Strict followers of only one guru
They are the ones that you normally think of when you hear the words follower or disciple. You would believe a follower to have one guru who is their one and only. These strict followers believe that their guru is omnipotent and that he has a solution for each of their problems. So they buy each of his books, everything that he has to offer and really devote their belief only to him and listen to nobody else.
They would never turn to another guru, they love their guru and they stick with him. There is no wish to hear anything against him and nothing about the virtues of other gurus. They are like horses with blinders that keep them from looking left or right. They have no interest in anything else than what this one guru says. They have absolutely no tolerance for people who believe in something else or who have another guru.
Why are they so strictly following only this one guru? This often comes from the side of the guru. Most gurus anyway tell that they are God’s incarnations and the only true gurus. And gurus also often say that there is only one father, so there can be only one spiritual father, one guru, too. The guru tells that this choice is made once in a lifetime and will last forever. These followers become strict because their guru, afraid of losing followers, tells them that they have to stay with him, otherwise their life is doomed.
Their attitude thus comes partly from fear and partly from arrogance and ego. They believe their guru is best and capable of anything, so they don’t need to turn to anyone else. If they explain you why they are stuck with only one guru, they answer that a guru should only be one and they have found theirs. Deep inside however they are afraid that something bad could really happen to them if they leave their guru or become more open towards other philosophies.
They often don’t even want to be in touch with anybody who doesn’t believe in their guru. They like to be around other followers of that same guru and want to talk with them about their guru only. If any of the others says something about another teacher or teaching, they just quit the conversation. Meeting people like this often feels like meeting members of a sect. They are very narrow-minded and in a way it is sad to see them like this.
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Most people look to gurus and religions to try to create a cosmos out of a chaos, to bring final meaning to their lives, from a dogmatic source outside of themselves. The world is very confusing for them otherwise, and they have to settle with some final answers for purposes of psychological comfort. In my philosophical approach, I understand truth as something which is essentially numinous, meaning ineffable and beyond complete human understanding. So this has actually required me to be as open to as many perspectives as possible, because truth can be experienced most dynamically and beautifully if one knows that there is never any end point to the search, that there are always more vistas beyond to explore. This knowledge that truth is always an open question keeps the excitement and adventure in the quest for it, and keeps the idea of truth alive and vibrant (rather than dead and stale, as in dogmatic canonical religions and guru groups). There are about 20 major authors and scriptures that I would list as major influences. But even for someone who approaches philosophy as an adventure rather than a search for a final end point, one can only stretch oneself so thin, and there comes a point where one may just not be able to integrate any more major new perspectives. I was only able to find happiness in spiritual or philosophical groups when there was this sense of truth as something always open to exploration. On the other hand, when there is a sense in a group that there is a final truth to conform to and settle with, I become instantly bored. For anyone who is able to approach the seeking of truth as an adventure rather than a search for a dead end, I would heartily recommend this approach. It can really help keep a sense of vibrancy and enchantment in life.
Dear Deniz,Thank you for your comment. I believe that one always needs to be open for other ideas and most of all tolerant towards those who have other ideas. Nobody can claim to own the truth and unfortunately too many people are doing exactly that. I can imagine well that it is boring to sit in a room of people who all think that one certain philosophy or idea is the truth!
I follow you Swami Ji, no other gurus !!! :)) I’m joking :)) I am my only Guru :)) and that’s hard enough sometimes to follow my mind ;))
What is worse is that sooner or later the ego takes over and the guru takes the place of God as that which is worshipped. Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON is a case in point. He is now being worshipped as a diety.
Good one Olivier, actually we need to make our mind our follower. Lots of Love to you.
It is true Annan. ISKCON is a sect, what else can you expect of them? Even with their first guru dead, there are now many more who like to be worshipped. Also there are many other gurus in other organizations who like to be worshipped as God. They become deities even while they are still alive.
I also believe that the human mind will never fully grasp a complete spiritual understanding of life. There will never be one true way of viewing life, religion, spirituality, the self, god, etc. Therefore, I think truth is very open. The more philosophies you can consider, the more your mind is open to the possibilities. Don’t limit yourself to one small track. Understand that we are on a never-ending search for truth and meaning, and that’s why we are incarnating on Earth.