A cheat sheet to recognize a bogus guru
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With so many faked gurus around, I think we should construct a cheat sheet with guidelines based on each one's experience on how to recognize (or at least suspect) a bogus guru...
My contribution:
* Too many miracles, too much emphasis on sidhis
* Too much intellectual work, too much mind work
* Too many people around, too many followers (!)
* Too much fears, too much karma and morality
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Sorry to say but people are stupid
Sorry to say but the masses are stupid.
Even if you give them guidelines they will follow bogus gurus the same way they follow bogus organized religions that betrayed their founders (Christianity & the crusades VS. Jesus & "Turn the other cheek", Judism & the occult rabbis (mekubalim) and their charms VS. Moses & "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" etc.)
Even if...
Even if a guru knows how to pause into a deep meaningful silence, it does not necessarily mean that he is enlightened...
Even if a guru knows how to gaze sharply into your eyes, it does not necessarily mean that he is enlightened...
Even if a guru knows how to give a blissful long smile, it does not necessarily mean that he is enlightened...
Even if you are with a faked guru, it does not necessarily mean that you will not benefit and grow...
Even if....
Even if you are so desperate to escape yourself that you project the ideal of enlightenment onto someone, it does not necessarily mean that you'll get back anything more than your own reflected fantasies.
Warnin signs for corrupted gurus
I like the warning signs provided in the wonderful book "From Here to Nirvana" by Anne Cushman & Jerry Jones.
They mention, more or less, the following signs for corrupted spiritual groups and gurus:
* Taboos - forbidden questions, doubts, reservations.
* Secrets - only a small inner circle holds hardcore of information.
* Spiritual Cloning - all disciples talk, dress, walk, behave the same and like their guru.
* Group Think - no place for individual perspectives or expressions of individual emotions.
* The Chosen - Feeling of complete exclusivity over truth against other traditions and gurus.
* No Graduation - you will always need the guru and the group.
* Production Line - disregarding personal differences on the path.
* Loyalty Tests - followers are required to prove their loyalty by doing things that contradict their moral believes.
* Double Face - daily conduct and public face do not reflect the guru's and group's internal behavior.
* One-dimensional Perception - one explanation to all, all other possibilities are rejected (e.g. if you feel sick then it is the wish of the guru, when you recovered - it was also the wish of the guru).
And the final and for me the strongest sign:
* NO SENSE OF HUMOR.
too much going against the
too much going against the stream (effort)
- or -
too much flowing with the stream (laziness)
IN LESSER TIME AND EFORT
Santthosh
IF A SEEKER HAS A PROPER GUIDANCE ONE WILL BE ABLE TO REALIZE IN LESSER TIME AND EFFORT. ONE HAS TO BURN ALL THE ACCUMULATE DROSS COLLECTED FROM EGO BASED SPIRITUALITY WITH THE SWORD OF TRUE KNOWLEDGE BASED ON TRUE SELF.
What does this mean?
The discussion is about how to recognize a bogus guru.
Anyway, how EXACTLY AND IN SIMPLE WORDS one is to "ONE HAS TO BURN ALL THE ACCUMULATE DROSS COLLECTED FROM EGO BASED SPIRITUALITY WITH THE SWORD OF TRUE KNOWLEDGE BASED ON TRUE SELF"?
THE TRUE SPRITUAL MASTER
Santthosh
SPIRITUAL QUEST IS A PERSONAL ADVENTURE. THE GURU IS NOT NEEDED IN PURSUIT OF TRUTH. YOU MAY REQUIRE GUIDANCE. ALL EGO BASED SO-CALLED SPIRITUALITY IS NOT THE MEANS FOR SELF REALIZATION.
A SPIRITUAL MASTER IS ONE WHO WILL NOT ACCEPT ANYONE AS HIS DISCIPLE BUT HE WILL GUIDE HIM AS HIS OWN FRIEND. HE WILL NOT ENTERTAIN GURU GLORIFICATION OR INDULGE IN RELIGIOUS OR YOGIC PRACTICE AND GOD GLORIFICATION.
