Hopefully the debate is now back on track. Jeff, we all appreciate your concerns and you raise important questions, but please listen to what is being stated. In the interests of resolution, and as a long term student of Tibetan Buddhism, let me give some answers to your questions:

1. A hallmark of abuse is that the victim often feels unable to reveal the truth. That is the nature of the manipulation.

2. Since many students, patients and apprentices have cut their ties with Mr. Hansard it is clear that, given information, they do not support his behaviour.

3. There is a Bonpo Lama just outside London who has known of Hansard's activities for over 5 years. Since you know this community well just ask around, you will get your answers.

4. Namkhai Norbu has written extensively about the 12 paths of Bon.

5. Shamanic behaviour is notoriously unorthodox and eccentric, as is the behaviour of many spiritual masters. As a scholar of Tibetan texts you must be aware of this.

6. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has referred to the Northern Treasure School, but claims that it is now extinct.

7. I know for a fact that several people have confronted Mr. Hansard on various matters, but his victims have apparently kept their stories quiet for fear of repercussions (which as I previously stated is often the nature of abuse).

8. There were many reputable practitioners operating at Hansard's clinic, including students and apprentices.

9. Medical treatment is conducted in private.

Let us now try to focus on the important issues under discussion.

Today I have been to the police to file a report. They would not tell me if there is already a file on Christopher Hansard.

They asked me to encourage anyone who has had a direct experience with CH to come forward. You can go to your local police station to do this and be sure to ask for someone who you feel comfortable to talk to.

All the information will be investigated. But the collective will substantiate the claims so it important that anyone that feels they can do this comes forward.

This will build a psychological profile of Christopher Hansard and his patterns of operation therefore it is important to be clear about the nature of the experience.

I clearly explained the cult mentality, the possilbity of fraud and that I experienced sexual assault and lewd behaviour. I also tried to explain the psychological illusions and tricks he plays to get you to play along with him. They have psychologists that will investigate this type of crime.

Together we can stop this happening to anyone else. Most importantly as a women I feel like I have taken a step to ensure that no other woman can be deceived, degraded and abused spiritually, sexually and emotionally in the way that I was.

Please have courage.... what he has done is NOT ok.

How interesting that any dissenting voice from the orthodoxy which seems to have developed on the forum, is either ignored, dismissed without any meaningful intellectual challenge, or simply insulted. Clearly a nerve has been touched, one wonders why it is that my questions precipitated such a curious reaction? Could it be they exposed an uncomfortable truth which had previously been hidden behind a veil of self-denial? I trust that the moderators of this forum will not share such intolerance and can respect, and welcome, rigorous critique, and forceful questionning, as a central and valued element of open debate. In that spirit I would again point out that Hansard seems to have inflicted these abuses for many years and was not challenged, that means some individuals, who well placed to know were complicit. It may be tough to accept, but the truth can be painful.

Re: Atlantic's Comments

[i:c8a38760c6]"Since many students, patients and apprentices have cut their ties with Mr. Hansard it is clear that, given information, they do not support his behaviour". [/i:c8a38760c6]

[b:c8a38760c6]Maybe, but what about their inaction at that time, as the abuses were seemingly taking place? Is it not a case of too little too late? [/b:c8a38760c6][/size:c8a38760c6][/color:c8a38760c6]

[i:c8a38760c6]"There is a Bonpo Lama just outside London who has known of Hansard's activities for over 5 years. Since you know this community well just ask around, you will get your answers." [/i:c8a38760c6]

[b:c8a38760c6]I am aware of that, however I am unsure in what way that Tibetan, who was not working with Hansard, or the Eden Medical Centre, can be held up as being in any way accountable, moreover Hansard had been (according to Dorje) already abusing clients for many years and those where actually associated had maintained a sloth-like indifference. [/b:c8a38760c6][/color:c8a38760c6]

[i:c8a38760c6]Namkhai Norbu has written extensively about the 12 paths of Bon. [/i:c8a38760c6]

Has he now? Do furnish me with some detailed references. Moreover you should understand that while Namkhai Norbu is a respected Nyingma Lama and scholar, he is not without flaw as a historian and writer on the Bon religion. I would however wish to examine this claim in more detail.

