A little follow-up to my recent post about my experience with James:

I discovered that my private correspondence with James had been posted to the World Wide Web, after someone posted a link to my writings, on a Facebook group. I expressed my shock in a comment to the post in FB, and then added a link to this forum.
I was almost immediately removed from the JS Facebook group, and the comment linking to this forum was deleted - leaving my comment about my shock and horror about James’ indiscretion, still visible in that group and untouchable to me.

I left it there.

Today I got an email from James. Since it seems he doesn’t object to private correspondence being shared publicly, I wish to share the content of his last email, for anyone who visits this forum, to witness and decide for themselves what kind of man he is.

Here follows, the content of his email to me:

Hi xxxxxx,

Somebody wrote me that you were complaining online that I published our satsangs. You must not have read the notice that anyone who writes, writes with the understanding that ShiningWorld can publish them anonymously which I did because they are very helpful to seekers. You also must have noticed that your name was changed so there is no way for those satsangs to be associated with you. In any case, It is clearly written in black and white on the website. Sometimes people want me to publish their proper names but I don't. In fact the satsang section is largely responsible for the success of ShiningWorld because it is a very helpful service. And knowing that the information would enter the public domain you could just as well as have chosen not to share it with me. Occasionally people ask me not to publish when they write and I agree. Once or twice in the last twenty years I missed an instance of someone's name and corrected it when and if it was called to my attention. So I think it is only fair for you to take responsiblity for your actions rather than making me out to be some sort of bad person. And anyway, if you are proud of what you do and you do it with integrity, why shouldn't people know?

I thought we had a very good comunication. I even apologized for a misunderstanding about the nature of your work. So I don't think painting yourself as a victim is really very helpful for you. It doesn't bother me because i behaved honorably. I treated you with kindness and integrity.

Love,
James

zizlz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whoa, good find, Sahara!
>
> Sahara71 Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
> > This information fits the picture we are
> beginning
> > to see emerge about Old James!
>
> Exactly! Just a few days ago I still held this man
> in high regard but now that I'm reading the
> Heather story I start noticing more and more
> things that are off about him.
>
> Just like Mooji's denial-video was pretty damning
> for himself (for those who actually listen
> critically to what he says there), James'
> denial-newsletter is also pretty damning.
>
> [www.shiningworld.com]
>
>

Quote

When it is not possible to determine guilt
> or innocence – assuming you are not able to accept
> uncer-tainty – the law, which is based on dharma,
> provides us with an interesting concept: the
> preponder-ance of the evidence. In this case there
> is actually no evidence and I categorically deny
> the accuser’s statement, so how can you remove
> your doubt? Of course the quickest way to
> remove it is to see it as a mithya problem and
> dismiss it as unreal. But in the event that you
> are not at that level of inquiry, you can make
> a reasonable determination based on what you do
> know.

>
> Here it's clear that James does indeed use Vedanta
> as a way to dismiss any wrongdoing as unreal,
> since it's Maya/mithya. This confirms Heather's
> story.
> Then he writes "in the event that you are not at
> that level of inquiry", in other words: if you're
> so unadvanced that you actually believe anything
> can be real, that anything can actually matter.
> This is very manipulative. He tries to make you
> believe that if you take the allegations serious,
> that means you're not advanced enough.
>
> Another quote from the denial-newsletter:
>

Quote

Third, consider the fact that I am
> seventy-six years old and married to an extremely
> beautiful – inside and out – discriminating woman
> who obviously loves me. And there are public
> doc-uments and witnesses that will testify to the
> fact that at the time of the alleged event I was
> married to an extremely beautiful woman, a
> runner-up in the Miss California beauty pageant no
> less.

>
> I don't know how James thinks his ability to
> convince beautiful women to marry him proves his
> innocence, but the way he emphasizes their beauty
> does prove that he objectifies women.








My word!!!

Reading back, I came across this post from ziziz.
Spot on - and quite jaw-dropping really.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2020 06:09PM by Dis-illusioned.

Hi Dis-Illusioned,

Thanks for giving us another peek into the mind of JS. The same thing was reported on this forum before by another poster (probably in this thread or in the JS-tangent in the Mooji-thread that preceded this thread): Someone had corresponded via email with JS and wasn't aware that their correspondence would be published on his site. She asked JS to take it down but he refused.

JS: "It doesn't bother me because i behaved honorably. I treated you with kindness and integrity."

In my experience, that's a typical reply a narcissist gives when you criticize their behavior. They think they themselves are the only one with the authority and ability to judge their behavior. They'll dismiss any criticism without even considering its merit.

Of course anyone who actually does have a sense of integrity would immediately remove the correspondence from the site in situations like these. Why wouldn't he? Because it's in his own interest to keep it on the site ("the satsang section is largely responsible for the success of ShiningWorld "), and he values his own interest higher than yours. That's not integrity, it's egotism.

Thank you Ziziz, and yes exactly.

I didn’t really want to mention narcissism, but that’s exactly what I see in what he wrote to me: Gaslighting, opinionated self-aggrandisement, and just pure blinkered thinking.

