Nirvana Through The Net

The bond between online seekers and their gurus is getting deeper with every new leap in social media innovation, discovers Rishi Rathod

- Rishi Rathod

A familiar ting from his android phone brings a smile on the face of the head of social media of a prominent spiritual organisation. He is pleased that the phone has been communicating intense activity on his Facebook page all morning. He is not alone in his willingness to embrace the potential of social media to connect, educate, and enlighten seekers separated by geographical boundaries and barriers of language, race, and religion. 36-year-old Rupali Mane, a team leader with J P Morgan, Mumbai, is among those on the other side of social media who are consuming spiritual knowledge available through books, periodicals, and videos on various online platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram. “I am grateful for those who upload meaningful content, which brings sadhu sangha (the company of noble souls) to my mobile phone every day,” says Rupali.

Millions of working-class people all over the world, battling life’s pressures compounded by the increasing paucity of time, find solace in reading, connecting, and interacting with like-minded spiritual people online. The boundaries of the online New Age sangha (community) are expanding even as you read these lines, and people across confines of caste, creed, and nationality are coming to discuss their life’s pains and pleasures, to find solutions, mentors, and teachers who are providing that much-needed clarity to deal with life. The World Wide Web is neutral. Technology content creators We found out from a few mentors, teachers, and gurus what their digital media strategies are. The answers are varied. There is no one right formula but a consistent urge of all teachers to speak the truth, to engage with people and support them, and to teach and spread love.