Hi Devi -

Surrender is the strangest thing. It took me the longest time to even realize the distinction between the Indian concept of surrender to a guru and the Western analogue.

It's true that there are unscrupulous would be gurus who entrap people. In the West, we don't have yogis or babas, but we certainly do have people who psychologically bamboozle those who are seeking.

Part of the problem is that when you are seeking, you don't know what the end state you are seeking is. So it's tricky.

I have one story to illustrate. There used to be an American trained disciple of a medium famous Indian guru who came through town every summer. A friend of mine recommended her, and the first time I saw her, I was really impressed by all the energy around her. But knowing myself what the real deal is, I was puzzled by things she was saying that I knew to be incorrect (but oh so lovely sounding.)

I finally figured out that - this is interesting - her own guru in India was not Enlightened himself, but had fooled himself that he was. He had developed instead an interesting self-subterfuge: He had managed to create an IMAGE of Enlightenment, a daydream, but he believed that this was the real thing. He had communicated this daydream image to his disciple who then believed that she had Realized ... and she went back to the West to share the self-delusion.

What an interesting world. Tricky shit, as I might say as an American-ism. And I guess I just did!

Take care,

John