Even though he’s technically “in the right” about the fine print I hadn’t seen before my conversations with him, he had no need to send me this last mail and to defend himself and his position. He clearly feels threatened, or he wouldn’t have written to me.

Since parting ways with James, I’ve been working with a brilliant and compassionate therapist (which is what led to the initial split with James, when I told him I was going to step away from studying Vedanta with him, as I felt I needed therapy.)

In my conversations with my therapist, she asked me why I said that I really didn’t want to play the victim (around a situation that I was explaining to her.)

I told her that I had been accused of “playing the victim” a few times.

What was really helpful to hear from her, is that when we have been abused and the perpetrator then tries to avoid accountability by accusing you of “playing the victim” you can be assured that their name-calling is simply a diversion attempt, on their part. It’s a tactic.

James feigned an apology to me, saying that he would never have insulted me if I’d been as direct with him from the start, as I was when I confronted him for verbally attacking me. He sees his verbal abuse as justified and warranted, and when he gets a rebuttal, he dismisses his behaviour as somehow being your fault (or as he said to me, Isvara’s will.)

And yet here he did the same thing again: manipulating the “story” to make out that I’m “playing the victim” by public ally speaking the truth about what I see in his behaviour.

So you say: I see classic narcissistic behaviour.

Sadly, he will most likely never recognise or own it - so it’s pointless discussing it with him.

Hello Everyone,

I've decided to include what i'm about to write in this topic, as it's quite relevant. James Swartz and a former student (who I had to ban from my social media platform) have teamed up to publicly make assertions about me. As this could bring in even more visits to this topic and shows even more of his under-handed and malicious nature, im sharing it here.

The background is that I had to ban a student for revealing personal information about me, including an attack on one of my children, without my permission in a closed Vedanta group. This person was trusted as admin, and some of the rules they were meant to uphold was no personal attacks on anyone or their lives. As it was a study group for Vedanta.

In the post that the former student wrote, they indicated that they know I have been posting here. They also mentioned that I am jealous.

As mentioned, today there has been a satsang wrote about me. James Swartz is inviting a topic to be made about me here also. I've got no issues directly speaking in a topic about me, as long as the OP are also prepared. I invite James SWartz to directly come into this topic to also interact with assertions, as I have shown I will.

This will be a lengthy topic, and I have to also say that libel solicitors are looking at what has been posted on Shiningworld about me. I've sent a direct email to James Swartz also. I'll share this email further down.

I'm going to interact point by point in regard to the salient points:

Quote
Jan

Hi James,

I’m tamasic and a little drunk now, but I love you.

Robert Harrison… What should I do about him? He’s sending nude pics of his big schlong to women in his Facebook group.

Non-consensual sharing of naked images is against the law. I would ask that such things are reported to the police right away.

In regard to Facebook, it is against their ToS. The Facebook group that I run has never had one single complaint made against it. I have never been sanctioned for anything either. I can prove this digitally.

Regarding what should be done, I suggest reporting what is alleged, and showing the proof to the police and Facebook.

I find this curious that this is not the immediate course of action.

Quote
Jan
He “borrowed” money that he hasn’t paid back to me.

The person contacted my last month about this. I explained to them in private and sent supportive text messages in screenshot, that I have lost my job, have no money and am relying on others kindness for food, etc. The person knows this, and yet they will still publicize another negative assertion against me.

I feel that there is another agenda here.

Quote
Jan

He knows a lot of Vedanta, and he’s sincere half the time, but he’s frigging mental the rest of the time. I joined a Facebook group that was connected to you, but it got co-opted by this Robert chap.

I would ask that it's quantified what is asserted that I am mental half the time.

It is true that the group I run used to be Shiningworld's. I was social media staff for them. There was a power struggle between James and Sundari, I will be sharing private content to back up all that I have asserted about Shiningworld. They wanted me to close down the group, and I refused as the group was a first point of contact for many who found value.

Then James Swartz'z wife wrote a gigantic 23 page e-satsang about me. In it they wrote teachings that were never taught to me, and also re-arranged timelines. The effect of this was prfound. It made me look a basket case, and it ostracised me from the only family that I had, Shiningworld. I looked to James and his wife as paternal, and they used published lies about me to make me look bad. I demanded it is took down, and it was. I still have it, and I shall be using it with side by side exact screenshots of the real timeline of teachings, to show that these people are vindictive to students.

I do want to say that over the years I have had challenges. I've got medical papers showing i have PTSD from the troubles in Ireland. JS and his wife were witness to lots of things. I've also had suicide attempts. At the time of them publishing the lies about me, the effect of me was profound. They did not care I had a psychiatric history, they made sure that I was no longer welcome in the shiningworld community, and they tried to invalidate me as a teacher, before I came one. I can prove the have a history of character assassination.

At the time of writing this, I have recieved a response from James, in which once again he is trying to get the group and me shut down.

