10 Things I Hate About So-Called Gurus!

[prasad1]

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What is the real definition of the word “guru”? How many real gurus, on different topics, could there possibly be? And what is this new emerging trend of having people describe themselves as gurus in their biographies and resumes?
The exact definition of a guru is: “is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in a certain area, and uses it to guide others. A guru is literally a preceptor who shows others knowledge (light) and destroys ignorance (darkness)”. This definition lead me to think of all the so-called gurus I bump into on Twitter and other social media sites and of how annoying it can be to find hundreds of self acclaimed gurus with no proof or record of their expertise!
The Xara Art of Zeb

Therefore, I decided to compile a list, with examples, of the top ten things that I hate about fake gurus:

1995 left-overs, and yes, that's a "guru's" 2009 site!

1. False Credit: In order to be a real guru, you must possess certain characteristics, education and knowledge. So-called gurus are self acclaimed, which means they give themselves credit they most probably do not deserve! An example is a “tech guru” on Twitter with 72 following, 62 followers, a site which looks like a 1995 leftover with no traffic and around 414 updates about random things that do not relate to technology!
2. Inaccurate Advice: A guru is supposed to provide his audience with advice, tips and information which is accurate and even more-so, life-changing! Falsified gurus will do the exact opposite, providing downright wrong advice that might get their audience into trouble! Check out the Financial Gurus Hall of Shame!
3. Lack of Humbleness: A real guru is humble and selfless; helping his followers excel, learn more and be more just for the mere pleasure of watching them grow. Self-acclaimed gurus ruin that image by boasting about who they are and what they do!
4. Unfocused Attention: Usually, a guru will be focused in one field of expertise in order to provide the most value to his followers. The so-called gurus of these days are “experts” in multiple fields despite their young age and lack of expertise in most of the fields! A great example is a “web guru” World Famous DJ, marketer and producer!
5. Lack of Credentials: Real gurus are field experts who have reached a level of professionalism and expertise that enables them to provide any necessary credentials. In addition to that, they probably have a list of magazine articles, publications and/or successful conferences. A false guru lacks any credentials and yet promotes his image as a world wide expert guru!
6. 
   A guru with poor listening skills?
   
   Lack of Two-Way Communication: A real guru, naturally, will provide helpful tips and advice to his followers but will also place both time and effort to listen to their concerns and questions and formulate the right answers for them. Today’s media-made gurus just want to talk; they don’t care to listen! Here’s a very good example: How could you listen to your followers if you’re not following them back?
   
7. Repetitiveness: If everyone is a guru in that certain field, they won’t reinvent the wheel, or will they? No, definitely not and this is why, with the increasing number of self celebrated gurus, everything said is becoming repetitive like a broken record with no added value!
8. Inability to Practice What They Preach: Regardless of which type of guru you are, you owe it to yourself first, and then to others, to practice what you preach!
9. Lack of Application: Yes, we all know that “talk is cheap”, but do so-called gurus know that? I doubt it! Fake gurus talk, make up theories and techniques that can “change the world” yet in application, they are only and mostly inapplicable theories!
10. Lack of Commitment: A real guru will go all the way, walk the extra mile and have certain long term planned goals to achieve. Today’s abusive gurus are money-seekers, short-term oriented and mostly hoping for the hit and run profits!

Finally, I’ll leave you to think about this: If there are more than 7,000 gurus alone on Twitter, how many of them are real and how many are just guru-wannabe’s?
Would love to hear your feedback and any additional examples you’d like to share about annoying fake guru-related experiences!
http://blog.thoughtpick.com/2009/07/10-things-i-hate-about-so-called-gurus.html

 

[Vaagmi]

So what we need urgently is a Indian Central Guru certifying authority for the country which can subscribe to a World Guru Certifying Authority to be headquartered at New York or Washington DC (otherwise the Indian Guru Certifying Authority IGCA will be funds starved and will close down). They can have annual meetings at exotic Hawaai or Goa or some carefully tucked away Madagascorian Island.

The aspiring Gurus should have the following minimum qualification to even enter the portls of this Authority:

1. They should be having a flowing dark beard (if men). Only dark beard because that color titilates the minds of the women members in the Award issuing committee.

2. They should speak only in sanskrit.

3. The word Chakra, Yoga, sahasrara, universal consciousness etc. should compulsorily find a place in any thesis they submit. Without that the theory will be rejected outright.

4. On the Guru Purnima day, whatever dakshina they receive from the aspiring public, should all be remitted faithfully to the concerned Guru's concubine secretly. They should not retain any money. Only then they would receive Dollar funds from abroad.

5. This is the most important of the conditions:

Whenever the Gurus or their aspiring members enter the office of this IGCA complex in New Delhi, should not set their foot on the steps of the entrance. They should enter by doing a double or triple somersaults. The closed circuit TVs will help the guards prevent anyone who fails in this priliminary test.

LOL.

 

[prasad1]

Guru is a Sanskrit term that connotes someone who is a "teacher, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, guru is someone more than a teacher, traditionally a reverential figure to the student, with the guru serving as a "counselor, who helps mold values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who helps in the spiritual evolution of a student." The term also refers to someone who primarily is one's spiritual guide, who helps one to discover the same potentialities that the guru has already realized.
The oldest references to the concept of guru are found in the earliest Vedic texts of Hinduism. The guru, and gurukul – a school run by guru, were an established tradition in India by the 1st millennium BCE, and these helped compose and transmit the various Vedas, the Upanishads, texts of various schools of Hindu philosophy, and post-Vedic Shastras ranging from spiritual knowledge to various arts. By about mid 1st millennium CE, archaeological and epigraphical evidence suggest numerous larger institutions of gurus existed in India, some near Hindu temples, where guru-shishya tradition helped preserve, create and transmit various fields of knowledge. These gurus led broad ranges of studies including Hindu scriptures, Buddhist texts, grammar, philosophy, martial arts, music and painting.
The tradition of guru is also found in Jainism, referring to a spiritual preceptor, a role typically served by a Jain ascetic. In Sikhism, the guru tradition has played a key role since its founding in the 15th century, its founder is referred to as Guru Nanak, and its scripture as Guru Granth Sahib. The guru concept has thrived in Vajrayāna Buddhism, where the tantric guru is considered a figure to worship and whose instructions should never be violated.
In the West, the term is sometimes derogatory, referring to individuals who have allegedly exploited their followers' naiveté, particularly in certain tantra schools, self help, hippie and other new religious movements.

According to Merrium-webster dictionary:

[h=2]Simple Definition of guru[/h]

• : a religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduism
  
• : a teacher or guide that you trust
  
• : a person who has a lot of experience in or knowledge about a particular subject