5 clues to spot the quacks amongst new age healers

November 30, 2013

We are all broken and wounded in this world. Some choose to grow strong at the broken places. Others choose to go to Godmen to change their lives, as if life can be altered in one magical move. This article is for them. The ones who depend on “others” to change their lives but need to know how to spot the quacks among the lot. As I penned down my book Change Your Life , I met a lot of not-so-holy men. Yes, the Asaram Bapu and Nirmal Baba types! Here’s how to find them out:

1. They can’t take criticism and respond to it with anger and abuse.
Asaram bapu once slapped a journalist in anger. And look where he stands today. A realized being never gets angry. If he does, he is not even a realized being in the first place. The path to enlightenment requires one to accept everyone as they are. When you can choose to disagree with a smile, why raise a hand  and use abusive language?

2. They are uncomfortable with the notion of sex and treat it as something dirty.
Learned spiritualists understand the correlation between sex and spirituality. Sex is highly therapeutic and can heal the physical pain. Right from Osho, J Krishnamurthi, Jaggi Guru Vasudev to Meher baba; a realized being doesn’t refrain from talking about what people do in bed. Their views may not sync in with your morality and that is fine, but a guru who completely refrains from talking about sex is disconnecting himself from the basic instinct of humankind. Yes, there may be something superior to sex but that doesn’t make sex dirty. How can a power that can create a whole new life be deemed as shallow?

3. They promise instant miracles – like instant noodles or instant coffee.
Feeding the soul is different from feeding the stomach through instant noodles. Realize this, as fast as possible. Don’t look for magic and miracles. They seldom happen. You will feel more powerful if you bring about a change in yourself rather than depending on your planets or a few gems or a miraculous guru to do it for you. You may have the prettiest of woman in your life and you can get her pregnant but it would still take her 9 months to bring a baby. As I said, healing takes time.

4. They play on your gullibility.
If you believed that putting ghee in a fire (havan) would make you come in contact with your potential wife/husband; then it’s your fault as well. A self proclaimed guru may have used you, but then, you were stupid enough to be used. Meeting men/women through friends or work will help you more than mumbling a few shlokas that you don’t even know the meaning of. Be practical. Get factual. You have been given a mind. Use it.

5. They demand material things from you in return for helping you.
India is a nation with staggering poverty. Imagine if all the ghee, milk, oil and water that is given to God as a token of faith could be used to give it to feed the poor. What do you think God does with your one rupee coin that you give in the daan peti? Does He buy himself a toffee? God is the giver, not the taker. If you are a regular temple visitor, take a day off and distribute Parle G Biscuits or Dairy Milk chocolates to street kids and see the change within – You could always give; it was just a matter of realizing. Give and a experience the change within.

Sneha Mehta is also the author of the hugely popular “21 Things Every Girl Should Know.” She is an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Practitioner and conducts workshops and seminars all across the country. To know more about her visit www.snehamehta.com. For love and hate mails, drop her a word at mehtasneha001@gmail.com

This is a guest post. The views expressed in this post by the author are personal.

One Comment

  • Chandrasekar December 8, 2013 at 1:53 AM

    A very nice one. But, how many can use their mind and practise waiting to heal as the author says? Gullibility arises when someone promises something (which one is on the look out) without much effort and thought!

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