Maitreya / Benjamin Creme

joseph dawton

I have recently been going to what's called 'Transmission Meditation' which involves invoking energy of Buddha and Jesus etc or divine energy and sending it out into the world to promote peace and love in humanity.

All very worthy and also pleasant to do as one feels very calm and peaceful after. What concerned me was the group 'leader' spouting stuff about the World Teacher Maitreya and Benjamin Creme. I don't mind paying 10 euro to meditate in a group for an hour. But there is now a workshop on this coming at greater cost I believe.

It appears a lot of these ideas come out of theosophy and on the surface it all seems fine but something seems not quite right almost cultish. I know what I believe and I am not looking for answers but I am sire that a lot of the people attending are vulnerable to suggestion. I've surfed the net and there seems to be as much negative views as positive, I am trying to keep an opem mind though.

Has anyone come across this and know anything about it?

http://www.electricpublications.com

MeditationMom

Maitreya, if he is the one I know of, kind of scary/intense look in his eyes, long-ish face, at least on the cover of his book, is an old student of Baghwan Shree Rashneesh's who later changed his name to Osho- if you don't know who that is, many people think of him as the rich Rolls Royce Guru in Oregon, USA, in the eighties. (His idea was that the only way to get the attention from Americans was with flaunting super wealth - in the form of 99 Rolls Royces - it worked)

Many of his followers have become "Gurus", claiming enlightenment and have been more successful in Europe than in the US, and have gotten very little traction in India, where people know what Enlightnemnet does and doesn't look like. So there is a lot of the blind leading the blind, and a lot of money changes hands, usually in the direction of the "Guru".

If your are attracted to the meditations though, go to the source, which is Osho. He was the real deal, and is by now highly regarded at Indian Universities as a truely enlightened teacher. In India all the scriptures, Upanishads, Vedas, Jesus', Buddha's teachings and a thousand others, get brought back to life again and again in "today's" language and methaphores, by people who have become enlightenend and not only understand what the scriptures are trying to say - the undescribeable truth far beyond logic - but also understand present day thinking where they can clarify misunderstandings and misinterpretations according to the thinking of the day.
It is how India keeps the scriptures alive and relevant.

Osho spent his life in silence and gave short, daily discourses on the scriptures, as well as answering the thousands of questions of his devotees on their spiritual journey, pointing out when they were going in the wrong direction, or stumbling over obstacles. His quality was a silence, such a deep peace, and inner joy beyond your wildest imagination, and you can get a glimpse of it even still, watching his videos. If you watch closely you will also notice a deep humility and wish to patiently serve your longing for liberation and enlightenment underneith his bold and amazing, and often hilarious statements.

Cults just happen around people like that and they are very destructive. You are wise to be cautious there. You will be well served reading Osho's books, watching his videos, trying to join Osho in his silence; it helps to spend a lot of time in nature and solitude. I have found Osho's powerful peace and silence in nature, and it is just amazing to find that magnitude in a human being - enjoy your explorations -and watch out for false gurus, I doubt you had that feeling with Maitreya, if he is the one I am thinking of.

joseph dawton

No it's not him. I read a few of Osho's book when I was travelling in India, they are pretty good which makes me wonder about the Rolls Royce's seems kinda incongrous.

Anyway I've looked into Creme a bit more and he looks very much like a false guru. There are so many people exploiting the lost and unfulfilled, it's a disgrace. These people are like leeches or vultures but so long as people look outside of themselves for answers this will always happen.

http://www.electricpublications.com

solas

Have no idea who benjamin creme is but I understand your concerns. Many years ago a friend of the family told me to beware the guru and I think it's a very valid point. I'm aware we all need teachers in some form or another but as the saying goes, when the student is ready...
There are many teachings I can learn from but there is no one which I would follow sheepishly. As it is, I figure it's always best to walk beside one and not follow, so to speak.

meditationmom wrote:

If your are attracted to the meditations though, go to the source, which is Osho.

is it not best to just go to the source within us?

MeditationMom

is it not best to just go to the source within us?

ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and also "when the student is ready the Master will appear." This master can be in the form of your dog, your new born child, an enlightened Master from India, or your local parish priest. It depends on you at the time, and it is your inner "guru", faith or trust in God that will lead you.

As far as following a Master goes, it is an overwhelming falling in love with the peace and wisdom you may witness in your Master. Just think of the apostles deciding to follow Jesus. They couldn't do otherwise and it was based on love. "Blindly" is maybe the wrong word. It simply has to be "total", or it is not worth it. As in Carlos Santana's song " Give me your heart, or else forget about it"

Tricky stuff. False Gurus are a big problem. But when it comes to love and the unknown, and "giving your heart" you can get into just as much trouble just with a woman - or man for that matter.

Trust that you are taken care of, that God is with you at all times pulling you home. And his ways are truely mysterious, so painful sometimes. Your job is not to dig your heels in.

joseph dawton

As it happens I've had a word with the meditiation leader, I expressed my non-belief very politely so as not to disrespect her own views. She's cool with me continuing despite different beliefs which is good as I love the transmission meditiation and it is a good thing anyway.

I was not looking for a guru in the 1st place, just somewhere to share the experience, this type of meditation is an act on service rather than for yourself anyway. I feel I know pretty much where I'm going and what I'm here for, not that I don't fall off the wagon from time to time.

I agree that the answers all lie within but it's nice if genuine people can help each other along the way and share their understanding without preaching of judging each other.

http://www.electricpublications.com

Nevyn

If You Meet Buddha on the Road, Kill Him

"Slaying the Buddha" means to become independent, to take responsibility for what you are and learn and become. Thus, if you find the Buddha on the road – not inside you – you know this Buddha is an imposter.

http://www.ordinarymind.com/koan_killing.html

that if that which you seek you find not within thee, you will never find it without thee

false gods and false gurus are to be advoided.
No one hold all the answers to this life and indeed your life and what is right for you we have to learn to trust our own wisdom.
This certainly does not mean we can not learn things from others and there
are days we get messages and lessons in the most unlikly ways and from the most unlikly people, but beware of those who would lead you to folly and distraction.

stevenmu

I agree with everyone that the ultimate answers must come from within, but sometimes you need to get some food for thought, and while a McDonalds might keep you going for a while it can't compare to a meal in a fine resteraunt cooked by a master chef who's spent his life learning his trade from master chefs before him.



*pops out for lunch*