3 ms·

Not news. This phenomena surely was observed thousands of years ago in various cultures. There is a reason all occult spiritual paths require a “Master”, “Guru”

Not news. This phenomena surely was observed thousands of years ago in various cultures. There is a reason all occult spiritual paths require a “Master”, “Guru”, “Pir”, “Guide”. Nearly all such collectives subject members to ritual humbling until a degree of “spiritual maturity” is detected. Occult literature (and here I include the esoterica of various established religions) is rife with warnings as to the dangers of spiritual seeking without guidance. A wonderful self-test of one’s spiritual maturity is precisely the inner struggle of the novice with “accepting another as superior”. I suspect this has been and remains a fairly common experience for those on the spiritual path. The standing bug to this approach is the authenticity factor of the respective “master” [so shop around].

amatic 6y ago
I have absolutely no problem with accepting proof of superiority in some area. I will listen to demonstrated expertise. But what is the proof of knowledge in "spirituality"?
- eternalban 6y ago
  Perfect reflection is a good indicator. Find that well polished mirror, and keep in mind that the related literature is replete with the seekers praying for their master for years before meeting. Genuine yearning is apparently answered ..
pmoriarty 6y ago
It's the guru who is most susceptible to a feeling of spiritual superiority. The guru/disciple setup has led to all sorts of abuses throughout history.
- eternalban 6y ago
  This is also true but again not remotely “news”. But it is asserted that a genuine master is in fact superior and has mastered ‘something’. This is a person that has experienced the same precise pattern of development that all go through and has had to deal with the delusions of the ego (the thing that is mastered). So the issue remains authenticity. (Various schools are just different coherent symbolic systems built on top of a shared human experience.) My favorite story of a student meeting his master is the fabled encounter between Shams of Tabriz and the man who became known as Rumi. It seems genuine spiritual “birds of a feather” recognize one another and also recognize the “Fowler’s trap”. Both Shams and Rumi have [extensively discussed] this matter, and give it huge import.

amatic 6y ago

I have absolutely no problem with accepting proof of superiority in some area. I will listen to demonstrated expertise. But what is the proof of knowledge in "spirituality"?

eternalban 6y ago
Perfect reflection is a good indicator. Find that well polished mirror, and keep in mind that the related literature is replete with the seekers praying for their master for years before meeting. Genuine yearning is apparently answered ..

pmoriarty 6y ago

It's the guru who is most susceptible to a feeling of spiritual superiority. The guru/disciple setup has led to all sorts of abuses throughout history.

eternalban 6y ago
This is also true but again not remotely “news”. But it is asserted that a genuine master is in fact superior and has mastered ‘something’. This is a person that has experienced the same precise pattern of development that all go through and has had to deal with the delusions of the ego (the thing that is mastered). So the issue remains authenticity. (Various schools are just different coherent symbolic systems built on top of a shared human experience.) My favorite story of a student meeting his master is the fabled encounter between Shams of Tabriz and the man who became known as Rumi. It seems genuine spiritual “birds of a feather” recognize one another and also recognize the “Fowler’s trap”. Both Shams and Rumi have [extensively discussed] this matter, and give it huge import.