[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: http://www.chakranews.com/sathya-sai-controversies-and-the-art-of-guru-bashing/1221 Sounds remarkably like some at FFL, doesn't it? The bottom line is that nothing critical ever said about a guru can ever be possible. It's all made up by People With Agendas (otherwise known in psychology as the ubiquitous they who are always persecuting the paranoid). Pure, paranoid elitism. What I consider much bigger and more interesting questions are, What is the nature of guru worship in the first place? What makes it 'tick'? I find the same answer to both questions: elitism. The bottom line of guru-worship is Some people are better than others. The corollary is, Because I am special enough and discerning enough to have found a 'real' guru, that makes me better than others, too. I don't buy it. Like Curtis, I have studied the theater of spiritual practice, and know that about 95% of what all seekers in history have felt from their gurus was projected there, as the result of falling for cer- tain verbal and visual cues (not to mention the occas- ional parlor magic trick) that were intentionally designed to inspire not only devotion, but unquestion- ing devotion. And that's fine (I guess) if you get off on such things. Some people do. Me, not so much. Thus at this point in my life I doubt that I would ever again swing behind studying with a teacher. Hanging out with a friend, someone who has learned more things about certain sub- jects than I have, no problem. But the key there is the word friend. There is not a popsicle's chance in hell that I'd ever be interested in anyone who felt the need to surround themselves with the pomp, circumstance, and bad theater of, say, a Maharishi or a Rama or a Sai Baba or an Amma, or most traditional teachers. They, as I think Vaj pointed out about Amma, are about recreating (or, probably more accurately, simulating) the mythic stories of spiritual teachers from the past. I'm just not into the past. I don't think it has all that much to teach us, other than lessons learned from the history of it all. I don't buy that people in the so-called Vedic era knew more than we do. I don't buy that the things they wrote down in books were some- how cognized or dictated by God. The guys and gals of the past were IMO just guys and gals. Their opinions may be interesting from a voyeuristic historical point of view, but that's what they were, opinions. IMO there ain't an ounce of Truth in their dead words on dead pages (or anywhere else for that matter), so I'm just not into reading them endlessly trying to project some kind of meaning into them that may or may not be there. I'm into the tantra of daily life. I am not wowed by miracles (having seen many of them), nor by shakti (having experienced a lot of it). To me these are cheap thrills that are pleasant enough at the time but don't do much for a seeker in the long run IMO. The lasting stuff comes IMO from one's *own* meditations and exper- iences, not from the latest traveling guru show. I *understand* that some are sold out to this notion that some people are better than they are, and that the only way they can achieve this betterness them- selves is to glom onto someone who they believe has it and do everything they say. And I *understand* that there is a great comfort in abdicating the responsibility for one's own spiritual advancement like this, and turning it over to someone else. It's just that I don't groove that way. I'm more of a spiritual DIY-er. I walk my own path, and don't particularly feel that I need a guide to tell me where it leads. I don't *care* where it leads. My path is goal-less; I walk it because the walking is fun, and almost always entertaining. All of this said, I have no problem with others glomming onto whatever spiritual teachers they want, for whatever reasons they tell themselves and others they do it. Have fun, and I wish you a fine ride. But don't come around assigning nefarious motives to me if I criticize those teachers. That's just cult paranoia, and makes *you* look stupid. There was no organized anti Sai movement, just as there was never any organized anti TM movement. It was (and is) a few individuals who have opinions, and state them publicly. Trying to make them into something more is just one more ego-bound exercise in cult paranoia and self importance IMO.
