Why dealing with cult-members at all?
Posted by:
A-nja
()
Date: September 21, 2013 09:57PM
To me this seems a pretty good question. Why dealing with them? Why getting involved in their view at all?
I can only answer it for myself. But I guess I have something in common with the ones who do it. I was a member of a cult myself. I was a member of a group called SantMat who claim to "practice" surat-shabd-yoga (light and sound yoga). I was getting involved in it because (unknowingly) I was getting through some stages in my self-discovery that imply certain mental disturbances. At that time I was done with psycho-therapie which I did with a nice and friendly freudian analyst. As I went through that stages I knew I could not talk about my experiences with him because he is an atheist. And what I experienced was far beyond anything an atheist can grasp. So I prayed that my true "guru" may show up. And what happend was that the false "guru" appeared. I saw an add in which SantMat was presented and I went.
To make a long story short, I was given a "method" by them and it worked...in a way. But what I did NOT knew at that time was, that I ALREADY was what I am. And that there is no need for a "method" like the one they gave me. I was in that cult and did the method for about 2 1/2 years. But what SAVED my from getting completely involved in it was...well...my true "guru" showed up. Not as a certain person, but as...some sort of a helping hand that made me see what I'm involved in and it escorted me out of that cult. I can elaborate on my cult experience further if asked.
So I know from personal experience what happens in a cult-group. And in my eyes it boils down to: Never letting the cult-member know who or what you really are in giving you a method that prevends you from being what you already are. The practice and the group activities prevent you from knowing yourself. They take one further and further away from being yourself. I would say meditation (in a group) takes you further and further away from what meditation actually is. And on top of that it attacks you. You don't recognize it untill you do. One experience it as some kind of "feeling better" but what it really is is something completely different. Pervading a group mind is very powerfull. A "master" mind can do a lot of strange stuff to his "servants" and they will like it...in the beginning. I was lucky to NOT experience too much "spiritual" stuff because I already was kind of mature and I came from an atheist background. So I was not already "poisoned" with ideas about anything related to "spirituality". And on top of that I did serious therapy for years.
To come back to the point on why dealing with cult-members at all, my view is:
They need a clean and dispassionate mirror to look into because they are intoxicated by certain experiences that convince them that their cult is the answer to all questions. They lost their individual expression and don't even recognize it. A cult needs new members because they feed of the energy of the members who do not know themselfs. The energy of true devotion is very powerfull and that is what they want...the leaders...the power of a devoted soul that does not know itself.
What happend to me in that cult as I had "darshan" with the "guru" was strange, because I already was kind of out of it already but I went to see that guru-guy out of curiosity. And he could not stand MY darshan (looking at me). That was very interesting. He was unable to look into my eyes. And I felt his shame. SantMat, the path of the saints, but does anybody recognize WHO or WHAT the saint is? Of course NOT the "guru" who is sitting infront of his "devotees" and is telling storys.
In prestenting themselfs as "gurus" or "teachers" those pretenders are taking away the soul, the spirit, the self-knowledge, the dignity of the student. They enjoy their power to pervade a group-mind. That is what they do. And if one is not already a strong character, a strong individual, the damage is done. And of course they aim at younger people and weak-minded people who have not developed a strong intellect that can discern.
But for me no damage was done. Now I know why and what for I was involved in that group. Only to expose those pretenders. Without my own experiences I would not be able to do it. I would not know from a personal experience what they do and how they do it.
Why dealing with cult-members at all?
Because they are robbed and abused and don't even see it. Who would not help their child if it is in danger?
I can only answer it for myself. But I guess I have something in common with the ones who do it. I was a member of a cult myself. I was a member of a group called SantMat who claim to "practice" surat-shabd-yoga (light and sound yoga). I was getting involved in it because (unknowingly) I was getting through some stages in my self-discovery that imply certain mental disturbances. At that time I was done with psycho-therapie which I did with a nice and friendly freudian analyst. As I went through that stages I knew I could not talk about my experiences with him because he is an atheist. And what I experienced was far beyond anything an atheist can grasp. So I prayed that my true "guru" may show up. And what happend was that the false "guru" appeared. I saw an add in which SantMat was presented and I went.
To make a long story short, I was given a "method" by them and it worked...in a way. But what I did NOT knew at that time was, that I ALREADY was what I am. And that there is no need for a "method" like the one they gave me. I was in that cult and did the method for about 2 1/2 years. But what SAVED my from getting completely involved in it was...well...my true "guru" showed up. Not as a certain person, but as...some sort of a helping hand that made me see what I'm involved in and it escorted me out of that cult. I can elaborate on my cult experience further if asked.
So I know from personal experience what happens in a cult-group. And in my eyes it boils down to: Never letting the cult-member know who or what you really are in giving you a method that prevends you from being what you already are. The practice and the group activities prevent you from knowing yourself. They take one further and further away from being yourself. I would say meditation (in a group) takes you further and further away from what meditation actually is. And on top of that it attacks you. You don't recognize it untill you do. One experience it as some kind of "feeling better" but what it really is is something completely different. Pervading a group mind is very powerfull. A "master" mind can do a lot of strange stuff to his "servants" and they will like it...in the beginning. I was lucky to NOT experience too much "spiritual" stuff because I already was kind of mature and I came from an atheist background. So I was not already "poisoned" with ideas about anything related to "spirituality". And on top of that I did serious therapy for years.
