The movie, “Kumare’: The True Story of a False Prophet was filmed in Phoenix, by a young film-maker from New York, Vikram Ghandi, an award-winning director of documentary films. While he was born and raised in the U.S., his family was East Indian, so he heard the Indian accent all his life. He decided to launch an experiment to see if an ordinary U.S.-born Indian could pretend to be a famous guru, attract a following and convince them that he was really who he was pretending to be. So he called himself Kumare’ and set out to find a place where people would be inclined to believe him. Vikram chose Phoenix in which to film his experiment.
The movie brings up a host of questions about many things that seekers encounter on the Path to enlightenment. It began as an experiment thought up by it also provides many answers if one is listening to what Kumare’ has to say, for what he says contains many truths for the seeker – if one is seeking the right thing for the right reason. And therein lays the key.
Kumare’ is no more – or less – a false/true prophet or teacher or guru than so many others that we encounter on our journey through the Universe. For what we seek, we truly shall find. Another prophet, Jesus, told us that.
The 14 people who joined Kumare’s group as students found exactly who they were looking for: a wise guru who could help them find the answers to the things in their lives that troubled them, that caused them to question, and to doubt themselves.
Kumare’ never lied to these people or told them anything that was harmful. He told them nothing but the truth from the outset of Vikram’s experiment. And that is far more honorable than many of the TV preachers and cult leaders have been. When we look at James A. Ray, the self-styled, self-help guru who charged people $15,000 to find the truth and risk their lives in a sweat lodge in Sedona, Arizona, we can see that what Kumare’ did was nothing close to that.
The problem really begins with the “seeker” and their desire to know the “truth.” This desire to know the “truth” compounded with their innate distrust of their own inner voice or intuition (buddhi) makes them vulnerable to those teachers ‘out there’ who claim to have the “truth.” Somehow we’ve gotten the idea that the truth cannot possibly reside within our own inner self – yet most great teachers including Krishna, the Buddha and Jesus, always taught that the truth, the Gnosis, the “kingdom of heaven” in WITHIN!
That leads to a dependence on borrowed belief systems. We all read the ancient texts, study modern-day commentaries, go to classes, join various groups, etc., in our search. That’s okay! We hold all of these things up in the light of our own experience and understand and spiritual intuition, and these “signposts” help us along our individual Paths. The danger lies when we become totally dependent upon “borrowed” belief systems – the things that others teach and claim to be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth – we set ourselves up for deception. For one man’s truth is another man’s falsehood.
So where does the Truth reside? Right where Kumare’ told his students – within! All great masters never say “I have all the truth” but rather encourage their students to go within, ask the questions. The questions are always more important than the answers. Which leads to another problem – how can anyone ‘out there’ have the answers for me and my Path? They can’t.
Ultimately, Vikram revealed who he really was. He cut his beard and hair, dropped the Indian accent and met with his students one final time to reveal who he really was and the purpose of his being in Phoenix. The reaction was mixed.
Tish, one of Kumare’s students was given a gift, which she ultimately rejected because she felt the gift was given disingenuously. Yet, Kumare’ always told his students that he was a fake, that who he claimed to be was an ‘illusion.’ Was the gift he gave her any less precious because it was given by an ordinary man rather than a “wise guru”? In reality, aren’t we all just ordinary human beings searching for the Truth of ourselves and our place in the Universe?
Anyone can be a teacher. Too often, students become enamored with the Teacher and ignore the teaching. When one becomes so attracted to or ‘attached’ to the teacher, one can forget that it is only the message that matters, and Kumare’s message was always, “don’t believe in me, believe in yourself.” Go within and find the “Self” (the Higher Self or Brahman, God, All That Is, etc. whatever you want to call it) that is the ONE unity of the ALL. Then transcend the “self” – the egoic self that sees only me, mine and I.
Kumare’ proved that with the right, exotic appearance and the right, exotic accent, he could get a following. Yet it was his words that they should have listened to, then shine the light of “buddhi,” of their own experience and intuition and discrimination on those words and see if it mirrors their personal truth. Does it resonate? Would it be true for you no matter who said it? Am I searching for my own, personal truth or am I looking for my truth in someone else because of their appearance?
Those who ultimately remained friends with Kumare’ or Vikram, were those who could understand this. That he spoke the truth, and what they did – the decisions they made about their lives, to lose weight or whatever – came from their Higher Self within. They received the gift!
As Pema Chodron, a Buddhist nun, says: “All persons as teachers; all poison as medicine.” Good to remember.
