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Universal Medicine & Serge Benhayon
A forum offering an investigation of Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon
Feb24
Universal Medicine - Serge Benhayon - Part 3
Part 3 of the blog concentrated on quotes from former members. To me, this is really important. It provides substance to all the other research because these are people who have been directly effected by Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon:
I've put together a collection of quotes from emails I've received in my research and as a reaction to my blogging. It was a delicate process and I hope I've respectful in my reproduction of what I've received. None of the names I've used are real, but their stories and hurt are.
Kate came to Universal Medicine in 2004 and found it resonated with her deeply, before it was recommended she participate in an Esoteric Breast Massage:
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I find the idea preposterous now. I was content to follow Serge's teachings, but I can't understand the focus on breasts. It's sad because I found the whole philosophy very interesting, but this doubt led me to question the whole thing. In the end, it wasn't EBM but Serge's affiliation with [Alice A.] Bailey that left me too unsure to continue with Universal Medicine."
John came to UM through his wife, and became enthusiastically involved for several years. He left after it begn to cause problems in his family:
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I could understand why my family were a little unsure about it, but I felt like I could really connect with it. I think my wife found some of Serge's stuff a bit spooky, and the kids felt a bit neglected when we'd drive down from Brisbane to Goonellabah and around those kinds of places. It sort of started to cause a few fights, and a few of my friends looked into it and they showed us the inconsistencies of some of Serge's ideas about emotion. I think the reason we stuck with it for so long was because of Serge's charisma."Julie joined an esoteric meditation group in Bendigo, which led her to UM:
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It's such a shame - I feel sort of silly. It ended up costing me so much money, which is the really stupid part. But I'm trying not to blame myself. It was a bit of group psychology and the social acceptance that I craved, and a few friends and I have left. We can laugh about it now, but it's worrying how easy it is to get sucked in."Comments from others who were never affiliated with Universal Medicine:
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It's a clever kind of organisation - based right in the heart of alternative culture, lots of ideas that resonate broadly, and some really effective affiliated groups. A good business plan to begin with, really."
"It does show a lot of the characteristics of being a cult. Vague ideas that people relate to and a competent leader. What you said about counterfeit information and manipulation is correct, and that is the unequivocally deceptive part about it. I wouldn't say it's sinister, but it's dangerous in the effect it can have on people."
While leaving a group such as this is a big step, I know from my experience with my own family that the process can be as empowering as the belief systems presented, and that it can bring families closer together. What I hope most of all, though, is that this is not patterned behaviour. I hope those who are attracted to groups such as Universal Medicine don't continually look for other belief systems to find solace.
It is enough to believe in oneself and in humanity, despite whatever flaws and problems one can see or encounter. As Benhayon has said, one cannot find "
truth" outside of oneself. If you are searching for something, question what faith in something intangible will really bring.With all groups, in fact, please endeavour to consider the basis for information that is presented, and what evidence there is for its truth above any other equivalent faith, belief or lifestyle.
This month has been a tough one - a lot of time and effort has gone into these blog posts, so I'll give myself a break from research after my next one. The last post for the month will be on Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian spiritual figure and his affiliated organisations which have been plagued by controversy, including allegations of sexual abuse.
Further Reading (for all three posts on theosophy, esotericism and Universal Medicine)
K. Paul Johnson,
The Masters Revealed: Madam Blavatsky and Myth of the Great White Brotherhood Albany, New York: 1994 State University of New York Press
Nicholas Weeks, Theosophy's
Shadow: A Critical Look at the Claims and Teachings of Alice A. Bailey. blavatskyarchives.com.
Bruce F. Campbell, Ancient Wisdom Revived: a History of the Theosophical Movement, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1980.
Janet Williams,
The What if...? Treatise, universalmedicine.com.au.
Vernon Harrison, Ph. D.
H. P. BLAVATSKY and the SPR: An Examination of the Hodgson Report of 1885, theosociety.org
Various Alice A. Bailey books, notably
A Treatise on the Seven Rays, Vol 4: Esoteric Healing. Lucis Trust. 1953.
