Gandhi: A Real Human Being

Often, we like to put people up on pedastals i.e. doctors, therapists, nurses, religious leaders, and political figures.  We do not realize the basic fact of humanity that, “We are all human beings and we all grow and develop no matter what our accomplishments, class/status, religion, or economic status.” PRIS

Reading about Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Siddartha Gautama, Sigmund Freud,Swami Rama,the Dalai Lama-each and everyone of them had negative experiences or wrong doings. And each one of them admits to being human and not being a “perfect” human being-it does not exist.  All of them definitely deserve to be put on a pedestal and are incredible, smart human beings, but they should be idealized for being humans not being perfect.

Here are some things that make Gandhi real:

Engaged in intercourse at the passing of his father(regret over his lustful instincts that took priority over his father on his death bed)

Smoked cigarettes, consumed alcohol/meat(lied about the meat eating for a while)

In London, he became an English gentlemen engaging in materialism fixated on buying new suits for occasions and outings

Gandhi had many psychoanalytic tendencies(inferiority in self, lack of role-models gorwing up therefore seeking mentorship/leaders).

Gandhi once was lost. Had narcissistic deficiency, feared socialization with others when younger and focused on ahmnisa(nonviolence)

Defense transference-displacement of characteristics from sign. Persons in ones past to latter day figures who are then resisted b/c of disappointment with the original significant person(Aktar p. 206). 

Relationship limited of incomplete-Gandi did not have a satisfying relationship with his father therefore he was searching for the idealized parent, which he found in his Guru and religious leaders.

Gandhi experimented and tasted like just like Swami Rama and that is why I love and adore them both so much.

A person has to go through the developmental stages of their life and this involves trial and error.  If a person just goes through each stage of life with no experience, then they are not learning period.  It does not matter if it is the Buddha or Jesus. A person has to experience life to learn about their true self in order to serve others. 

“Learning about yourself inside and out through trial and error” PRIS

There are a few spiritual leaders whom I have met in India who have had a life of desire, greed, passion, and fear.  They converted their life to their present spiritual one and they have learned profound life lessons that have contributed to their current spiritual identity.  It is an educational path, but it is also a path of real life experience and self-improvement stemming from this experience. 

My point here is not to criticize anyone or emphasize their flaws in life.  It is to demonstrate my belief that real human beings are not perfect-we are all imperfect learning beings.  If a person does not experience life through trial and error and they never make a mistake-they are not learning about themselves and their connection to the environment/universe.  These amazing beings that we put on pedastals worked on themselves inside and out through the trial and error learning. They did not just pick up a book on themselves and start reading.  It was their real experience that shaped their being.  God bless these spiritual leaders of the world and thank you for existing and being REAL. –PRISCILLA C. RAJ-