How fake Guru's take us for a ride.

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

Buffetted by the problems of the world, the increasingly competitive

workplace, failing health, increased stress, decreased performance, failed

personal relations, more and more people are feeling insecure. The common man

feels that increasing his monetary income and acquiring assets will solve his

problems. However they only increase it. Troubled and frustrated at not finding

a solution and mentally weak from the experience men tend to fall at the feet of

any person who offers a quick cure-all.

 

The entire fake Guru industry is based around this insecurity. The Guru's (why

I am writing the word Guru with a capital G is that the word has spiritual

connotations and should not be mistreated) have their own followers who spread

the word of personal miracles so that the gullible may fall into a trap.

 

Guru's do not belong to any particular religion. We have Guru's of all shades

ranging from the fake pundit, the fake fakir to the fake father. They all offer

relief from poverty and disease if donations are made or conversions are agreed

upon. They play upon the religious beliefs of the people and take the names of

the Prophets to swindle people. They often succeed.

 

Many people ask, why do we need a Guru at all? Can't we depend upon our

individual intelligence? For those engaged in intellectual activities and who

are sheltered from some of the problems of the world this is applicable. They

are immensely capable of taking care of themselves. But for the others mired in

the world, it appears like a whirlpool of fears. They desparately seek

assistance.

 

They can go to their school or college teachers, important persons in society,

government authorities, parents and elderly for help instead of visiting these

fake Gurus. But we must be aware that corruption, apathy and selfishness has

gripped all sections of the society today. It is very difficult to find a good

teacher, a good politician, a good government servant. The parents are often

busy with their own problems and have little time for their children. A genuine

Guru should fill up the gap.

 

Who is a genuine Guru? Sri Ramakrishna states, "Observe a sadhu at both day

and night before believing him". What this means is that we should critically

examine both the public and private life of a holy man before accepting him/her

as a Guru. The real Guru makes few demands of his disciple. He gives good advice

and ensures that the disciple sincerely follows it. His decisions are impersonal

and without favour. He believes that it is the duty of God to feed him and take

care of his few needs. He is impervious to worldly criticism and does not fear

to do what he thinks is right as per the scriptures. Clearly the job of a Guru

is not so easy as is made out to be.

 

Even in this age of falsehood there are many Institutions that stand out as a

beacon light. The discriminate person should ferret out such institutions so

that he is not deceived. A Guru cannot make problems disappear with the wave of

a magic wand. He can only show the way, it is for the disciple to walk the path.

The Guru is the dispeller of darkness, a way out of the world, a way to tackle

the world, a way to make the world a better place. The world and society are not

made out of indulgences. They are made out of intense personal sacrifices. The

mythical Indian master weapon, Vajra, was made out of the bones of a sacrificing

holy man. Such is the power of self sacrifice.

 

I think we have the power to choose a Guru. If we choose the wrong one and

suffer, we ourselves are to blame.

 

Love & Regards,

Jagannath.

[Guest guest]

LOL the True Guru chooses the pupil - not the other way around - when the pupil

is ready the Master appears - the True Guru is a mystery, the True Guru can

never be anticipated, the Soul of the pupil is His sole concern, the lessons He

offers are life changing and always challenging, taking one away from one's

tendencies and inclinations - unless you experience this at first hand it can

only be an intellectual supposition and not the expansion of Reality and Truth.

 

Love and Laughter

Jane

 

 

> Troubled and frustrated at not finding a solution and mentally weak from the

experience men tend to fall at the feet of any person who offers a quick

cure-all.

 

> The entire fake Guru industry is based around this insecurity.

[Guest guest]

ayurveda, "Jane MacRoss" <HIGHFIELD

wrote:

>

> True Guru chooses the pupil - not the other way around - when

the pupil is ready the Master appears

 

In "An autobiography of a Yogi", Yogananda describes several such

spells cast by True Guru on pupil, so that pupil neither runs away, nor

does something harmful to himself. True Guru will always protect the

disciple like a mother protecting baby. He is seeking someone to donate

Spiritual inheritance to an able pupil.

[Guest guest]

Yes! And what a joy to read Yogananda! how we love him!

 

Shirish Bhate

<ayurveda> Re: How fake Guru's take us for a ride.

In "An autobiography of a Yogi", Yogananda describes several such

spells cast by True Guru on pupil, so that pupil neither runs away, nor

does something harmful to himself.

[Guest guest]

This is a good explanation that was given earlier. I might add that "Gu" means

dark and "Ru" means light so "Guru" means someone or something that brings one

from darkness to light. A Guru does not have to be a person. In the West this

definition has been adulterated. It has been used as a definition for teacher.

A teacher may be a Guru but very few teachers are Gurus. They may help bring

about knowledge but not spiritual enlightenment. In the US at least people

often refer to people who "supposedly" are knowledgeable but are not as gurus.

They might refer to someone who is overselling a product that will supposedly

revolutionalize their lives as a guru. They often refer to a person hawking a

product on a TV informercial as a guru.

 

By the way, my name does not denote that I am a Guru. Guru Bandhu means

servant of the Guru.

 

GB Khalsa

 

 

> True Guru makes the pupil able to walk with own legs.