Reply below: **
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Richard J. Williams" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Marek Reavis wrote: > > But, based on everything I have heard or > > read about Guru Dev, I feel that his > > character and personality are totally > > worthy of emulation, reverence and respect. > > > From what I've read, Rajaram Mishra fully supported > the Indian varnashramadharma system. That's why > he didn't include Mr. Varma on the list of worthy > successors in his will. Mahesh was of the Sudra > caste from a family of scribes, and thus not > eligible for the title of sannyasin. > > It may be that Rajaram was am arch conservative > as well - not a single woman was included in his > will either. Which is odd, since he supposedly > worshipped the Goddess Saraswati. I wouldn't be > surprised if Guru Dev fully supported the > conservative party in Indian politics as well. > Apparently Mr. Mishra was addicted to betel > leaves and enjoyed a good chew after every meal. > > So, how are you going to emulate these qualities, > not to mention the idea of total celibacy and > skipping the whole stage of a householder? I > mean, it's great to respect holy men, but emulation > of them is not for this age. I once read a story > about Ramakrishna that related how he refused to > sleep with his own wife. Go figure. > > Yes, I like Brahmananda, Maharishi and Yogananda, > and lots of other teachers too, but it's probably > counterproductive for anyone on the spiritual > path to indulge in a cult of personality and > insinuate that their teacher is divinity itself > and thus try to emulate their behavior. MMY is a > case in point - so is Trungpa or Fredrick Lentz. > One drank hisself to death and the other killed > hisself with a dog collar around his neck. > > Be your own Guru. > **end** Excellent comments, thank you. Absolutely, we are our own guru; the utilization of Divine Teachers, living or dead, and images of God, is only a projection of our own highest sense of Self onto an 'other' so we have something to put Attention on; basically a movement, either as an intermediary step towards a clearer sense of Self, or as end in itself if you find just the perfect configuration in a projection (the Shri Yantra comes to mind as non-representational but perfect projection). Guru Dev is a hero to me. The fact that he was a monk, and that Maharishi's whole program came wrapped in a type of spiritual glamour regarding monkish virtues (even though Maharishi famously taught "meditation for householders"), certainly informs some of my emulation of Guru Dev; but I meant 'emulation' more as to integrity and focus rather than specific lifestyle or ashrama. The speculation that he was likely a very traditional and conservative Brahmin Hindu who probably espoused political and social views that I wouldn't share, also doesn't affect my sense of reverence and affection. So too, whatever tastes he may have cultivated or addictions he may have cherished; betel, coffee, bhang, tea or chillum -- who cares. These things are all expressions of the cultural and political milieu into which a personality is born and steeped in. But the cult of personality seems to be a fundamental human characteristic. The key, I guess, is to find (or project) a personality that is worthy of the cult, regardless of where in time or where in the world it was formed. Generally speaking, Buddhism seems to have gotten that pretty right. Christianity, less so, in my opinion; same with Islam. Hinduism seems robust but very spotty. Anyway, thanks again for the post. Marek
