Thanks Flash and corboy.
Leonard Cohen is a flawed man, but honest about it.
Butler is a flawed man, but a liar.
For you
Bhakti Yoga Shack people out there, just know that the whole scene is tied together by a very slim thread of lies, sleight of hand, and misdirections. They hide this from you at first, but it stands on the absurd idea that Butler is a Christ-like, infallible figure. He is not. Senior devots (pronounced "dee-vots"; devotee + robot) will fill your head with Butler legends and of his mystical prowess. They are convinced and convincing like puppets hypnotized on a Las Vegas stage. Only here, the stage is Kauai and yoga asanas.
But after years of service, if you are able to be honest, you will find yourself far from where you imagined you would be. Enlightenment will elude you. All your potential will have been used up by a man who never really cared about you except for what he could get. If you are a creative person, you will feel elated at first by his interest in your talents, but soon you will enter a seriously constricted world. Many of the creative projects are never finished or get stopped if people are having too much "enjoyment" or seem to exhibit an independent spirit.
What does get finally produced is insipid and clownish. Exhibit A ~ Namaste.
I can just hear them say that Leonard Cohen is all wrong because he is an "impersonalist". They use this word in an almost obscene way. It is a form of spiritual racism and bigotry. Just as they are bigoted against the LGBT community, they are also indignant, self righteous, spiritual bigots against any kind of spiritual practice but their own.
They will say they are "non-sectarian"...only following an "ancient yoga tradition" or other thought stopping phrases to freeze your discernment.
Unless you also have bigoted and racist tendencies, this group is not for you. It is not that these devots are bad people, nor do they have consciously bad intentions. They are just in
thrall with a dream and a lie. They really believe that they are saving the world. Their feelings have been deeply played upon with the same seductive skills as a Christian Grey, a Rasputin, a politician, a pimp, a hypnotist. [Interesting to note the origin of the word
THRALL. Thanks corboy for introducing me to this word. Perfect fit.]
But before you become a full fledged Devot, you still have time to look at the painful truth and walk away without losing your spiritual fire or creativity. But few have the courage to do this. Human nature seems to prefer lies.
Most of you will say that you have researched many religions and have found something profound here. Before you make that conclusion, look again. Study how mind control works and how cults are formed. Look into hypnosis first.
Seriously look at the commitment that is being asked of you. Read critical reviews of Butler and his group. To reject the belief system does not mean that you reject the nice people who may be involved. Observe the children if they have not been sent away yet. If some come home for a visit, interview them. Are you being asked to avoid certain family members and friends? There are tons of things to consider. Don't be lazy with your life. The main thing is to look before you leap.
Quote
Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14
"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?"
Here is another Leonard Cohen quote that Zelig posted years ago here. Anyone who has ever lived in an ashram or spiritual commune can relate. I think Cohen champions the idea that there exist hypocrisies and dishonesties in all people who follow singular paths. He looks where you are told not to look. That's what poets do and why we love them. You can not be a poet in Butler's cult. (Just look at the crap he wrote, dear fanatics.)
Quote
Leonard Cohen
“For many years I was known as a monk. I shaved my head and wore robes and got up very early. I hated everyone but acted generously and no one found me out. My reputation as a ladies man was a joke. It caused me to laugh bitterly through the ten thousand nights I spent alone.”
Quote
Leonard Cohen from his song "Teachers"
I met a man who lost his mind
in some lost place I had to find,
follow me the wise man said,
but he walked behind.
And to repeat . . .
Quote
Leonard Cohen on Suspicious Holy Men
I have always had a great suspicion of charismatic holy men. I think it is very very dangerous to hook up in a certain way with these guys. A lot of them are just head hunters. They know how to do it. It’s not the content of their presentation that is of any significance. They know how to do it. They know how to gather people around them. That’s what their gig is. They make you think that something important is going on and you’re hooked. I was always suspicious because I was able to do it in my own small way. I was always suspicious of that kind of activity. I know it can be done. It’s just a kind of gift, like hypnosis. I was a very good hypnotist when I was very young. It doesn’t necessarily indicate any special concern for others, or any sense of charity in your soul. It just represents the exercise of a gift, usually for your own mean purposes. I have always been suspicious of holy men and that gift.
– Leonard Cohen, speaking to author Pico Iyer in April 1998