Various Serge Benhayon books, notably
The Way It Is: A Treatise on Energetic Truth, UniMed Publishing, 2006. (note the almost identical cover to Bailey's books.)
universalmedicine.com.au
ascendedmasters.ac
thesociety.org
12 comments:(name omitted for privacy) 21, 2011 08:05 AM
Those comments are correct - it is a clever organisation. My heart goes out to Julie especially - I wonder how many others put so much money in, only to end up feeling cheated.
Thanks for providing such a wealth of information for everyone to read!
21, 2011 08:31 AM
(Name omitted for privacy) Jul
Wow...my sister is part of this stuff...I thought it sounded a bit weird, but I never knew it was so sus!
Righto then...explains a bit for sure...
Mr. Y Sep 12, 2011 08:19 PM
This comment has been removed by the author.Joeygirl25Nov 14, 2011 02:23 AM
I've been getting healing sessions and I've been to a few students houses for this ~ and they all seemed to have a picture of mona Lisa on the wall.
When I asked further about this I was told that serge believes he was Leo da vinci in a previous life! I had to laugh really cos he's so arrogant & manipulative of course he would say that!
Also u will find that every healers house has serge's books on the shelves and nothing else. And the universal medicine endorsed CDs playing and nothing else (poor musicianship on these CDs by the way ~ aweful sounding vocals) !
Now if that's not brainwashing I don't know what is....
The sad thing is these healers are often very talented & loving people. But they only see life through serge's eyes not their own. They often ask themselves 'what would serge do/say' when faced with dilemma.
And I find this really sad.
And not 'esoteric' at all.
And yes where does all the money go!?!?!?!???? A 4 day course in vietnam is $1800!? Hellooo!?
Joeygirl25Nov 14, 2011 02:47 AM
And while I'm at it ~ u will also find (well I did from my observations) that the advanced Unimed students are all exceptionally thin & have little muscle tone, especially in the butt area.
This is because serge recommends eating very small portions & only exercising lightly. The Unimed endorsed yoga classes burn as much calories as u would in your sleep.
In fact in one class i fell asleep!
Very little movement. Same goes for the exercise classes.
Fine if ur 90 but I'm not quite 30 & i personally like to move!! Serge also says u shouldn't run/jog... It puts stress on the body... But I just couldn't do that to myself. Give up something I love...
But this is what Unimed asks u to do CONSTANTLY.
nofooliamDec 22, 2011 07:01 PM
I just wish UM'ers didn't think they have the exclusive license on self-improvement.
In their world you have to 'do the work, (eg. spend the money on courses) and if you don't 'do the work' you are doomed to another umpteen-thousand reincarnations
(sounds a bit like the Catholic Church's using 'Hell' as a motivation to fill their coffers).
Oh, yes, have you even attempted to read any of the Serge's Blue Books? Anyone who can get through just one of those without falling asleep by rights should never have to come back as a human again.
Lighten up UM! Not everyone needs to follow your path. Some of us have managed to break our addictions and move forward in life by other means.
lifetrueformeJan 16, 2012 01:18 PM
How can you argue with this pg 322 The Way of the Initiation "
Forget not that it is in the mind (the human intellect - the lowermind) they want, and they can easily have it in the most intelligent person, for that person without the inner-heart and its soulful connection, is , but a mere puppet for them even though the pride and intelligence of the puppet here described will proudly defend this fact with all their intelligent might!"does that mean I am an intelligent puppet. Serge is talking about the evil Pranic Consciousness of the Lords of Form. .
Rachel PJan 17, 2012 09:27 AM
Most of the writing sounds like an attempt to sound like an ancient text. Perhaps as Serge sees himself as a reincarnation of Alice Bailey he is trying to 'channel' her voice in some pathetic hope to add validation to his writing.
The end result is an incomprehensible mess. How intelligent people fall for this is the biggest mystery of the whole UM debacle.
lifetrueformeJan 18, 2012 07:49 PM
Yes I agree with you Rachel. I am fascinated by the whole "cult" or "dogma" thing. It interests me that people really believe this and if they don't follow the esoteric way they will reincarnate as some low life person.
I think for me that I could have been one of those people that fell for it, so to see it clearly now and to read the texts from a completely other perspective, it seems ludicrous.
marko23Jan 16, 2012 02:44 PM
why do you even bother trying to decipher this rubbish?
GARYSPEEDJan 28, 2012 01:05 AM
A new blog about Universal Medicine:
[
umsupportgroup.blogspot.com]