Page 13 - Bodhayanti Parasparam Vol 4

PRETENSE
This is the same mechanism that operates when someone imagines ―who they are‖, where one is referencing and emotionally responding to a set of ideas rather that what is Real. It is that simple. People look to events and experiences to confirm their ideas and views of themselves and the world they live in. When circumstances are not in conflict with the pretense, those circumstances are very much like the audience applauding the poor singer. Those circumstances are used as a confirmation of the ideas that one holds in one's mind are true, regardless of how ignorant they may be. When the pretense is that of being a ̳guru‘, which is thrust on one, who in his inner core wants to be such though he is aware of his limitations, is the worst that can happen to the individual as well as the group that thrusts such a status on him in spiritual life. As Dr.K.C.V. put it ―It is one of the most important effect of people of all times to clean up the history and to substitute virtuous performance of which they were never guilty.‖ This is the basis of all flattery of human beings.
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