Tradition and the resistance to change.

[Iamit]

There are numerous examples of resistance to change. Traditionalists tried to boo Bob Dylan of the stage and called out "Judas" when he first turned up with The Band, some of the finest musicians in the business, as can be seen in Martin Scorses documentory "No direction home" and on You Tube.

What were those traditionalists so scared of? Why did they get so excited about him exploring different ways?

Were those traditionalists sucessful in their threats and intimidation to prevent Dylan exploring his art in any way he wanted?

No....he turned up the volume :)

Neo Advaita has as much right to expression as the traditional view. If it resonates with you, dont let traditionalists shut down debate and intimidate you with their abuse. There are already signs that this is happening here, If such bullies are not challenged you will only be allowed to discuss what they say you can. Is that what you want for this forum?

Turn the volume up.

[blossomingtree]

Here's a good article on Neo Advaita:

It seems that every other day another self-proclaimed 'enlightened' teacher of Neo-Advaita appears on the scene. These Neo-Advaita guru's have reduced thousands of years of Advaita teachings into the spiritual equivalent of McDonald's junk food. No longer is it necessary for the spiritual student to engage in self-inquiry or inner work on oneself. Now all that is necessary to 'realize the Self' is a constant repetitive denial of one's own identity and the (pseudo) 'understanding' that the ego and all and everything else that happens in the universe (essence and belief systems included) is 'simply an illusion'. Everything 'just happens, there is no path, no cause', so consequently there is absolutely nothing to do.

It's really simple, just like it was for Shankara, Buddha, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Rumi and the relatively few others who are generally agreed to have been enlightened.

What? Wait a minute, I don't recall that it was easy for the above mentioned Masters. Didn't they spend years, and sometimes entire lifetimes meditating, engaged in self-inquiry and inner work? Oh yeah, they did. And this is the problem that exists now, because the Neo-Avaita movement claims lineage from and history from Advaita, but advocates none of the work. In fact they continue to espouse that it is simply not necessary. Merde!

No real work on oneself is necessary, only a constant repetitive denial of one's identity and the 'understanding' that the ego and all (and everything) that happens (essence and belief systems included) is 'just an illusion'. Everything ‘just happens, there is no path’, so there is nothing to do.

Occasionally these self proclaimed 'enlightened or awakened masters' even believe themselves to be superior or more advanced than their own teachers. For example Tony Parsons has declared that Ramana Maharshi was obviously still living from duality and Andrew Cohen has said that his guru Poonjaji was not enlightened – in other words both Maharshi and Poonjaji were asleep and Parsons and Cohen are awake. Yeah, right!

http://www.spiritualteachers.org/neo...ta_article.htm

[Iamit]

Dear readers do you need more evidence than this first response to see what is going to happen to debate here?

[blossomingtree]

Some good discussions here on topic:

Cult Watch

Neo Advaita Cult - Jeff Foster

What is Neo Advaita

[blossomingtree]

Originally Posted by Iamit

Dear readers do you need more evidence than this first response to see what is going to happe to debate here?

I can answer that, Iamx - here's my guess!

http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...92#post1664392

http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...78#post1665778

[blossomingtree]

PS There is no need to fear objective debate so much, iam. This is the non-duality forum, not your exclusive Guruship club.

[Iamit]

Here's a space for you to challenge thier attempt to close down debate with abuse. Over to you. Take the opportunity or you will only be allowed to discuss what they approve of without being abused in the way you have just seen posted here.

[blossomingtree]

Originally Posted by Iamit

Here's a space for you to challenge thier attempt to close down debate with abuse. Over to you. Take the opportunity or you will only be allowed to discuss what they approve of without being abused in the way you have just seen posted here.

Forum participants here are not your mercenaries. Please don't degrade others this way Iamx.

By the way, you mistake discussion and critique as fear. It's just another psychological trick and the more you present your ideas and approach, the less respect I have for the Neo Advaita attempt, i.e. as I said in my very initial posts, even before interacting here much, such a belief system I suspected could never withstand challenge and your posts and reactions do appear to affirm this.

I found the links above useful, and some of the comments educational.

Hope you find something valuable there too.

BT

[Iamit]

Dear readers. As you can see from that last post, they would not like you to have this space to challenge thier attempt to close down debate with abuse.

Dont be intimdated. Take it.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by Iamit

There are numerous examples of resistance to change. Traditionalists tried to boo Bob Dylan of the stage and called out "Judas" when he first turned up with The Band, some of the finest musicians in the business, as can be seen in Martin Scorses documentory "No direction home" and on You Tube.

What were those traditionalists so scared of? Why did they get so excited about him exploring different ways?

There's a relation between the traditional and what is viewed as authentic.

Were those traditionalists sucessful in their threats and intimidation to prevent Dylan exploring his art in any way he wanted?

No....he turned up the volume :)

Neo Advaita has as much right to expression as the traditional view. If it resonates with you, dont let traditionalists shut down debate and intimidate you with their abuse. There are already signs that this is happening here, If such bullies are not challenged you will only be allowed to discuss what they say you can. Is that what you want for this forum?

Turn the volume up.

Yes, people are ultimately left to determine their own 'way', so it's better to be supportive than it is to be influential.