Guru Worship: What Is It?
Guru...I'm sure that this word brings to mind images of Ashrams & peaceful retreats to find ourselves. Although this word is closely associated with Buddhist & Hindu traditions, there are Gurus of all types in all societies. They are known as influencers, experts, teachers, mentors, & the list can go on & on. They are the people we see as "experts" in whatever domain we are seeking to improve in our lives. Here's a western definition of guru: an influential teacher or popular expert. There is a pattern that I have noticed in my own life & the broader population...Guru worship. Let's define this term: Guru worship is giving our power, resources, & time to an individual or group in hopes that it will heal you & give you release from your struggles. It is elevating humans to the level of God & thus giving your power to them. Guru worship & the mentality of seeking wholeness through others dis-empowers us from finding authenticity & wholeness in the one place it has always been, ourselves.
Disclaimer: There are leaders who have abused their power & hurt a lot of people AND there are leaders who have a genuine heart to help others. They do not seek to be anyone's savior or god in the flesh. They simply want to help. We honor the latter. Beyond the Guru looks to the ones who hold all of the power in our lives, us. Without tapping into our own power we will never be able to heal/integrate the hurts, pains, & traumas we have experienced. It is our responsibility to heal & Beyond the Guru seeks to assist in the empowerment of survivors to make choices to better themselves.
As a trauma survivor I have given away much of my power to the savior of the day. These saviors come in the form of Jesus, spiritualism, religious leaders, those who I believe have it all together, relationships (both platonic & romantic), bosses, substances, or anyone/anything that I felt could lead me out of the despair of a condition I didn't even realize I had. That condition was Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or C-PTSD brought on by years of abuse at the hand of a family member. I found out much later in my life that this condition was the cause of so much heartache & disconnection from my body. I could not find peace within myself so I sought it in others. We will delve into this more in future posts. This post is designed to help you find out if you have landed in the right place. The answer is YES YOU HAVE! If you have suffered from any form of trauma & find yourself caught in the LOOP (Losing Ourselves in Other Priorities) then you have just landed in the right place, welcome aboard!