Osho was quite magical. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

While many agree that Jesus, Buddha, and Guanyin (among others) are enlightened and eternal light-beings, it’s a bit difficult to experience them in three dimensions, let alone receive a hug from them. It might be said that for those who cannot see their internal-masters in a living, breathing human being are missing out on something special.​

The moment someone calls themselves a spiritual master, all the beings in all the realms perk up and get to work. These etheric forces will test potential spiritual masters, not to bring them down, instead, to prepare them for the paths of service they declare.​​

The universe continually seeks ways to infuse the eternal nature of consciousness into human beings. It loves to assist in the births of powerful spiritual avatars. This tendency is one of the most beneficial wonders of this world. Because of it, there’s always an abundance of living spiritual gurus, masters, and sages.​

Avatars take births to teach us about love and consciousness, and to challenge our attachment to the physical universe so that we can know the world within us. Much to our collective chagrin, authentic spiritual gurus generally do not seek to validate our financial and physical realities, or reinforce society’s oppressive constructs and rules, although some of them do.​​

There are some who might judge and condemn today’s living gurus and their disciples, noting that this world is not holy enough to birth a living saint. These naysayers doubt many gurus’ divinity, teachings, and methods. Some protest, picket, and write books about how horrible one guru or God is versus another. These folks probably have similar doubts about themselves.​​

While discipleship can be a profound and liberating experience, it comes with challenges. A guru will help her followers reduce their attachment to their egos and minds, but she also peels away our layers of illusion and delusion, which, while freeing, can be painful. Being a disciple of a guru is not for the spiritually timid.

This process of devoting oneself to a guru can also be frightening and life-shattering because it has the potential to disrupt the false identities and lives we’ve built. Upon the guru’s glance, our egos might also become inflamed, causing us to think that we are the All and Powerful Oz. Egos don’t always dissolve without a fight.

From the outside, a community centered around a spiritual guru can appear quite insane. Why wouldn’t it? Most people living in traditional society are climbing ladders, pursuing goals, and conquering a temporal world. It’s difficult to defend the eternal against the emanations of the physical, especially to people who have no frame of reference for alternative spirituality, and no interest in change.

The Bhagwan

Gurus like India’s Osho, otherwise known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, can be misinterpreted by society and misrepresented by devotees. In the documentary, “Wild, Wild Country,” fears and egos dominated what might otherwise have been a profoundly peaceful pursuit.

The Osho biography describes a variety of miracles, contradictions, and controversies. What does “Osho” mean? Originating from Sanskrit, it refers to a master or teacher. Osho was a renegade, which can be both a challenge and a blessing.​

In the 1980s, Osho and thousands of his followers moved out of India and descended upon a small town in Oregon. Instead of infusing the city with love, they conquered it, which caused their neighbors to demonize them.​​

During their tenure, several of Osho’s followers were charged with crimes, including attempted murder, and eventually served time in prison. Chances are this wasn’t the original vision. Google “Rajneesh Oregon” and you’ll see a flood of fascinating pages.​

Most of us weren’t there, and we can’t comment on what it was like to be a disciple of Osho’s or a local homeowner. I’m also not here to judge. That said, I believe there are some profound, applicable lessons to be extracted from the ordeal.

For the guru, it’s not about the details, drama, or press. Peaceful or not, and authentic or not, a guru’s path is about the spiritual journeys and advancement they’re called to inspire in their disciples. It might be said that when we are subject to change and catastrophe, our minds evaporate and our souls progress.

How To Avoid Toxicity

In all things “guru,” here are a few key lessons to consider:

• We need not adhere to rules and pursuits set by a tangential collective. The goal is to follow the teachings of the guru and the eternal.
• When engaging in a spiritual community, refrain from becoming entangled in heated activities, even if they appear to be benign.
• Each person’s journey is unique, each with her own pace and personal responsibilities. In the enlightenment scene, as long as it’s based in love and includes service to those in need, an individual’s spiritual growth takes precedence over the worldly goals of a group.
• Infuse your beliefs with love and base your projections in love. This will reduce your ego and fears.
• The communities that emerge around gurus are often spiritual hospitals. Refrain from being interested in or attached to the drama unfolding around you. After all, a fair number of spiritual aspirants tend to be little devils working out their small problems or new-age narcissists seeking to enroll others in their spiritual self-aggrandizement.
• A guru’s physical form is not reality. Their bodies are metaphoric vehicles meant to help us see their eternal nature within us. When we attach to a guru’s form or life, we put them in boxes, which, in turn, does the same to us.
• Refrain from blaming a guru for your participation in their ideologies, methods, and communities. We only lose our free will when we relinquish it, which is also a choice.

Wild, Wild Country

If you’ve not yet watched this fantastic documentary about what is often called, “the Rajneesh cult,” let me sum up its spiritual gems:

