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How do spiritual teachers change the world? -

Spiritual leaders and teachers have been on the forefront of social change and public opinion for the vast majority of human history. As the advisers of morals, law, and belief, society has always looked towards people of apparent higher consciousness for guidance in all matters personal, cultural, and political.

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Ram Dass -

One of the most famous spiritual thinkers and teachers of the West, Ram Dass is seen as a leading figure in the introduction of Eastern spirituality to the United States.

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Ram Dass -

Best remembered for his 1971 book 'Be Here Now,' Ram Dass first became enamored with the spiritual world after participating in psychedelic research alongside Timothy Leary at Harvard University during the 1960s. After these experiences, Ram Dass came to be a leading figure in the American counterculture movement, promoting ideas of universal oneness and the healing powers of yoga.

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Thich Nhat Hanh -

Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the leading figures in Zen Buddhism, and is frequently cited as the man who introduced the tenets of Zen to the West.

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Thich Nhat Hanh -

The founder of the Plum Village, an immensely popular Zen monastery and retreat in France, Thich Nhat Hanh spent his life as not only a teacher but also as a peace activist, embarking on numerous humanitarian rescue missions, sometimes against the orders of local governments. As a result of his admirable work as a renegade peace activist, Thich Nhat Hanh has been banned from various Asian countries, including his native Vietnam for decades until 2005.

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Tanzan Ishibashi -

Tanzan Ishibashi led a busy and impactful life in Japan during the 20th century. A Buddhist priest just like his mother, he adhered to the tenants of Nichiren Buddhism, which teaches, among other things, the Lotus Sutra beliefs of universal holiness.

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Tanzan Ishibashi -

Instead of removing himself from society to lead the life of a monk, Ishibashi dedicated himself to public service. A staunch opposer of Japanese imperialism and a proponent of women's rights and workers' rights, Ishibashi briefly served as Japan's prime minister between December 1956 and January 1957. After resigning due to health concerns, Ishibashi remained a trusted and respected public figure until his death in 1973.

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Dalai Lama Gyatso -

Easily the most famous spiritual teacher alive today, Tenzin Gyatso has served as the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibetan Buddhism since 1940.

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Dalai Lama Gyatso -

Living in exile in the mountains of India since the Chinese annexation of Tibet in 1959, Dalai Lama Gyatso has managed to remain a loud and prominent figure in world events as an advocate for peace.

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Paulo Coelho -

Paulo Coelho's 1988 book 'The Alchemist' is hailed by many around the world as both a masterpiece of narrative fiction and an indispensable spiritual guidebook.

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Paulo Coelho -

Taking from a personal history of independence, soul searching, and spiritual experimentation, 'The Alchemist' has become a bible of self-determination for many people.

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Baba Sali -

Moroccan Rabbi Israel Abuhatzeira, better known as Baba Sali, is one of the most important figures of modern Jewish Kabbalah. Kabbalah is the practice of esoteric Judaism and Jewish mysticism.

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Baba Sali -

A dedicated scholar of the Torah and the Talmud from a young age, Baba Sali was known during his time in the 20th century as a miracle worker, prompting droves of people to seek him out year round. To this day, thousands of people undertake a pilgrimage to his gravesite on the anniversary of his death on January 8.

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Alan Watts -

A prominent Western practitioner and teacher of Zen Buddhism, Alan Watts was born in England in 1915. As a young man, he relocated to the United States, where he became a leading figure of spirituality within the American counterculture movement.

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Alan Watts -

The author of some 25 books, Watts is remembered for introducing Zen Buddhism to American hippies through his 1957 book 'The Way of Zen,' one of the first widely popular books on Zen Buddhism in the West.

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Peter Deunov -

Peter Deunov might not be a household name in every corner of the world, but in his home country of Bulgaria, he is one of the most well-known spiritual teachers of all time.

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Peter Deunov -

Founder of the esoteric sect of Christianity known as the Universal White Brotherhood (White Brotherhood referring to the "synthesis of all colors" and "every human no matter what community they belong to"), Deunov ranked second in a 2006 vote for the greatest Bulgarian. To this day, his followers practice ritual dances known as paneurhythm.

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Inayat Khan -

Inayat Khan was born in 1882 in British-occupied India to a prestigious family of Mughal descent. Khan learned the ways of Sufi mysticism, an offshoot of Sunni Islam, and rose to prominence as a teacher and proponent of a universal god, and the important similarities of prophetic belief systems across religions.

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Inayat Khan -

Even after Khan's death, his progeny carried on his legacy of an insightful and impactful leader. One of his sons, Vilayat Khan, carried on his teachings as a Sufi leader and meditation master. His daughter, Noor Khan (pictured), made history as a British intelligence agent in World War II, becoming the first radio operator to be dispatched undercover in occupied Vichy France.

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George Gurdjieff -

Famous Armenian mystic George Gurdjieff, born sometime during the third quarter of the 19th century, is best known for developing a path to higher consciousness known as the "Fourth Way."

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George Gurdjieff -

Gurdjieff taught that humans are born under hypnosis, and go about life in a "waking sleep." His "Fourth Way" provided a path to consciousness, an opportunity that thousands of people across Europe were eager to grab.

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Paramahansa Yogananda -

Considered by many to be the father of yoga in the West, Indian Hindu guru Paramahansa Yogananda dedicated his life to building bridges between Western cultural ideals and Eastern spirituality.

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Paramahansa Yogananda -

First traveling from India to the United States in 1920, Yogananda taught of the benefits of yogic practice from Boston to Los Angeles. In California especially, Yogananda is thought to have kickstarted the massive rise in popularity of yoga.

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Pope John Paul II -

One of the most widely beloved popes in recent memory, Pope John Paul II served as the supreme pontiff of Rome and the Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005.

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Pope John Paul II -

Originally born Karol Józef Wojtyła in Poland, John Paul II was known for his prolific travels, visiting no less than 129 countries during his time as pope, and also beatified and canonized nearly 2,000 people, a number greater than the total number of all beatifications and canonizations in the preceding five centuries put together.

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Uchimura Kanzō -

An outspoken pacifist and spiritual leader, Uchimura Kanzō was a renowned intellectual and spiritual teacher born in Japan in 1861. He is considered one of the most important social and religious leaders of pre-World War II Japan.

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Uchimura Kanzō -

Kanzō is best known today for founding the Mukyōkaishugi, or Non-church Movement, in Meiji Japan. The Non-church Movement is a sect of Christianity that emphasizes the apparent lack of a Christian church during the time of Jesus, claiming that no follower of Christ's teachings needs a church in order to worship the Christian god. Today, almost a century after Kanzō's death, his organization still boasts around 35,000 members in Asia.

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Rhonda Byrne -

While some might not recognize Rhonda Byrne by name, she was one of the first people to champion the now-widespread pseudoscientific belief in the law of attraction.

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Rhonda Byrne -

It all started with Byrne's massively popular 2006 self-help book 'The Secret,' which has gone on to sell more than 30 million copies worldwide. Thanks to her success in disseminating ideas about the power of positive thinking, the law of attraction, and a person's ability to manifest their own destiny and desires, TIME magazine decided to name Byrne one of the 100 most influential people in the world. 

See also: Celebrities who converted to new religions

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