Why Spiritual Gurus Visit The USA?

Introduction - It is so fascinating to see that no matter we are aware or not, we are always functioning as per the planets in the birth chart or in the transit chart. About a couple of years back, I wrote a series of articles on Karmic Connection (https://www.astrosaxena.com/KarmicConnectionSeries) and Maraka Dasha Series (https://www.astrosaxena.com/MarakaDashaSeries). After writing them I realized that Ketu was transiting my ascendant Scorpio during that time and both these topics were very much Scorpion topics to write about. Then in the last one year, suddenly I decided to write about Spirituality and the result was a series of articles named Spiritual Musings (https://www.astrosaxena.com/SpiritualMusings). Now, I feel that Jupiter in Pisces made me inclined towards it, the most spiritual planet in the most spiritual sign. So, we may like it or not OR we may be aware or not, we are always working as per planetary positions in the sky. Just that, if we are aware then we will be more aligned with our path and there will be no resistance. 

 

  

Now, a few people may say that “but you wrote those articles, why to bring planets in between?”  

 

 

Again, we all wanted to do many things in life and attempted to do many things in life, but we could do only those things which Universe or Existence allowed us to do. At least I am accepting more and more with every passing day that I am not the doer. Someone else is running the show.  

 

 

Now, Final Musing – As Jupiter is just about to leave Pisces, I feel this would be my last Spiritual Musing for some time to come. In this one, I would like to write about a question which I am asked a few times by my friends, clients and acquaintances and that is, why all Spiritual Gurus only visit the USA and no other country? 

 

 

If we reflect over the last century, this seems to be true that Spiritual Gurus from the East, especially from India, have travelled continuously to the USA? Like, if we say that it is the normal attraction between the poles of East and West then there are many countries in East other than India and there are many countries in the west, other than the USA. Then why these Spiritual Gurus are travelling specifically from only India in the East to USA only in the West.  

 

 

And it is not about one or two exceptional cases. It looks like a lineage of Spiritual Gurus from India went to USA; like Swami Vivekananda, Paramhansa Yogananda, Swami Ram Teerth, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Jiddu Krishnamurti, Osho, and Meher Baba etc. List seems to be never ending and I am not even counting Gurus who visited USA in the 21st century.  

 

 

So, there must be a reason.  

 

 

Common Reason – The most common and mundane reason we get to hear is that America has Money, and it also brings fame/popularity if you convince Americans and be popular there, hence these Gurus visit USA. This is the most mundane perception by most mundane people. 

 

 

My Response – We can see only what we are. So, if I feel that if X Guru is going to the USA to become famous, then maybe I am the one who is looking for fame and desire fame. If I feel that Y Guru is going to the USA to earn money, then maybe I am the one who is looking for money right now. 

 

We can never understand others perfectly. We can only understand ourselves and then project that understanding onto others. That’s why we can see only what we are.  

 

Then, what are the real reason(s) for these Gurus to visit the USA and guide people there? 

 

Well, reasons can be multifold, and it largely depends on the functioning and nature of the Guru who is visiting. As per his nature and way of functioning, he will have his own reasons to go anywhere in the world and guide people accordingly.  

 

So, here are a few reasons as per my understanding –  

 

 

