Interesting Spiritual Teachers

Although Rama is no longer around physically to accept new students in the traditional way, aspiring spiritual practitioners need not look elsewhere if they are looking for a formal relationship with a teacher. There are a variety of teachers who studied with Rama and who now are themselves are accepting students into Rama’s lineage; a very partial list may be found at RamaLila.org. Additionally, many new students have found that by meditating on Rama, and inwardly asking him to accept them as students, that he has done so and they have begun to receive the same empowerments and blessings that students did when Rama was in the body. However, there will probably always be some seekers for whom, at certain stages in their progress, there is no substitute for a teacher who is physically in the body. The decision of whether to pursue formal studies with a teacher or simply to practice on one's own is always a personal one and not something that anyone can offer advice on. Nevertheless, on this page are a few teachers that might be interesting to check out. I plan on adding more to this list as time goes on. Note that a significant caveat must be added, both legally and karmically: I have not personally checked out all of the teachers on this page. They have all been recommended to me by people I respect, but it is up to the prospective student to check out a teacher and decide whether it feels right. If it does feel right, then the student must accept whatever risk is involved. And if it doesn't feel right, then move on!

Incidentally, Adi Da also entered Mahasamadhi on November 27, 2008 in Fiji--November 26, 2008 locally in much of the USA. Many of Rama's students went on to become devotees of Adi Da. I personally came close to following Adi Da's path on a number of occasions but it never seemed like quite the right path for me--although clearly it was for quite a number of former students of Rama. Adi Da described himself as a Seventh Stage Realizer and said that Rama was only at the Fifth Stage Realizer level. I don't necessarily agree with that characterization but do feel that Adi Da was at an advanced state of consciousness and offered a lot to his devotees and the Rama students who studied with him. As with Rama, Adi Da attracted controversy from time to time regarding sexual scandals. For example, in about 2002, one of Adi Da's devotees, Bunny Bunns, posed nude on the Internet on a for pay site--a group of Rama's female students did likewise back in 1998.

Dattatreya Siva Baba is someone who I've met on a number of occasions. I've benefited from my time with him--I feel that he is primarily a Siddha Master--one who is adept at certain kinds of what we might call "miracles" but is not an Enlightened teacher. But many Rama students have come to see Baba as their primary teacher.

"Khempo"--the teacher who leads/led Osel Dorje Nyingpo--also entered Mahasamadhi on January 30, 2005. This teacher is known for a retreat center that he established in Northern California. I did have the opportunity to meet Khempo on one occasion and was struck by the compassion he showed for the Rama students--but I didn't feel drawn to study deeply with him. Many Rama students did, however, including one at least one who currently sits on the Lenz Foundation advisory board. For those who are drawn to the Tibetan Buddhism line, this path could very well be for you.