Quote:
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Originally Posted by blossomingtree
"I spent many years looking into various teachers of Advaita, or Nonduality. (It's also been called "neo Advaita" by some, which is meant to be derogatory from what I can tell.)
It all started when I read a book by Gangaji, who claimed to be in the lineage of the apparently saintly Ramana Maharshi of India.
Conventiently, Ramana Maharshi has been dead since 1950, so he can't be questioned about any "lineage". But I've read in several places that he never designated one. (If only I had known this when I read the book by Gangaji.)
I feel lucky that I didn't go completely insane while attempting very diligently to follow the advice of Gangaji and other Advaita "teachers".
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Thanks to
blossomingtree for the various postings - I have always considered the Neo-Advaitists to be somewhat limited in their understanding, although I still enjoy reading some of their ideas.
Regarding Gangaji, she was obviously not a direct disciple of Ramana Maharshi, but instead came to HWL Poonjaji (who was a direct disciple of RM) in 1990, who gave her the name Gangaji and asked her to share what she had realised.
But one of the criticisms levelled at Poonjaji is that he was too ready to credit others as enlightened or fully realised. Or perhaps some of his students were over-eager to get out there and teach before they were ready to do so (eg Andrew Cohen).
No doubt this discussion will go on and on.
Peace.