Go see the film Kumare Story of a False Prophet by Vikram Gandhi.
VG was concerned about the yoga guru craze. As an experiment he decided to impersonate an Indian guru, named himself Kumare.
He got a following. Worried about the effects on his followers, he revealed this had all been an impersonation.
Some continued to believe in him.
The one person who was enraged and refused to forgive him was a woman who had formed the ambition of becoming his publicist and securing an important role in his spiritual empire.
[www.google.com]
And there is a something called the Dr Fox effect. If you speak gibberish but in a very confident manner, it can impress people who show up expecting something.
[www.google.com]
Key thing is, how can one learn from people without mythologizing them.
In the satsang scene, every teacher has a legitimation narrative, a reason why its better to see this guy or gal vs all the others.
The mythologizing sets in. Its marketing.
Then there is the chatter back and forth. I went to Tiru. I just returned from so and so's ashram in the Netherlands.
Or from Arizona, San Rafael, Santa Cruz, Byron Bay, Totnes, etc.
Dont spend more money and time than you can afford.
VG was concerned about the yoga guru craze. As an experiment he decided to impersonate an Indian guru, named himself Kumare.
He got a following. Worried about the effects on his followers, he revealed this had all been an impersonation.
Some continued to believe in him.
The one person who was enraged and refused to forgive him was a woman who had formed the ambition of becoming his publicist and securing an important role in his spiritual empire.
[www.google.com]
And there is a something called the Dr Fox effect. If you speak gibberish but in a very confident manner, it can impress people who show up expecting something.
[www.google.com]
Key thing is, how can one learn from people without mythologizing them.
In the satsang scene, every teacher has a legitimation narrative, a reason why its better to see this guy or gal vs all the others.
The mythologizing sets in. Its marketing.
Then there is the chatter back and forth. I went to Tiru. I just returned from so and so's ashram in the Netherlands.
Or from Arizona, San Rafael, Santa Cruz, Byron Bay, Totnes, etc.
Dont spend more money and time than you can afford.