Sahaj Marg: Patel's Impossible Legacy

Translation of an article by Alexis: "Sahaj Marg: l'Impossible Héritage de Patel", as published on Élodie's blog in Europe: Pour Que Vive Le Sahaj Marg.


July 20, 2014

Sahaj Marg: Patel's Impossible Legacy
 
A new article by Alexis:
  

Why Patel Is Doomed To Failure
 
Long gone are the days of Eastern spirituality popularized by Ramakrishna and Vivekananda where the spiritual master accompanied his disciple on a long inner journey, as in the image conveyed by Buddhist monks and their students.

The Western need to re-enchant a world which has (allegedly?) become too materialistic, its attraction to Eastern spirituality and to new age synthesis has led (thanks to the hyper-Media) to the genesis and development of large international spiritual movements.

Victims of their success, the Eastern spiritualities have not been able to resist without the renunciation of materialism,  to the gigantism and the media, the direct consequences of the globalization of the spiritual market. They have lost all or part of their soul.
 

Now Is The Time For Charismatic Spiritual Leaders

Today, the spiritual seekers want to find a living Master to idealize, an idol. They are looking for a spiritual leader who is a charismatic leader, a star worthy of his fans.

To exist in the eyes of the world, the spiritual leader must crush the competition. Like any human being facing the temptation, he can not resist the lure of power and the influence of money.

There is therefore no place for the privileged "spiritual master/disciple" relationship in today's world. The model has evolved over time into a relationship between a spiritual leader and his flock of followers within an internationalized fanatical spiritualist movement.
 

The Masters Of Sahaj Marg Protected From These Developments

 Lalaji represents fully the now-disappeared time of the master/disciple relationship: Babuji crossed with more or less success the period of globalization and spiritual mutation; Chari is a very good example of these new spiritualist leaders.

Very aware of these global developments, it is Chari who entices Babuji west in the mid-70s towards a new public who is thirsty for Oriental esotericism.  On the death of Babuji, violently rejected by senior Indian preceptors, Chari manages to conquer the vast and almost untouched western spiritual marketplace. With his success, Chari returns to India 10 years later with money and some "faithfuls", crushing all opposition wherever it is found. Chari is a charismatic but authoritarian guru.

Do not be mistaken, Chari's public is no longer that of Babuji. Ended are the spiritual traditions of Hindu origin, Chari addresses himself to the Westerners, to the Indian diaspora as well as to the "social climber" classes and the rising gentrified Indians.

From the Spiritual method of Babuji, only the benefits of meditation lasts (survives?), while the rest disappears. But the charismatic power of Chari, the egregore resulting from his attractiveness to the crowds of his followers and the great invention of "Whispers From the Brighter World",  have replaced the magic and the disappeared mystery. 


The Impossible Legacy

The unifying power of the egregore exists thanks to Chari. At his death, there will be nothing left but  the benefit of meditation. But everyone meditates everywhere, there is no monopoly by Sahaj Marg on meditation. What other mysticism will Patel propose?

Although legitimized by Chari and the (alleged) great saints of Whispers, Patel does not bring with him the  adherence of Chari's "fans".  Chari's second choice (as his successor)  after Ajay Kumar Bhatter, Patel remains the eternal second, in the shadow of the Star.

When Chari was vilified in India, he went to new virgin lands for his success. What public will Patel mobilize? There is no more space to clear, he is condemned to attempt to win the favors of Chari's devotees. But, what does he have to offer them?

Surfing on the memory of the past and of Chari is insufficient and accessible to all the other opponents. What more can he offer?

In the world of Whispers, Sahaj Marg will develop and Patel will be the next undisputed leader. But in the real world, things are not so simple. Even Chari admits that they will have to forge alliances with other spiritualist movements to advance the Cause ... 

Alexis

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