Professor Vipin Gupta is a professor of management and a co-director of the Center for Global Management at the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration, California State University, San Bernardino. Dr. Gupta has a Ph.D. in managerial science and applied economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. As a highly respected educator, Dr. Gupta often gives seminars on leadership. In book 6 of his 12-book series published under Project VIPIN, he explores the possible dangers that arise when the relationship between a guru/leader and their followers falls out of balance and how to restore it.

“It will come as no surprise to anyone that our leaders fall short of our expectations,” Dr. Gupta says. “We see that everyday even from those who have the best of intentions. The question, of course, is how those leaders can improve and, by doing so, strengthen the relationships they have with their followers and ultimately be more effective. Additionally, if we are following a leader, we must make sure that our own actions and thoughts remain healthy and do not contribute to any discord, so really, it’s a delicate balance between leader and follower that I explore in my book.”

In What Is Para Consciousness, Dr. Gupta illuminates the limitations of our consciousness. “There is a para consciousness beyond our consciousness that guides our potential,” he explains. “The issue, though, is that we are not aware of those guiding forces and their intentionality. Also, when we encounter a leader or guru, we often presume their innocence and attribute goodwill to them. This can cause serious problems because we may choose to follow someone who is not worthy of our trust, guru or not.”

Gurus, for their part, may try to be good and succeed. When they do, gurus will enjoy the leadership experience, and their devotees will enjoy the followership. “A guru’s intentions, of course, can be flawed due to errors in consciousness, and that leader will unknowingly contribute to the absolute entropy of their followers,” Dr. Gupta shows. “It is the very antithesis of what should happen.”

One reason this occurs is because we are too focused on temporary joy, known as nirvana. “It is understandable that we would like to attain it. We cannot, in my experience, let that pursuit become unhealthy or have a guru gather their followers for the sake of their own gratification.”

To avoid this outcome, Dr. Gupta continues, we tend to focus on the wisdom we receive from para consciousness, which transcends the consciousness we experience in our physical bodies. “When we activate our potential, it will seem like there is a transcendental power that guides us and takes us beyond our power to reason using our conscious effort. That lack of confidence creates a void within us.”   

He elaborates, “Scientifically, when there is a void, we draw the essence that forms the present reality without us into us.   Instead of moving in a straight line to accomplish our goals, we start moving sideways and curve our path into a half circle.  We just reproduce the mirror opposite of the half circle that exists without us.    That half circle was created by somebody who gave birth to us.  Thus, we as a body and somebody as our twin body forms the whole circle.  The whole circle is a reflection of the illusion of our potential.  It is not our potential.  Therefore, whatever we perceive, conceive, experience, and become conscious of within that whole circle is always contaminated with an error in consciousness.  There is always some uncertainty in what we believe.  It leads to discrepancy between our beliefs and behaviors.”   

Dr. Gupta states, “In a state of gravitational stillness, we develop the power to leave our physical body for our astral body. We experience a different consciousness, one that cannot be experienced in the physical body. Thus, we develop the para consciousness through astral body projection, which has been written about by spiritual practitioners. In this state, we realize our full potential whether we are a leader or a follower.”

It is timely advice for a world full of people scrambling to be seen and to market themselves. “So many leaders are trying to put their own versions of reality in front of others,” Dr. Gupta agrees. “They are seeking credibility in some way no matter what industry they are in. Followers, for their part, are not always making sure to put their beliefs into actions to test the worth of the beliefs and make their potential the trustworthy guiding principle free of leader mediation. It results in a discordant relationship, resulting in too much emphasis on fulfilment or on what the person can get out of the relationship. If we can step past this and begin enjoying the gifts we already have while keeping a positive state of mind, I think you’ll see society grow in the ways we have wished for so long.”

How to get hold of the first seven books in Project Vipin

The first seven books – What is Divine Energy, What is Present Reality, Is Present Reality, Is Divine Energy, What is Consciousness, What is Para-Consciousness, and What is Self-awareness – are  now available in full and Nutshell editions on Amazon and elsewhere as paperback, hardcover, digital, and audible forms.