No Fame, Thank You

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After having read Jesus' warning in Matthew 6:1, where he plainly declared that the one who receives "earthly reward" (clearly talking about fame) would receive no "reward from the Father"-- the afterlife reward of good karma, there is zero interest in obtaining any personal fame. Of course, this is just the opposite of almost every spiritual teacher; they often seem desperate to get their names in the headlines.
They long for fame, lust after it. But this passion is backwards and upside-down. Becoming wellknown is, according to the Christ, the worst possible outcome for a spiritual person! I prefer to follow Jesus rather than those selfstyled "gurus" and "teachers," the "reverends" and "fathers" who are receiving their reward in full, right now, on earth.
This is similar to trading in gold for lumps of mud.:)
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Cultic Counterfeits of Spirituality

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No, my friend, I do not know, or know of, the man whom you mentioned, Himavat Ishaya. But I think that you are very wise to respond to your intuitive feelings about him. Sadly, the metaphysical and "spiritual" communities have always been special havens for lunatics, phonies, fakes, and charlatans. When a person makes a claim to be on a spiritual path -- and especially if she or he claims to be a "teacher"-- one should be able to see at least some of the Spirit working through her, as Love, joy, peace, or egolessness. The latter implies material simplicity and the total absence of greed. Anyone who talks too much about himself, his "famous" or "numerous" students, his money, or his personal spirituality is a phony. Also, anyone who over-charges for seminars, lectures, etc, is also a fake.

These bogus-teachers are rampant throughout the vulnerable "spiritual" community, because spiritual people are more open than most to non-traditional views. And, in some psyches, this fine openmindedness slips over the line, and becomes simple gullibility.
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Spiritual Teachers and Egos

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The ego is not the "enemy" of the enlightened. Instead, it is her teacher. As part of the Mind, it is also the creation of the One, and so, has a valid reason for existence.

Still, yielding to its domination (it is always wanting to control everything) is ignorance and darkness. So, especially in a spiritual teacher, we should look for the concealment of the ego, not its prideful display.

The ego is a small but real part of the identity of the Mind. Specifically, it is the "role" that Mind is playing in the "stageplay" of this earthly life. Everyone, including the sage, has one. But the sage, in wisdom, conquers or overcomes her ego with Love.

That means that she reidentifies with the Spirit of Love, or Lovemind. This process begins with a de-identification vis a vis the ego. She says, "I am not just this body," and, "I am not the identity that adheres to, or within, this body. I am not the timebased ego."

Gradually, her identity is transformed: "I am not a physical body" grows into, "I am a nonphysical mind." In time, that evolves into, "I am not just this conscious mind, but an ancient Mind that has lived for many ages-- a Soul." With the passage of more time, this realization blossoms into, "This Soul is part of the Mind of the One. So, It is Love Itself. I am an incarnation of Love, of the One."

This does not lead to selfconscious pride; if the thought leads there, it is anti-enlightenment. This realization leads to the egoless state. It is full enlightenment. This is becoming a sage, or master.

But, free of ego, and free of the need to manipulate others to approve of her (receiving her validation from within only) the sage or master would never, could never, claim to be a "sage" or "master." Thus, you can rest assured that anyone who ever claims to be any sort of "master" is working from an unhealthy ego; she is proving her absence of true masterhood. For one major mark of a master is always her humility. The unenlightened is always so very insecure that she feels that she cannot "afford" humility, and so, is very rarely humble.

So, any so-called "spiritual teacher" who puts herself "on display" is a fraud and a phony. Perhaps she is not simply deceiving, but selfdeceived as well. But any "teacher" who talks about herself rather than the Way is fake. You need to run, not walk, in the opposite direction!

Specifically, any teacher who tries to impress people with her "famous" students, or her "many" students is only pretending. The greatest masters in all human history, Jesus and Gautama (the Buddha(, did not value their disciples in terms of numbers. And anyone who tries to show you how "important" she is by saying that she has "thousands" of followers is only childishly, and ignorantly, selfdisplaying the ego.

Anyone who boasts of how "well-known" she is, how "famous," has also missed the entire point of enlightenment, and denied it. She is suffering from one of the most serious diseases in the whole of mysticism-- egotism. It is a disease that makes the pathetic ego-selfesteem feel better for a few minutes, but it seriously wounds the
Soulmind.

