Saturday, January 24, 2009

AWAKENING: A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry



The question I often have with all these outlandishly expensive “awakening” programs is: if I don’t get "awakened," can I get my money back!?

Like here and here. Or, better yet, how about this one here. Or how about this one with the guy who talks to God.


Does “awakening” come with a warranty? My refrigerator did.

Make no mistake, based on the world's terms, once you pay money, you have engaged in a business transaction. If I pay hundreds of dollars to receive this “product” shouldn’t I at least get a one year warranty? (let’s not deny that the ‘experience’ is the product) So, if for some reason my “awakening” becomes non-operational, shouldn’t I receive a refund or get a duplicate “awakening,” free of charge?

I got a feeling the economic collapse is gonna take a big bite outa the “awakening” business. I mean, look at those prices! So if I’m unemployed or on welfare, then “awakening” is certainly NOT in the budget

The absurdity of this is so utterly transparent that I often wonder why these “awakened” teachers fail to see it. Ironically, the game of “awakening” has really only one rule and that is that you NOT be "awakened," otherwise, you can’t play.
“Diane Hamilton is one of the top spiritual teachers in the world. With a master's degree in contemplative psychology from Naropa Institute, a degree in Feminist Studies from Stanford, and as a senior Zen student of Genpo Roshi and a senior teacher at Integral Spiritual Center, she has been helping other awaken to the power of the now moment for many years.” (here’s the link. unfortunately you gotta be “member-ized” to see this ad)
Wow! Looks like Diane is a fat cat in the awakening business. I find it interesting that most of the “top spiritual seekers in the world” often teach that the intellect cannot “take you there,” yet they advertise austere intellectual credentials, like “masters degree in contemplative psychology."

Not only is Diane a “senior Zen Student” but she is a “senior teacher at integral.” Obviously, I ain’t paying for no junior teachers! If I pay the big bucks you can be sure, bargain shopper that I am, I demand ONLY “senior” teachers.

IF IT'S ALL ABOUT "BE HERE NOW," THEN THE TEACHER IS THERE NOW.

Since you “manifest” the teacher, you can be sure that any teacher that comes to you through glitzy marketing productions is a teacher of your ego. The teacher that denies teaching, or doesn't even know their teaching, IS the teacher. But you only learn that after years of sitting in the "classroom" that you didn't even know you were IN.

I ‘found’ my teacher about 14 years ago. She was teaching lots of other students besides me and this urked me to no end.

So I quickly married her.

The problem is that I was looking all over the place and paying big bucks to sit at the feet of other teachers. It took me almost a decade to FULLY realize that the teacher was in my own house (not that I don’t pay big bucks for this one, too - figuratively speaking). It seems that, although I always sensed it, I resisted the idea that she could teach me anything. You know how I finally knew she was my teacher and everything I needed to get I could get from her? She told me that I was her teacher and that it took her almost a decade to realize the same thing. HA! Go figure.

Obviously, if this makes no sense, then clearly you are not yet "awakened"!
Posted by at 11:16 AM
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13 comments:

  1. Granted there are a lot of people trying to make a lot of money on Awakening, but this...
    "The teacher that denies teaching, or doesn't even know their teaching, IS the teacher."
    ...is a bit pessimistic.
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  2. Hey Eric!

    Especially good to hear from you!

    Yes, I have been called out on my cynicism before. However, I do believe the teacher is with you right now.So why delay time.
    Non-dualism is merely a concept that can be experienced non-conceptually, only we miss those teaching moments because we are distracted in our need to seek a teacher.
    Why seek the 'transmission' from a stranger, while continuing to correspond with those we intended to love. The relationship is there, so use it.

    I'm just suggesting we play the game a little differently from what the conventional rules call for.

    Thanks and stop by anytime!
    mikeS
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  3. I agree that the teacher is present in every breath, in every relationship, at work, while dreaming, etc. Awakening is free, priceless, and can't be given to you by anyone.

    At a local coffeeshop in Boulder, there is a drink called "Peace of Mind." I enjoy the irony of ordering "a large peace of mind to go." :)

    The marketing and sale of spirituality is to me a feature of the capitalist machine that liquidates our natural, social, and spiritual capital in an endless quest for more. It is the ego incarnate at the collective level. The teachers mentioned in your post are in my opinion quite legit. The system we continue to support on the other hand, is quite messed up.

    Given the upside-down nature of capitalism, the weekend events seem reasonably priced to me ($300-400 for a weekend). Very few people get rich off of weekend workshops, and those people tend to let everybody know how rich they are getting (e.g. Tony Robbins). There is no modern structure for supporting non-Christian monks and nuns as there used to be. People who hear the call have to somehow also make money, at least until the financial system totally collapses and something new emerges.

    However, the deeper issue is that everything is for sale, but many things that have a price tag on them cannot be purchased, like awakening, or parenting, etc.

    That said, spiritual teaching, writing, therapy, etc. is one way to make a living in this messed-up world where our lives depend on participating in a system we don't believe in and that hurts everyone.
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  4. Hey Duff,

    Actually, what I'm saying is that if you need to make a living off "awakening" then it might be time to find another job. If the guru teaches me to discard my egoic attachment, but I paid the guru for that teaching, there is a credibility gap that can't be denied (although many do deny it).
    As I recall, I had some of my most memorable teachings while working in the construction field. Of course, at the time my ego didn't see it that way. However, the teaching stuck with me even though I denied that the teacher was my a "guru."
    I do agree, however, that the impending economic collapse may even alter how the teachers teach. It will be interesting to see.

    Thanks Duff!
    very thought provoking comments.
    Hope to hear from you again!
    mikeS
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  5. Hey Mike,

    I'm not sure I totally understand. Are you saying that it is necessarily the case that one cannot receive money for teaching about awakening, or just not "a lot" of money?