1. Many of us do not know how we feel or how to express ourselves. Learning how to do this can open doors to our divinity.
2. Having a spiritual master can expedite our evolution. This can be invaluable.
3. ​For a sad, broken few, a guru relationship might send a disciple in the opposite direction, and deeper into their shadows.
4. ​When we fuse our worldly desires with our spiritual projections, we might make other people jealous, confuse ourselves, and possibly set the world on fire.
5. ​When we believe a guru to be anything but the embodiment of the universe, which includes everything, both good and bad, dark and light, love and evil, we are mistaken.
6. ​Just like regular folk, some spiritual people love recognition, power, and control. Given the right conditions and motivations, they might consider doing anything to bring these darker attributes to life, especially when holding power-position within religious organizations. Think priests and little boys, nuns and rulers, and preachers who demonize gay people to avoid their self-hatred and gay natures.
7. ​While certainly family-focused, loving, and prayerful, small-town America might not be the most open and aware populace in the world. Being landlocked has consequences.
8. ​We don’t know whether or not there was a pre-birth pact between Osho and his infamous directors and their helpers. We also don’t know whether or not Osho was an enlightened master or if he encouraged some of the organization’s less benevolent activities.
9. ​It might be that by allowing his directors to manifest their dangerous and illegal actions within his controlled, confined organization, thereby distilling them from society, Osho saved the world from another Jim Jones or Hitler.
10. ​A few things about gurus: some gurus might have karma to work out before they blossom into embodiments of light. They might have pre-birth soul commitments to fulfill before merging with the eternal. They might also not be consciously omniscient or care about omniscience. The lessons and benefits from their missions might only be derived from the insanity they inspired.
11. ​When a collective is seeking a particular style of spiritual advancement, radical gurus are required to awaken the group through specific, uncommon modalities. Without these modalities, a large number of people might never know their light.
12. ​Praying for dark or damaged souls, whether they are evil are not, is helpful to all living beings and healing for our judgmental hearts and minds.
13. Living within a judgment-free spiritual path means that we must look at all the attributes from an experience, whether it is our experience or another person’s, and we must use

Rajneeshpuram: The Rajneesh Compound

Osho’s mysterious compound, which the majority of inhabitants seemed to love and cherish, and where all sorts of drama and illegalities occurred, is a metaphor for our minds. This metaphor begs a few questions:

• If we were given the opportunity, would we live with an enlightened master in a community of like-minded souls?
• If it appeared to be the only way to protect our loved ones, would we use guns to defend ourselves?
• What spiritual chaos have we each created or fed in our lives?
• What imaginary fires have we turned into harsh realities?
• Where have we allowed our needs to experience liberation to wreak havoc in our lives and the lives of others?

Who Are The Living Spiritual Masters In The World?

Spiritual masters and gurus are not always public or famous people. Your babysitter, mechanic, or optometrist might be a living spiritual master. You might be one breath from becoming enlightened.​

Luckily for humankind, many wonderful public masters have taken birth to bring light and healing to the planet. Steering clear of the gurus at the center of controversies and lawsuits, here are a few profound and divine rockstars whom I’ve met, enjoy and love:

Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi)

Known as “The Hugging Saint,” and found at Amma.org, this Amma is a profound master, teacher, and humanitarian. She has the broadest and most comprehensive mission of love and benevolence seen in recent centuries. With multiple hospitals, housing charities, and millions of followers, Amma has inspired volunteers from all walks of life to serve others. When receiving a hug from Amma, she chants in Sanskrit and helps unlock and dissolve your karma. You can get a mantra from Amma and ask her pertinent questions. Amma tours the US every summer and then returns in the fall. Her ashrams are found all over the world, most notably in San Ramon, CA and Kerala India.

There are other lovely spiritual masters, also known as “Amma.” For example, Karunamayi, who, from an early age, decided to shower the world with unconditional love through prayer and seminars. Karunamayi is known to be a beacon of light which seeks to remove suffering from the hearts of her followers. You can learn more about Karunamayi here: http://www.karunamayi.org/

Mother Meera

The lovers and followers of Mother Meera say that she is the Divine Mother on earth, the embodiment of the Divine Feminine. She offers free transmissions of light, love, and grace as her gift to the world. Visit https://www.mothermeera.com to learn more.

Thich Nhat Hanh

This enlightened soul is an inspiring spiritual leader, poet, peace activist, and teacher of mindfulness. Enjoy his books, entitled, How to Love, Peace in Every Step, Being Peace, and The Art of Power. You can learn more about this peaceful master here: https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/

Onward On The Path

There are many living masters, including but not limited to: Sadhguru, Eckhart Tolle, and Ram Dass. There are also many enlightened masters who have since passed, including Paramahansa Yogananda, Swami Vivekananda, Neem Karoli Baba, Jesus Christ, and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Explore these beautiful human beings and others who appeal to you, and continue to seek the source of light within you. Engaging with and devoting oneself to a guru can have miraculous effects, especially if the master is rooted in love and is devoted to humbly serve humankind.

Thich Nhat Hanh – such a beautiful human being. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

Known as “Thay” in the western hemisphere, Thich Nhat Hanh is a poet, scholar, Zen Master, and lovely human being. He is also the father of “Engaged Buddhism,” a movement that brings together practical Buddhist wisdom, social activism, and mindfulness.

Thay is a global phenomenon and a gentle, inspirational friend to all. His tireless efforts as a teacher of Buddhadharma have alleviated the pain and suffering of millions of people across the globe. His beautiful lectures, meditations, and bestselling books have inspired countless followers to seek the light within, and find peace.

Thay was born as Nguyen Xuan Bao, in the city of Quang Ngai, Vietnam, in 1926. By age 16, he was a novice monk at Từ Hiếu Temple, in Hue City, which is where he was given his name, Thich Nhat Hanh. Thay was the first monk to be seen regularly riding a bicycle in public and one of a handful of monks who saw serving humanity to be a form of meditation.

“There Is No Way To Happiness. Happiness Is The Way.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh

Thay graduated from Báo Quốc Buddhist Academy and received extensive training in Mahayana Buddhism and (Vietnamese) Thiền “Zen” Buddhism. Soon after, he became a Bhikkhu, a fully ordained male, monastic, Buddhist monk.​

To Thay, everything is a meditation: eating, walking, seeing, speaking, breathing, and relating. With each step and each breath, we can either inch away from the depth of ourselves or be fully present to our peacefulness. In every moment, we have an opportunity to decide the fate of the next.