Quote
Jan
...but confronted him in his group. Time went by, he continued his group, and banished me. A woman that was in his group supported me in my confrontation, yet when banished from his gorup, went back, and was accepted back. It looks like maybe she was burnt too. She was asked for money, but didn’t pay. However, another woman in the group reached out to me and her, saying she was swindled by Robert and that he sent nude pictures to her, unwanted.). Lady 1 and Lady 2 cut from group. Lady 1 wants to do something about it. Lady 2 too.

People are removed from social media platforms all the time for a myriad of reasons. However, the most important point is that as of as late as the last two hours, one of the people that is spoke of here has got no issues with me, and doesn't want to be involved in whatever is going on with these guys. In fact, they didn't even in the first place. This then is more hyberbole, it is a pattern that will be shown throughout this rebuttal.

Most importantly, I would like to know why any illegal activity has not been reported to Police or Facebook. When did these things occur? Why is it not obvious that the thing to do is report me, and get my profile closed down? Why on earth has this not happened...

Quote
Jan
Sorry, James. I love you. I love Vedanta. I love. But… What to do about this Robert Harrison jiva? I want to bury him. He’s got a group of at least 200 people. I loved his Vedanta, but then he turned on me. He’s teaching Vedanta, but on the side, it seems, behind the wall, he’s asking members for money, and asking women for sex.

This is a very important piece here. My group is bigger than that (lol) and it isn't 'his' Vedanta. The teacher is to teach impersonally. I didn't turn on anyone, the person wasn't fit to be taught, and breached the rules of the group.

In respect of asking people for money. I've taught Advaita Vedanta, and have specifically made a point of not asking for the customary donations. I have on occasion asked friends for help, but so what.

I may have asked someone for help outside of Vedanta, as I needed food. But you James, sit in your classes and ask students in person for money for your Spanish villa. I spoke with the people in question! You are really something! Lol.

Regarding asking women for sex. I haven't been inappropriate with any person in my role as a Vedanta teacher. Nor in my role as admin on a group.

Quote
James Swartz
He’s always broke and tormented by sexual urges. He’s so gross, classless and insecure that he has to resort to deception to get sex and money and drugs.

Well, I don't know what to say here, lol. You James, are a self-confessed sexual lothario, you wrote this about yourself. It is not me who is tormented by sexual urges. Regarding deception, this is a bit rich coming from you. As many are sharing in this topic, you are the king of such things.

Regarding me, I would like to challenge directly the exact deception you are speaking of.

Quote
James Swartz
Nothing ever works for him.

Tut-tut. Your emotions are showing how much you dont understand Vedanta. Nothing needs to work out for 'me'. This is not what Vedanta is about. Do you not know this?

Quote
James Swartz
People find out and he boots them out and preys on new recruits.

I honestly don't know what you're talking about. People leave social media platforms for many reasons. You will need to quantify your assertions here.

Quote
James Swartz
He’s actually very miserable behind that spiritual façade.

Im a very happy person actually.

Quote
James Swartz
It’s a real shame because people like that give Vedanta a bad name.

Oh really? I'm sorry that I don't live up to your ideals. After all, it's not me that is accused of child rape.

Quote
James Swartz
It’s not up to me to sort him out. We did our best. If I wasn’t so busy serving the ShiningWorld community I’d contact the police, his parole officer, etc. but I’m an old man and haven’t got the stomach for such a nasty job.

I think that if there is something to report to the police, then it should be. I would like you and I both to speak with the authorities respectively in what is being asserted about us.

Quote
James Swartz
In any case anyone who isn’t angered by this kind of behavior is not in touch with their emotions. It’s good that on the conscious level you acknowledged your bhakti for him and the teaching, but honestly you should never give your confidence to people until you have a secure relationship, particularly someone with whom you have a purely online connection.

Now James, let's not be silly about this. And your raping of a minor is okay? Oh sorry, the world is expected to automatically believe something about me, while you in turn are supposed to be innocent?

Quote
James Swartz

If a person is speaking the truth, just take the truth as a gift from Isvara and forget the messenger. If you have a proper guru this kind of thing will never happen.

This is so laughable. The amount of people that have been injured by you are into double figures alone. Why don't you assign some of your wisdom that you levy at others, onto yourself...

Quote
James Swartz
I feel sorry for him but I also feel sorry for the reputation of Vedanta. And Vedanta has done and will do a lot more good for the world than any individual.

I feel more sorry for you, being accused of child rape. Such a thing hasn't tarnished Vedanta though. Do you know why? Because you're not classes as a Vedanta teacher. I've got reams of evidence to show that you teach squarely what is modern vedanta.

Regarding your comment on 'any individual'. The hypocrisy is amazing. So-called MR. Sampradaya, who never stops to let the world know how great his cult devotees think he is. Really?

Quote
James Swartz
Robert will not even rate a footnote in the history of the spiritual world.

God you are so foolish. Who cares about being remembered? Ambition is not conducive to humble freedom. Obviously you think its important.

Quote
James Swartz

He’s not even a world-class demon like Adi Da and others.

Well, I am not a child rapist who prays on female students, if that's what you mean.