A teacher, in our world, must use an egoname. Jesus, Gautama, and other fine mystics used them. But, in the life of a true teacher, the ego or name must never be the center of the teaching, or the work. Any "teacher" who boasts or brags about her "many incarnations," and any teacher who amusingly claims to have been great beings from the past is laughable from a spiritual perspective. She is also quite pathetic. And she is certainly not enlightened-- not even close!
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Thoughts about Gurus

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The ego of others is not a problem. Discerning whether or not a person is still locked in ego is not our problem.

Never has it ever been denied by Love Ministries that there have been several enlightened people from the East. In fact, the Way of Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism have always been recognized and publicly acknowledged as Ways of truth and wisdom.

It is not necessary for us to declare that any particular individual is either "enlightened" or otherwise. You seem to have several "gurus" whom you feel need "defending" from me, but the honest truth is that I have never "attacked" any that you have mentioned, and have zero plans to do so in the future.

It is good that you have found security in the acceptance and following of these teachers. I would simply ask you for the toleration and understanding of a man who has followed no particular guru, and, again, has no plans to do so. For Light is Light, whatever the source. As Jesus implied, if there were no teaching mystics, God would cry out from the stones! (Much about the Way can be learned, in fact, from crystals!:)

Thanks for your concerns.
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"Masters" and Spiritual Development 2

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In recent years, many have claimed to be "masters" of one spiritual or metaphysical path or another. But a true master will never egoistically call herself a "master," under any conditions. For a master is one who has disclaimed, overcome, and risen above ego. And any claim to be a master only supports and reinforces ego.

It follows logically, even inevitably, that anyone who dares claim to be a "master" is a phony, fraud, or fake.

Jesus said, for example, in the famous "Gospel of Thomas," "I am not your master." For the true master is master of the self only, with its plethora of weaknesses and ignorance, drives and urges.

You can, then, safely ignore anyone who has the audacity to call herself a "master."

But the largest gaffs have been committed by self-proclaimed "gurus." There are true gurus, for the word guru is, in Sanscrit, only a "teacher."

Again, anyone who presents himself (almost all have been male) as a special or superior avatar (incarnation of God) is also a phony. For we are all avatars. What else could a sentient (self-aware) being be? That is why it is so important to treat all sentient beings with Love.

But, although loving them, we do obeisance, offer worship, to none. For to worship any being means that the being is superior to us, and we are all God (Love) in flesh (incarnation).

A "guru" named Sai Baba claimed to be very, very special, and an enlightened master and special avatar. But several of his former followers defected from his cult, and unmasked him as a pedophile. Regularly, he raped many little boys.

The fake Rajneesh was betrayed not only by kinky sex, but by materialism and greed. No true master will, or can, ever exhibit greed, for it is a vast weakness of the lower nature. Rajneesh wanted a Rolls-Royce for every day of the year, a different car for every day.

Then, there is Mahesh Yogi. His system, tm, is an ancient one, and has helped many. But he insisted that the tm people have their own schools, and that a picture of his ego-face be placed in the schools. He, like Rajneesh, also gave into greed: He offered his "meditation services" to municipalities; he would charge each city millions of dollars for this "service."

The list of phony gurus is as long as that of fake ministers, and it is boring. So, we can logically present this principle: Human gurus are unreliable. You are standing on very shaky grounds if you worship, adore, or follow any human guru, minister, elder, or priest.

What was said earlier about your "interior child" applies here: As we become adults, in a spiritual sense, we are supposed to leave behind external "mommies" and "daddies." We are supposed, instead, to cultivate interior personal wisdom and Love. For this is the "interior Buddha or Christ."

We are not supposed to look to outer "daddies" for our answers. For interior "parents" are quite as sick as interior "children." We can seek knowledge, even suggestions, anywhere. But instead, we are supposed to meditate, and study, meditate and study, over and over, until we discover a part of our minds called the "interior Teacher." (This has been called the "Buddha," "Christ," "Krishna," "Holy Spirit," "Lovemind," "Godmind," etc.) We are to continue each day to educate this highest Self by observing, studying, and listening to, our world and our events and situations. It takes time. But, in the meanwhile, while this Self is still developing, we do have the guideline of pure Love. Stainless Love will never mislead you, never betray you. So, create the very highest Love that you can imagine. Picture this as your highest, most perfect Sellf. Then, follow this highest Self when you have questions or complexities along the Way.

For, as has been proved over and over again, without a question or doubt, following human leaders can be a path to disaster, personal catastrophe, and cynical skepticism.
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