Should I find a Guru?

[Blackandblue]

All i really know is that risk and action beget outcomes and nothing else.

Has anyone probed the idea of getting and dedicating yourself to a guru? Do you think it's worthwhile?
I'm mulling over how valuable it could be to venture to Nepal and find some mountain man with a shrine and all that and learn.
It sounds like a good supplement to an etheogenirific!!! lifestyle? What do you think?

On a side note, I'm sure it has been asked before, but does anyone here believe in a creator god? or religion? or anything like that?
...Anyone want to go with me one day so I don't get lost and die in the mountains!

 

[Purges]

I think you should do what suits you best! Personally, while I feel gurus can be fascinating and wise, I doubt I would ever want to commit all of my time learning from one person - the internet is a great thing, you can have several different opinions on one topic at the click of a button! And if its not there, you can order books and so forth that might aid you.

I know that in India the Guru business is big and corrupt these days, with many of them turning out to be phonies and tricksters. You would also have to learn the language fluently to understand and interact with them, so you have a lot of work to do before even considering finding one, who may or may not be the real deal.

Experiencing life in the mountains / wilderness would be an amazing thing, how ever, and the experience may well be a lifetime event. I fantasize about going to the amazon and learning the skills of a wise old shaman / curandero sometimes. Not any time soon though

 

[obliguhl]

I would start with small steps and see where it will take you. It sounds like you are creating a ton of unsubstantial fantasies in your head. Why are you talking about leading an "entheogenic lifestyle" if you havn't even tried psychedelics yet? I just don't understand it.

 

[AlbertKLloyd]

I too wanted to do this.
I was even offered a place to stay at an Ashram in India.

I am glad I did not do that.


I believe in a god and a form of religion, so to speak.

If I were you I would look into sacred texts and teachings.
I'd start with the Tao Te Jing, and the Diamond Sutra

 

[Shaolin]

Sure. The one in you :

 

[Eliyahu]

All i really know is that risk and action beget outcomes and nothing else.

Has anyone probed the idea of getting and dedicating yourself to a guru? Do you think it's worthwhile?
I'm mulling over how valuable it could be to venture to Nepal and find some mountain man with a shrine and all that and learn.
It sounds like a good supplement to an etheogenirific!!! lifestyle? What do you think?

On a side note, I'm sure it has been asked before, but does anyone here believe in a creator god? or religion? or anything like that?
...Anyone want to go with me one day so I don't get lost and die in the mountains!

I strongly feel that there is an ultimate creator being, I refer to him as Abba.(hebrew for father) I have encountered this being that I believe to be the one creator God while under the influence of DMT and Ayhausca.

That having been said, I see little reason to seek out a teacher when all one really needs to do is get in direct touch with "God" or one of his direct representitives in order to connect oneself with infinite storehouses of "esotric" information.

In my opinion all a master/teacher or shaman does is teach the pupil to first of all hgelp the student to realize their full potential as a living being and second of all the shaman acts as a temporary bridge from this world to the spirit world for the pupil. The guru introduces them to the spiritual realm as well as aquaints the students with the corrisponding rules and customs of that realm.

So basically what I am saying is that once you have established meaningful contact with the spirit world and made alliances with some of the chief inhabatants there then there is no longer a need for a teacher.


However. If a guru, master, rabbi, teacher or sensei makes his/her way into your life then I would take advantage of the opportunity as it may accelerate the rate of your spiritual progression.

 

[olympus mon]

Here are my thoughts after trying what your thinking.

Its not a decision that can made from where any of us are sitting. By this I mean its much more demanding and much bigger an undertaking than you think. the shock and contrast of cultures sounds very appealing from home, burned out on society but its harder to adjust than it appears. Not just the culture but often the terrain and land itself offers many challenges. After a couple months in the amazon with the native Indians drinking ayahuasca and learning I was looking forward to leaving and at times ready to run.

I don't believe in any God's or deity any longer after my experiences there. Although this may sound like a downer I have never been more free and happy now realizing Its been my own strength that has gotten me through the years not a higher power or universal law.

