At the SEEK SAFELY SUMMIT in Sedona, Arizona, we showed clips of the documentary, “Kumare” produced by Vikram Gandhi. Vikram is a film producer from New Jersey who decide to do a documentary about the “guru phenomenon”. He examined the ‘gurus” in the United States and also in his native, India, discovering a lot of confusion and scams. After spending time practicing yoga and meditation, he decided to try and experiment and see if he could pass himself off as a “guru”. Upon arriving in Phoenix, Arizona he rented a house to be his ‘ashram”, hired two “followers” and began promoting his brand of “enlightenment”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tbwGO_PSKM The clips we used at the summit provoked a great discussion about ethics and safety in the self-help industry. While this started as a “scam”, Vikram actually found something he believed in and desired to teach others to improve their lives. Follow his journey and this enlightening inside look at the self-help world that can be fraudulent or lead us to the profound fact that we are all our own ‘guru”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7Lt1A4jhRw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAA4dLSu1ds If we promote our teachers to sign the Promise and incorporate these values into their practice, we may impact this industry with fewer frauds and more authentic teachers. If we use the Empowerment guide, we may be able to ask more questions, be more discerning, and never abandon our personal power or fail to listen to the wise voice within. After watching the clips, please share with us. What do you think about the ability of a person to scam others? Why are we so accepting of another who presents himself/herself as a real teacher? What do you think about Kumare’s ultimate teaching? Does this raise other thoughts or concerns for you? To view the documentary in its entirety, go to Netflix or Amazon
