Feet of Clay: A Study of Gurus

Feet of Clay: A Study of Gurus – Anthony Storr

Throughout history, charismatic spiritual teachers have attracted devoted followers who believe they possess special knowledge or a unique connection to the divine. Some have inspired great good, while others have led their followers to disaster. Psychiatrist Anthony Storr, author of Solitude and other books on the human mind, examines this phenomenon in Feet of Clay: A Study of Gurus, published in the United States as Feet of Clay: Saints, Sinners, and Madmen.

Storr profiles a range of figures who claimed special spiritual authority, including leaders of destructive cults such as Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple and David Koresh of the Branch Davidians, as well as spiritual teachers such as Rajneesh, Gurdjieff, Rudolf Steiner and Ignatius of Loyola, and, in a final chapter, Jesus. He also considers figures such as Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, whose followers sometimes treated them with guru-like devotion.

Drawing on his psychiatric experience, Storr looks for common patterns. He suggests that many gurus experienced a period of isolation, illness or crisis followed by a sudden revelation, and that some show traits of narcissism, a need for disciples to confirm their beliefs, and in extreme cases features associated with mental illness. He explores why followers are drawn to such figures, including the need for certainty, meaning and belonging, and he distinguishes between teachers whose insights have value and those whose influence becomes destructive.

Thoughtful and balanced, Feet of Clay is a fascinating read for those interested in psychology, religion and the nature of charismatic authority. Its psychological interpretations of historical and religious figures are the author’s own and may be debated.