The best advice I would give to you you already received here. Start slow, try this path on for size and see if it fits. If it does that's great I feel a dedicated spiritual practice can give ones life many blessed things. Its just not for me.

 

[JourneyToJah]

I think it would be good for you to find someone who can help you ground yourself ( being known that you have some mental disorder ) but - and I turn against what I said in the other topic - without the entheogens.

First ground yourself and then try some psychedelics.

 

[Enoon]

I understand that the idea of having a guru has been around for a long time, and thus I suspect that in principle it "works". What I understand from accounts of those who have a guru is that you commit yourself entirely to this person -> absolute love/devotion, and by doing this you open yourself to the wisdom that he wishes to transmit. I suppose it's also about letting go of your self by virtue of devoting yourself to the guru, thus dissolving your ego and all that.

Personally I never liked the idea for myself. I just don't believe in dissolving the ego or fighting it or whatnot. Also I feel like the path I walk needs to be walked unguided. I like the idea of exploring rather than following. Whatever secret and higher knowledge is out there, I believe it is accessible to all withoug following specific tecniques, but simply by harmonizing yourself with the world around you, and really looking... and most importantly by stopping to lie to ourselves... I would not turn away the chance to learn with someone experienced and advanced but I wouldn't dedicate myself to anyone as a diciple either.

I don't think that it is necessary to go to Nepal or India to find what you are looking for. But that's not to say that you shouldn't travel if you feel like you should.

In the end you have to decide to do what feels right. And what is feasible. The question is, what is it you are searching for in the first place - in entheogens or in spirituality?

I believe in a cosmic sentience that you may or may not define as God. I have been in contact with this sentience several times under the influence of mushrooms and dmt and sometimes in my dreams.... but the truth is, if it is what I believe it to be, then I am in contact with it always and eternally, inescapeably... What does the question mean to you?

 

[Eliyahu]

Enoon wrote:

I just don't believe in dissolving the ego or fighting it or whatnot

No offense but I don't understand what good the ego does and why any one would want to keep it intact. As far as I am concerned I like to anniahlate that thing as often as possible so it does not take over my spirit.

 

[SnozzleBerry]

Enoon wrote:

I just don't believe in dissolving the ego or fighting it or whatnot

No offense but I don't understand what good the ego does and why any one would want to keep it intact. As far as I am concerned I like to anniahlate that thing as often as possible so it does not take over my spirit.

Do you think you would be functional without an ego? A sense of self?

I like the metaphor (and I'm pretty sure it came up in a chat with Trav and endlessness) that the ego is like fingernails. It serves a very real purpose, but let it grow too long or cut it too short and you'll have problems functioning in the day-to-day world.

 

[Global]

Enoon wrote:

I just don't believe in dissolving the ego or fighting it or whatnot

No offense but I don't understand what good the ego does and why any one would want to keep it intact. As far as I am concerned I like to anniahlate that thing as often as possible so it does not take over my spirit.

Without an ego, there would be no one to write the post you just posted, nor any of the 700+ that have included detailed expressions of your experiences and the meaning they have to you. You can only discern meaning with an ego. The way I see it is about balance. One momentarily transcends the ego so as to inform the ego of what is beyond its normal capacities and knowledge, and to bring it into balance. Of course it tends to get carried away and thus will reassert itself infinitely so, and then it's time to put it in check again. Completely obliterating the ego for any long duration of time is unrealistic, and probably carries with it many unforeseen complications.

 

[○]

Be your own guru.

 

[Eliyahu]

I realize that the Ego is an intergral part of the whole system and serves certain protective functions....I am not saying that one should AT ALL TIMES completely be with out basic ego functioning, my apologies for not being clear on that.

the thing is, IMO modern society has cultivated ego status to unbearable levels. By my way of thinking all modern people can benifit greatly by having their ego's demolished on a regular basis via psychedelics... I believe the Ego is durable enough to regrow itself from each devastation that occurs and it has been my experience that each time you demolish your ego it grows back but with less dominating power and inherent chaos each time...