[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@... wrote: http://www.chakranews.com/sathya-sai-controversies-and-the-art-of-guru-b\ ashi ng/1221 That's right, and in fact I liked it so much that I copied the article here: Monday, April 25th, 2011 | Posted by Editor http://www.chakranews.com/author/romikaSathya Sai Controversies and the Art of Guru Bashing [Spiritual Guru - Sathya Sai Baba] http://www.chakranews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Spiritual-Guru-Sat\ hya-Sai-Baba.jpg Spiritual Guru - Sathya Sai Baba By Raj Sharma It is not uncommon now that for many Gurus, Rishis or Seers who have emerged from India, there has always been an unprecedented number of vicious attacks launched on them. These have come in the guise of slander, misquotes, false allegations and myriad smear campaigns. Moreover it is interesting to note that most of these attackers often turn out to be either individuals who have been suffering from dysfunctional complexes or personality disorders, or pseudo spiritualists, fundamentalists and Christian missionaries working at religions conversion of Hindus, or self-appointed- rationalist experts with highly opinionated, insular theories or dishonest television reporters and interviewers sensationalizing and tarnishing the image of Hinduism and Hindu Gurus, keeping with the trend of unprofessional, ignorant reporting and the highly biased- `paid news syndrome'. No doubt there have been many isolated cases in history where certain imposters and charlatans have deceived people parading in the garb of self- realized yogis. However to use such cases to generalize on all Hindu gurus is akin to defaming all doctors and the whole medical profession for the malpractices of a few. Such an attitude thus does not only reek of flawed human reasoning but also exposes an irrational bias towards Hinduism as a whole and a long- standing socio- political agenda of a malicious nature and intent to debase India's sacred culture and tradition. Let us start with the historical case of Swami Vivekananda the great philosopher teacher. When Vivekananda went to Chicago in 1893 to speak at the parliament of the world's religions, he was ridiculed by members of other faiths. This was not because of what he said, but because of everyone's lack of knowledge of Hinduism and their preconceptions of a faith based in mythology with worshiping of animals and nature. After this there were many attempts to defame Vivekananda by the church during his maiden US voyage because of his mass appeal, displaying that the anti-Hindu guru stance was taken by many over 100 years ago. This approach was also accepted by many and not challenged. Let us also take the current case with Sathya Sai Baba. Many have heard of him as the guru or Avatar who had performed untold miracles from childhood. Indeed we would find millions who have seen or benefited from his miracles throughout the world. Yet there has been a constant sinister smear campaign to malign his name and mission in the media. Over 90% of anti Sai allegations can be attributed to Tal Brook (Robert Taliaferro Brooke), who was often seen at Sai Baba's ashram in the 1970s. He proclaimed he was Sai Baba's number one western follower. He started the sexual allegations campaign, which initiated from him talking to an unidentified man Surya Das who was told by another unidentified man `Patrick' who had apparently had physical relations with Sai Baba. No one else has met these individuals. Why did Tal Brooke go to India? He stated that spirit guides, and belief in psychic stuff brought him to India and to Sai Baba. Why did he suddenly stop his pro Sai Baba work whilst at the Ashram titled The Amazing Advent? Which incidentally Sai Baba refused to bless. Why did he leave the ashram circulate his anti Sai Baba rumours soon afterwards? Because he stated he had demonic encounters, hearing voices of spirits, out of body experiences, but acknowledged that Sai Baba had Christ like powers that baffled top scientists. In 1976 Tal Brook published an anti Sai book titled Lord of the Air*. In the book and in subsequent years he has attacked Sai Baba Hinduism, suggesting that enlightenment is an evil path to Satan and that God-Men and Gurus are in a state of perfect demonic possession. He believes that Sai Baba embodies a timeless, demonic presence. What does this say about the integrity and objectivity of his claims against Sai Baba? What is also missing is the story of his constant high usage of drugs while at university India, and his drug induced hallucinations of being self-realized. Other Americans recognised him as a fanatic Christian at the ashram, which is contrary to his claim of becoming a Christian post Sai Baba. He was a member of the Neo-American Church founded by Arthur Kleps (a follower of LSD guru Timothy Leary). Kleps was alleged to be anti-Semitic by the Dutch police who expelled him from Holland. Tal Brooke has denounced Hollywood as being
[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, turquoiseb no_reply@... wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Rick Archer rick@ wrote: http://www.chakranews.com/sathya-sai-controversies-and-the-art-of-guru-b\ ashing/1221 Sounds remarkably like some at FFL, doesn't it? The bottom line is that nothing critical ever said about a guru can ever be possible. It's all made up by People With Agendas (otherwise known in psychology as the ubiquitous they who are always persecuting the paranoid). Pure, paranoid elitism. What I consider much bigger and more interesting questions are, What is the nature of guru worship in the first place? What makes it 'tick'? Guru worship is for cultists like you who don't realize the role of a Guru which leads to cult burnout leading to diseases like Small Penis Disorder and then you spend the rest of your life dabbling in Guru pedopharnelia. I have never hesitated in mocking Guru worshiping cultists like YOU at Ammachi. I'm PRO Guru but don't indulge in any Guru worshipping. Nor will I end up like you, a pathetic miserable old man who has to resort to lies and deception on Gurus. This attitude is because of *your cultist* behavior and a *gross misunderstanding* on the role of a spiritual Guru. I call it - Paranoid Guru Pedopharlenism Barry Wright: From Cultist to Paranoid Guru Pedopharnelism sounds like a nice title for your biography. I have always admired your writings skills - Hope you take the proposed name as my humble offering. I find the same answer to both questions: elitism. The bottom line of guru-worship is Some people are better than others. The corollary is, Because I am special enough and discerning