HE NEVER SPEAKS OF GOD AND INDULGE IN GOD GLORIFICATION. HE ONLY GUIDES THE SEEKER TOWARDS THE TRUE SELF WHICH IS SPIRIT OR ATAMAN.
HE NEVER INDULGES IN PERFORMING MIRACLES NOR QUOTES RELIGIOUS SCRIPTURES TO PROVE HIS VIEW POINT.
MIRACLES,KARMA,HEAVEN,HELL,PARADISE,SIN EVIL,REBIRTH AND MORALITY ARE RELIGIOUS FABLES. ALL RELIGIOUS CODE OF CONDUCT ARE GOOD FOR WORLDLY LIFE. BUT IN SPIRITUAL PURSUIT THEY ARE OF NO VALUE.
THE SPIRITUAL MASTER NEVER WEARS ANY RELIGIOUS ROBE HE IS FREE FROM ALL RELIGIOUS FABLES.
BIFURCATE SPIRITUALITY AND YOGA THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIND A SPIRITUAL MASTER WHO WILL BE ABLE TO GUIDE YOU AND HELP YOU TO REALIZE THE TRUE SELF IN LESSER TIME AND EFFORT.
A REAL SPIRITUAL MASTER WILL NEVER CONDEMN THE RELIGION AND ITS GOD AND GURUS BUT HE WILL SAY THEY ARE PART OF THE ILLUSORY EXPERIENCE OF DIVERSITY.
The guru's voting and pro/con opinions
Check at the guru's profile the voting of users and the pro/con arguments about him.
Google the name of the guru and see forum topics and other posts with opinions about him. Very recommended is the Gururatings group at Yahoo.
Response
How about bogus critics of gurus? Can you make a sheet on that as well? Thanks. Looking forward to seeing it.
Open a forum thread on that...
I'm not sure I understand what you meant but anyway it sounds interesting: open a thread and explain what you mean...
I disagree...
I disagree on this 'cheat sheet' idea - there's no such thing in "real life" ;-). We should follow our own best wisdom, from moment to moment, not some predefined formula. If we do that, we're just as "guilty" of being bogus as the gurus we purport to label.
Life follows no rules, has no easy, predefined path. If we're after the truth, then we don't get a rug underneath us, as tempting as it may be...
http://www.omkaradatta.info
Come on... be real...
Dear ones,
I think we should be a bit more real and honest to ourselves and see that we cannot speak about what we dont really know. How can one speak about enlightened people if one is not there? again and again there are so many deep rooted belief systems in spirituality, its just amazing. how can you speak about love if you were never in love? this is what is happening... and then you say how to recognize a true master? in my opinion you can only do this if you're there, come on, be honest, be real.
Love,
Wahido
www.Wahido.com
Come on... Trust your instincts...
You don't have to be a flower to tell a blossoming flower from a plastic one...
You don't need to be a painter to tell a true talented painter from a fake amateur...
You don't need to be a singer to appreciate a good singer...
You have this thing called instinct or common sense that vibrates when you recognize aesthetics.
You can use this very same instinct also to recognize spiritual aesthetics.
You trust this voice in every aspect of life, why not when looking for a guiding master?
It can be very dangerous or at least a pity not to use it when you search for a guru.
The problem with that...
... is that the ego will never consciously seek its own demise. Thus, folks tend to go for teachings that do NOT undermine the ego, but instead strengthen it in some way.
I do not believe people can trust their instincts here, except after being with the guru for awhile. And I mean after some time, not immediately. If the results are freeing instead of binding, then it's probably the right guru, even if the teachings don't "feel good" all the time.
http://www.omkaradatta.info
One receives the Guru one deserves...
It is said in great traditions, one receives the Guru, one deserves. Eg Your own karma brings you to the correct Guru for that particular time.