We all know or heard of people who are considered to be Enlighted persons. or spiritual exemplars and it is interesting to get to know why some S.T. are so popular, and some are not heard of. All of them are spreading around traits and signs that characterize them as spiritual teachers, and some are testifieng in their own words, that they are true spiritual masters.
The following are spiritual masters By the Alfa bait, 116 total. This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more).
And the list of the spiritual masters is long:
• Godman (India)
• Guru
A
• Robert Adams (spiritual teacher)
• Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov
• Mirra Alfassa
• A. H. Almaas
• Nissim Amon
• Mata Amritanandamayi
• Anasuya Devī
• Yehuda Ashlag
• Pandurang Shastri Athavale
• Atma Bodhendra Saraswati
• Samael Aun Weor
• Shamsuddin Azeemi
B
• Mahavatar Babaji
• Balumama
• Sanjaya Belatthiputta
• Jes Bertelsen
• Sacchidananda Jnaneshwar Bharati
• Gita Bhartiji
• Rajesh Bhola
• Ghanakanta Bora
• Lokenath Brahmachari
• Mohanananda Brahmachari
• Brahmajna Ma
C
• Sirio Carrapa
• Hilda Charlton
• Christiansbrunn
• Caterina Cittadini
• Andrew Cohen (spiritual teacher)
• Renato Corti
• Gabriel Cousens
• Benjamin Creme
D
• Adi Da
• Anthony de Mello
• Deepa Devasena
• Peter Deunov
• Zinovia Dushkova
E
• Nur Ali Elahi
F
• Jeff Foster (spiritual teacher)
G
• Gorakhnath
• Makkhali Gosala
• George Gurdjieff
• Guru Baaje
• Guru Purnima
• Gururaj Ananda Yogi
H
• Hajj Nematollah
• Alex Horn
• Brahmarishi Hussain Sha
J
• Leonard Jacobson (author)
• Janakananda Saraswati
• Isha Judd
K
• Purana Kassapa
• Jean Klein (spiritual teacher)
• Krishna Prem
• Igor Kufayev
L
• Lama
• Lee Lozowick
M
• Dhyanyogi Madhusudandas
• Nisargadatta Maharaj
• Ramana Maharshi
• Mahasiddha
• Swami Maheshwarananda
• Matsyendra
• Michael Mirdad
• Mohiddin Badsha II
• Anita Moorjani
• Maddalena Caterina Morano
• Glenn H. Mullin
• Murshid
• Swami Murugesu
N
• Yogi Naraharinath
• Max Magnus Norman
• Mariam Nour
• Claude Nowell
O
• Sitaramdas Omkarnath
• P. D. Ouspensky
P
• Pakudha Kaccayana
• Tommaso Palamidessi
• Gadadhara Pandita
• Ruben Papian
• Swami Purnachaitanya
R
• Ram Dass
• Ramalinga Swamigal
• Master C. V. V.
• Ravidas
• Regina 11
• Michael J. Roads
• Albert Rudolph
S
• Sultan Sahak
• Sai Maa
• Zeena Schreck
• Ravi Shankar (spiritual leader)
• Adi Shankara
• Sadyojat Shankarashram
• Maharishi Shiv Brat Lal
• Siddharameshwar
• John Siddique
• Jörgen Smit
• Rudolf Steiner
• Swaminatha Desikar
T
• Mohammad Ali Taheri
• Haridasa Thakur
• Ranabir Singh Thapa
• Nalla Thomas
• Eckhart Tolle
U
• Kavisekhara Dr Umar Alisha
V
• Jiří Vacek
• Divyang Vakil
• Yakzan Hugo Valdez
• Imre Vallyon
• Jaggi Vasudev
W
• Alan Watts
Y
• Linji Yixuan
• David Youngren
Z
Christian Renatus von Zinzendorf
And this is still very partial list, for in every country and every Facebook there is an unending advertisements of local spiritual teachers, or mentors, most of them self-acclaimed, some of them did belong to a spiritual sect or a group, left and opened their own teaching (whatever name or method or title they give to it).
One way or the other, now days there is an incredible inflation in spiritual teachers, coachers, trainers, self-development seminars, etc.
Enlightenment is rare. There is a very small number of enlightened people. And only some of them take the responsibility of being spiritual teachers and helping others to attain liberation.
According to Meher Baba there are only fifty-six spiritual masters alive on the planet at any one time. Forty-eight of them are unknown to the public. That means (according to Meher Baba) that only eight people on the planet are enlightened and known to be spiritual teachers…
Unfortunately, the majority of people claiming to be enlightened are not where they claim to be. Some masters from the list above are spiritual charlatan that can manipulate people into believing he has attained liberation.
Many of them indeed has been on a spiritual path, but they did not reach advancement there, and so they left.
But why is it that many ex spiritual students and followers – become spiritual teachers? For if you did not make it as a spiritual student, what makes you think that you will do better as a spiritual teacher?
After they did not reach enlightenment, or consciousness awakening – the next best thing for them is to get the credit from their students that they are liberated.
It is ego disguising itself to be on higher level. But it is empty teaching. No one has got a c.t. scan of the true level of their spiritual master.
How come it is so easy for so many people who were dealing in spirituality in one form or another – to become spiritual teacher or mentors, with many followers? One answer could be that they possess a great charisma, and they can cause their followers to put themselves down, cancel themselves in front of a dominant and charismatic S.T. – and from the position of being nothing, their S.T. is everything for them’ and they will do everything for him. Now, this kind of sick relations never exists with a true Enlighted S.T. – he has no need for blind admiration, on the contrary; he will be humble and treat his students with respect and humanity.
So self-cancelation and blind admiration is very bad.
Some spiritual seekers and students can remain with the same spiritual master for many years. Being convinced that the fact that they are not reaching a crystalized high level of consciousness – is because they don’t do the work, and so they continue to get scolded and told off by their spiritual teacher or master, while the responsibility is in his hands. Providing he is for real and that he does not accept everyone, but only those who have a chance to make it spiritually.
So, in many cases of a wish to spiritually develop are falling under the sentence: “the blind leading the blind”.
It is interesting to meet older or old people who spent most of their adult life in some sort of a spiritual path, movement or group.
Many of them, see themselves as still being on the path of spiritual development.
The timing in their life in which they can have a chance of making it, is long gone, they joined in their 20th, and now in their 60th, even late 60th, and they still see themselves as marching on the path of spiritual development.
They are trapped; admitting that they invested almost 40 years in a certain sect, movement or group – for nothing (because they remain on the same level) – and so, despite their frustration and internal dissonance – they continue to do self-work, until the end.
So, the chances to find a genuine S.M. who is willing to accept you, Give you personal teaching and for you to break the glass ceiling of your current level – are slim and scarce.
Gabriel