My original curiosity on this thread was as to why the OP would not want to fight against the creeping powers of self egoism

 

[ntwhtyouknw]

My guru tells me the real guru is inside

 

[Enoon]

I think the op might want to, but I don't - simply because I dislike the idea of waging war against myself. I don't believe in the manner that we speak about destroying the ego or fighting it. I don't know... it just strikes me as a very negative approach. I like to find balance and harmony, not destruction. I want peace within, not cages to keep parts of me in check. I don't want to point weapons at myself in order to become "better". There must be another way.

I believe in compassion and freedom and with these concepts I try to create myself, rather than destroy...

The ego and everything else can work together in positive and progressive ways IMO...

 

[Eliyahu]

Enoon,

Ok ....sorry I confused you with the OP due to THC..

I hear what your saying and I do think there is a need to at times nurture the ego but I just see it as such a tyrant that I don't think fighting it's tendency to control hurts anything....

 

[Enoon]

I suppose that's why there's chocolate and vanilla... we can't all walk the same path. I don't feel that it's a tyrant. nor do I feel like for me the appropriate response towards 'it' should be violent. One thing for example that bothers me greatly about 'fighting the ego' is the fact that we end up splitting up ourselves into different parts. Suddenly it's "me against the ego". But who are you without your ego?

And this coming from people who rant about unity ... what about unity within, first? How can I merge with all of these different parts - my subconscious, my shadow, my ego, my super ego, my whateverotherpartitionsyouwanttocreate... So that first all that is left is "I". One being, at one with itself. I don't want to fight any of them, because the only one who will suffer from these fights is me. myself. and I.

integration sounds much better to me. But I know others have had their success with fighting and obliterating the ego. To me it just doesn't sound right. Maybe I'm mistaken.

 

[pau]

My guru tells me the real guru is inside

So true. "The Guru" is a principle, and can manifest thru a person, or simply thru one's mind. Whatever form it manifests in, it is the power that gives one the experience of "original mind", or as some put it, the unity of cognition and emptiness. After such an experience, one is presumably motivated enough to explore its implications further.

One can even receive this experience through a powerful book ... here are two that come to mind:
1. Longchenpa's "The Precious Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena" - reveals the meaning of dharmakaya, genuine mind itself, to be naked awareness, with nothing to be added or dispelled. It is authentic dharmakaya appearing in the form of a text. An excellent text like this is an actual Buddha - it directly reveals enlightened intent ... Even if you met a Buddha, you would not find more than this. The consumate content of all teachings is nakedly revealed as timeless awareness of dharmakaya. Even if all teachings were compared, there would be nothing more than this." (from Patrul Rinpoche)

2. Dudjon Lingpa's "Buddhahood Without Meditation - A Visionary Account Known as Refining Basic Phenomena". As the subtitle of this book points out, the intent of these accounts is to subtly alter one's awareness of phenomena. This text pertains to the category of Direct Transmission within the Great Perfection tradition ...This text is the personal teaching of Dudjom Lingpa, and one can gain great merit and reach clarity by studying this text and its transmitted meaning ... he highlights the need to come to a definitive conclusion regarding personal identity and the identity of phenomena. For modern students this emphasis is perhaps the most important aspect of this book, as it is in exactly these two manifestations of the error of "identity" that most students find themselves stuck. Especially for students raised in the modern American culture with its emphasis on self-independence, self-interest, and self-aggrandizement, this introductory lesson is most beneficial. Moving beyond the error of positing a "self" underlying "I", Dudjom Lingpa then tackles the error of imputing identity of phenomena. This error, that particular things are real, is another great stumbling block to reaching clarity. (from J.M. Corrigan)

 

[ntwhtyouknw]

Though there is certainly nothing wrong with having a teacher, or someone who has tread the psychedelic waters before to help guide you. Also spiritual guides that are comfortable with your path, but always listen to your heart.