We see self-proclaimed spiritual gurus all over on the internet, particularly on YouTube, which is a great platform to market the ‘goods’.
I’ve noticed people project themselves as larger than life, eager to get an audience. Eventually, the tease suggests paid sessions and retreats. A number of questions arise:
- Of course money is needed to fund events. But should this be purely voluntary? If it is, there will be freeloaders, if not then what’s the definition of a non-profit organisation in real terms?
- Are the so called teachers really qualified to impart the teaching? What is their direct realisation? How much of what they speak is vicarious knowledge borrowed from scriptures?
Let’s look at this. The realisations we have, we can more or less acknowledge, are at best intermediate awakenings. Deep, profound etc. but not complete. How did we get it? How else but by grace? If so, there is no logic to charge money for it or impose the teaching on others. Is it not egoic to take it upon ourselves to become a crusader of some sort, seeking recognition, if nothing else?
It is argued for example that it is alright for mediums or clairvoyants to charge clients for sessions. They need to support themselves, don’t they? But this seems to be a specious argument. Can not the universe provide for them? Are they charging money because of need or greed? Is it then not discriminatory, looking toward mansions and not neighbourhood slums, metaphorically speaking?
What are your views on this?