is DVDs of talks with Swamis. Not much is available

for those of us who do not live near Vedanta centers. Anyway, I am sure

all know of the phenomenon I am speaking of in regards to demigods and

I am sure all have heard of the gurus so famous for producing jewels in

midair and marvels for the gullible. It may be cultural or even seen as

what some people need, but it too adds a obstacle of suspicion for

educated seekers. For better or worse, Westerner education emphasizes

empirical edvidence. In fact, Christianity proposes that is historical.

Mostly we do not operate from the concept that whether the account of

Jesus is historically accurate that the spiritual Christ from the

hearts of the devotees is real in the higher realm. I don't think we

have the concept of various realms of reality (?) as Hindu philosophy

does. Therefore, we focus on the empirical realm as taught to us by the

Greeks.

 

Regards Tomikin