Greetings,

Various discussions here about gurus make me wonder --what is the amazing power in the self-images of persons who set themselves up as gurus?
Does every self have the power that we find operating in gurus and some political leaders and others?
Do 'believers' have the same powers as gurus? or
Is there an opposite to a 'guru-ish' state of mind?

I would appreciate hearing your comments.

Bets

Hi Bets,

By definition a guru is a teacher and whether we realize it or not we are all teachers. Sometimes we teach love, patience and kindness, other times we teach hate, prejudice, and partiality. This is the world in which we live. It’s a world where freedom of choice exists, which is actually a blessing, albeit one that might exist in disguise.

Perhaps another question is… What makes a guru a guru? I suppose a guru that is a known guru could not exist if that person did not have students or followers that agreed with that person’s teachings. In that respect it is really the people that follow a person that give credence or power to any gurus teachings.

Now to the discussion going on the other thread, I think the following quote from Albert is excellent! The point I see is when we start to say something in contrast to another’s belief we need to be careful to not cause harm to that other person. Everything a person knows and understands is subjective, especially in religious/spiritual matters. If we condemn a particular teacher/guru we run the risk of teaching hate/prejudice rather than love/kindness by discounting another person’s belief and experience as valid and helpful to that individual. The message Albert received seems to me to be valid in all situations. To do otherwise would be to try to control the choices of another and ultimately that person’s inner divine guidance.

Quote:


The divine essence within each of us leads us to exactly what we need to experience in life. And that’s the beauty of life itself… living life moment to moment and experiencing whatever it is that life presents to us so we may grow in love by choosing love in all circumstances. That is what I think enlightenment / God realization is all about, as well as the teachings of all great spiritual gurus/advisors/teachers.

Certainly all gurus/teachers struggled with fear/ego just as each of us do ourselves? “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Aren’t we all gurus when it comes to that subject?  

Love, Kathy

Albert, when you received the message to not interfere in the person’s way of thinking did you feel like you were “sticking your head in the sand” or did you feel like it was taking right action in the expression of love and respect for the other person?

Is there some reason why Christ’s message to you would be valid for one person and not for everyone else?

K

Perhaps it is all theater, one huge drama with a varying cast of players. Perhaps some folks just naturally enjoy taking the leading role characters in the plays, or maybe this is someone's big moment.

Who knows?

Some of the little characters are wonderful, aren't they? Without them there would be no story at all, would there? There would just be someone standing by themselves making a long speech.

That's kind of fun too, but not night after night.

But, it's funny. It's those "thorn in your side" people, no matter where they are located in the production, who seem to stick out in my mind, in a familiar way, almost a reassuring way. Oh, here comes the "bad guy" -- and we all settle back in our seats for a good show.

Some people like to watch boxing, and other sports.

I don't care for those too much every time but, then, I'm not tied to my seat, am I?

That's right, I'm flying...

I don't remember who taught me how to do it, or when exactly that I learned how to do it, and my feeling is, it just sort of happened.

I was looking up at the sky one day, and suddenly I was there. Wow, you can really see a lot from up here.

Hello, you!

Ha ha ha ha

All the time my guidance asks me, "Do you think we have lead you to this healing so you can give it all away and not take any for yourself?"

I think it is ONLY about yourself, and that giving it away is giving it to yourself. Jesus said "What I Am, you are. What I can do you can do. This and more will you do." Gurus and masters just learn how sooner, I guess. And Masters create other Masters, not students, not customers.

So, my friends, take some for your self intentionally. It is all about you in the end anyhow, just as it is all about me from ymperspective....

And, Recoverer, I do NOT consider you a negative person AT ALL. Just a realist.......

You create it all, and most important your self image, IMO.

Thomas

Hey Joe, I was referring to Albert saying the message he received was from Christ not anything to do with a life review.

I might mention that I am not trying to censure anyone. What I'm trying to say is that if we are not considerate of others we run the risk of causing more harm than good.

K

I had a co-worker friend once who was a Muslim from India. (Well he proabaly still is that!). We would occasionally venture into discussions of culture and religion.

Among many other things he pointed out to me, he did point out that there is a culture in India, in that part of the world, of having a guru, a teacher. There is a cultural phenomenon of accepting that someone is a teacher and the way to be taught is to have complete devotion and obedience to this person. That is part of the tradition for passing on whatever knowledge or wisdom is held. I imagine in that culture on the other side of the world, that the cultural "rules" about this sort of thing are well-understood, just as we understand what rabbis, priests, and ministers may or may not do. Take the boy out of the country...ah, uh, take the guru out of the original context and stick him in USA and ....maybe something is lost.

I think there have been some really interestin gpeople back in the old country who may have been called "guru". Like the one Richard Alpert who later was called Ram Dass went to study with or whatever....something was/is different about some of these folks. But they are here to tell us we all have this potential, no?

I just got back from out yearly jaunt to Omega and I sat in the Ram Dass library one evening and gazed at pictures of about 9 or 12 of these folks from the area of India...all now passed over, all but one men, and read their brief bios. And it seemed to me the message of each of them was something to do with what we here call PUL.

I mean, if someone is conciously accessing great levels of PUL and able to live it, is it an ego trip to say, "I'm willing to be a guru (teacher)" ? (Sorry I'm not good with those names. I think one of them was Meher Baba but I'm not sure. forgot the woman's name.)

I'm wondering if some of these folks are able to access some of those levels Thomas has been talking about, access them while they are also fully awake, simultaneously with accessing C1. What could you do if you could do that (think in simulcast! Listen in stereo!).

Of course, some less-accomplished beings may think they are there...may not know the difference, though some may conciously deceive.

In the Western tradition, there is one line of thought I hadn't considered in a while...people are born on different colored rays and that affects what they can do here. I think you  may have heard this discussed, I'm not sure of the details. But I heard someone describe Richard Nixon as having been born on a red ray, meaning he was born to lead. Not my favorite person, though I can deal with him better than with a Hitler who also was undoubtedly born on a red ray. But some folks do have the charisma and confidence of ...natural-born leaders!

Opposite to guru-ish state of mind....hmmmm... depends on the guru..but what is the opposite of PUL?