The False Reassurance of Cultic Entanglement + Other Short 'Subjects'

 The False Reassurance of Cultic Entanglement

Nobody in Sidi's entourage is going to tell you about their trauma, their addictions, their nightmares, their fears.  Nobody wants to hear it.

Everybody just wants to pretend it all got better when they joined up.  Because, they changed their names, their diets, the direction they prayed in.

The people they were with--all who seemed eager enough to be their long-lost friends.   And if anything WAS wrong, there was some saying or other or some passage that would clear it up.

But you didn't REALLY throw out the Fear, you just covered it over with someone else's beliefs.  Beliefs you hadn't validated for yourself.  Beliefs that required that certain OTHER groups of people had to be wrong about.

Then, you had, as a group, to protect yourself from the other groups.  But at least it was comforting to be in a group.

Until it wasn't.  Until something got in the way that just made you stop believing in it.  Some flaw, some indiscretion.

But then you were alone, and worse than before.  No friends or companions in either world.

What then?

CUTTING THROUGH SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM

That was the title of a famous Tibetan lama's book that shook the foundations of the 'New Age' Movement of the 70's.   The idea was that people approached spirituality from a selfish, acquisitive perspective.  They mainly wanted to benefit themselves.  To have serene, meaningful, perhaps even ecstatic lives.  And then perhaps graduate to some higher plane or heaven after death.

In a way, such a spirituality does not actually ADDRESS the reality of Old Age, Sickness, Death, and so many of the painful realities that frequently threaten and always, inevitably, DO overwhelm us.

DID SIDI TEACH PEOPLE TO DEPEND ON HIMSELF OR ON GOD?

If the premise of this site is correct, that Sidi himself did NOT have the connection to God he advertised, then what attracted people to him?

I suspect it was a desire for people to feel comfortable that the Universe actually loved and knew about them.  Sidi always told people, 'Not think you are only a small star.  You are GREAT, if you know!'

That's very reassurring.  Especially if one doesn't inherently feel that way.  But talk is cheap.  Its not that it is WRONG to reassure people, but there is a question about  developing oneself to the point where one can freely experience Unity without a teacher, and in community with others.

'TOTAL FAITH' IS NOT THE GOAL

It's an easy misconception.  That absolute acceptance of a set of Spiritual Beliefs is the goal of Spiritual Life.  'Jesus Christ was the Son of God and all you need do is believe in Him, and you shall be saved!"

Or, 'Sidi has all these credentials and says all these special things, so by following him I will be Special, too."

Wrong.  Mere belief can unleash horrors.  True wisdom requires transformation/transcendence of the small 'self'.

It can only be validated internally.