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March 2, 2024 86 mins

What is a guru anyway? Are they enlightened teachers we search the world for or are they just what we would call a cult leader? Morgan and Norm discuss the useful aspects of the guru path as well as what makes surrendering to a teacher so difficult. They explore the idea of the crazy-wise guru Tim Leary dreamed of being and contrast it to the guru encounters of Ram Dass. Whether you have a guru, want one, or thing the entire set up is a scam, the relationship between student and teacher is more nuanced than it appears.



Sources & Further Reading:

  • Feuerstein, Georg. The Holy Madness: Spirituality, Crazy-Wise Teachers, and Enlightenment. Hohm Press, 2006. 
  • Tredwell, Gail. Holy Hell: A Memoir of Faith, Devotion, and Pure Madness. Wattle Tree Press, 2013. 
  • Self Realization Fellowship Online Meditation Center, onlinemeditation.yogananda.org. 
  • Siddha Yoga Shaktipat Initiation, siddhayoga.org.
  • Harris, Lis. “O Guru, Guru, Guru.” The New Yorker, 7 Nov. 1994, www.newyorker.com/magazine/1994/11/14/o-guru-guru-guru. 

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