enough to have found a 'real' guru, that makes me better than others, too. This is why you got in to spirituality so you could feel better than others. Spirituality is not about feeling special, in fact communism can exist only in spirituality. Equality is not possible in the outer world, it is only possible in the inner world, everyone can be one with the essence and that *includes* you. I don't buy it. Like Curtis, I have studied the theater of spiritual practice, and know that about 95% of what all seekers in history have felt from their gurus was projected there, as the result of falling for cer- tain verbal and visual cues (not to mention the occas- ional parlor magic trick) that were intentionally designed to inspire not only devotion, but unquestion- ing devotion. You are onto something here. That 95% includes you and Curtis right? Are should we round it off to 96%? When people come to spirituality they come wounded, they come hurt, painful and betrayed by the material world which promised them much happiness. These people usually are more intense than ordinary people who are quite content to band-aid their misery with a 4 hour commute, 50 hour job, a spouse, house and kids. When these people come to spirituality they naturally want to belong, they may indulge in a bit of Guru worship, they are excited - they have new toys. Eastern puja materials, bhajans, kirtans, lots of books to read. But slowly they come to realize that the real principles of spirituality and the role of a Guru. That the real purpose of a Guru is to point to your inner Guru. And that's fine (I guess) if you get off on such things. Some people do. Me, not so much. Thus at this point in my life I doubt that I would ever again swing behind studying with a teacher. Hanging out with a friend, someone who has learned more things about certain sub- jects than I have, no problem. But the key there is the word friend. That is perfectly all right. There is not a popsicle's chance in hell that I'd ever be interested in anyone who felt the need to surround themselves with the pomp, circumstance, and bad theater of, say, a Maharishi or a Rama or a Sai Baba or an Amma, or most traditional teachers. There is always pomp and theater around Gurus, that shouldn't distract a discriminating one. The true goal of a spiritual Guru is to encourage the seeker to be an individual. I'm into the tantra of daily life. I am not wowed by miracles (having seen many of them), nor by shakti (having experienced a lot of it). To me these are cheap thrills that are pleasant enough at the time but don't do much for a seeker in the long run IMO. The lasting stuff comes IMO from one's *own* meditations and exper- iences, not from the latest traveling guru show. You are right, experiences that don't lead to a balance and integration is worthless. Obviously they haven't done a thing to you. You remain quite stunted. I *understand* that some are sold out to this notion that some people are better than they are, and that the only way they can achieve this betterness them- selves is to glom onto someone who they believe has it and do everything they say. And I *understand* that there is a great comfort in abdicating the responsibility for one's own spiritual advancement like
[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
and this one? Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 | Posted by Editor http://www.chakranews.com/author/romika Sathya Sai Baba, the Divine Alchemist By Tina Sadhwani [Sathya Sai Baba represented in a portrait - Sai master of the universe] http://www.chakranews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Sathya-Sai-Baba-re\ presented-in-a-portrait-Sai-master-of-the-universe.jpg Sathya Sai Baba represented in a portrait Sai master of the universe It has been said that at every turning point and every great epoch of the earth's existence there has often been one extraordinary being standing at the leading edge of light, unravelling the consciousness in which the transcendent descends into the physical, in which the cosmic pulse of the universe converges to a point, to a singularity that is at once human with its manifested boundaries, as well as suprahuman, displaying its infinite capabilities. Both heaven and earth have collaborated in the sacred alchemy of such a creation and in the divine birth of such an extraordinary being. In the language of the Hindus, such a sacred being is referred to as the Avatar. He is the direct, super-conscious descendent of the same force that shapes the universe and renders it its harmonies and balance. He symbolizes the unity of all existence and the pinnacle of the divine intelligence that is diffused in all things. To many around the world who have experienced him, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, is the living embodiment of such a force and spiritual descent, that unifies all the planes of existence, from the cosmic to the planetary and finally to the individual, guiding humankind to the next stage of evolution, signifying the ultimate transformation and alchemy of Spirit and opening us to the possibilities of a higher dynamism, a higher principle by which we may actualize our own greatest potentials. He therein points us to our own hidden depths for the divinity of which he is an extension is immanent in every one of us. As he says himself that we all are integral parts of the same omnipresent reality in which we are all inseparably connected, from which we all emanate and to which we all return. To recognize that we are vibrations of the same sacred essence however demands a sense of freedom of perception that uplifts us from the narrow precepts of our own mind. .. Moreover, Baba has also brought back the ancient and illuminating wisdom of the Vedic era back into our lives as he reminds us in his own words My love towards the Veda is equalled only by my love towards Humanity Every human being must revere the Vedas. It is the very foundation of life. The welfare of the nation and the prosperity of the world are dependent on the Vedas The Vedas are a means of establishing a link with the Divine.. http://www.chakranews.com/sathya-sai-baba-the-divine-alchemist/1213
[FairfieldLife] Re: Nabby will like this one
turquoiseb: It was (and is) a few individuals who have opinions, and state them publicly... A lawsuit was created in the Superior Court of California on January 6, 2005 (Case No. 05cc01931). But realizing that the exposure was high Rahm eventually refused to go to court. No other alleged victim came forward to testify in support of his allegations, though anti-Sai activists claimed there were many alleged US victims...