Quote
James Swartz
Maybe you can post your experience on an anti-cult website.

You, Jan, your wife and the rest know I am here before I came out today. Jan told you. So not let have more lies and pretend.

Quote
James Swartz

The last chapter about Robert could be entitled “Egg on My Face.”

I much prefer your Last Chapter possibly to be entitled; "An old Dog never looses his tricks, ;)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I sent this email to James SWartz this morning:

Quote
Robert/Earthquake
Dear James,

I am writing to you in relation to your publication of a piece from a third party that names me. I have took screenshots of the entire piece and am waiting on solicitors specialising in libel and slander to contact me back today.

This piece is malicious. It is malicious by even the third party, and by their own admission they are intoxicated when they wrote it. You have posted a libellous piece about me sent from someone drunk, and have publicly named me and made assertions about me that are not accurate at all.

I completely reject that such things are happening within any Facebook group that I may head. Facebook have a robust policy in place to deal with such things, as does law enforcement. I would suggest that Facebook be immediately notified as well as local law enforcement, as such things go against both Facebook’s ToS and are illegal. I am more than happy to be in contact with both Facebook and law enforcement. I have not been approached by Facebook, nor has any Facebook group that I have been heading been gave any warnings at all about conduct. I have not been approached by any law enforcement either.

There are multiples points that are not factual and blatant lies. You are personally asserting things that you cannot possibly know about me.

Context is everything, and as always it is absent with you. I have concrete proof digitally to support that this is a vindictive and libellous attack toward me. You have no legal right to name me in such unfounded lies, and you have no right to publish this about me at all. In publishing what you have you have strayed into breaking the law, and I am insisting that this is immediately took down.

Robert

James has sent me a lengthy reply. I'm going to share salient portions here...

Quote
James
Hi Robert,

That's pretty rich, Robert. I'm actually thinking of a front page spread with your pic, etc. and a raft of testimonies with direct quotes from you. I'm fed up with all these complaints.

I've been thinking the exact same about you actually. For some time there has been a website dedicated to the dissemination of you and your cultish behaviour, and injured persons in the works.

Quote
James
I have been very kind and forbearing because I have a basic human affection for you so I let you slide for about a year now, hoping that you might somehow see the light and show some respect for God, for yourself and Vedanta. Sundari and I have letters from women backing up my statements.

Then this should be reported to the police and to Facebook right away. You can even let me know in private which police force is dealing with it, and where, and I shall also contact them directly. I would appreciate this done asap.

I have not been illegal in any manner with anyone. Will you also interact directly with me into the mountains of allegations that have been made against you?

I feel we should both be willing to interact directly over these matters that are being alleged toward one another.

Quote
James
One of our guys also has letters from several women who have cell phone pics of your privy parts and who want their "loans" returned and are willing to lodge a complaint with the police.

Again, I say that the police should be notified, and I'm not sure why this hasn't already been done. I would like to know the timeline of when this occurred, so time/date stamps are important. As well as if there is any suggestion of further normal communication afterwards. I would like to know the exact prior and afterwards context of any alleged interaction also.

Quote
James
I hope you will calm down and think rationally. I tried to help you before and I'm trying to help you now.

What you and your wife actually did, was try to shut my group down. When I stuck up for the members then you decided to write 24 pages of total lies in teachings. To me , your student. In this libellous piece you also ostracised me from the one community I felt welcome in. I lost many freinds because of you and the lies of your wife.

In my darkest hour, you also emailed me and told me that I would not find God in the world without you. How dare you say that to someone! You cannot withhold God from someone. You made sure I was alone, and then you emailed me to tell me that if i left you that I would not even find God. I have all the harmful control that you and your wife sent me.

You also told me you would through me out of Shiningworld and not allow me to be on staff, if I was in a relationship. I reminded you you are married. But I was further threatened. You are not allowed to control people lives like this. I have the emails that are as I say here. I will publish your controlling and cultish behaviour.

Quote
James
If you are silly enough to go the legal route, you'll have to get your group to cough up more money for your legal fund, which I think will be a little difficult when the evidence of your malfeasance is spread all over the internet, not to mention how difficult it is to prove libel and how expensive it is just to get a suit off the ground, much less keep it going. These things drag on for years. You've probably not been in this kind of position before but you might benefit from doing some research before you put down a few thousand quid as a retainer.

You are trying to get me not to go legal by threating me. I am telling you, that you and your freinds should go legal with me. I am saying to go legal, you are trying for no legal recourse. That's interesting.

You also do not know about no win no fee. As well as a myriad of other ways to pay fees.

Quote
James
In any case I doubt very seriously that a respectable lawyer would take a case with no legal merit considering your criminal past and disclosure of our evidence which is a plaintiffs legal right, much less a criminal lawyer.

You are wrong as always. I have just recieved an email from a specialist in libel. Here is excerpt:

Quote
Solicitors
Dear Robert

Thank you for your email.

The below website contains allegations which are prima facie defamatory of you. Should you wish to do so we can arrange to have a call to discuss the potential options open to you.


