--- In [email protected], "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], braaahmaan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > > Excellent list. Could be used for major and minor "gurus". > > To me, it reads more like a "Test of Characteristics I Don't Think > Gurus Should Have." > > Even so, MMY doesn't do too badly on it. Some of the > criteria apply to him, but a lot don't.
Seems to me #s 2,3,6,13,14,15,16,17,20,21,23,24,25, and 26 apply. And I'm not even including the "outrageous titles" point, which MMY gives liberally to others but not himself, or the "questionable linneage" point, as the jyotir math shankaracharya linneage controversy is not directly related. I'm sure there are some who would include the "opulence" point and maybe a couple others. > > --- In [email protected], "markmeredith2002" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > http://energygrid.com/spirit/ap-falsegurutest.html > > > > > > 1. States his or her own enlightenment: The wisest > masters tend not > > > to state their own enlightenment or perfection for they know that > it > > > is both unhelpful to themselves and to their students. The false > > > teachers often make this claim because they have little else on > offer > > > to attract followers. > > > > > > 2. Is unable to take criticism: False teachers strongly dislike > > > either personal criticism or criticism of their teaching; they do > not > > > take kindly to ordinary unenlightened individuals questioning > them. > > > They or their organisations will even undertake multi-million > dollar > > > law suits to stop ex-members from spilling the beans. > > > > > > 3. Acts omnipotently with no accountability: Some spiritual > > > communities are run like concentration camps, with guru and his > chosen > > > ones acting like Gestapo officers. Unjust or outrageous behaviour > by > > > the guru is passed off as what is needed to help the followers > grow > > > (how kind). These are the dangerous gurus who have often severely > > > damaged their students. A real master respects your will even if > he or > > > she understands that your particular decisions may not be in your > > > interest, and he or she will act accountably to an ethical code of > > > conduct. > > > > > > 4. Focuses on enlightenment itself rather than teaching the path > > > leading to it: It is amazing how much false gurus have to say > about > > > enlightenment. They argue their points in the same way that the > > > scholars in the middle ages argued how many angels could sit on > the > > > head of a pin. Any fool can talk about the end goal because what > is > > > said is irrefutable to most of your listeners. What is skillful is > > > guiding those listeners to having awakening within themselves. The > > > real teacher focuses on the path and strictly avoids any talk on > > > enlightenment. > > > > > > 5. Does not practice what is preached: Contrary to spiritual > myth, > > > you don't reach a point of realization whereby you can then start > > > acting mindlessly. If a teacher preaches love and forgiveness, > then he > > > should act that way, at least most of the time, showing suitable > > > regret for any lapses). If he teaches meditation, he should > meditate. > > > If he insists that his followers live in austere conditions, so > > should he. > > > > > > 6. Takes the credit for a particular meditative or healing > technique: > > > The fact is that meditation and guided visualisation work. Anyone > > > doing them will experience major changes, benefits and > realizations. > > > The false guru will try to own or trademark particular methods and > > > techniques so that she has something unique to attract followers. > And > > > she will hijack the effects of meditation as the guru's blessing > > > rather than each individuals natural potential. Often the > students or > > > followers are forbidden from divulging the techniques to maintain > a > > > sort of intellectual property right, usually under the guise of > > > needing the technique to be taught correctly. > > > > > > 7. Specifically gives satsang or darshan when it is not part of > his > > > culture: Darshan is when the disciples or students of a master > line up > > > and to pass their master, who is usually seated, with either a > bow or > > > traditionally kissing their feet (yes it does happen). In the > East, > > > this is part of their culture and a normal thing to do to show > respect > > > and reverence (even children will kiss the feet of their fathers). > > > However, here in the West, such copycat behaviour is a strong > > > indication that the guru is acting a role. Satsang, on the other > hand, > > > means literally "the company of the Truth". In a deeper sense it > is an > > > affirmation of the Guru-Disciple relationship in Eastern > traditions. > > > But some Western gurus will use this terminology because they are > > > playing a role. > > > > > > 8. Lives in total opulence: There is nothing wrong with living in > > > luxury or being wealthy. But when that luxury turns to unnecessary > > > opulence using funds that were not explicity donated for that > purpose > > > then you are probably dealing with a false guru. Money is > collected > > > from followers usually in the form of donations, and those > donations > > > are given as an act of love, appreciation and to help spread the > > > influence of the master. However, a genuine master is more likely > to > > > use such wealth to lessen the suffering in this world, not to buy > > > another yacht, private jet or Rolls Royce. > > > > > > 9. Encourages or permits adoration from his followers: Avoid any > > > group that focuses on the "master" themselves rather than the > > > teachings or spiritual practices. This will be a hindrance to your > > > self-realisation for your focus will be drawn outside of > yourself, and > > > usually indicates that there is not a lot more on offer than guru > > worship. > > > > > > 10. Presents himself or herself overly fashionably and > glamorously: > > > Beware of masters who present glamour photographs of themselves > and > > > dress overly fashionably (whilst proclaiming that they have no > ego and > > > leading ego-death retreats). Yes it does happen! > > > > > > 11. Demands love and devotion from their students: Keep > clear of any > > > master who demands love and devotion. One very well known Western > guru > > > stated, "Anyone who loves me is guaranteed enlightenment"! Real > love > > > and devotion is earned over time when we begin to really know the > > > whole person and not their public image. > > > > > > 12. Speaks with an Indian accent or vernacular when he is > in fact a > > > Westerner: Not sure how much this happens now but there are some > high > > > profile Western gurus who have (or had) Indian accents, > mannerisms and > > > vernacular. This indicates that they are playing in their ego. > > > > > > 13. Runs expensive miracle workshops