Sahaj Samadhi Meditation – guru mantra or guru scam?

by Curious George

There have been heated discussions in this blog about how secret is actually the “secret knowledge” of RS, and, as the blog authors slowly share that which otherwise only the so-called “chosen ones” have access to, I am suddenly hit by one question. And though the saying goes, “Curiosity killed the cat”, I’d rather be Curious George than a mindless fanatic zombie.

Many of us got “initiated” into Sahaj. Most teachers told us Sahaj+SK was the perfect combination. I sat in one of Bhanu’s courses where she elegantly said, “SK is like cleaning the mirror … Sahaj is seeing yourself in it.” There was no way such seductive words, paired up with the back-then-innocent look of that tiny woman would not convince even the most skeptical curious seeker. And for an extra fat sum, one took flowers, fruits, a white cloth and kneeled down in front of an altar while someone chanted a delightful melody and mysterious syllables. I never doubted the sanctity of the chant, though when I think about it now, God knows what they really were chanting! And for a religious person (that I was not), of course, that could have been easily seen as a religious ritual, even, induction! After the teacher bowed down to the picture while acting holy (98% mood making!) and the artifacts with a light blowing, a mantra was given to us. A sound we were told was sacred and secret, not to be shared out loud, written, or read about because it otherwise “would loose its power” (just like in story books!). Furthermore, we were told we each got a mantra, chosen by special means, given by the “guru” himself (God, were we special! Definitely “chosen” and saved!). Even Sri Sri would add that to ensure salvation one had to be initiated and have a personal guru mantra before death. Upgraded reincarnation guaranteed. And so, I was saved back then (or at least convinced I was).

Then stories came about Bhanu initiating 400 people at a time in courses. They boasted so much about it while I could not help but think of the mass weddings celebrated in the Moon sect. How special could a mantra be if it was given in masses? (OK, she is the sister of the enlightened … and, to apply a knowledge point taught to us by the AoL – “so what!”). As the numbers increased in courses, couples were told to get one together (I guess to make initiations faster while cashing more money), since they share a same path, they of course share a same mantra. But then, how individualized are these mantras? And what happens if the couple divorces? Or have extra marital affairs? Or actually are secretly in love with someone else and only barely tolerating the legal spouse, or if the couple lives together but does not share a life together? Should they get new mantras then?

Some TM initiated people would be told to keep their TM mantra. Some were told Sahaj mantras were better, or that after a certain use, it was good to renew one because it was good to get a new one, the old ones gets … “old” (do they mean personalized guru given mantras wear out too like an old pair of shoes?).

What is interesting is though I experienced amazing “trips” (yes, like in drugs) the first month after initiation, as time went by, the experience changed. My head started throbbing. I felt a pressure in my skull and definitely it was more annoying rather than blissful or relaxing. And even when I could relax, I’d feel more numbed than alert and clumpsy or restless during the day. Of course I did not want to share these “bad trips” with my friends. I thought it had to do with my “lack of evolution” or “bad karma”. But, one day I dared pop the question to a few friends and was surprised to find out many had “bad trips” too after a while. Some reported feeling more irritable or even aggressive after meditating with Sahaj. Some that they felt “out” – not connected with life or themselves (numbed out). We asked our teachers separately and disappointed, we realized they had no clue about anything but were, sadly, just parrots who themselves only cared about feeling superior and the “chosen ones” for being able to “pass on” this “very secret high knowledge” that included a “guru mantra” and a green card to Sri Sri’s room for “special meetings.”

Yes. AoL preaches about belongingness and sharing and unconditional love, but all I observed and experienced during my years as a participant was the hierarchy, the prejudice, the discrimination, the arrogance, the separatedness due to a sense of superiority and people creating and struggling to find ways to be in the room of the founder. Wasn’t it all about spiritual growth? How much was all of that necessary then or spiritual after all?

I stopped using the mantra to meditate. In fact, I don’t meditate anymore. In fact, I consider all of that “crap”. Especially after reading this transcript of an interview by a former TM teacher to the Shankaracharya of the north: http://minet.org/Documents/shank-4

It is all a hoax and just a smart way of making a business, while taking advantage of the naïve and ignorant people of non-Indians (West and non-India), and the superstitions and millenary beliefs of Indians. But perhaps, more disappointing than to find out Maharishi was just a clerk who NEVER taught meditation nor was given the knowledge to do so nor had the right to do so because of the cast he belonged to, and invented his mantras just to generate a fortune, of course, which in itself also means Ravi Shankar (at this point deserveless of the “Sri Sri”) most likely invented his own mantras (or “borrowed” them somewhere or grabbed a book – like many people do nowadays to find one, and like it seems he did with the rest of his “secret knowledge”) and imitated the scam of his own “teacher” while speaking badly about him and some of his real right hand people (added to the fact many TMers state Ravi Shankar was only a pundit boy who was not Maharishi’s favourite disciple or right hand secretary, but just one of 100 other clerk boys, who never taught meditation nor did their TTC – of course, but then I forget he descends from the Heavens and came fully blossomed and this knowledge “came to him”), was finding out it was suspected Maharishi poisoned Swami Brahmananda Sawaswati (yes, the infamous “Gurudev” of the Holy Tradition and whose name is mentioned in the Guru Puja), who is known, historically, to have died poisoned – yes, murder.

Education sets one free but sometimes, the more I find out about the AoL, RS, TM, MMY, the more I wonder if it’d be better to remain ignorant. And that is when I tell myself in awe, “Man, you’ve so been cheated. What a great scam!”

I invite you to read the whole transcript: http://minet.org/Documents/shank-1 and read more articles about the conversation with the Shankaracharya, who reveals finally, in some later link or new link (navigate the site) how mantras should really be practiced, how they should be chosen and given, and what they mean.

And though I am sure many still have the superstition of keeping the mantra a secret (apologies to those who still do for the following misconduct), those who don’t (I am sure I am not the only Curious George curious to know the other mantras out there) please share, together with your sex and age – since it seems that is how they get picked (no, the teacher did not hear a special voice or got a special delivered report from the Heavens about your spiritual evolution or your mission in life).

Look, I read about the mantra, the induction, I said my mantra out loud just to see what could happen, and ….. NOTHING HAPPENED. The world keeps revolving around the sun and the sun still rises on the East and sets on the West.

Curious George – SHYAMMMMM – male 38