We all hope to find some wisdom on our spiritual journey. We fantasize finding a wise elder willing to give us all the answers to life’s mysteries. In reality, we mostly gain information by reading books and attending lectures. However, these sources are based on other’s interpretations. Opinion is not a synonym for wisdom.
So, how does one know who or what to believe in this world of instant experts?
Who are the instant experts?
I am sure you have run across a few people who, having seen a TV show, a movie, read a novel, suddenly knows more than you (or at least think they do). They have bought into the Hollywood Hype and claim it to be the truth. If it’s in the public eye it must be true, right? They dress the part and take on the mannerisms of their iconic persona and then look for followers to listen to their proclamations. They attract attention because they are loud and showy. They act and sound as if they really know what they are talking about…as long as no one asks any questions. They are good at deflecting challenges to what they are saying, turning the focus on the questioner as someone who dares to challenge authority. They flash brightly, then fade quickly; just another fad. Many of the followers wander away. Is there any substance to their so-called knowledge? No. The few followers who stick with them want to be part of the illusion for their own agenda. It’s easy to escape the real world on the premise of following the newest spiritual drama queen. They don’t want to know it’s not real. Ignorance is bliss.
Another kind of instant expert is one who holds distain for everyone because they think they are special. They claim to have an extraordinary understanding of sacred texts and unverifiable secrets. This category would not stoop so low as to claim a movie version as the truth, they do their research. Unfortunately, their research is an afternoon reading the first 2 chapters in a couple of How-To books or attending a presentation or two at a convention. They have picked up a few identifiable words and phrases. They are serious; truly believing this is all they have to do to be a leader/teacher of a particular spiritual path. Chances are, they are not looking for spiritual enlightenment, but some credibility among their peers. Cultural mis-appropriation is very often involved with this type because of the accoutrements that lend legitimacy. If it looks real, then it must be so.
Then, there are those who know full well what they are doing. They don’t care about spiritual growth…for themselves or others. They are predators of a certain sort. They read public trends very well and use that information to “hook” others. They master the catch-phrases and jargon and quote sources that don’t exist or mis-quote ones that are so obscure their followers would not easily be able to fact-check. They find ways to speak at conventions and often write books themselves, recycling, rearranging, and plagiarizing information taken out-of-context from other sources. I mentioned a leader of this type earlier, who actually told us, he saw “where the public was going and then jumped in front of them,” so they would see him as the source of the wisdom they were seeking and would pay him a lot of money just to bask in his light. This is the most dangerous type, in my opinion, because they are serious, talented, charismatic, and experienced in how to separate you from your money and your common sense.
Don’t hate on the clueless ones. Don’t waste your energy. If you do, you are still feeding the monster. They clearly don’t understand what they are doing. That being said, do not follow them if you are truly searching for a spiritual family. They might eventually find their way, but it could take quite a while, crashing and burning a few times along the way. They have their journey and you have yours.
