Following a Guru
As most of the people who read me regularly must be aware by-now that I am a disciple of Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh @ Osho and try to follow his guidance in my daily life. On this auspicious occasion of birth anniversary of Osho, I thought of sharing some of my views on following a Guru.
It is normal for me or for any other disciple of Osho to question the genuineness of Osho. Not only Osho, almost every Guru or a person claiming to be a Guru faces these types of checks regularly and a genuine seeker should be receptive towards it. I personally feel that those followers are very immature or childish who get enraged just because some questions are raised on their Master. This shows at least one thing that their Master didn’t teach them receptivity and patience. A seeker or disciple should have trust that his Guru or Master is capable of handling these allegations by himself and that there is no need for him to lose his own mind over it.
One may feel that situation can be a tricky one when Guru or Master has left his physical body and is not physically present to defend Himself; for example – someone like Osho. I won’t be bothered even in this scenario as Osho has left ample literature on his teachings, which can answer all questions or doubts regarding him and his ways of working. It only needs an attentive, penetrating and open mind to understand him. If people still are engaged in questioning ways of Osho then it only shows that they never read him properly and jumped directly into the questioning mode.
Another way of looking at it is that if you start questioning or doubting the functioning of a Guru then you may be falling into the trap set by him. As discussed in the article on Spiritual Devices (https://www.astrosaxena.com/Devices), Masters from time to time create many devices for people in general and their disciples in particular to check their evolution in consciousness. So, by questioning him and his ways, we have actually fallen into the trap set by him as we have proven that we are not focused on Self but on others whereas a Guru’s only guidance to people is to focus on Self.
I had a similar question coming from a person a couple of years back when they asked that why people act in crazy ways during meditation sessions. Are they paid to act like that? I happened to reply that this only shows your focus during the meditation session. You should be focused internally, as that is the only purpose of Meditation.
One can always question the authority of the Guru to create Devices and set the trap for his disciples?
Well, the moment a disciple accepted him as his Guru, the disciple himself has given all the rights of his life in the hands of the Guru. Now, it is a Guru’s responsibility or Duty to check the growth or evolution of his disciples from time to time. So, a Guru’s main concern while creating those devices is the progress of his own disciples but since those devices are implemented in normal walk of life, they can work as devices for the whole humanity and can help everyone to raise the general level of consciousness.
But then there is one more layer to it. I can easily understand if people have questions or doubts over someone like Osho who has kept a highly controversial image in society, it is obvious to doubt him and a reluctance to follow him. People may find discrepancies in his preaching and practices. So, for a moment, I am ready to accept Osho as the biggest Conman of all times.
But now tell me who do you find as the Genuine one? From Bhagwan Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa to Eckhart Tolle, do people find anyone as Genuine? This list would include Gurus like Yukteshwar Giri, Paramhansa Yogananda, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Swami Vivekananda, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Neem Karoli Baba, Avtar Mehr Baba, Bhagwan Shri Raman Maharishi, Nisargdatta Maharaj, Mooji and many more.
I can understand if people have doubts over Osho but do they feel that any of these above mentioned greats was a genuine Guru?
Now, if people say NO then the problem or mistake is with people that you can’t see the genuineness of any one. May be you yourself are not genuine because life is a mirror and you can only see what you are.
And be careful if you say a YES to the above question, because then I would like to know how you followed the teachings of that particular Guru whom you consider as the genuine one.
a. If you feel that Yukteshwar Giri or Paramhansa Yogananda was genuine then did you learn and practice Kriya Yoga?
b. If you feel that Bhagwan Shri Raman Maharishi was genuine then did you even try to read his main book “Who Am I?” and followed the path laid down by him.
c. If you feel Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the genuine one, then did you try to learn and practice Transcendental Meditation?
d. People normally quote Swami Vivekananda “You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of Gita."
That is true but even that is not your own realization. You needed a Guru like Swami Vivekananda to get to this idea. Most importantly, Swami Vivekananda told this after reading Gita and playing football both. Which of these activities have you done?
All I am trying to tell is that questioning and doubting are tricks of the human mind by which it keeps you stuck wherever you are because if you start making any effort then the comfort zone of the human mind is broken, which is obviously uncomfortable.
So, if you are really interested in following a spiritual life then stop questioning and start working. Questioning or doubting will not take you anywhere. And I can’t believe that you can’t trust any Guru in this world and can’t follow any Guru’s teachings. If it is the case then it is better to look into issues internally rather than condemning things externally.
Dedicated to Osho
Thanks,
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