and courses: You are > unlikely to > > > reach enlightenment after a few weekend workshops with cheesy > titles. > > > In our society of "must have now", we want to be able to purchase > > > spiritual development with minimal fuss. Also, avoid meaningless > > > accreditation it is often used merely to encourage followers to > do > > > more courses. > > > > > > 14. Takes sexual advantage of his or her followers: This > happens much > > > more than many believe. It is not being prudish to include this > one > > > because when a follower falls under the spell of a guru he or she > is > > > likely to do anything for the Chosen One. It is only afterwards > that > > > it may dawn on the follower that his or her openness has been > used and > > > abused. This can be very psychologically scaring. > > > > > > 15. Flatters you and treats you as very special: Sure we > are all > > > special in some ways, but this is one of the things that a false > guru > > > may do to hook a potential follower or to get a current follower > to do > > > a particular task. Nothing can be more intoxicating to the ego > than to > > > be selected by the master or leader (or any high profile person). > A > > > real master will stand back and allow you to make your decision > > > whether to accept his or her teachings without trying to > influence the > > > process. > > > > > > 16. Talks bollocks: It is surprising what a person will > listen to > > > when he or she is devoted to the speaker. It is always a good > idea to > > > get hold of a written transcript of what has been said and really > read > > > the message. Then tell an open-minded friend who is not a follower > > > what their opinion is purely on the strength of the words. You > will > > > soon find out whether there is any real substance to the teacher's > > > message, or whether you are merely being drawn in by the charisma > of > > > the messenger. > > > > > > 17. Overly relies on slick presentation: Slick > presentation can often > > > mask poor content, and so it is important for you to look past the > > > lovely music and video shows at the actual message. The slicker > the > > > presentation, the harder it is to see what eactly the teaching is. > > > > > > 18. Gives him or herself outrageous titles: Not satisfied > by being > > > "merely" an enlightened being, many false gurus give themselves > titles > > > (or allow their followers to do so) to indicate that they are > > > literally God-Incarnate, the reincarnation of the Buddha or > Christ, or > > > THE chosen one. Some continually change their names, to keep pace > with > > > their burgeoning egos. > > > > > > 19. Runs abundance workshops: A guru or master is there > to help us > > > find an authentic life. This is nothing to do with becoming more > > > successful at work or making more money, although this may or may > not > > > follow from being more authentic. There is nothing wrong with > > > abundance weekends, but if we mistake spirituality for increased > > > business success, then we are guilty of spiritual materialism and > we > > > find ourselves deeper in the illusion. (The Japanese say that the > Gods > > > laugh at those who pray for money.) > > > > > > 20. Is not interested in you personally: If a teacher or > guru does > > > not have time to interact with you personally, then you may as > well > > > read his teaching from a book, because merely being in his > presence > > > doesn't help you find realization inside you. You may model some > of > > > his spiritual characteristics, but that often only places you > deeper > > > in illusion. > > > > > > 21. Allows his followers to set up a hierarchy of access: > A guru must > > > be accessible. If he is not, or if he allows his followers to > block > > > your access, then he is playing the role of a king and not a > spiritual > > > guide. A guru is only useful to the process of awakening if you > can > > > directly interact with him. > > > > > > 22. Makes false claims of lineage: Many mistakenly > believe that > > > realisation can only happen under the guidance of a realized > master. > > > In this belief system, gurus are only authentic when they come > from a > > > line or lineage of realized gurus. Desperate not to be left out, > some > > > gurus claim a false lineage of enlightened masters to bolster > their > > > authority to teach. Another pseudo form of "lineage" is to > recount a > > > miracle that once happened to them (maybe they cured themselves of > > > some disease or God spoke to them personally) which infers that > they > > > are "chosen" and therefore have the authority to set themselves > up as > > > teachers and gurus. > > > > > > 23. Presents themselves as non-profit whilst raking in > the millions: > > > Often, the false prophet will present her teachings for free, > whilst > > > strongly encouraging her devotees to make large donations. In > this way > > > she can appear above money considerations, whilst maintaining her > > > greed and opulence. > > > > > > 24. Collects a large band of angry ex-followers: This is > an > > > indication that something is seriously wrong. If she has used > kindness > > > and love in her interactions with her students, and has > discouraged > > > them from projecting denied spiritual characteristics onto the > guru > > > (rather than encouraging their integration into the self), then > it is > > > extremely unlikely that there would be more than a few > disheartened > > > ex's. Many might drift away and feel they have wasted their time, > but > > > they are only likely to have the great anger if they have put > their > > > teacher on a pedestal, given him their power, and later realized > that > > > he was never worthy of such adoration. Contrary to what some > believe, > > > it is actually the teacher's responsibility to strongly discourage > > > students from putting them on pedestals, for this is > counterproductive > > > to finding realisation inside. > > > > > > 25. Uses pseudo-technology: Many false profits and > organisations base > > > themselves around pseudo-technology in the effort to appear > scientific > > > special meters, communication devices (do you really expect the > > > aliens to use a mobile?) and energy clearing instruments and > pendants > > > that involve crystals and copper wire. Once again, this is to > distract > > > the unwary from the poor quality of the actual teaching. > > > > > > 26. Acts like a complete paranoid mad person: If your > Precious One > > > acts like a complete paranoid schizophrenic or psychotic then he > or > > > she probably is. Run! Remember that there is no such thing > as "crazy > > > wisdom"wisdom is the art of being balanced. However charismatic > they > > > may be, and sane between moments of madness, you WILL be damaged > by them > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Does he tell you he loves you when he hits you? Abuse. 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