GuruTube: Navigating the Variability of YouTube Teachings
by John Lindsey, ASI Member
With the rise of the internet over the past three decades, a massive amount of information is now at the fingertips of nearly two-thirds of the total world population. Spiritual teachings are no exception to this and are widely distributed to—and by—a varied and diverse audience. This is wonderful, as teachings which had remained esoteric for millennia are finally available to the public and have encouraged the growth and acceptance of spirituality beyond its traditional religious associations and rituals. On the other hand, this accessibility can easily lead one into spiritual cul de sacs or alleyways that might not have been possible with less available teachings.
YouTube, in particular, has become a kind of broadcast hub for many within the realm of contemporary spirituality, with a growing contingent from nonduality schools, old and new. While experienced, well-known modern teachers can be viewed on the platform (Adyashanti, Rupert Spira, John Prendergast, Pema Chodron, Thomas Keating, Swami Sarvapriyananda, etc.) in addition to archival footage of historical teachers, there are many others taking up the mantle of teaching on a regular basis. Independent contributors regularly present videos describing various awakening-events, post-awakening processes, Satsang which they host online, guided meditations, and more. Herein lies a treacherous path for any seeker: Thousands of accounts of what one should or shouldn’t be doing to move toward so-called “enlightenment.” The stakes seem high, indeed.
How is one to know which perspectives to engage?
I’d like to offer the following considerations if one is searching for nondual resources through YouTube. These are based solely on my own experience of the platform—others may have a significantly different interpretation. The suggestions apply primarily to lesser-known presenters, but can potentially be helpful across the whole spectrum of teachings available. They primarily refer to nondual content and teachings, though they may apply to other approaches to spirituality as well. I will use the terms “teacher” and “presenter” interchangeably throughout the narrative.
- Presenters with ambiguous language masking a commercial structure: The marketplace for commercialized spirituality has seen an exponential increase since its beginnings in the early-to-mid 20th century. There is nothing inherently unethical about a teacher asking for financial compensation for their time— there are plenty who are clear that they run workshops, retreats, and individual sessions for a fee. However, if what is presented is referred to as a “sharing”, “friendship”, or “mirror of yourself” and then payment is somehow requested or required, I view this as a deliberate misrepresentation. It seems like there are some YouTube channels which present content that is designed to “dangle the carrot”, encouraging a viewer to visit the presenter’s website for more engagement—it then turns out that there is a fee for any further interaction (some of which are quite high—the largest I’ve encountered is a $2,000 per month commitment, which pays for two meetings per month). While the YouTube content itself may, in fact, be a pro bono posting, the intent behind it may be financial gain.
- Fundamentalist message/teaching: Fundamentalism of thought and an oppositional stance is generally best approached with skepticism. While at first glance it may seem that the nondual viewpoint fosters this position less than mainstream religion, one may quickly come to find that it is equally as prevalent within various traditions and systems of nonduality. These “My Way or the Highway” teachers tend to regularly bristle when questioned or challenged and reject contrasting viewpoints as illegitimate. While occasional frustration or defensiveness is a human pattern that can happen to any of us, some of these teachers tend to display it regularly, though it often masquerades as a kind of lofty authority to their presence (to say nothing of a stereotypical guru-persona that may accompany this kind of presentation). Denouncing the viewpoint, thought process, or experiential validity of others can be common.
- Emphasis on a singular aspect of nonduality/potentially damaging language: This may be the single largest issue present within the YouTube nonduality community and has the most potential for detrimental outcomes. It is frequently encountered amongst those who have very recently begun their discourse/teaching/sharing and those who begin speaking on nonduality relatively soon after an awakening experience, which sometimes go hand-in-hand. However, this kind of linguistic description can also be found within more experienced teachers as well.An approach that is more slanted toward the relative world and various manifestations of life can sometimes lead seekers into a kind of hedonistic irresponsibility— everything is seen as “a celebration” or “miracle” that deserves some kind of recognition or indulgence, and compulsive behavior may be dismissed as non-problematic. This language tends to discount suffering in the world as “part of the perfection” without acknowledging the pain it entails. Additionally, this approach is the most frequent source of “mythologizing” the awakening experience and the subsequent shift(s) in consciousness that may occur. Spiritual bypassing can be common.
On the other end of the spectrum are presenters who place a heavy emphasis on the path of negation and/or disregard for the relative world. These teachers tend to view the waking human experience (if not all of existence) as illusory and insignificant, with physical phenomena being viewed as perturbations of vast nothingness. Commonly used phrases are “nothing matters”, “there is no purpose”, “you don’t exist”, etc., to communicate what they view as the absolute nature of reality. Impersonal language abounds in this approach, sometimes bordering on the nonsensical. This view, especially when presented by those with a recent realization, can be given without sufficient compassion in its delivery and be confused as a kind of nihilistic, reductionist view of life. Some individuals will find themselves overwhelmed and hopeless in the face of this language to the point of severe psychological breakdown that may or may not entail suicidal or other harmful thinking. Spiritual bypassing is common here, as well.
While both approaches contain facets of truth, I do not view either as complete in or of themselves. If a teacher truly experiences either of these aspects as the dominant perspective from which life is viewed, there is no fault in saying so— however, great caution must be taken in how these experiences are described in order to safeguard the health and well-being of individuals who come into contact with the message. Semantic debate and disagreement are plentiful in nondual circles and serve to enliven the conversation around a subject that is, in actuality, completely indescribable. Even so, this should never supersede the needs of those who are seeking out these viewpoints.
While there are plentiful cautions in addition to the short list above, these three seem important regarding lesser-known presenters who are gaining traction on the YouTube platform. These attributes are rarely malicious in their intent; rather, they are simply presentations or teaching that may be less skillful than they could be. What, on the other hand, are the hallmarks of a skillful presenter? I won’t go into as much detail here, but the following is a list of a few of many notable qualities that seem to point to authentic, beneficent, and ethical presentation, in my view:
- Balanced presentation between affirmation/world of relativity and negation/emptiness
- Presenter does not speak outside his/her/their experience, and acknowledges when a given subject is beyond his/her/their purview
- Presenter acknowledges and respects varied viewpoints
- Presenter meets questions or objections with kindness and compassion
- Presenter is not afraid to say the phrase “I don’t know.”
- Presenter is focused primarily on the wellness of other beings, with the explanation of their viewpoint/method/experience in service to that end
- Presenter utilizes self-disclosure sparingly and with purpose
- Presenter maintains a presence of openness, non-aggression, and safety for all involved
Although there does tend to be a natural upwelling and outpouring instinct pertaining to the insights that can arise after awakening, presenters would do well to approach this patiently, methodically, and preferably in partnership with a peer or more experienced mentor. These measures are not to dispute the validity of an awakening—only the individual knows the authenticity of that. Rather, they serve as linguistic safeguards against discourse that may mislead or harm those it is meant to help. After all, if one is going to speak about spiritual practice, awakening, and/or orientation after awakening, the only reason to do so in my view is to be of benefit to others. Accordingly, the language used must consider the very real fact that many spiritual seekers are part of a high-risk group. Individuals often come to spirituality after some kind of life-shaking event or crisis, and the wrong language at the wrong time can further destabilize an individual’s situation.
The click of the record button must come not only with the acknowledgment of our transcendence, nor only our emptiness, but also our precious, fragile, miraculous humanity.