Let me know if you wish to discuss and I will arrange to call you.

Kind regards

****

Quote
James
I don't want to rain on your parade but it is virtually impossible to enforce the collection of a legal judgment from one country in another much less conduct a lawsuit across international borders, not to mention the pandemic. I come from a legal family. My mother was a judge. I know the law. And I'm on the right side of the law. I'm impervious to your threats. Actually I'm a little surprised and amused. Think about it: Robert Harrison, the aggrieved party! Truth is stranger than fiction.

Once again, your self-promoting authority falls short. You are resident in Spain. And I am able to take recourse under international libel law. I am resident in the EU also. Ireland.

Also, whatever past anyone has does not in any way mean that they can't be a victim of libel also. Or harassment. I say the latter, as you have just broken harassment laws by posting the further post about me today. Two libellous publications are deemed as harassment. The more you publish about me the stronger the case for harassment. Harassment is much easier to enforce by the way. You need to take great care what you write about me. The difference between you and I is that I don't hyperbole. I say it eaxct. So much for you being a legal expert.

Quote
James
I know the truth and you know the truth, Robert. This is a great opportunity to get yourself together. It's time to quit lying and cheating. Here's what I'm willing to do. I will not post this email and I will take down the satsang post if you take down your Facebook account, apologize to the women that you insulted with your vulgarity and pay back the money you owe.

You have already tried to get the group closed 2 years ago. Your bribe is not going to work. I want these people to report anything illegal to the authorities and Facebook. I am also insisting that when it is reported to Facebook that the outcome be known. I want to see if it goes against community standards. If I lose my account I would expect that as a mark of my guilt.

I am not going to deleting the group I run. I have multiple platforms on Facebok, and if members here want, I will screen shot that no actions have been ever took in them. Nor have I been sanctioned.

Quote
James
I spoke to a mutual acquaintance who has diligently documented your whole internet journey and we see eye to eye. I also have the resources, the connections, the will and an ace in the hole that you probably haven't considered to see to it that your way forward in the spiritual world will be particularly difficult. I have a lot of influence in the spiritual world. And I will make a point of keeping the police up to date because of your violent past.

I will not give in to your bullying of me today. Not today and not ever. You will not be able to take away my role as a teacher, and it is despicable that you would threaten me with this. I informed you of legal action. That is very reasonable and responsible. And you in turn, you try to bribe me away. You try to entice me to delete groups that provide help for people. And to make it even worse, you are threatening me spiritual.

You sir, are a disgrace. And I will not be bullied by you.

Quote
James
A person who breaks dharma isn't a happy person. This kind of life is painful. You've been in pain for so long that it probably feels normal. There is forgiveness but you have to be honest with yourself. This path just leads to more and more running and hiding. You have to keep reinventing yourself over and over. When you sincerely offer everything to God, you are lifted up into the light. You need no longer get on the internet to prove to the public that you are spiritual because you actually are. Enlightened people teach by example. Words aren't enough. Think of others, Robert. People hold you up as something good and true and you insult and cheat them. Is that fair? How would you feel if the shoe was on the other foot? Probably you were cheated out of love a long time ago so it's time to make it right.

It's very egotistical to think that I still need spiritual counsel from you, someone who abused my trust immensely. And someone who has just threatened me spiritually.

Quote
James
I expect to hear from you presently or I will publish this and provide more evidence little by little until Isvara steps in and settles things. It is not an emotional issue for me personally. I hold you no ill-will but insult the Lord and it is a different story. If you want to be a criminal then do it right. Get in with the real men and follow the code. Don't be a coward and take advantage of good innocent people. As I say, I stayed out of it for a long time. Others urged me to sort this out and I was forbearing. Where this goes is up to you.

Love,
James

As I have already said, I challenge any illegal activity. I also am happy to directly interact with whatever is alleged in regard to me. We shall go into full context in all of it.

I think it fair you also directly interact with the many things levied at you. Now, I wont' shy away from me. So, man up, and agree to also directly interact with what is being said about you.

I'm not going to be bullied by you, but I suggest you and everyone else go to the police. Let me know who is dealing with it, and I promise right here, I will also contact them pro-actively and provide access to my Facebook.

So, you drip-feed what you want. I've been upfront with you in my email, but you seem to think you are able to slur people. And you, an accused child rapist. You are also homophobic, I have kept that evidence also.

Robert



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2020 02:34AM by earthquake.

Earthquake, I can’t work out how to reply to posts without reposting the entire post, so I’ll just post a comment.

This whole saga is shocking - from both sides. That you both, as self-proclaimed “teachers” are resorting to this level of mud-slinging, is madness in my view.

That said, the fact is that James is making a total fool of himself, in my view. His tit-for-tat reactions don’t become a so-called teacher in the lineage, as far as I could ever imagine.

His current behaviour in relation to you, is totally in keeping with the crassness that defines him for as long as I’ve known him, but when I read his latest posts on ShiningWorld (which I’ve only done at your prompting, as I have little to no interest in it any more) I am STUNNED at the way he threatens and libels you. If that in itself is not evidence of how untrustworthy and indiscriminate gets is, then I don’t know what more would show it better.

