Supernatural
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Get Proficient in Dealing with Great-looking Teachings
Blaming it on the disciples, is that fair and solid? I think not. It does not suit the guru's bigots either. Yogananda seems to blame all SRF cultishness on his disciples, but such white-washing of his own contributions is unbecoming. Hence, it is fair to expose some of them. Neuroses and misfortunes may be yours soon enough anyway, if that is what you are after . . .Disciples make all the trouble and differences. They begin to create narrowness and bigotry. The pure Message becomes diluted with ignorance. - Swami Yogananda, "Oriental Christ", East-West, March-April 1930.
You may have found that some 'man-fishers' play on great-sounding words and form snares too. Digressing soap opera figures and figurines may feel a strong need within to subject their big ones to 'face-lifting' or embellishments. Lack of authenticity thus comes to the fore, presumably, by half-camouflage and retouching of "big guy's nasty features" and more.
Learn to be well guarded in public and be reluctant to commit yourself. There may be much help in adding "degrees of maybe" to the all too common 'yes' and 'no' responses.
The Likert Scale
I like the Likert scale (from Rensis Likert). It is widely used in statistics too. You may use it to sort out your feelings and attitudes in difficult matters. You can use the fingers on your hand to sort things out by it. Better still, write down your responses:
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A thumb up marking could mean "strong yes", for example, and 5 be used as the number for it. You may next sort and weigh many responses too. This scale is not difficult to work with. Use it to sort your likings and responses to many things.
Some respond by "yes" without verifying. "It is easier to believe than to doubt [American proverb, Ap 166]." Others respond "no" without knowing enough. None of these responses are professional. Compare, "Twin fools: one doubts nothing, the other everything [American proverb, Ap 166]." The best may stick to a cultivated or cultivable "maybe" and next decide whether and how far they would like to inspect things for themselves or their next of kin. In this way many have progress and may thrive in that way. "When in doubt, find out — Knowledge may grow with skilled doubts [Cf. American proverb, Ap 165]."
It is not enough just to be hard-headed. One is supposed to be rational and fair in encounters also.
Estimate figures
An 'estimate figure' is tentative. It suggests - maybe your most favourable
responses: (a) in private; (b) among friends; (c) fit for the public. These may
differ.In the public sphere, being sceptical and not settled may pay well, in time. "Not settled" may be translated into "I haven't made up my mind on that yet" - it often suffices in public. What you do otherwise in your private life and among good friends is your own business. Official statements need to be very careful and well enough guarded, or jarring may set in. And a practical, all right truth may be a rare find. Some are found in textbooks, though.
ALSO look at
this figure:Not a few men and women think that truth has something about it that is credible. With sectarians it may be opposite, however. Besides, unwelcome truths may be disliked and easily discarded. Hence, a solid and applied truth may be as rare as a gem. Compare Kurt Lewin's "There is nothing so practical as a good theory" [Sop 11]. Something accepted as true, may be the result of social bargains.
We may not have have to express ourselves further (in public) than to a "very, very credible" level.
Knowledge comes within limits. Stick tentatively to some 'middling course', quite as an Indian professor suggests with reference to the life of Shyama Charan Lahiri, Lahiri Baba. For all that, a fair approach may differ from the unsure guy's "middling" responses over and over.
It was at Ranikhet ... that he received the Blessed touch of his Master under whose benign influence he became the greatest exponent of the Yoga Cult in modern times.
There are different and conflicting accounts regarding the meeting of the Yogiraj with his Master ... and his initiation. The conflict seems to be between the spirit which claims to start from a rational and scientific basis and rejects all improbable incidents as entirely unbelievable, and that which blindly accepts everything—facts and legends, however improbable and fantastic—as gospel truth the validity of which cannot simply be questioned. The truth seems to stand midway between these two extremes". [Professor Jogesh Chandra Bhattacharya, in the book Shri Shri Gurabe Namah Yogiraj Shri Shri Lahiri Mahasha, chapter 3.]
Express soundly if you can and be on your guard
Majestic-looking guys do not always seem to talk along modest and sensible lines. that is their business, but it does not have to be yours. Fairly often blunderbuss talking serves them. Go for careful, nuanced precision instead.Also, to neglect sound testing is not a work of wisdom. Yogananda tells that yoga is testable, and not detestable. And as for Yogananda, many succumb to romantic tales and intrigues of his making, as Marshall Govindam suggests.
One has to be prepared for emotionally tinged biases, tense build-ups, intense situations and yearnings, guesswork that "folks agree on" and old rigmarole that just might get the better of some people. Still, some guru followers might want to explore some of the tidings that come up unless bigwigs and group agreements erect blocks in the way - they do.
Common sense is not as common as many think. Therefore there is quite a need to examine inspirations and ideas well. If there is enough backbone (truth) in an axiom, it stands being put to the test in good ways.
One of the hallmarks of general science is yes to examination (deep study) of tenets, not refusal of investigating them in adequate, fair ways.
Now try to take stock of the inner life first.
Rational coping is worth striving for. It does not exclude modest tentativeness. See if the main line of an argument is fit, if it is convincing, if the parts "marry" each one another fairly well. Intrinsic consistency is a good asset.
Also see whether the tenets match your main experiences or some of those of your forefathers, and try to gauge how far you might be able to make good use of them in time, in case, and what the cost might be. Much is up to you.
It also pays to be prepared for unpleasant encounters, even academically.
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Literature
Ap: Mieder, Wolfgang (main ed.), Stewart A. Kingsbury, and Kelsie E. Harder: A Dictionary of American Proverbs. (Paperback) New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.
Ebu: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica 2009 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD. London: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2009.
Sop: Smith, Eliot R., and Diane M. Mackie. Social Psychology. 2nd ed. Hove: Psychology Press, 2000.
Ys: Satyanananda, Swami. Yogiraj Shyama Charan Lahiri Mahasaya. A Biography. Tr Amitava Chaterjee. Portland, Mn: Sevayatan and Yoganiketan, 2001. Earlier on-line: [yoganiketan.net/satyogiraj/index.htm], now: www.yoganiketan.net
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