5. MY MASTERS

I've received a couple of curious queries as to who the Masters are. The World Teacher, my Guru, is Sathya Sai Baba of South India. Master who 'arranged' to pass me his Autobiography of a Yogi is none other than Paramahansa Yogananda.

His book was put into my hands by a Sai Baba devotee at a Sai Center - is'nt that beautiful - the Masters work closely with one another, they do not differentiate between seekers. The man who passed me the book was quite stunned to hear of my experience (related in post 2 - Journey to Self-Realisation). He revealed he liked Yogananda very much and from me, he discovered that a Yogananda Center exists in Singapore and since than, he's been a regular at their weekly meditations. I was also led to The Theosophical Society by a small ad in our local papers which caught my eye. It surprised me that one exists in Singapore and has been around for more than a century.  This Society was mentioned in just one sentence in a book I read on Sathya Sai Baba but somehow, its name stuck in the recesses of my mind and it was instant recall when I saw the ad.  I discovered that the Society had 2 Indo-Himalayan Masters, Kuthumi and Morya, whose job was to bring the study and knowledge of spiritual science to the West way back in the 18th century. Their conduit was a Russian woman, Helena Blavatsky, again, someone not from an English speaking society. She wrote volumes on profound esoteric science which could have come only from those in the know.

Link: post 2 - Journey to Self-Realization

Link: post 28 - The Big O

Another World teacher whom I consider a Master despite his critics is Osho. 

Osho's a Master after my own heart. Through his modern, simple language, he tells it as it is and his wisdom is relevant today and I suspect there's a world-wide revival and a great deal of interest in his discourses.
He's a Master way ahead of his time. Like many other great Masters, they have operated in hostile environments in every era and what they had to say were truths which hurt so much that those whom they criticised - chiefly, priests and politicians - had to get rid of them, and they did, using rat poison in Osho's case.

Throughout the ages, philosophers have killed no one but a good number of them have been killed/incarcerated by priests and politicians. I first read snippets about Osho in the local papers back in the 70's and 80's when he was better known as Rajneesh, operating out of his commune in the US. Somehow, those gossipy snippets caught my eye and the name of Rajneesh ( later Osho) stuck somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind.

In 2001, I found myself in Bombay, some friends suggested spending a weekend in Pune, several hours by train outside Bombay. Instantly, I recalled there's an Osho Center in Pune. I made my way to the center, unsure whether the center still stands after the passing of its founder, and for the first time, saw Osho's face - somehow, it felt like I've known him a long time. I left Pune with 2 armfuls of his books.

Osho's wisdom tells me that it's AOK to be a non-conformist, a radical, a rebel, a liberal thinker, a non-follower - in fact, it's now become very fashionable in Singapore to possess those traits. Even the staid, straight-laced, uptight Singapore system has loosened up a lot to embrace non-conformists.
 
I plea guilty to all of the above, a closet one for a long time, due to society's and family and religious conditioning, but not afraid to step out now and be counted as an independent thinker. In reading Osho, I've discovered I think like him on many topics. Long before I discovered him, in discussions with friends and family, I've articulated my 'opinionated' opinions on subjects which are controversial, almost untouchable. When I started studying Osho just lately, I discovered some of the things he spoke about are my sentiments exactly, right down pat to the exact words. 

I love all my Masters. They love me enough to come to me in their quiet subtle ways to offer me their wisdom, when they knew I was ready, open and receptive, that I will process it all independently without becoming a fanatical follower . I have chosen instead to live their teachings.

There is a common belief that when a student is ready to receive, the Master will come. I have several. I've been blessed many times over.

WHEN I AM GONE, DO NOT WORSHIP MY FORM - BUDDHA