3. The Generous (Selfless) Narcissistic Guru
The Generous or Selfless (in the sense of not being selfish) Narcissistic Guru is a strange paradox. They occupy one of the very ambiguous regions of the moral compass (which gives the opposites of self-mastery (selflessness or egolessness, positive) and self-slavery (narcissism or self-absorption, negative). On the one hand they are puffed up with narcissistic ego and pride and self-delusion; everything revolves around them, and they cannot tolerate the slightest criticism. This is the very opposite of the sadguru or enlightened being. On the other hand they are totally giving and generous with their time and energy. In this regard they are like a sadguru or sage or bodhisattva, and may be (incorrectly) identified as such.
“They differ from the sage however in one very important point. For them, generosity and self-giving is conditional. If you support them, agree with them, stroke their ego, they will be the best person in the world. If you say a word of criticism, or want to do things your way, even if your way is genuinely the better way, they cannot tolerate it. “
The reason for this is that it's all about them and their ego. Therefore these are not very good people to adopt as gurus. If they are highly charismatic, as they may be, and inspire and uplift many, then you have a very typical case of Intermediate Zone phenomenon.
The Intermediate Zone is a region of profound transpersonal experiences that go far beyond the ordinary surface consciousness, this experience may be either temporary or constant. People who have experienced these states, and received the vast influx of knowledge, love, selflessness, breaking down of barriers between self and others, expansion of being, inflation, etc. consider themselves enlightened, and are considered so by their devotees, who are attracted to the magnetic charisma that seems to accompany their experience(s).
All of these experiences pertain to any of a number of possible states of enlightenment or pseudo enlightenment that, although emanating ultimately from the Supreme, and although far beyond ordinary consciousness, have been filtered through the Intermediate Zone which provides a dangerously beguiling, highly persuasive, and narcissistically loaded distortion of the Absolute, instead of the Absolute in its purity. This is a mixed light in which it is impossible to tell truth from falsehood. The same Light and revelation and power, the very same Light, can both heal and harm, both convey enlightenment and even liberation and yet feed the ego.
