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Welcome2crzytwn
I have. As a matter of fact, he is the reason I was online searching for cult info late last night....and came across this website. My son has become involved with him and his "Mount Soma, Learning Center", down in North Carolina, for about a year and a half now. If you or anyone out there has ANY info on this man, and his teachings...PLEASE contact me! My son is getting ready to head back to NC any day now, brainwashed with promises of enlightenment, superpowers, and a life filled with secret, ancient knowledge (provided by Michael Mamas, of course)...which will allow him to live out his life in a state of bliss on a mountain in North Carolina. He has given up EVERYTHING in his life for this man, who claims to be "purifying the universal consciousness", through meditation. He truely believes this man is the next Messiah...who will usher in a new age of enlightenment for us all. I've emailed Michael several times, begging him to let my son go...not to allow him back to Mount Soma; and to please explain to my son that he IS NOT this "Messiah" (as the people there believe him to be 3x more enlightened than Jesus Christ was). Michael, has not once taken the time to return my emails. Nor, has he spoken to my son about his twisted beliefs in him. All I know is that, Michael Mamas has torn my family apart...(and completely brainwashed my son)....who has given up the Air Force, college, a job, his family and his future for this man. He is being taught that enlightenment is the ultimate goal in life, and this can be accomplished by shutting yourself off from the world, and spending your days meditating, meditating, meditating. This is now my child's plan for his life....to meditate. That's it. And eventually, after years (or perhaps a lifetime) of meditation....he will finally be able to exist on a new level of consciousness...a place where he has a direct link to his "God powers". As a matter of fact, he will be a God (as we are all God)...able to CREATE UNIVERSES! I believe, Michael is already capable of doing this (sarcasm). I am at the end of my rope (as nothing I or my family says to him means anything anymore), and looking for any proof that might convince my child that this man is a fraud!

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zpak
Just an FYI for those of you out there inquiring as to the legitimacy (or lack thereof) of Mount Soma and Michael Mamas. I can say this much; I knew Michael a number of years ago before he was Maharishi some dude in a robe ananda. He's not only no enlightened 3x Christ Messianic balogna, but he's got issues unresolved. I haven't seen him in a number of years, but when I went onto his new website I was absolutely floored at his preposterous and thinly veiled attempt at Guru-hood. I also got a sick feeling in my stomach as I watched a sea of glazed over faces profess to his legitimacy. A bit labored in my opinion. Anyhow, I have high doubts as to his claims of building a so-called enlightened city at the hands of a poorly constructed persona.
Anyone seeking spiritual awakening or enlightenment need not fall prey to any guru let alone a half-baked one such as this. Teachers, helpers, therapists, clergy, etc. are all there to assist, but we must find the truth for ourselves ultimately. No one can live our lives for us and no one has the answers we seek or a corner on some phony righteous market. Don't give them your heart or body. Its all you got.

As to how to gain your son's (and daughter's for that matter) trust in your perspective, I recommend reaching out to a cult/ritual abuse counselor at least for advice if not for intervention. Some may argue there's no evidence of fraud or cult-like behavior, but if your child (even as an adult) is abdicating all authority to another there's a real problem there. I doubt Michael aka Beyondananda yada yada is any physical threat, but much damage can be done to the unsuspecting nonetheless. I wish you luck and I hope a peaceful resolution is close at hand for you all. Please seek out professional help with de-programming specialists and law enforcement if necessary.

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Commonwealth Club Radio Program

Apr 27, 2012 ... Michael Mamas, MBA, DVM; Founder, The School for the Evolution of Humanity;
Founder and CEO,

The Center of Rational Spirituality; Author, ...
audio.commonwealthclub.org/audio/podcast/weekly.xml - Similar pages

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http://www.mountainx.com/article/8451/Reality-when-it-doesnt-bite

Reality, when it doesn't bite
By Alli Marshall on 03/09/2005 02:00 PM
"It's important to learn the principles Nathaniel teaches," explains a character in Dr. Michael Mamas' new book, The Golden Frog (1st World Publishing, 2004).

"But what's most important about Nathaniel's teachings can't be boiled down to a handful of facts or concepts," the rationale continues. "It's more about the effect those teachings have on you."