[i:c8a38760c6]"Shamanic behaviour is notoriously unorthodox and eccentric, as is the behaviour of many spiritual masters. As a scholar of Tibetan texts you must be aware of this." [/i:c8a38760c6]

[b:c8a38760c6]Indeed there are accounts of interesting behaviours of genuine Tantric practitioners, be they (and I hesitate to employ this loaded and misleading term) Shamen or Lamas. Hansard was neither![/color:c8a38760c6][/b:c8a38760c6]

[i:c8a38760c6]"Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has referred to the Northern Treasure School, but claims that it is now extinct."[/i:c8a38760c6][b:c8a38760c6]

If, he has, would you please provide me with a detailed reference as I would be happy to raise this with Rinpoche myself. My researches, supported by some serious Bon scholars, have not confirmed that as being a 'school' or 'lineage'. While The Bon tradition does have so-called the Northern treasure it was not a school though. It is a name given a certain number of texts believed to have been unearthed in Zangzang in the northern Tibet in the 13th century, hence the word [i:c8a38760c6]changter,[/i:c8a38760c6] 'treasure from the north'.

[/color:c8a38760c6][/b:c8a38760c6]

[i:c8a38760c6]"I know for a fact that several people have confronted Mr. Hansard on various matters, but his victims have apparently kept their stories quiet for fear of repercussions (which as I previously stated is often the nature of abuse").[/i:c8a38760c6]

[b:c8a38760c6]This is still complicity, albeit coerced, as you claim. [/b:c8a38760c6][/color:c8a38760c6]

[i:c8a38760c6]"There were many reputable practitioners operating at Hansard's clinic, including students and apprentices." [/i:c8a38760c6]

[b:c8a38760c6]Perhaps, but the question is still raised as to [i:c8a38760c6]how[/i:c8a38760c6] or [i:c8a38760c6]why [/i:c8a38760c6]Hanard could get away with such seeming abuse of clients without any exposure for year upon year[/b:c8a38760c6][/color:c8a38760c6]

Jeff,

That might well be, but as I said in my previous post, a fear culture has been created by Hansard and ayone working there can be made to feel extremely uncomfortable and even victimised if they even try to step out of line. It can also be made very hard to leave situations such as this with threats.

You make it sound very easy that people knew what was occuring and did nothing. If the flash of anger that I saw from CH is anything similar to the kind of anger he displayed to others, then it can be terrifying - he almost looked out of control. Fear can do terrible thinks to be people and if people were frightened by CH, then they would not have done anything even if they had wanted to, except eventually get out.

I think it is only after people are out of a bad situation that they have time to reflect on an experience and will then consider doing something about it. Also, that others are prepared to come forward too helps - safety in numbers.

I am sure that not all the practitioners at Eden would have necessarily known about what was occuring. I do know of at least one independant practitioner of acupuncture and craniosacral therapy, who practiced there and just rented clinic space and was not one of CH's apprentices. If practitioners such as did not have a lot to do with CH I am not sure they would have known.

I do know of one other practitioner there who was an apprentice of CH's and practiced sports massage, bodywork and shiatsu there. He openly admitted on his website that he was an apprentice to CH at that time and that the Tibetan Dur Bon techings included acupuncture and Tibetan bodywork that was similar to physiotherapy, but now he has moved and is practicing from the Healthy Living Centre in Islington and just practices sports massage and shiatsu and absolutely no mention on his website about any apprenticeship with CH.

Perhaps he could be approached for any info?

Jeff,

See 'Wonders of The Natural Mind' - Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, and 'Drung, Deu and Bon' - Namkhai Norbu.

I hope in time you will develop some more compassion and insight to accompany your valuable academic pursuits and connection to the Bonpo tradition.

Please contact Detective Inspector Watling of the 'Sapphire Unit' - part of the Metropolitan Police in London. His numbers are +44 (0) 20 8246 0128 or +44 (0) 20 8246 0226.

I went to the Bonpo Lama North of London too. I think it was more than seven years ago. Other ex-Hansard associates went too - seeking advice.

Mariah, yes it would be good to track an independent professional to gather statements. I'll see what I can do.

Thank you all.

Atlantic, I leave 'compassion' and 'insight' to other individuals, such as those who, for year-after-year, kept silent as Hansard reportedly inflicted abuse upon clients. As to your references, I was already aware of those titles, I had asked for detailed references as in page numbers, can you kindly provide those?

Dorje, in relation to the reported abuses, the onus of responsibility to expose Hansard's odious activities lay with those closely associated/working with Hansard. Those who were in a position to know, or able to martial sufficiently detailed, and accurate information, revealing the nature of such behaviour. I know this particular Lama and I can state, without any reservation or uncertainty, he was not in such a position, and would only have been able to comment on the YungDrung Bon tradition.

You can try to speculate and condemn innocent individuals as much as you like, however, the truth remains that none of the junior apprentices knew. Plain and simple. We learnt about possible abuse from this forum early this year after we had all stopped working at the clinic last September.