1. This human life is bi-polar in nature. There is a polar opposite of everything in this world and opposite poles attract each other. We have largely divided this life into two aspects; i.e., materialism and spirituality.  
2. Another division we have made geographically is of East and West. Then we connect Spiritualism with the East and Materialism with the West. We think that Eastern World is more drawn towards Spiritualism and Western World is more drawn towards Materialism.  
3. Now, the USA can be considered as the peak or center of Materialism. It is a Capitalist Society where everything revolves around Money. Developments along with Second World War has certainly put USA in the driver’s seat of materialism and among the richest and most powerful countries of the world, especially after twin atomic bomb strikes. We will be in great denial if we reject any of the assertions made here in this para.  
4. Now, even geographically, exactly 180 degrees opposite of USA is India. If you start digging a hole in New Delhi or Mumbai and if you could dig it through the Earth, then the other side of hole can be at one of the states of USA. So, quite logically, India became peak or center of Spirituality as a total opposite pole of USA and it is not only because of Geographical location but also because of the number of Enlightened Sages that ascended in India and that continue to ascend.  
5. India is a place where there is no dearth of Enlightened Beings, and it is also a place where people don’t defy/reject any new enlightened one on the name of Blasphemy. People are receptive of new people and new experiments in Spiritual matters.  
6. If we go to search for number of Enlightened Sages in different cultures, countries or societies across the world then we may find one or two enlightened beings per society. But in India, you can find people in dozens interested in having that peak experience of Enlightenment.  
7. So, just like USA has experimented and remained open/receptive towards Science, Technology, Medicine, Engineering and other aspects of Materialism, India has always been experimenting with Spirituality and Consciousness of humanity and trying to raise it higher and higher through any possible ways or means. At times, enlightened masters have put their own life on stake to raise the consciousness of his/her disciple.  
8. That’s why; it is very logical that India and USA are bi-polar opposites in matters of Spirituality & Materialism and attract each other.  
9. From ancient times, people have visited from faraway places to India to seek knowledge and as means of conveyance have become more regular, the journey from India to USA also became more regular when enlightened masters from India traveled to USA and tried to impart their knowledge and wisdom.  
10. Then although we have divided life in two parts; i.e., Materialism Vs Spiritualism, but life can never be split in two parts. Human life will remain one integral unit. That’s why people from different parts of world get attracted towards each other. Inventions like Telephone, Radio, TV or Internet only show that we can only co-exist, and Life can be complete only when Materialism and Spirituality can come together.  
11. To live a complete and fulfilling life, Materialism and Spirituality must come together. But, to do that, the first step is always to achieve materialism. I have often referred to the story of Gautam Buddha in this regard where a person explores or experiences every possible pleasure of materialism and then goes on the journey to find eternal happiness through spirituality. It seems that this is the natural progression chart of complete human life; i.e., Materialism + Spirituality = Fulfilled Human Life.  
12. I don’t think that reverse journey is possible where we can move from Spirituality to Materialism. A hungry man won’t think about doing meditation. His first concern will be to fill his belly. Jesus says that a Man cannot live on bread alone. Osho says that a Man cannot live without bread too. Hence, first it is necessary to gain materialistic success and enjoy materialistic life and then talk about Spirituality. To build a beautiful temple of God, first we should have a land, a building (materialism) and then only we can talk about bringing the Golden Dome on top of temple. So, as I said, natural progression chart of complete human life; i.e., Materialism + Spirituality = Fulfilled Human Life. 
13. This is why Spiritual Gurus travelling to the US makes much more sense than anything else. The USA right now is at the top of materialistic success and is a capitalist society. USA has achieved everything which Man can achieve in matters of Money, Development, Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine. With all this success under its feet, common Man in USA is reaching the same frustration which Gautam Siddhartha had at the peak of his materialistic pleasures.  
14. Now, understand this, if materialism reaches its peak point and Man can achieve everything that money can buy then after some time Man is bound to feel empty and broke as he will feel that there is nothing else to achieve materialistically, then why am I still not happy? Understand it like this, as we were growing up, we were given few targets by society which said that if you achieve these things or relations in life then you will be happy. Now, a person standing on the peak of materialistic success realizes that I tick marked all the check boxes given by society to achieve happiness, but why am I still not happy?  
15. Now, it is a combination of Materialism + Frustration. This combination can only lead a person in two directions. One direction is where Gautam Siddhartha moved and became Gautam Buddha; i.e., the direction of Creativity. Another direction is when a person filled with Materialistic Success + Frustration takes the path of Destruction (either of Self or others). We can say that Materialism + Frustration + Awareness = Creation and Materialism + Frustration + Ignorance or Immaturity = Destruction. This is why Osho said that “before developing your technology, develop your consciousness as only your consciousness will decide how you use the technology”. 
16. Friedrich Nietzsche had impacted western mind heavily in last 100 years and I think the current destruction through mass shooting in USA can be partly a result of misunderstanding/misinterpretation or literal understanding of Nietzche’s famous quote – “God is dead”. Because when God is dead and there is no other anchor to hold on to then an immature person would commit any act as there is none to answer to.  
17. So, through that frustration either someone can become Gautam Budhha or someone can become a mass shooter. Currently, Western World is going on to the path of Mass Shooting as they don’t have the guidance of transforming their frustration into Creativity.  
18. During a discussion with one of my friends on this topic of Gun Violence in West, especially in the USA, he happened to say that “such incidents only show the level of frustration in that country”. Agreed, but at the root of the same frustration is materialistic success which is the foundation we need for any spiritual development to take place. So, I would still say that if there is a country on this globe which is perfectly ready for Spiritual Evolution/Revolution then it is the USA as they have got the basic Land + Foundation + Building of Temple constructed and now it is just the matter of having a Golden Spiritual Dome on the top of the building. Hence, Spiritual Gurus from India travel to the USA. 
19. As discussed, because the USA is standing at the peak of material success and completely frustrated with all its achievements which can and, in many cases, which are going in destructive directions, the USA is perfectly ready for Spiritual Development. Another thing is that although it is the most successful country materialistically, it is not a very ancient country. In comparison to the ancient Indian history of 90000 years, since Rig Veda times, the USA is a country which is coming towards its teenage. Ignorant people or unconscious people need words of wisdom more. Hence, it is easy to teach USA, just like it is easy to teach a kid rather than grown-up man. Grownup man will have his own ego that he already knows so much. Likewise, people of ancient civilizations can carry their ego of being all-knowers. The good thing about the USA is that it is receptive to every new knowledge and innovation coming towards it. This is also why it is easier for a Spiritual Guru to teach people in the USA.  
20. We can also see from another angle. Now, let’s suppose a Spiritual Guru visits or stays in a poor society in Asia or Africa or anywhere else in this world, do we really think that his wisdom will be well utilized there? Well, people will be busy earning for their two-time meals. If at all they come and sit in sermons, then also most of their focus will be on their money matters or basic survival. That’s why Osho says that a poor society can never be truly spiritual. A poor individual can be spiritual, as exceptions are always possible, but a poor society can never be truly spiritual. So, it should not be a surprise if the next enlightened one is from the USA.  
21. So, these are the reasons why I feel that Spiritual Gurus visit the USA to share their wisdom and guide people there.  

 

 

Hope this helps. Thanks,