A Groovy Guru
Mar. 28th, 2025 10:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphilo One of the people I follow on YouTube- and like, but have come to think a little naive and uncritical- is always banging on about Yogananda- one of the earliest of the groovy, Indian-born, California based Gurus; and there's something in me reacts unfavorably to groovy gurus.
Curiosity aroused, hackles raised.
Who was this Yoganada guy? I looked online (always the first recourse) and if you can judge a man by his disciples it's not looking so good. Some of those who followed him into gurudom have been exposed under the lights that shine more brightly these days- as fakers and sex-abusers, and those who simply follow him can be found going "Baa, baa, baa" in hurt and indignation if anyone says a word against him.
We are all god-men and godwomen. Pay attention to your own inner light and don't rely on somebody else's. Take advice, certainly, pick up handy hints from the specialists, but don't set them above you. "Call no man master".
By one of those little nice little seemingly accidental quirks of synchronicity a copy of best-selling Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi slipped into my hands yesterday. I've read a chapter and will persevere. Thus far it seems like any other piece of ego-driven self-promotion- only with added miracles. But anyone can claim miracles, anyone can spout truisms, anyone can teach yoga techniques. These things don't make you an avatar- except insofar as everyone is.....
Curiosity aroused, hackles raised.
Who was this Yoganada guy? I looked online (always the first recourse) and if you can judge a man by his disciples it's not looking so good. Some of those who followed him into gurudom have been exposed under the lights that shine more brightly these days- as fakers and sex-abusers, and those who simply follow him can be found going "Baa, baa, baa" in hurt and indignation if anyone says a word against him.
We are all god-men and godwomen. Pay attention to your own inner light and don't rely on somebody else's. Take advice, certainly, pick up handy hints from the specialists, but don't set them above you. "Call no man master".
By one of those little nice little seemingly accidental quirks of synchronicity a copy of best-selling Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi slipped into my hands yesterday. I've read a chapter and will persevere. Thus far it seems like any other piece of ego-driven self-promotion- only with added miracles. But anyone can claim miracles, anyone can spout truisms, anyone can teach yoga techniques. These things don't make you an avatar- except insofar as everyone is.....
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Date: 2025-03-28 02:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-03-28 04:42 pm (UTC)