First of all, let me admit I have not read every bit of the thread, although a fair amount, nor have I watched the videos. I’ll have to make some time tomorrow.
But I do know a bit about Swami Muktananda. He was an impersonalist (monist) who acted as guru - guru means holy teacher - but fell into illicit sex with some of his (very) young female disciples. A huge freaking NO NO and those actions alone totally disqualified him. Absolutely. A guru who uses his disciples sexually is a fraud, a cheat, a liar, and not any less than a father who sexually uses his children.
Secondly, anything he taught must be seen through the light of his iniquity. A guru is considered like a spiritual father (or mother, as the case may be) to his disciples, and anyone who experiences sexual urges at all (other than legitimate sexual intercourse open to conception, with a legally wedded wife, or husband, as the case may be), what to speak of acting on them, is by that fact disqualified from guiding anyone spiritually. Such acts are considered no different than incest.
The understanding of “guru” is this: someone who is fully surrendered to God, has no desire for anything in this world, no desire to use anyone, is humble, never - I repeat - never - charges any money for talks, audience, or anything - and in fact, there is a list of about 28 qualities a guru must have to be genuine. So Muktananda is crossed off the list.
So any pronouncements Swami [sic, “swami” is a title that means “one who is master of his senses and mind” which Muktananda obviously was NOT!] Muktananda made are utterly worthless and without any merit.
Additionally, his teachings are essentially this - there is no Person of Godhead, that no individuals actually exist, and that everyone is God. Which is of the Impersonal or monist school of Vedic teachings, and considered by Veda Vyasa (also known as Dvaipayana Vyasadeva) to be inferior or partial understanding of Godhead. Analogy: if you see someone standing in the sun, you may be blinded by the sunlight and not see the person. So those who think there is no Personal Godhead are blinded by His light.
I’d have to know more about this goddess to know who he’s even talking about. The word “chit” means pure consciousness, and I am not familiar with a goddess of this name.
I can explain more about the status of demigods, but here it is in brief:
There are a large number of demigods and demigoddesses in Vedic cosmology. These beings live within the confines of this universe, which is created by the Supreme Godhead or Bhagavan, and has a beginning and an end. There exists the eternal realm or Para Vyoma (literally the supreme sky) or Vaikuntha (literally the realm without anxiety) where Godhead dwells eternally with countless liberated souls.
This universe (there are countless universes) exists for the redemption of rebellious souls. The demigods and goddesses are agents of the Supreme Godhead in the management of the universe, with (from our small vision) vast and great powers. But they are finite beings with powers delegated to them by God Himself, and they consider and know themselves to be His servants.
They are in essence souls* just like us, who have greater bodies and powers in which to serve God, just as we have greater bodies and powers compared to ants. So no demigod or goddess can possibly be considered to be the Holy Spirit. I am not entirely sure what Christians mean by Holy Spirit, perhaps this may serve:
One aspect of Godhead as manifest in the created universes is named Paramatma, which literally means “Supreme Soul”. He accompanies each soul throughout their sojourns, giving guidance from within the heart; which is heard or experienced variously depending on the level of envy or rebellion. The very envious souls will not hear His instructions from within, the fully surrendered soul will always hear His guidance and feel His presence.
I hope this is clear...
*Just to make the meaning of soul (in Sanskrit jivatma, or small individual soul or eternal self) more clear - each living being is eternally an individual spiritual spark or living self, and while existing in the created universes, must “wear” a physical body of earthly elements. These bodies range from the tiniest microbe up to human forms, up to the great demigods. All must face birth and death, even the demigods. But death of the body is not the end of the soul’s existence; as stated in the Bhagavad Gita, “for the soul there is neither birth nor death, nor having once been, does he ever cease to be”.
This is not the right understanding of Advaita, and therefore misleading.
*Just to make the meaning of soul (in Sanskrit jivatma, or small individual soul or eternal self) more clear - each living being is eternally an individual spiritual spark or living self,
Christian mystics and saints throughout the ages, along with Hindu Advaitist sages, have found the "eternal" Jiva to be false. Before one can stand in the uncreated light of God the individual self,or false Jiva, must be obliterated. IOW, no person sees because *there is no person to see. "Your glory lies where you cease to exist".
As in the Ladder of Divine Graces, (author unknown) which appears in the Greek Philokalia, experience alone teaches advancement on the Divine Ladder of Ten Steps, not talk. If you think yourself securely on the ladder, as the unknown author says: "ask yourself on which step you stand, so that we, the indolent, may benefit".
Guru means from darkness to light. The only true guru is God.