Thich Nhat Hanh has been continually involved in the peace and nonviolence movements since his early days at Từ Hiếu. He believes veganism is vital to saving the planet and that nonviolence toward animals will inspire a more profound peace and improve the natures of our souls.

“Fear keeps us focused on the past or worried about the future. If we can acknowledge our fear, we can realize that right now we are okay. Right now, today, we are still alive, and our bodies are working marvelously. Our eyes can still see the beautiful sky. Our ears can still hear the voices of our loved ones.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh

Plum Village Monastery

Thay founded a lovely, Buddhist community known as “Sweet Potato” near Paris in the 1970s, shortly after he left Vietnam. In 1982, it was time to expand into Plum Village, which began as a small, rustic farm and developed into what is now the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe.​

The official name of the monastery is Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. It’s here that Thich Nhat Hanh established his monastic order, which consists of around 600 monks and nuns in 9 monasteries across the globe. The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation is the charitable arm of Plum Village.

Thousands of Buddhists and other visitors journey to Plum Village every year, where each is nourished by the hundreds of resident monks and nuns who practice and teach Buddhism for the benefit of humankind.

The primary purpose of this lovely community is to live mindfully throughout every activity. This includes eating, walking, working, relating, laughing, or sharing a cup of tea with fellow visitors from other countries.

The monastery’s environment is peaceful and nourishing. In addition to serving the global, monastic Buddhist community, PlumVillage.org states that they hold many programs and retreats for laypeople, teenagers, veterans, the entertainment industry, members of Congress, law enforcement agencies, and people of color.
All meals are vegetarian and delicious.

“When You Touch One Thing With Deep Awareness, You Touch Everything.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh

Thay’s Remarkable Accomplishments

Thay was very busy in his youth, which continued throughout his life. In the early 1960s, he founded Lá Bối Press, Van Hanh Buddhist University, The Order of Interbeing (Tiep Hien Order), The Unified Buddhist Church, and the School of Youth for Social Service. The latter provided immeasurable value to Vietnam by sending young Buddhist workers to rural areas to build schools and clinics, and to help rebuild infrastructure in towns and villages.

Thay studied comparative religion at Princeton University, taught Buddhist psychology and other courses at his Van Hanh Buddhist University, taught comparative religion and Buddhism at Columbia University, led symposiums in Vietnamese Buddhism at Cornell University, and was a lecturer and researcher in Buddhism at the University of Sorbonne, in Paris. In short, Thay is a rock star.

In 1966, he became a Dharmacharya, or “one who becomes the dharma,” from Zen Master Chân Thật. He became the head of The Từ Hiếu Pagoda and a long list of monasteries. Later, he would chair the Vietnamese Buddhist Peace Delegation.​

Thich Nhat Hanh has a long list of celebrity and religious followers, including Martin Luther King and Thomas Merton. After nominating Thay for a Nobel Peace Prize, King said, “I do not personally know of anyone more worthy of this prize.”

When Thay visited the United States to inspire efforts toward peace in Vietnam, both North and South Vietnam denied him entry. This exile lasted 39 years. The CIA labeled Thay a political dissident. By all accounts, Thay was an unrelenting and powerful force during these years. He led the Buddhist delegation to the Paris Peace Talks in 1969.

His monasteries and Dharma centers include:

• Blue Cliff Monastery in Pine Bush, NY
• The Community of Mindful Living in Berkeley, CA
• Deer Park Monastery (Tu Viện Lộc Uyển) in Escondido, CA
• Magnolia Grove (Đạo Tràng Mộc Lan) in Batesville, MS
• European Institute of Applied Buddhism in Waldbröl, Germany
• Từ Hiếu Temple in Vietnam
• Prajna Temple in Vietnam
• Additional monasteries can be found in Paris, Hong Kong, and Australia

More recently, Thich Nhat Hanh founded “Wake Up”, a global movement of young people training in mindfulness, and related education centers in Europe, America, and Asia, known as “Wake Up Schools,” where teachers are trained to teach mindfulness.

Thay has been invited to teach at some of the most prestigious companies and organizations in the world, including Google, The World Bank, and The Harvard School of Medicine.​

His mindfulness calligraphy has been exhibited in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Canada, Germany, France, and New York. Thay’s artfully crafted phrases are spiritually inspiring and nurturing.​

​In addition to his native tongue of Vietnamese, Thay is fluent in English, Chinese, French, Sanskrit, Pali, and Japanese.

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes

Thay’s sweet and touching sentiments penetrate every heart who hears them. Enjoy these simple, yet profound thoughts from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh:

• “Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.”
• “The real power of the Buddha was that he had so much love. He saw people trapped in their notions of small separate self, feeling guilty or proud of that self, and he offered revolutionary teachings that resounded like a lion’s roar, like a great rising tide, helping people to wake up and break free from the prison of ignorance.”
• “Many people think excitement is happiness…. But when you are excited, you are not peaceful. True happiness is based on peace.”
• “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
• “It’s very important that we re-learn the art of resting and relaxing. Not only does it help prevent the onset of many illnesses that develop through chronic tension and worrying; it allows us to clear our minds, focus, and find creative solutions to problems.”
• “Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.”

“Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Books

Thay wrote over 100 books on mindfulness, peace, fear, death, communication, and Buddhism. Over 70% of his books are written in English. Here is a sampling from his authored works:

• Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire
• Being Peace
• The Sun My Heart
• The Miracle of Mindfulness
• Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
• Zen Keys: A Guide to Zen Practice
• The Heart Of Understanding: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra
• Living Buddha, Living Christ
• True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart
• The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching
• The Miracle of Mindfulness: A Manual on Meditation
• The Path of Emancipation: Talks from a 21-Day Mindfulness Retreat
• Be Free Where You Are
• No Death, No Fear

“If you truly get in touch with a piece of carrot, you get in touch with the soil, the rain, the sunshine. You get in touch with Mother Earth and eating in such a way, you feel in touch with true life, your roots, and that is meditation. If we chew every morsel of our food in that way we become grateful and when you are grateful, you are happy.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh

Living And Dying In Peace

In 2014, Thay suffered a severe stroke which left him paralyzed on his right side, and without the ability to speak. Fortunately, he can write, and often uses hand, head, and body gestures to answer questions.

In 2017, Thay was given an honorary doctorate from The Education University of Hong Kong for his “life-long contributions to the promotion of mindfulness, peace, and happiness across the world.”

In November 2018, Thay returned to the Vietnam temple where his initiation into monkhood took place, Từ Hiếu. Imagine those early days when the young Thay eagerly learned about meditation, mindfulness, and Buddhadharma from his Zen Master, Thanh Quý Chân Thật. Thay has chosen to spend his remaining days here.

​Throughout the years, media outlets have called Thich Nhat Hanh, “The Father of Mindfulness,” “The Other Dalai Lama” and “The Zen Master Who Fills Stadiums.” Martin Luther King Jr. said Thay was, “an apostle of peace and nonviolence.”

Mahavatar Babaji OM OM OM. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

The most magical, mystery tour imaginable might be a holy trek to the Himalayas, in search of the eternal Kriya Yoga master known as Mahavatar Babaji, or Babaji, an incarnation of Krishna.​

It has been recorded that this immortal yogi transferred the ancient Kriya teachings to thousands of initiates, working behind the scenes, and without their conscious knowledge of his transmissions.​​

Having achieved a high level of spiritual awareness and superpowers, Babaji was and is a great Siddha. Within each of several lives, he overcame a long list of human and spiritual limitations, on his eternal quest to help humanity evolve.​​

Few have seen the great Kriya master, yet many have claimed that he is the holy Being that gave birth to their devotion and spiritual lineages.

“If You Come To Doubt, I’ll Give You Every Reason To Doubt. If You Come Suspicious, I’ll Give You Every Reason To Be Suspicious. But If You Come Seeking Love, I’ll Show You More Love Than You’ve Ever Known.”
— Mahavatar Babaji

Mahavatar Babaji’s Quick Ascent

According to ancient legend and tradition, Babaji was born in 203 AD, to two Nambudri Brahmins, in a village known as Parangipettai, in Tamil Nadu, India. Babaji’s father was a Shiva devotee and Hindu priest. Mahavatar Babaji’s birth name was “Nagaraj,” which translates to “Serpent King,” a reference to the energy “snake” of Kundalini.

After being kidnapped and freed at the age of 5, Babaji sought the Kriya Kundalini Pranayama teachings from Agastyar, the revered and holy Vedic sage and scholar of Hinduism. Nagaraj soon moved to Badrinath, where he surrendered his ego and gained initiation into divine service.

Kriya Yoga Comes Back To Life

In his Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defines Kriya Yoga as, ”the constant practice of and cultivation of detachment, self-study, and devotion to the Lord.”

Kriya meditation and yoga techniques have been around for thousands of years but were kept a secret to protect their purity. These techniques were utilized by Jesus Christ and his disciples, the Buddha and his followers, and Arjuna, the most powerful archer in history, as noted in the ancient Indian epic, Mahabharata. Arjuna and Krishna’s dialogue is found in the Bhagavad Gita.

Kriya Yoga was reinitiated into the physical world in 1861 when spiritual initiate Lahiri Mahasaya asked Babaji to be his guru. In return, Babaji transmitted to him the ancient and powerful knowledge of Kriya Yoga.
Sri Yukteswar, one of Lahiri’s disciples, requested the Kriya transmission from Mahasaya Lahiri, and it was granted. Paramahansa Yogananda was one of Sri Yukteswar’s disciples, who received the Kriya teachings when he was in his 20’s.

During a meditation in his home, Yogananda sought Babaji for reassurance in his quest to take Kriya Yoga to the west. Babaji appeared to him, gave him the assurance he needed, and then disappeared.
Describing Babaji’s eternal role here on earth, Paramahansa Yogananda wrote, “Babaji is well aware of the trend of modern times, especially of the influence and complexities of Western civilization. He realizes the necessity of spreading the self-liberation of yoga equally in the West and the East.”

Babaji promises to guide all Kriya Yogis on our quests toward liberation.

Mahavatar Babaji’s Home

The small, humble village in the Himalaya Mountains known as Badrinath, in Uttarakhand, India, has long been considered the home of Babaji. The large temple in the town, The Temple of Badrinath, is regarded as an eternal doorway to Babaji, through his prior incarnation, Narayan. Hundreds of thousands of people visit this site every year to chant his name.

Adi Shakira, a late-7th-century philosopher and theologian, and the yogi who consolidated the Advaita Vedanta doctrine is credited with reestablishing Badrinath as a holy site and preeminent stop on any pilgrimage. Adi compiled the main concepts of Vedanta which formed the basis for today’s Hinduism.

Yogis of the Himalayas who wish to connect with Babaji will faithfully pray to Narayan at this magical temple. They chant the names Narayan, Babaji, Krishna, Babaji-Krishna and Babaji-Narayan hoping to receive their blessings.