The question I keep asking myself, is why would he do this?

Why would someone who is supposed to be above this type of behaviour, and who has a history of attacking most of his students, harshly and wildly, for not loving a dharmic life, do the opposite himself.

What he’s doing is unbecoming of any person in a role that is meant to reflect godliness. His excuse is that he’s a rogue and a terrible specimen of human being etc. He makes out that that’s funny. Well it isn’t. It’s a glaring contradiction, that I dismissed and overlooked for some time.

Whatever you decide to do is up to you, but I would say that you’re taking on a giant of vindictiveness. A maniac even.

He’s essentially crucifying himself by his behaviour and showmanship, so I would wonder what more you could gain by publicly shaming him further.

I can totally understand the instinct to defend yourself, but I’m doubtful whether you’re a match for him.

If you do continue, I would recommend getting legal advice on what you say publicly, or at the very least - get someone to edit what you say - for grammar and content.

I guess it all depends what your intended outcome is. If it’s to provoke him, you’ve certainly achieved that.

Lastly, and for the record, I have emails from James where he advised/encouraged/recommended that I have sex with men for as much money as possible, and put that towards a new roof for the pagoda or veranda at his villa (amongst other such low-life suggestions.)

He is a vile man, and a fake guru. I can only see that now.

Quote
Disillusioned
> Earthquake, I can’t work out how to reply to posts
> without reposting the entire post, so I’ll just
> post a comment.

Hey DS,

Thank you for the reply. I'll show you the bb code for forums here: (quote="persons name") without the two () outer brackets with [] to begin the quote. And (/quote) with these two [] to end the quote.

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Disillusioned
> This whole saga is shocking - from both sides.
> That you both, as self-proclaimed “teachers” are
> resorting to this level of mud-slinging, is
> madness in my view.

I really appreciate this, and I tend to agree with, if I am honest with you. I'm not sure of his motivations. But mine, have been as a former member of his cult who wanted to speak out. And that's really the way i'm going to move forward. But it isn't nice no matter what way it's dressed up, :) .

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Disillusioned
>
> That said, the fact is that James is making a
> total fool of himself, in my view. His tit-for-tat
> reactions don’t become a so-called teacher in the
> lineage, as far as I could ever imagine.

You are onto something here. I can genuinely tell you, that traditional Vedanta would look dimly on this. If anyone would be a fall guy for that, it would be me. And this is likely along the lines of his ace he was alluding to.

The reality is that I don't hold sacred my role as a teacher, inasmuch as if I don't teach I don't mind. The knowledge of Vedanta is what's important, and that's inside even if outer things are took away.

But yes, he likes to bring this kind of thing into his spiritual world by speaking incessantly about others in those satsangs. I chose to have this platform (non-Vedanta) as my voice, for a reason that is along the lines of what you're saying here.

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Disillusioned
>
> His current behaviour in relation to you, is
> totally in keeping with the crassness that defines
> him for as long as I’ve known him, but when I read
> his latest posts on ShiningWorld (which I’ve only
> done at your prompting, as I have little to no
> interest in it any more) I am STUNNED at the way
> he threatens and libels you. If that in itself is
> not evidence of how untrustworthy and
> indiscriminate gets is, then I don’t know what
> more would show it better.

Today he has made another satsang about me, including his fully email response to me, but declining to include my email response in which I refute it, and insist that the police and Facebook are notified. Swartz has decided to not let his followers know I am insisting on this first and foremost. Thankfully, i've got this platform to give me a voice to what he's doing to me.

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Disillusioned

>
> The question I keep asking myself, is why would he
> do this?
>
> Why would someone who is supposed to be above
> e this type of behaviour, and who has a history of
> attacking most of his students, harshly and
> wildly, for not loving a dharmic life, do the
> opposite himself.

That is a good question. I suspect something. Look to what he publishes in satsangs about me. That I shall not be even a footnote in spiritual history. The teacher is meant to be humble. And not care for glory. He speaks of ambition. That's pride, ego, etc. That is his downfall. And it's why he keeps publicising that his students think he is so great. He wants the world to know he is important. But boy, if anyone tried to harm that, he will punish them. He's been invoking himself as the hand of God, in his email to me yesterday.

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Disillusioned
>
> What he’s doing is unbecoming of any person in a
> role that is meant to reflect godliness. His
> excuse is that he’s a rogue and a terrible
> specimen of human being etc. He makes out that
> that’s funny. Well it isn’t. It’s a glaring
> contradiction, that I dismissed and overlooked for
> some time.

Yes, he character assassinates anyone and everyone. The vindictiveness is extreme. I've got actual copies of things they post, that they create false satsangs, that make them look good, and others look bad. I've gathered this material for some time. Incase they take it down.

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Disillusioned
>
> Whatever you decide to do is up to you, but I
> would say that you’re taking on a giant of
> vindictiveness. A maniac even.

