Saturday, July 30, 2011

Of spiritual gurus and seekers: real and fake - part I

”There are more fake gurus and false teachers in this world than the number of stars in the visible universe,” says a Sufi Master. ”Don't confuse power-driven, self-centered people with true mentors. True mentors are as transparent as glass.” 

If a seeker demands cheap, easy, effortless methods for highest gains then he sure becomes an easy prey for these self appointed ‘Gurus’. These unscrupulous gurus offer grace and glory of  curative strength, failure-proof talismans, even ‘God’s own vermillion’ all for a reasonable rate, of course, to the unsuspecting, desperate seekers. For one who wants instant and immense gains without any investment then to become such an unscrupulous guru is seen as the easiest way.

This may also happen because many a person approaches a guru for every reason other than queries on spirituality. A spiritual guru is expected to have answers for financial, property, legal or marital issues. It is common sense that such issues need to be addressed by lawyers, counselors, financial advisers and so on, though a genuine guru may also offer advice on these. Even though one or all of these constitute our life experiences, one must approach a spiritual guru for better understanding of life and for spiritual evolution.

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