As noted in the Bhagavata Purana, ”There in Badrikashram, the supreme being, in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities.”

This is a reminder of a true Yogi’s sadhana in Amma’s (The Hugging Saint’s) mantra, “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu,” which translates roughly to, “May all the Beings in all the worlds be happy.”

Babaji Quotes

• “Love is the undisturbed balance that binds this universe together.”
• “The Divine realm extends to the earthly; but the later, illusory in nature, does not contain the essence of Reality.”
• “Even in the world, the yogi who faithfully discharges his responsibilities, without personal motive or attachment, treads the sure path of enlightenment.”
• “Even a little practice of this dharma (through religious rites and righteous action) will save you from great fear, the colossal sufferings inherent in the repeated cycles of birth and death.”
• “For the faults of the many, judge not the whole. Everything on earth is of mixed character, like a mingling of sand and sugar. Be like the wise ant which seizes only the sugar, and leaves the sand untouched.”

“Whenever Anyone Utters With Reverence The Name Of Babaji, That Devotee Attracts An Instant Spiritual Blessing.”
— Paramahansa Yogananda

How Do I Invite Mahavatar Babaji To Appear

As with all eternal masters, they might appear to us when we truly need it. Only they know what our soul requires for liberation.
Consider these ideas in your pursuit to merge with the eternal nature of Babaji:

• If Your Desire Is To Be Showered With Babaji’s Love, Chant This Mantra For Some Time, “Om Babaji, Om Babaji, Om Babaji” With A Sweet And Vulnerable Reverence.
• To Experience The Essence Of A Light-Being, You Might Imagine The Master’s Form And Bow To His Or Her Image. Humbly Ask For A Blessing By Saying, “My Heart Is Open. I Am Open. Bless Me With Your Light So That I Can Grow In Love.” You Might Also Speak To Babaji As Your Most Treasured Friend.
• Consider These Chants To Invoke These Divine Incarnations:
  • “Om Hreem Kreem Babaji Namaha”
  • “Om Kreem Babaji-Narayan Namaha”
  • “Om Hreem Narayan, Om Hreem Krishna, Om Hreem Babaji-Krishna Namaha”
• Some Might Also Chant The Maha Mantra, Found In The Upanishads:
  • “Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare Hare. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare.”
• This Divine Meditation Technique Might Also Be Of Help:
  • Sit cross-legged on the floor or in a comfortable chair, with your spine straight.
  • Take ten very slow and deep breaths, commanding that each breath’s energy fill your body’s cells, organs, and systems with light and love.
  • Take another ten breaths, using them to go deeper within yourself so that you can be without thoughts.
  • Imagine the physical form of Mahavatar Babaji in front of you. See him at the age of 25, filled with light, copper skin and brown hair, and with rose petals at his feet. Ask Babaji to fill your heart and life with peace and love.
  • Consider repeating in your mind, “Mahavatar Babaji, have mercy upon me.” You might also repeat “Mahavatar Babaji” in your mind upon inhaling, and then “have mercy upon me” upon exhale. Use a cadence that opens your heart.
  • After some time, say this aloud, “Sitting within the sphere of the divine light of my master Babaji, I am safe, whole, happy and aware. I seek the master’s divine presence, love, blessing, and guidance in my life. I am with you master, forevermore.”
  • Take ten more breaths and imagine the love of the universe filling your vessel. Pray for a handful of people whom you love. Open your eyes and have a blessed day.

Even if we do not experience visitations of spirit, when we seek the eternal light in specific forms, we will undoubtedly receive their essence in the forms of joy, light, love, and peace.

Chögyam Trungpa was a profound soul.

I was entranced with the beautiful writings of Chögyam Trungpa for many years. His book, Shambhala: The Sacred Path of The Warrior became a staple in my life. It opened my eyes to spiritual potential and deepened my understanding of life, love, and the divine.​

The more I learned, the more I craved Chögyam Trungpa’s books. When I meditated on him, I could feel his playful and loving heart. He had died a few months prior to my first experience of his unique spirit and work.​

My favorite Chögyam Trungpa quotes are, “Everyone loves something, even if it’s only tortillas” and “The ideal of warriorship is that the warrior should be sad and tender, and because of that, the warrior can be very brave as well.”​​

A prolific writer and Buddhist meditation master, Chögyam Trungpa (March 5, 1939 – April 4, 1987) is among the first masters who brought Buddhist teachings to the west and made them accessible. The holder of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages, Chögyam Trungpa, was a brilliant man who lived a remarkable life.

Besides being the 11th Trungpa Tülku, an incarnating line of Tibetan lamas, Chögyam was:

• A radical, groundbreaking teacher in the Vajrayana school of Buddhism
• A re-imaginer of the original visions of Shambhala (a mythic Buddhist kingdom)
• A Tertön, someone who discovers ancient, hidden, Tibetan Buddhist texts
• The Supreme Abbot of the Surgmang Monasteries
• Globally adored Poet, Artist, and Scholar

“Enlightenment Is Ego’s Ultimate Disappointment.”
― Chögyam Trungpa

The Adventurous Life Of Chögyam Trungpa

While studying meditation, philosophy, calligraphy, painting, and monastic dance, Chögyam Trungpa became a monk in 1947. In the 1950s, when Chinese communists repatriated Tibet, the Rinpoche trekked over the Himalayas and narrowly escaped capture. He reached India in 1959 and began teaching Buddhism to young lamas in Delhi, India.

Fluent in English, Chögyam Trungpa studied at Oxford, and taught throughout North America and Europe, giving thousands of talks to eager initiates.

