August 19, 2004

The Anti-Gurus. A profile of Diana Alstad and Joel Kramer, authors of The Guru Papers.
posted by homunculus 20 years ago
  • @
  • [banana]
  • Uncle 'munculus, what's your take on this? Some of what they say rings bells for me, but I was never more than an adherent of Buddhism-lite, nor did I look to Yoga for more that the feel-good, notice how my body reacted stuff. Maybe it's me they're talking to? I think I need to go think about this for a long time before I have an opinion. And, while opinions are meaningless, I think I need one.
  • Pretty interesting reading. I think they conflate different issues in their critique, especially their disdain of authoritarianism with "enlightenment" experiences itself. From their first paper in the excerpts: A view of both spirituality and morality is needed that does not prioritize one pole over the other. Why? Judging as superior the values abstracted out of the mystical experience of Oneness is not only reactive So are all experiences in everyday life.
  • what's your take on this? It is a great secret, which I can only reveal if you submit yourself to me body and soul. ;) I'm still digesting it too, path. I think they make a lot of good points, but, like Gyan says, I think there are some conflations of issues. I don't think it's you there talking to in the Guru Papers, though, but rather the very strict adherents. I think their stuff in the second link would be useful to anyone who's interested in yoga or meditation.
  • homunculus, you know I'm your at a moment's notice and a plane ticket.
  • They come off as disgruntled to me. And, the author's 'gotcha' question did get an interesting reaction. It sounds like they've set up their own personal ashram.