stripping the gurus - Brahma Kumaris Info

AFTER THE ORDEAL 469
the “kings” of it. Indeed, in the same West where a “lack of social
constraint” is regularly blamed for the excesses of its “crazy wisdom”
practitioners:
[Few] crazy-wisdom masters today are afforded the privilege
of making use of their full bag of tricks. They are well aware
that a single lawsuit brought against them ... could result in
their losing the opportunity to continue their teaching function
(Caplan, 2002).
Since those lawsuits arise predominantly from alleged sexual
abuses (cf. Swami Rama), one cannot have it both ways. That is,
one is welcome to state, with Ram Dass (in Caplan, 2002), that
previously “impeccable” gurus fall from their lofty ideals because of
the greater freedoms and promiscuity (in alcohol, drugs and sex) in
the West. One would be hopelessly wrong—cf. Dass’ own “seventeen-year-old
jock,” Neem Karoli Baba—but one is free to close
one’s eyes and propose that. Having stated it, however, one cannot
then turn around and assert that “crazy wisdom” is practiced with
more freedom in the East, where “the guru-principle is understood,”
and lawsuits need not be so feared should “Da Shit hit Da
Fan”!
Note further that while even educational institutions have acknowledged
the existence of relevant psychological dynamics between
teachers and students, from which the students need to be
protected, things are much worse for guru-figures and disciples.
For, a student receiving unwanted attention from a professor or
graduate supervisor might, at least in theory (i.e., notwithstanding
“old boys’ networks” and the like), transfer to another class/supervisor,
or go “over the prof’s head” to the dean, etc. There are no
such courts of appeal, however, for wronged disciples. Rather,
there is merely the fear that in saying “No” to anything that the
guru-figure asks of you, you are being disobedient and egoic, and
thus retarding your own spiritual growth. Further, to break with
the guru at any stage of that may, one believes, cast one into “Vajra
hell,” or result in one “wandering the Earth for incarnations”
before being given another chance at enlightenment, should you
“waste” this one.
More obviously, no mere professor, graduate supervisor or
employer could believably suggest that sleeping with him (or her)
is part of a “divinely ordained plan.” Guru-figures, on the other
hand, can and do routinely advance exactly that idea. Thus, what-