Known for presenting Buddhist teachings in secular terms, Chögyam founded his growing Buddhist community and teachings under the name, “Vajradhatu” in 1973. The organization was renamed, “Shambhala International” in 2000 by his son, born to a nun named Lady Kunchok Palden.

Shambhala International focuses on Buddhadharma, meditation, mindfulness, wakefulness, creativity, and new thoughts on living a peaceful life.

In 1970, Chögyam married a wealthy sixteen-year-old student named Diana Judith Pybus (also known as Diana J. Mukpo). They had three sons together, two of whom are recognized as reincarnations of Buddhist lamas. Diana also had a son out of wedlock, Ashoka Mukpo, raised by Chögyam, who is also considered a reincarnated Tibetan lama.​

Ashoka states on his blog about his father, “I believe from the bottom of my heart that we will be unpacking his life and teachings for a thousand years.”​​

Diana wrote a book entitled, “Dragon Thunder: My Life with Chögyam Trungpa”, which details the challenges and triumphs living with the Buddhist master. While remarkable, their marriage wasn’t all malas, mantras, and magic.

In 1974, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche founded Naropa in Boulder CO, the first Buddhist-inspired university in the United States. Chögyam’s books are published by Shambhala Publications and is not affiliated with Shambala International or Naropa University.

To many Buddhists, Chögyam Trungpa is known as a profound and enlightened Buddhist master. He is also one of the most influential spiritual leaders of our time. His books and lectures are considered essential teachings on meditation and Buddhadharma.

The Chogyam Trungpa documentary, “Crazy Wisdom: The Life & Times of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche” can be found on online and in stores.

“We Do Not Have To Be Ashamed Of What We Are. As Sentient Beings, We Have Wonderful Backgrounds. These Backgrounds May Not Be Particularly Enlightened Or Peaceful Or Intelligent. Nevertheless, We Have Soil Good Enough To Cultivate; We Can Plant Anything In It.”
― Chögyam Trungpa

Chögyam Trungpa Books

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s work is vast and profound, so please do not allow this short list to limit your exploration of his work.

Here are a few highlights among his remarkable publications:

• Born in Tibet (1966), autobiography, the story of escaping from Tibet
• Meditation in Action (1969)
• Mudra (1972)
• Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism (1973)
• The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Liberation through Hearing in the Bardo, translated with commentary by Francesca Fremantle and Chögyam Trungpa (1975)
• Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior (1984)
• Crazy Wisdom (1991)
• The Heart of the Buddha (1991)
• Secret Beyond Thought: The Five Chakras and the Four Karmas (1991)
• The Lion’s Roar: An Introduction to Tantra (1992)
• Timely Rain: Selected Poetry of Chögyam Trungpa (1998)
• Great Eastern Sun: The Wisdom of Shambhala (1999)
• Glimpses of Space: The Feminine Principle and Evam (1999)
• The Essential Chögyam Trungpa (2000)

Famous Chögyam Trungpa Quotes

It’s impossible to encapsulate the writing of Chögyam Trungpa in a few quotes, but here are a handful of his thoughts that might inspire an opening of heart and mind:

• “Shambhala vision teaches that in the face of the world’s great problems, we can be heroic and kind at the same time.”
• “Becoming “awake” involves seeing our confusion more clearly.”
• “As long as a person is involved with warfare, trying to defend or attack, then his action is not sacred; it is mundane, dualistic, a battlefield situation.”
• “When we talk about compassion, we talk in terms of being kind. But compassion is not so much being kind; it is creative to wake a person up.”
• “Enlightened society has to be real and good, honest, and genuine.”
• “When we are afraid of ourselves and afraid of the seeming threat the world presents, then we become extremely selfish. We want to build our little nests, our cocoons so that we can securely live by ourselves.”
• “The key to warriorship and the first principle of Shambhala vision is not being afraid of who you are. Ultimately, that is the definition of bravery: not being afraid of yourself.”
• “Warriorship is so tender, without skin, without tissue, naked and raw. It is soft and gentle. You have renounced putting on a new suit of armor. You have renounced growing a thick, hard skin. You are willing to expose naked flesh, bone, and marrow to the world.”
• “Meditation, or samadhi, is connected with the idea of overcoming the constant search for entertainment.”

The Wild Side Of Chögyam Trungpa

It might be said that every master who can see through the veils of reality might also enjoy an occasional, secret dip into the most human enslavements.

To boot, any great re-imaginer and re-presenter of ancient texts are bound to cross lines that most of us would consider sacred. Whether the crossing of these lines is inconsistent with the path leading to liberation is up to the reader.

Chögyam taught many students to explore their wild natures so that they could know their passions, depths, and limits. He encouraged others to seek authenticity in pursuit of knowing their gifts, values, and uniqueness. Given the wide berth he gave his followers, Chögyam may have imagined that each soul would eventually tire of these mundane activities and seek the divine.

Chögyam Trungpa loved to engage elite and revolutionary writers, artists, and thinkers. His students included the famous author Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck, and the lovely Joni Mitchell. He also spent time with the voice of the Beat Generation, Allen Ginsberg, and poets W.S. Merwin and Anne Waldman, among many others.​

It was said that Chögyam Trungpa enjoyed drinking alcohol, and on occasion, used cocaine. Some have said that they would not recommend becoming a student of his due to his narcissistic and sexual tendencies. Chögyam’s wild side could be challenging, off-putting, and potentially dangerous, if not harmful to others.

