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Blue Dakini
Firstly, about June Campbell. I have known June since the early 1980s, when she lived at Samye Ling in Scotland and had a Tibetan personality -- name, dress and language. She was then and still is a very intense person. Fast forward to the mid 90s when her book Travelers in Space was published. June had morphed into an atheist, feminist lesbian university tutor. She rejected all forms of spirituality inc Buddhism and was scornful of people (inc me) who were still practitioners -- with the same degree of intensity. From being one of the late, much venerated Kalu Rinpoche's closest associates, travelling with him, translating for him and his secret sex partner, she had become one of the most hard-nosed detractors of Tibetan Buddhism I have ever encountered. OK -- you can say that this happened as a result of her experience. What I say is that what she became influenced her hindsight on her experiences with Kalu. I interviewed June twice and I went to one of her public talks. My impression remains that she misjudged Kalu's intentions and wrote about them from the perspective of left wing feminism. I think Kalu invited June to be his lover because he thought it was what she wanted. He appreciated her a lot. He offered her a house and for all her needs to be met after she stopped travelling with him. I hold the late Kalu in the highest possible regard -- but I do not deify gurus. I acknowledge their spiritual accomplishments, but they are still human and as such, imperfect. I think Kalu is off-topic on this thread so can we move on from him now -- or transfer to the thread about child abuse in monasteries -- a hot topic in view of the young Kalu's recent confessional video. There is no comparison between Sogyal and the late Kalu -- the former is a joke guru and a psychopathic sex addict. The latter was a great guru and an old man trying to hang onto his youthful vigor -- Tibetan style.
Re activism. I share your perspective Misstyk, but have to add a note of caution. I do not think that legal action is a viable proposition at the present time. The woman identified as Janine in Behind the Thangkas is keen to launch legal action, but knows she cannot do it until another contemporaneous member of Sogyal's harem breaks ranks and is willing to corroborate her testimony. As of now this has not happened, so its a case of Janine's word against Sogyal's -- with support for him from a squadron of zombies. But the sands are shifting and I sense that Rigpa knows they are on very thin ice.
You seem to be denying what she has written. This reminds me so much of how when a woman speaks out, in Hinduism or even in Buddhism, of abuse, they are immediately said to be "emotionally unstable" and therefore, "no one should listen to them." What a disservice to women. How can you call her an atheist when Buddhism is a religion without a God? So what if she is a feminist? So what if she is a lesbian? Does this make what she said invalid? Your comments are very bigoted. I reject all forms of religion myself after what I have been through and seen. So what? Smart woman June Campbell and VERY BRAVE!!! I can understand her being scornful of those who continue to practice Tibetan Buddhism. She misjudged Kalu. Give me a break! It was what he thought she wanted? Come on! I think your interview with her was biased from the beginning.