Which could also be said of Mamas' teachings -- and to some extent, that's the point.

Mamas is the founder of the Surya Program and the CEO of the Center of Rational Spirituality (created, as the center's Web site notes, "to facilitate the natural development of human consciousness ... through rational spiritual thought and practice, regardless of philosophical, religious, cultural, racial, political, or social identities").

The program is designed for spiritual seekers who want to discover their potential through meditation, retreats and lectures.

He also shares a good deal in common with Frog's teacher-figure, Nathaniel. Both grew up in Ohio. Both started their careers as physicists, then became veterinarians, then chucked it all to travel to exotic locales and study with gurus. Both practice Surya meditation, became spiritual teachers, and relocated to Asheville to set up a retreat center.

But, despite these autobiographical touches, Frog is a work of fiction.

Attention: Trekkies
"What appeals to us about sci-fi is when they have implications or takeoffs we assume could be true," Mamas said during an interview at his Asheville-area home. "I wrote [[i]Frog[/i]] thinking, 'What if we take all the world's religions and assume they all have a common thread?'"

Of course, this isn't readily apparent. The book starts out with a series of anecdotes about young boys growing up in a suburban neighborhood. They're relayed by Bruce, who attests to the sometimes strange behaviors of his best friend's brother, Nathaniel. As the story continues, Bruce and Nathaniel remain close, with Bruce witnessing -- albeit skeptically -- Nathaniel's deepening spirituality.

"You can read it on different levels," the author insists. "For some people, it's just a nice story. Other people read it for the story and realize there's something more. I wrote it that way intentionally."

He gazes out across his mountaintop view -- much the way Nathaniel often does in the book -- before continuing, "The readers can pull out multiple realities."

The truth will set you free ... dammit

Those multiple realities begin with Frog's characters. Though the story line revolves around Nathaniel, his personal journey and, later, his teachings, the book is told from Bruce's perspective. And, surprisingly, Bruce isn't one to jump on the bandwagon.

In fact, Bruce is a disbeliever. "Nathaniel was preaching in senseless riddles," he blusters at one point. Another time, he disturbs a lecture to demand, "What about when people interrupt your talks to ask you things I already understand?"

"[Bruce] gives the reader a way out," Mamas notes. "If they thought this was all too weird, they could side with Bruce."

According to the author, Bruce is the perfect example of the bumper sticker, "The truth will set you free ... but first it will piss you off."

"People don't want a new perspective," Mamas muses. "They want their own perspective to be fed."

But the teacher and lecturer sees hope -- sometimes in unlikely places. "I think we're at a great stage in humanity now," he points out. "Every time we change the channel on the remote, we see another reality. That's great. Right now we feel fear, but there's no reason to."

Applying this to religion, he goes on: "Anything that challenges our faith, we feel threatened by. We have a knee-jerk reaction. But the basis to any religion is truth."

Guru-free zone

It's difficult to talk about Frog without touching on Mamas' larger work, which now includes nationwide talks, retreats, an intentional community (Mount Soma) in Waynesville and the production of a six-part lecture series being filmed for TV. But, despite a growing number of students and elbow-rubbing with Hollywood stars, the author says he remains rooted -- as much as one can be -- in esoteric ideas.

"As Nathaniel says, deep within yourself you already know everything. The teacher's role is to help uncover that. That's a delicate process that can take a long time," he maintains.

Mamas has been speaking internationally for three decades and teaching Surya meditation for 15, but he doesn't consider himself the Western answer to a guru.

"The classic idea of a guru is that somebody goes and dedicates their life to what that [guru] says. Assuming that [guru] is really wise, that could work, but often we've seen that they're not. So, I don't think that's really appropriate anymore.

"The idea of a teacher is more like a college professor -- this person has been studying in this field and has something to teach. This is the rational age: This is not a time for blind devotion."

During a lecture, Nathaniel offers that kind of rational approach to his class: "At the depth of every individual lies a field of unity, the transcendental level of life. That is simply modern physics."

Which is not to say abandon your prayer beads and incense. But, if this is indeed an age of reason, Mamas offers his readers plenty to think about.