The Mystical Man

Amazing video; very poetic: Best resource on narcissism. I'm not officially diagnosed, but I might have NPD -- it certainly would explain a lot.

I finished Moby-Dick, and now I understand why the two McKennas, Jed and Terence, love it so much. Melville wrote some of the finest prose I've ever read, surpassed only by Nabokov's Lolita. Many people criticize the chapters that focus on whale biology, but Moby-Dick is not a boring textbook. It's a work of art. Melville's prose is beautifully intricate, so I didn't find the chapters about whale biology boring; In fact, I didn't want it to end. Don't read Moby-Dick, if you want an exciting adventure story, or if you're looking for something profound. Read it, if you love great literature, if you love marvelous prose, if you love the English language. Savor it. The word "masterpiece" gets used too liberally these days. I reserve that accolade for flawless and timeless works of art like Moby-Dick. Moby-Dick is an astounding accomplishment, and Melville finished it in only 18 months.

I know. But it's like watching a Greek tragedy.

I am, in fact, a narcissist myself.

It's not broad at all. Who does those things on a regular basis? Most criteria apply to Gura, because he's trying to stay in control.

Making people doubt themselves is Narcissistic Abuse. Trivializing the power of words and ideas is Narcissistic Abuse. Making excuses for bad behavior is Narcissistic Abuse. This forum serves as Narcissistic Supply. We've seen what happens when you don't get that supply: Narcissistic Rage.

You guys are so ensnared by Gura that you can't even see that having two or three suicides under your belt is not normal. If that doesn't sober you up, I don't know what will. Considering that there are so many great teachers out there, I don't know why anyone feels the need to put Gura on a pedestal. I can tell that many of you have not even bothered to read a single book.

It's incredible how well-written this show is. There is nothing like it and there never will be anything to equal it. To create a show like The Sopranos you first have to create a human being like David Chase, and I doubt the world of television will ever see that kind of genius again. I think the character of Tony Soprano is even better than Walter White. This is my favorite scene: Very subtle. Beautifully shot. Great performance by James Gandolfini. And I love that song. I think it's the relationship between Tony and Dr. Melfi that made this show special: I love Melfi. She is mature, intelligent, and classy. Robert McKee analyzed Walter White to be more dimensional than Tony, but I like Tony more than Walter, because he's a more plausible character. Walter's transformation is fascinating but unrealistic. Breaking Bad is a thrilling ride, but, in my opinion, there's more emotion in The Sopranos. At least in the long-run. David Chase sacrifices short-term pleasures for long-term satisfaction.

I don't want to give constructive criticism. I'm being deconstructive, because, as I said, Gura's "work" is a sordid edifice of glorious delusions. Naturally, I want to tear that edifice down, not help construct it. Every time someone gives "constructive criticism", you hear the same thing: "I could improve my style; the work is advanced." That's beside the point. As if the problem was "style" or the advanced nature of this "work". I'm Gura's worst critic, because I don't want him to become a better teacher -- my stance is that he shouldn't be teaching at all. I think of Gura as a tragic character: a flaw leads to the downfall of a tragic hero, and the flaw is hubris.

Interesting analysis and conclusion. Can you say more?

Sadhguru doesn't focus on that, but many other teachers do. Maharaj and Maharshi don't care about anything but that.

There are many great teachers out there that can change people's lives for the better. Gura is not needed. The best thing that Gura can do is to make you aware of the existence of great teachers. Gura is, at best, a resource; at worst, a cult leader.

Those were the days. The Golden Age of Actualized.org -- a time long gone and never to return.

You're right, I don't feel like explaining myself. I thought about writing something like Power vs. Truth, but there are people who would do a much better job at it than me. Besides, criticizing Gura is its own endless rabbit hole.

A breakup has nothing to do with what's happening here.

You expect teenagers to heed warnings?

That's a very bad and heartless comparison.

Those "morons" might just be teenagers -- they don't know any better. Naturally, that's what most teenagers will do. They will fill their heads with these ideas and think they're better than everyone else because they hold some "special knowledge".

The book list is actually the best thing about Actualized. That way you can learn about other teachers, and then you don't really need Gura anymore. That's how I "escaped" Gura. I know that not everyone will have the same experience with Actualized, but one suicide is one suicide too many, and there are already two or three suicides -- that we know of.

It's an abuse by deranged ideas and a toxic personality.

That's not so easy, once you're sucked in.

No, I've suffered this abuse, too. For seven years.

How many times do we need to outline the experience of what it's like to go down the Actualized rabbit hole and what that does to people? It's a very negative experience that many people have talked about, including in the video linked at the beginning of this thread.