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SPIRITUAL
LEADERS |
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A guru, or a master, is a person who guides you in your spiritual evolution. They can be sages, philosophers, occult practitioners, or just a person who has glimpsed the beyond, and has left a mark on generations to come. Dalai Lama His Holiness the Dalai Lama's compassion, humility and ability to be 'free in exile' have attracted millions over the world to his spiritual tradition—Tibetan Buddhism. For millions of Tibetans worldwide—His Holy Highness Dalai Lama is the very personification of faith and hope. Gagangiri Baba He peels off his skin for the fish to feast on. He renews his bodily organs on a regular basis. Meet Gagangiri Baba, the strange patron saint of the western Indian state of Maharashtra. G.I. Gurdjieff GI Gurdjieff tried to break free of the ordinary life that binds everybody to the mundane by deliberately adopting unconventional means and ways to lead his life. Hazrat Inayat Khan Most people know Hazrat Inayat Khan as the person responsible for taking Sufism to the West around the beginning of this century. But there was more to this Sufi saint than just that. H.W.L. Poonja (Papaji) H.W.L. Poonja, fondly called Papaji by his numerous disciples, was a lesser-known modern master whose wisdom and kindness of spirit remains etched in the hearts of people whose lives he touched. J.Krishnamurti Jiddu Krishnamurti was a guru who never wanted to be one. What he taught stemmed from his personal realization: that truth cannot be reached by any path, religion or sect. To find it, the seeker must strive to ascend to it through his discovery. It is possible by casting aside past conditioning, and stilling thought that impedes awareness of what is. Madame Blavatsky Madame Blavatsky, the Russia-born mystic and founder of the Theosophical Society, exhibited strong psychic capabilities even as a child, and later, devoted her life to understand and explain the mystical powers that govern the universe. Meher Baba Born in a Parsi family, Meher Baba, as a child, had little or no interest in spirituality. His awakening came at 19 when Hazrat Babajan, a Muslim ascetic, kissed his forehead. After that incident, all his life was spent in showering love and compassion on humanity at large. Neem Karoli Baba Neem Karoli Baba never gave any discourses as such. His mode of teaching was through simple stories and practical examples. Little is known about the saint's background. The enigmatic mystic abused, shouted, lied, even experimented with drugs and had tea with dacoits. But, like the wind, he belonged to no one. In his own words, he was 'nobody'. Nisargadatta Maharaj From an ordinary shopkeeper named Maruti to the illuminating personality of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, the transformation came late in life but created one of the most engrossing spiritual masters of the time. Osho Master, mystic and madman—the controversial and rebellious guru of New Age, Osho, was all this and more. Paramahansa Yogananda Paramahansa Yogananda is a household name in almost the whole world, thanks to his spiritual classic—Autobiography of a Yogi. Till date, this perennial bestseller continues to stoke the spiritual fire in millions of readers. One of the earliest spiritual teachers to bring to the West the spiritual wealth of India, Paramahansa Yogananda popularized the ancient tradition of kriya yoga in the USA through the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF). Ramana Maharshi Of Ramana Maharshi, the Sage of Arunachala, it is often said that his silence was more eloquent than his words. This austere master, who lived and died a hermit on the Arunachala hill of South India, left posterity the legacy of his wisdom. And we are all the richer for having inherited his teachings on self-enquiry and his simple yet profound Advaitic philosophy of life. Shirdi Sai Baba Shirdi Sai Baba, known for the simplicity of his philosophy and his teachings appeals to a large number of devotees for his promise that he would always be there for them in moments of crises. Sri Aurobindo Revolutionary, poet, yogi, spiritual teacher, visionary—Sri Aurobindo was all this and much more. This prophet of the New Age not only predicted the perfectibility of the human condition but also assured that the day is not far when man's Supramental consciousness achieves its fullest fruition on earth. Sri Ramakrishna It was the common sight of a flock of snow-white cranes flying against the backdrop of an overcast sky that triggered off Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya's first spiritual experience. At that time he was merely a six-year-old Bengali Brahmin boy, but the incident led to his transformation into one of 19th century India's most amazing personalities—Sri Ramakrishna. Swami Chinmayananda Swami Chinmayananda has played a major role in taking Vedanta to the world. Here are excerpts from his popular book Vedanta Through Letters. Swami Rama A controversial, highly intelligent, and completely rational spiritual master, Swami Rama remains a riddle long after his death. Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and founder of the Ramakrishna Mission, was a firm believer of karma yoga. During the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, he was one of the first Indian philosopher/sages to take India's spiritual heritage to a worldwide audience. Thich Nhat Hanh For Thich Nhat Hanh, a practitioner of Zen Buddhism, social and community service is where "mindfulness"—the heart of Buddhist meditation—lies. Yogi Ramsuratkumar A far cry from the new breed of gurus, Yogi Ramsuratkumar is a rare saint who forces you to look into your innermost being. Gurus of Our Time Charismatic personalities and master orators, gurus have opened a path to self-discovery and salvation for the common man. |
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