Thank you for this caution. It's valid. I've only ever had a small amount of students, I prefer to teach low-key, and I explained to them yesterday one on one what likely outcomes may be in his attempts toward me. I'm not going to let him manipulate or bully me into silence though.That's happened before with others. Though i'm keeping your advice in mind, as it's true what you say.

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Disillusioned
>
> He’s essentially crucifying himself by his
> behaviour and showmanship, so I would wonder what
> more you could gain by publicly shaming him
> further.

I know what you're saying here, and i'm taking that on board totally. Thank you for this. :) .

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Disillusioned

>
> I can totally understand the instinct to defend
> yourself, but I’m doubtful whether you’re a match
> for him.

This is true also.

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Disillusioned
>
> If you do continue, I would recommend getting
> legal advice on what you say publicly, or at the
> very least - get someone to edit what you say -
> for grammar and content.

Yes, legal advice has been took again this morning again.

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Disillusioned
>
> I guess it all depends what your intended outcome
> is. If it’s to provoke him, you’ve certainly
> achieved that.

It's been to inform. Everything that i've posted about him in regard to Vedanta I can back up. And what I assert about him and his wife in the way they treats students, i can personally back up digitally, the controlling cultish controls that were placed upon me.

But again, as you say here, he is 'active' shall we say, :) .

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Disillusioned
>
> Lastly, and for the record, I have emails from
> James where he advised/encouraged/recommended that
> I have sex with men for as much money as possible,
> and put that towards a new roof for the pagoda or
> veranda at his villa (amongst other such low-life
> suggestions.)
>
> He is a vile man, and a fake guru. I can only see
> that now.

I'm really glad you shared that. If I am honest, this did startle me also. I've sent you a private message also DS. You are talking about the place he has in Spain?

He's just done an amazing things this morning. You know he posted about me this morning. Here is a salient part:

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James Swartz
It wasn’t long before we started hearing complaints that he was “borrowing” money that he didn’t return and soliticing sex from people in the name of Vedanta, at which time we disassociated ourselves from him. This practice continued for the last year.

He has just told another lie about me. And I can prove what he has just said is another lie. I can prove this digitally. I really want to let this be known. At the time he and his wife disassociated from me, was not because I was getting a lend of money or soliciting sex (from anyone in or out of Vedanta), such things havent happened...

...It was because myself (a student) and another student) decided to fall in love, and be in a relationship. I was threatened that this was not allowed. So, I stood up to them, and I refused to back down. They told me, that I would have to leave Shiningworld and they would refuse to teach me. I have the emails.

I carried on the relationhip, and in fact I challenged James to email combat, and I won. In fact, he spoke on video about me in a teaching. I have the video. But the knives were out for me. And his wife made sure I only lasted another month or so. I have the exact emails as to why they both stopped contact with me.

They wanted me to end the group. I refused. His wife never liked Facebook, but he saw the value. And there was a bit of power thing going on. I have the staff emails, as I was Shiningworld staff. I decided to leave Shiningworld. I got 3 emails from different teachers there, asking me to stay. Including James and his wife. I was put under immense pressure to accept their public shaming of me. What happened was that when I was a good boy they awarded me enlightenment. When I refused to be controlled in love, they took that away, and published that I had enlightenment sickness. I challenged James in emails over this. It's not correct in Vedanta. And I won the Vedanta exchange again. I have emails still.

The exact reason why me and them stopped talking was because I stopped talking to them. I lost all respect for them once they isolated me in the spiritual community, and when James emailed me that if i left him, it would be lonely out in the world without God.

But there was never any talk of what they have posted about me today. I can easily prove i'm telling the truth.

That was it, I left forever. And I never spoke to him until yesterday. Everything i've just said is exactly the way it rolled. I've still got the emails, of everything I just claimed, and it shows exactly why the thing ended.

He's just posted more blatant lies about me. More lies that I can prove in emails. I'm sorry, i've got to say to the world, there's no honour in this man doing this to someone. He has just lied that they ceased contact as I was solicting sex in the name of vedanta. That has never, not ever, not ever, happened. I would love to see screen shots of this. I have never solicited sex in the name of Vedanta. I've also got to say, my heart is heavy that he would use Vedanta in a way that isn't true. I can take the swings and punches if it's true. But using Vedanta to tell lies about someone, well, it's yet another low.

For all of the people still following him, I can provide email proof he has just lied about me this morning again, and is using Vedanta for that. Does the truth not matter? I'm going to take a little time, and get advice. But I honestly feel that the time is coming for my emails with them and their controlling tactics and lies, to be revealed.

Thank you so much for talking with me here, DS.

Warmest wishes

Robert



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2020 07:25PM by earthquake.

Thanks earthquake. I hear what you’re saying and thinking. It’s really tricky and really messy. I don’t particularly want to get too drawn into it to be honest. I know a bit about both sides of the story and it can get into a bit of a he said, she said, conversation - that does my head in.

I know you’ll do what’s right for you. I think that is the most important lesson I’ve learned from my interactions with James over a span of 10 years - is that I failed to trust my gut, and I knew he was wrong about many things, but I sold my soul (in a sense) for a mess of pottage.

