There is a plethora of spiritual teachers who are profiting from the psychological and emotional suffering of vulnerable human beings. This brand of narcissism has a long sleazy history. The difference today is in the enormous reach that these individuals have, worldwide due to the global media. Many narcissistic teachers are well educated and articulate with their subject. Their audiences often are quite sophisticated. Many of these teachers take their source material from ancient texts and oral traditions, reiterate the salient ideas from the original and re-label them to package a product that is their brand. Spirituality in the hands of narcissistic teachers is a product, a business, not a study in higher consciousness or the alleviation of suffering.
I am aware of the psychological damage the narcissistic teacher can wreak on the spouses and ex-spouses of narcissists. Individuals who have already been burned in marriages to toxic narcissists find themselves unwittingly seeking help from the same kind of personality disorder who has inflicted great emotional harm upon them. Feeling desperate and alone, some ex-spouses pay large sums of money (they cannot afford) to attend ongoing seminars and workshops offered by unscrupulous teachers. Some vulnerable students cling to narcissistic spiritual teachers, in the empty belief that they will be finally be healed.
Those who are experiencing the psychological pain of moving through the process of separation and divorce from a narcissist must learn to protect themselves from this kind of exploitation. “True spirituality is the opposite of narcissism. Its purpose is to work through layers of delusion to the truth. An authentic spiritual person comes without fanfare; he is not waiting for the next closeup, speaking fee, or autograph…The true guru is humble…attached neither to making large sums of money nor becoming famous and powerful in the world.”
You can heal and grow after a divorce or breakup. In fact, you can renew your life. It takes hard work, belief in yourself, strong solid support, for some-psychotherapy, and if you decide–a spiritual path that you alone choose. Visit my website:www.thenarcissistinyourlife.com
Linda Martinez-Lewi, Ph.D.
Telephone Consultation
Email:lmlphd@thenarcissistinnyourlife.com