When we dance with the pains, perilous thoughts, and behaviors of humanity, either as a writer, artist, or teacher, we begin to see that every vice is akin to the others. Over time, the collection of human vices becomes a collage, each one fading into the next. There is no reason to judge one vice over another, except in the harm that it might engender to ourselves and others.

There have been other accusations against Chögyam Trungpa, including sexual liaisons, consorts, and the like. While we cannot know the depths of pain that Chögyam may have inspired in others, we must realize that not all teachers are as pure as they portray. If we weren’t present to the mayhem, we might never know the truth. Chögyam said, “You shouldn’t imitate or judge the behavior of your teacher, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche unless you can imitate his mind.”​

It might be said that Trungpa enjoyed provoking people, even shocking them, out of their attitudes, masks, apathy, and aloofness, with the hope that they might seek expansion and liberation.

“My Devotion And Gratitude To The Vidyadhara Know No Horizon For Bringing Us The Blessings Of Our Lineage, Which Continue To Inspire Me To Be A Genuine And Compassionate Human Being. It Bears Remembering How Difficult It Was For Him To Transmit That Lineage, And What An Integral Part Of His Heart And Mind It Was. I Have Great Faith That We Are In A Special Moment Right Now; May The Memory And Legacy Of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche Guide Us.”
— Ashoka Mukpo, Journalist, Photographer, and adopted son of Chögyam Trungpa

Chögyam Trungpa’s Controversial Son

When high-profile, spiritual leaders repeatedly make mistakes that hurt others, it’s usually the sign of something much deeper and more problematic, not only within the individual but also within the related organization.

Born Sawang Ösel Rangdröl Mukpo, Mipham Rinpoche, also known as Sakyong or King, is the leader of one of the most expansive Buddhist organizations in the world, known as Shambhala International, which includes over 220 centers, groups and gathering halls in over 50 countries. It was initially founded under a different name by his father, Chögyam Trungpa. Sakyong Trungpa is Chögyam Trungpa’s son and spiritual heir in this life.

Chögyam imparted profound Buddhist teachings to his children but may have imbued his son with sexual and mischievous ideas and behaviors, along with other related dependencies and complications. It is impossible to know what was transmitted, transmuted, and consumed into Sakyong Trungpa.

Choseng Trungpa Rinpoche: The Reincarnation Of Chögyam Trungpa

It appears that the teachings of Chögyam Rinpoche are getting a second life. Choseng Trungpa has born as the 12th and current Trungpa Tülku on February 6, 1989, in eastern Tibet. Enthroned at Surmang Monastery, where his father Chögyam Trungpa was the most recent abbot, Choseng has been officially recognized as the reincarnation (reemergence into a new life through birth) of Chögyam Trungpa.

It’s True: In Life And Death, What Comes Around, Goes Around!

Sai Baba of Shirdi, a profound soul. A Shutterstock Licensed Image.

Revered by thousands of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Zoroastrian devotees, Shirdi Sai Baba was known to be an Indian saint, Satguru, fakir (vowed to poverty and devoted to God), and spiritual master. The translation of Sai Baba’s name speaks directly to how people saw him. Sai means “Sufi Saint” and Baba means “Father.”

Baba did not support the hierarchical caste system or the notion that one religion was more significant than another. Throughout his life, he gently wove elements of Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam into his unique version of Vedantic teachings.

While Sai Baba’s birth year was not recorded, it is assumed he was born near the year 1838. He passed from this life in samadhi in 1918. Baba often lived in a Mosque, and his physical body was cremated in a temple.

Many believe Sai Baba of Shirdi to be the embodiment of Saguna Brahma, which refers to an eternal, absolute and immanent divine presence. Many also believe Sai Baba is the embodiment of the supreme God and Sri Dattatreya, one of the consecrated avatar-lords of Yoga in Hinduism.​

Baba was most likely born to Brahmin parents within a few hundred miles of Shirdi, Maharashtra, India. Some have reported that he came from the village of Pathri. When he arrived in Shirdi, at the age of 16, where he led an ascetic life, Baba began meditating under a neem tree and teaching local villagers.

Baba left Shirdi for some time and was thought to have traveled throughout the country meeting with other saints, fakirs, and gurus.

“Do not be misled by what you see around you, or be influenced by what you see. You live in a world which is a playground of illusion, full of false paths, false values, and false ideals. But you are not part of that world.”
— Shirdi Sai Baba

The Teachings Of Shirdi Sai Baba

While most of the local villagers saw Sai Baba as a beautiful and humble saint, a few considered him to be evil and would throw stones at him. Regardless, he remained in a state of profound peace and showered his followers with love, respect, and kindness.

When living at the Mosque, Baba would tend the sacred fire (dhuni) and would give out the ashes to his devotees. Baba’s holy ash was reported to have produced many healings and miracles.

Sai Baba’s teachings were based in the three Hindu paths, Bhakti, Jnana and Karma Yoga. He believed one God to govern all. He was occasionally heard chanting, “Allah Malik” or God is King.

​Like many Satgurus, Shirdi Sai Baba focused on the importance of self-realization, while continually warning of the trappings found when we love things in the material world. Baba taught about love and forgiveness, charity, selfless service, inner peace, and how to maintain an un-shattered devotion to God.

Sai Baba of Shirdi was particularly adamant about the importance of surrendering to your guru or Satguru. He taught that having a living master helps initiates release their attachments to their self-identities and move closer to God-consciousness.

Sai Baba of Shirdi would often share ideas that seemed to be akin to a spiritual form of physics. He would say, “To every one of us there must come a time when the whole universe will be found to have been a dream when we find the soul is infinitely better than its surroundings. It is only a question of time, and time is nothing in the infinite.”