    I personally think one cannot get rid of "ego" and that there is a lot of confusion when one uses this kind of terminology. Certainly one can have deep and apparently permanent realizations of there being no solid and stable self-sense in any phenomenon, or profound life-altering experiences of union, or powerful and inspiring visions, etc. One can also significantly reduce "ego-grasping"/reactivity, etc. I see no necessary philosophical contradiction in teaching others, being paid for writing books about, or otherwise making a living regarding this kind of teaching.

    A friend of mine gets angry about yoga classes being expensive in Boulder, because access to spiritual teaching "should" be free, and going to lots of yoga classes can be cost-prohibitive. I think that's silly, because anyone can practice at home for free. One class a month, a good book, and a DVD is really all you need to learn the asanas and vinyasas. What you are paying for is basically an exercise class, with some principles that can be applied generally to all of life.
    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey Duff!

    Of course, within the conventional philosophy of monetary social values one gets paid. This is how product exchange is conducted. Firemen get paid to save your house. Gurus get paid to save your soul. Problem is the house is considered a tangible good, while your soul is not (in fact, no such 'thing' exists).However, it does seem many consider the soul a tangible good eligible for product exchange with a fiduciary value applied.

    The argument that education is not a tangible good and does not engage in product exchange is a fallacy. This is because education has tangible markers or pieces of paper that are exchanged for services (employment) within the society. If this is the same for spiritual teachers then clearly they have been co-opted by society and no longer serve the purpose for which they originated. No?

    In addition, I would not wish to pay my guru for his services due to the burden that places on him/her in their having to struggle with the hypocrisy between what they teach and what they do.

    On the surface this type of exchange seems reasonable. Yet anything the ego informs as ‘reasonable’ should be very suspect and egoic attachments not fully explored may become significant obstacles (I suppose this is really my only issue).

    I believe the entire monetary-value system is about to be stood on its head in the next two years and any gurus who 'rely' on this may be revealed as not credible. Maybe the key here is 'reliance'? But this is merely conjecture made by my ego, LOL!

    Great comments, Duff, keep ‘em coming. It’s all about keeping the game in play!
    mikeS
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  7. Tami Simon recently touched on a similar issue and how sounds true handles it:

    http://shop.soundstrue.com/blog.soundstrue.com/wordpress/?p=21
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  8. Thanks jason,

    I'll head on over there and give it a read.

    Much obliged for the link.

    mikeS
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  9. I don't think it is wrong to accept payment for teaching. You are, after all, giving your time and effort, and in a world still run by money, you can't just do that all day without any recompense.

    One's gotta eat to live in order to do what one has to do, so to speak.

    What does gall me is that some people set themselves up on a spiritually higher plane. Like the people you mentioned who would tout their Ph.D. in this or Masters degree in that to create the illusion that they are on a level of awakening far higher than your own. That I feel is excessive marketing bullshit and just throws people off track.
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  10. Hi TopBanana

    In the world's thinking, yes, "one's gotta eat to live." However, the "awakening" paradigm is about transcending the world (or ego) so this pardigm mix merely poses a confusing dilemma.
    And, yes, the dilemma is intensified by the "marketing."

    Great comments!
    Thanks,
    mikeS
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  11. Duff wrote...
    > The marketing and sale of spirituality is to
    > me a feature of the capitalist machine that
    > liquidates our natural, social, and spiritual
    > capital in an endless quest for more.

    If I find myself trying to "buy" spirituality, if I find myself in an endless quest for more... the root of the issue is the "I want" in my own thinking.

    I'd suggest that rather than projecting the problem externally, as if a "capitalist machine" were forcing me to want and to strive... it may be much much more efficient to focus on the amazing power of our own thinking, decisions, and actions.

    If there's anything I have the power to change, it's my own thinking and behavior. If there's anything that will profoundly affect my life experience, it's how I keep my mind just now... not some external power, not some enlightened guru, not some god above the clouds, not some capitalist machine.
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  12. Hi, Mike, I just came across your site after reading about it on Jody’s Guruphiliac blog. Good work! I was especially interested in this post on Awakening (which, I can’t help but notice, was originally published on Cosmic Connie Day, aka My Birthday). :-) I’m sorry to show up so late to the party.

    Anyway. You wrote:
    “I find it interesting that most of the ‘top spiritual seekers in the world’ often teach that the intellect cannot ‘take you there,’ yet they advertise austere intellectual credentials, like ‘masters degree in contemplative psychology.’”

    Yeah, nothing says credibility like phony credentials!
    http://cosmicconnie.blogspot.com/2007/10/faux-degree-plans-on-hold.html

    Speaking of phony credentials AND of “Awakening,” you couldn’t find a better example of one who panders to those who are easily impressed by credentials AND those who want to be “awakened” than New-Wage guru “Dr.” Joe Vitale. A couple of years ago he came out with a book called “Zero Limits” in which he wrote about a proprietary modern version of a Hawaiian technique called Ho’oponopono. In that book he wrote that there are three stages of awakening that he was aware of, and of course he, at the time, had reached the third and most advanced stage. Later he “discovered” that there is in fact a fourth and even more advanced stage, and as it happens, he has reached that as well. So he went on to market his own “Awakening Course.”
    http://blog.mrfire.com/loa/the-awakening-course-2/

    I have nothing against capitalism per se, but I do have a big issue with a lot of these New-Wage "capitalists."

    PS ~ My verification word was "rantedst." Hmmm.
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  13. Hey Cosmic Connie!

    Yes, I'm familiar with Vitale, who was a big star of "The Secret." As I recall Joe started out as a copy writer before he became "awakened." Ha!

    Thanks for the kind words!
    mikeS
    ReplyDelete

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