Alternative Spiritualities - Take What's Useful, Beware Buying the Total Package (even it that represents wisdom of Pema Chrodon)

 In a scathing article in Medium, Matthew Remski documents the corruption and emotional exploitation in one school of Buddhism: Shambhala International. As part of that he questions our trust in its high-profile spiritual leader Pema Chrondon. For instance, he notes: 

" ... because Chödrön is also the messenger for her guru, Chögyam Trungpa, one of the most troubled and abusive Buddhist figures of the 20th century, it might be time to re-evaluate her legacy ... to reckon with the possibility that her religion evolved in part as a way of finding peace in the shadow of a spiritual monster ..."

Among the reasons for the decline of this once-surging in popularity alternative spirituality are all that Remski discusses.

Many who had embraced Buddhism were shaken to the core when guerrilla journalism unleashed that scandal. They had dutifully absorbed the prolific writings of Chodron, incorporating the principles into the daily lives.

That fallout with a spiritual belief system is not atypical. It happens so often for those unable to take what they need and leave the rest. That fundamental of selectivity is embedeed in the 12-step program Alcoholics Anonymous, one of the few effective strategies for putting the disease of alcoholism in remission. 

Of course, I warn "regulars" for my Tarot readings about the downright necessity to be selective in the takeaways. Otherwise the tool can become an obsessive force field. 

The same applies to professional pursuits. Those buying the total package, that is both the orthodoxy and the supposed rules for success frequently never become part of their sector's firmament of stars. In contrast those who can color within the lines nicely but also can question and implement what they discover naturally transcend.

In public relations those included the late Jack O'Dwyer who became iconic by bringing data, mediums like newsletters and guts to messaging what the field was really about.

In the tradition-bond legal sector Black lawyerThurgood Marshall helped shake loose the US Supreme Court civil-rights rulings. In what could have stagnated as a Wall Street litigation firm and not grown - Paul, Weiss - in-the-box but innovative Brad Karp transfomed it into a competitive powerhouse. Karp did that while preserving a deep respect for its roots.

Be they alternative spiritualities or the paths toward material success the models are human creations. That means they are flawed, often heavily. Approach them as guides. Not The Way.

Tarot Card Reader. Intuitive Career Coach. Medium.

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