Baba taught two fundamental principles over and over again, Shraddha and Saburi. The Sanskrit word “Shraddha” means to have love, respect, and faith in the divine. Baba taught that Shraddha would take devotees far beyond intellectual intelligence and a rationalized reality. He taught that Saburi, meaning “patience and firmness,” is a vital part of achieving self-realization.

In all things, Baba taught us that our spiritual paths would be less burdened if we protected the purity of our souls, minds, and hearts.

Sai Baba Of Shirdi Quotes

• “What is new in the world? Nothing. What is old in the world? Nothing. Everything has always been and will always be.”
• “Man is lost and is wandering in a jungle where real values have no meaning. Real values can have meaning to man only when he steps on to the spiritual path, a path where negative emotions have no use.”
• “College education gives you the chance to earn money and live thereupon. But, unless it destroys certain illusions that are nourished by the common level of mankind, your lives will not be happy.”
• “Look out into the universe and contemplate the glory of God. Observe the stars, millions of them, twinkling in the night sky, all with a message of unity, part of the very nature of God.”
• “Why fear when I am here?”
• “The end of knowledge is wisdom. The end of culture is perfection. The end of wisdom is freedom. The end of education is character. And character consists of eagerness to renounce one’s selfish greed.”
• “I am formless and everywhere. I am in everything and beyond. I fill all space.”
• “I will not allow my devotees to come to harm. If a devotee is about to fall, I stretch out my hands to support him or her. I think of my people day and night. I say their names over and over. I look on all with an equal eye.”
• “I cannot do anything without God’s permission.”

The Other Sai: Sathya Sai Baba

More recently, Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian guru who lived from 1926 to 2011, was a revered spiritual teacher who claimed to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi.

Both devotees and non-devotees reported Sathya Sai Baba’s ability to materialize jewelry, heal the sick, and appear in multiple locations at the same point in time. These public displays of spiritual magic elevated his fame while also producing controversy.

Throughout his 84 years, Sathya Sai Baba established a network of free hospitals, clinics, ashrams, and schools, and was committed to funding clean water projects in a long list of cities throughout India. There are over 1200 Sai Centres in 126 countries.
Over 500,000 people attended Sathya Sai Baba’s state funeral, including the President, Prime Minister and other famous dignitaries. Among thousands of others, the Dalai Lama offered his sincerest condolences. In fear that Sathya Sai Baba was creating an uncontrollable movement, the CIA followed him for decades. Other accusations included the use of popular, non-spiritual, magic tricks, sexual abuse, fraud, and murder.

“Love All, Serve All. Help Ever, Hurt Never.”
— Sathya Sai Baba

Shirdi Sai Baba’s Miracles, Movies, And Biographies

Many of Shirdi Sai Baba’s followers believed that Baba had profound, spiritual gifts and therefore was able to perform any miracle at will.​

It has been said that Baba was able to read minds, appear in multiple locations at the same time, cure incurable diseases, exorcise evil spirits, energetically stop moving objects, levitate, enter Samadhi at will, physically materialize other people’s illnesses and ailments, and open the most stubborn hearts and minds.​

Even after Baba’s death, some people reported that Baba would appear to them as various Gods and divine forms and give them spiritual and life advice.​​

The following movies were made about Baba’s life, including: Shirid Che Sai Baba(Marathi), Shirdi Ke Sai Baba (Hindi), Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Mahathyam (Telugu), Bhagavan Shri Sai Baba (Kannada), Sai Baba (Marathi), Sri Sai Mahima (Telugu), Shirdi Sai Baba (Hindi), Ishwarya Avatar Sai Baba (Hindi), Malik ek (Hindi) and Shirdi Sai (Telugu).​​

The remarkable life of Shirdi Sai Baba was chronicled in two books as follows:

• The Shirdi Diary (1910), by Ganesh Shrikrishna Khaparde, a noteworthy account of Sai Baba’s life.
• Shri Sai Satcharita (1916), by Govindrao Raghunath Dabholkar. This book consists of 53 chapters about Sai Baba’s teachings, miracles, and life.

Many people have reported feeling peaceful and inspired by these books, a feeling that can also be achieved by visiting Shirdi Sai Baba’s temples. His first temple was built in Bhivpuri, Karjat, India.

“Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere. If any men, women or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but receive them well and treat them with due respect. Sri Hari (God) will certainly be pleased if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked, and verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If anybody wants any money from you, and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him like a dog.”
— Shirdi Sai Baba

Shirdi Sai Baba’s Devotees And Temples

The Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi has over 25,000 visitors every year. It’s managed by the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, a philanthropic and monastic order in Baba’s name. Their website, www.Sai.org.in states, “Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, is the Governing and Administrative body of Shri Saibaba’s Samadhi Temple and all others temples on these premises, and devoted towards the development of Shirdi village.”

Devotees of Sai Baba of Shirdi hail from all over the world. His temples have been constructed in a long list of countries and continents, including but not limited to the Caribbean, Nepal, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, Canada,

The United States, Australia, The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Malaysia, several countries in South America, many countries throughout South Africa, The Netherlands, Cuba, Pakistan, Japan, New Zealand, The United Kingdom, Germany, France and Singapore.
​
Anandanath of Yewala, a Hindu saint, declared Sai Baba to be a “spiritual diamond.” Gangagir, also a Hindu saint, called Baba, a “magnificent jewel.”​

Meher Baba, a self-self-declared, Indian, God-Avatar, believed Sai Baba of Shirdi to be a “Master of the Universe” or Qutub-e-Irshad, a term known only within the Meher Baba community.