I made the right decision to step away from his guidance, and to get professional help from people of integrity and honour. It’s already paying off for me, and ultimately I know that there are good Vedanta teachers around - despite James’s misguided belief that Vedanta is not for me (as if he’s the final authority on that.)

I hope you too, can move on from what he has done to you. I don’t have a fixed opinion on what the best way would be, for you to handle all of this. I’m sad that he is treating you as he is doing, as it’s not right (and it’s a further disgrace on an old man who really wants to be remembered for his great deeds, as you say.)

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Dis-illusioned

anks earthquake. I hear what you’re saying and thinking. It’s really tricky and really messy. I don’t particularly want to get too drawn into it to be honest. I know a bit about both sides of the story and it can get into a bit of a he said, she said, conversation - that does my head in.

Both sides? I can show email's between me and them, over three month period, that shows exactly what I am saying happened. And shows an absence of what's being claimed about me. That is the verbatim actuality. :)

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Dis-illusioned

>>
> I made the right decision to step away from his
> guidance, and to get professional help from people
> of integrity and honour. It’s already paying off
> for me, and ultimately I know that there are good
> Vedanta teachers around - despite James’s
> misguided belief that Vedanta is not for me (as if
> he’s the final authority on that.)

This is the thing. A teacher cannot say that Vedanta isn't for someone. The teacher can say that the current relationship between them and the student isn't working. And they should certainly think it's a good thing if another teacher teaches the student. This has been done many times in the tradition.

James actually teaches that it's not usual for a student to have different teachers, in the tradition. That isn't true. It is in fact, usual to have different teachers. Both Swami Chinmayananda & Swami Dayananda did for example.

My own opinion, is that in context such a thing as been said to discourage people from leaving James Swartz. I've witnessed this.

A Swami that was teaching me taught me that even in a teacher-student relationship, there can be conflict. This is because the potential is always there with two people. That's fine. If the guru-sisya relationship ends between them, that hardly means the student isn't qualified for Vedanta. There are many reasons why a student moves on. I'm with you in this, one teacher cannot say that Vedanta in't for a person.

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Dis-illusioned
>
> I hope you too, can move on from what he has done
> to you. I don’t have a fixed opinion on what the
> best way would be, for you to handle all of this.
> I’m sad that he is treating you as he is doing, as
> it’s not right (and it’s a further disgrace on an
> old man who really wants to be remembered for his
> great deeds, as you say.)

I really appreciate this, thank you so much.

Namaste friend,

Robert



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2020 08:35PM by earthquake.

“Both sides? I can show email's between me and them, over three month period, that shows exactly what I am saying happened. And shows an absence of what's being claimed about me. That is the verbatim actuality.”


Both sides in that you believe and maintain what’s true and that’s fine.

I know a lot happened between you both and I know James is lying when he says he parted ways with you over money or sex.

But I don’t think you are without fault in the whole thing. What those “faults” might be, are not for me to say, or even to know. But I’m sure they must be there as I know a lot was going on.

What I see is two men slagging each other off, in a long-winded manner that isn’t very interesting to most people.

I think that both of you need to take a good look at yourselves (maybe), and get real about what people need to know, or not.

If not, this will just escalate.

I know you have emails to prove your point, but I don’t think the general public have enough reason to wade through the finer detail of you proving small points. It doesn’t come across well, in my view. I’m just being honest with you - as I want you to be able to have your say and to be heard and to sort things out for yourself with regard to James, but I don’t want you to lose the “point” through masses of irrelevant detail.

That was why I suggested you get someone to help you write with you, to clarify what needs to be said - if that’s what you want to do.

I have no doubt that James, for some reason, took an out-of-the-blue swipe at you, because he heard this half story about you owing money and sending unsolicited dick pics to women.

It’s majorly immature of him to have started the topic, and he exposes him as a fool and a malicious old man, but he doesn’t care.

Or, he does care - lot - but he can’t see how foolish it makes him look.

Or, he’s so narcissistic that his reactions blind him to the effect he’s having.

I can’t imagine for one moment, that any of his sincere students respect him more, for the things he’s saying and doing with regard to you.

In my opinion, James has some kind of unhealthy history around sexuality, and his views on sex are twisted and unhealthy. Heather’s story is part of that background, but he often brags about his sordid past, with women.

That has and will continue to, bite him on the bum.

I think he was probably shaming you because you represent some hidden, under-belly in himself. (Just a possibility - as an observer.)

I’ve seen James time and again be crude and crass and vicious and derogatory about any discussion of sexuality. That’s fine if he’s teaching Vedanta I suppose, but it hints strongly to me that has has a big load of shadow stuff going on, on that score.

It’s not surprising then, that he laid into you as he has. However, I also know that where there’s smoke there is fire - so it would be my guess that you have in fact been inappropriate to women somewhere, somehow.

Maybe it would be best to face that and address it. Take the toy/whip away from him, so to speak.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2020 09:23PM by Dis-illusioned.