20th C Masters

The 20th century saw a number of great Masters who were able to make use of the global perspective and communications systems. They lived, as far as the West was concerned, in the most secular if not atheistic age yet known. The breakdown of conventional religion (acknowledged by Nietzsche in his famous 'Haven't you heard? God is dead') gave rise in the early part of the 20th century to a renewed interest in some sections of the population in all kinds of unconventional teachings. Hence we see the rise in interest in Theosophical, Anthroposophical and Gurdjieff's teachings, and a host of other movements and teachers throughout the century.

'20th century Masters are the best documented in history. Ironically, due to the secular nature of the age, they benefited from the minimum of popular attention, and so their message is the least adulterated.'

Here are a few of the great 20th C Masters:

  • Ramana Maharshi
  • G.I.Gurdjieff
  • Jiddu Krishnamurti
  • Bapak Subuh
  • Osho (Rajneesh)
  • Douglas Harding

These will be looked at in more detail in the 'selected Masters' section. These individuals had their roots in Hindu, Sufi, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain, or Christian traditions, though they varied in the degree of eclecticism and iconoclasm that each one showed. While it may be helpful to associate with only one living Master at a time, it is highly educational to immerse oneself in the teachings and lives of all the above Masters. Because the transcendent is so subtle, and because such different metaphors are used in its presentation, one needs to continuously 'triangulate' across the different perspectives provided by such teachers in order to find the common ground.

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