To come back to the point on why dealing with cult-members at all, my view is:
They need a clean and dispassionate mirror to look into because they are intoxicated by certain experiences that convince them that their cult is the answer to all questions. They lost their individual expression and don't even recognize it. A cult needs new members because they feed of the energy of the members who do not know themselfs. The energy of true devotion is very powerfull and that is what they want...the leaders...the power of a devoted soul that does not know itself.
What happend to me in that cult as I had "darshan" with the "guru" was strange, because I already was kind of out of it already but I went to see that guru-guy out of curiosity. And he could not stand MY darshan (looking at me). That was very interesting. He was unable to look into my eyes. And I felt his shame. SantMat, the path of the saints, but does anybody recognize WHO or WHAT the saint is? Of course NOT the "guru" who is sitting infront of his "devotees" and is telling storys.
In prestenting themselfs as "gurus" or "teachers" those pretenders are taking away the soul, the spirit, the self-knowledge, the dignity of the student. They enjoy their power to pervade a group-mind. That is what they do. And if one is not already a strong character, a strong individual, the damage is done. And of course they aim at younger people and weak-minded people who have not developed a strong intellect that can discern.
But for me no damage was done. Now I know why and what for I was involved in that group. Only to expose those pretenders. Without my own experiences I would not be able to do it. I would not know from a personal experience what they do and how they do it.
Why dealing with cult-members at all?
Because they are robbed and abused and don't even see it. Who would not help their child if it is in danger?
Re: Why dealing with cult-members at all?
Posted by:
A-nja
()
Date: September 23, 2013 04:07AM
Here is what I did to get rid of the (occult) sh*t:
1. I went in seclusion for weeks.
2. No TV, no mobile-phone, no radio, no papers, no books.
3. I danced to my favourite tunes like crazy. African drumming, funk, punk, ska...anything that had a certain "strong" and forcefull physical drive.
4. I did art-work....little abstract paintings, photography.
5. I was crying a lot.
6. I made long walkes.
7. I was talking to myself like a lovely mother that takes good care of her child.
8. I faced my anger and pointed it in the right direction.
9. I went to see my (freudian) psycho-therapist again.
10. I wrote a long e-mail to the SantMat leader of my country in which I was making fun about the guru (in a polite but serious way).
11. I started smoking big cigars.
12, I was laughing a lot and had serious fun with myself.
1. I went in seclusion for weeks.
2. No TV, no mobile-phone, no radio, no papers, no books.
3. I danced to my favourite tunes like crazy. African drumming, funk, punk, ska...anything that had a certain "strong" and forcefull physical drive.
4. I did art-work....little abstract paintings, photography.
5. I was crying a lot.
6. I made long walkes.
7. I was talking to myself like a lovely mother that takes good care of her child.
8. I faced my anger and pointed it in the right direction.
9. I went to see my (freudian) psycho-therapist again.
10. I wrote a long e-mail to the SantMat leader of my country in which I was making fun about the guru (in a polite but serious way).
11. I started smoking big cigars.
12, I was laughing a lot and had serious fun with myself.
Re: Why dealing with cult-members at all?
Posted by:
dabcult
()
Date: October 11, 2013 08:32AM
I was initiated in Sant Mat also ....with the fat guy from chicago ....pretty harmless compare to other cults out there like Scientology
Why dealing with cult members ?
After 40 years of looking at different cults .....it is my firm opinion that many cult will not hesitate to put their members in a mental and emotional prison
[www.youtube.com]
if you listen to this video ..you will hear Jenna Mescavidge telling how she was made to sign a BILLION years contract with the church of Scientology
when she was 7 years old .....and how this contract made her feel mentally and emotionally obligated to the so called church
and that as happen probably hundreds of times if not thousands of times
So it is possible to intervene and DEPROGRAM members of cults ...it as happen that just being properly inform sometimes will make a person
rethink his or her committment to a cult or a guru .....Its a work of liberating people from their mental and emotional jailers
its important work ..if you care about freedom
Why dealing with cult members ?
After 40 years of looking at different cults .....it is my firm opinion that many cult will not hesitate to put their members in a mental and emotional prison
[www.youtube.com]
if you listen to this video ..you will hear Jenna Mescavidge telling how she was made to sign a BILLION years contract with the church of Scientology
when she was 7 years old .....and how this contract made her feel mentally and emotionally obligated to the so called church
and that as happen probably hundreds of times if not thousands of times
So it is possible to intervene and DEPROGRAM members of cults ...it as happen that just being properly inform sometimes will make a person
rethink his or her committment to a cult or a guru .....Its a work of liberating people from their mental and emotional jailers
its important work ..if you care about freedom
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