I have good news :

In my opinion once Michael dies so will Jacumba / Royal Way. I am sure Michael has arranged for Maggie or someone eles to carry on his BS once he is gone. But when I was there and ( I am sure it is still the same ) it was always Michael this and Michael that, the whole program centers around "HIM " and without " HIM " it will be just a matter of time until it all falls apart.

Agree with PIMZAQ, I don't think there is one friend or family member that is not concerned, we just don't say anything.

For those on the fence as GUITAR X mentions, wake up and leave. Do not waste your one life (in this life) worshipping and fawning over one egocentric, manipulative, controlling man, who is not GOD and who does not care about you, unless you are a paying customer, don't you understand that? Do you know how needy and desparate you appear, you certainly do not appear to be enlightened and together! You appear rather frightened.

There are so many healthy ways to seek the truth in your life. The families who love you are the truth. The ups and downs of life are the truth. Helping others is the truth. Making your own decisions without fear of what the group thinks is the truth.

Don't you want to be responsible to your own life instead of being told what to do and when to do it and who you can be with in the name of enlightenment. You are a follower and a lamb. Stop! Look at the former member postings they are relieved to be free of Michael and they are living a real life.

Get out and live a real life only then will you find the true glory of life warts and all, that is reality! This is your only chance!

Your true friends and family will be there for you. Step out, it's safer out here than it is in there. And if it's God you are seeking, God is there for you whether or not you worship Michael, trust me.

Thank you, Anticult, for addressing the RW Journal and the corresponding entries there.

Yes, “all is Michael” (NOT).

Reading the journal entries, I was swept up by Bob Howells’ piece on the New Year celebration, and how much “joy” he was experiencing. Then came the words … it’s all Michael, all for Michael … everything is because of Michael. Bob Howells is an accomplished and very good writer, and his writing style is enjoyable, involving the reader. But, this is because of Bob, it his HIS talent, not Michael’s!

As much as I enjoyed the initial reading of his piece, I’ve got to admit that it was beginning to sound like: “we’re so great! Look as us! We can connect with God!” (because of Michael … of course) “The men of Royal Way, are strong men” (yeah, right …) actually and sadly, you are not strong men, you are deluded children and wannabe men. Strong men do not need to tell everyone how strong and masculine they are. I know truly strong and powerful men, and they would never fall for this rubbish for as long as you have. So what? So, you’re great!! Big deal … do something with it, something that means something.

Another journal piece, by MR, talks about how great his life is with Michael (notice the redundant pattern?) That the “marriage court” has enriched his marriage, and that he got a promotion at work, while others were being laid off. It is telling, about him, that others misfortune in the midst of his good fortune, would make him feel better about himself … as if the reason behind his good fortune is because he has the magic genie named Michael in his pocket. No doubt, all of his wishes have come true.

Actually, I know many people who have received promotions and raises amid company lay-offs; and none of them knows Michael, none of them has a “magic genie.” Maybe (consider this) the reason MR got promoted is because he does great work. Nobody leaves Royal Way until they realize this: If something makes you happy, it’s NOT because of Michael; if you’ve accomplished something you’re proud of, it’s NOT because of Michael; if your marriage is good, again, it’s NOT because of Michael. Many people who do not know Michael, have wonderful, fulfilling lives, jobs, marriages, etc. He needs you! You do not need him (or his prototype Maggie and her hoards of clones and pawns.)

Out of curiosity, I read some of the writing I had done while I was in Royal Way/Jacumba many years ago. And, sure enough, it read “Michael, Michael … I love you Michael … blah, blah, blah.” It said a little more than that, actually, but the most disturbing part of it all was that the words that were written were not my own. They were strange, unfamiliar, and I had no recollection of writing them; they were not mine. All along, in my pretentious RW life, I was trying to be something that would be accepted, that would fit in with the flock… as if who I was, without Michael, was nothing (frightening, huh?).

The people who attend the pilgrimages, class meetings, and retreats, as well as reading/studying the letters, are constantly being reminded that their strengths are because of Michael, and their weaknesses are because of ego (anything that goes away from Michael) … that without Michael they are empty and meaningless. The messages are not obvious, but their intention is. This onslaught takes its toll over the years, and the mind is intentionally depressed and weakened. Anyone that claims that RW is full of “individuals” has their head in the sand and needs to stop kidding themselves (Nader). It is human (and, yes the people in RW are as human as anyone else) to accommodate, to reconcile, to be open to persuasion, open to new ideas, and to trust others. By exploiting this weakness, Michael and Maggie have shown me that they lack kindness and compassion; they are cruel, cold, and as false as the painted on “smile” and “kind eyes” of Michael’s photograph on their website.

~Mishmash1

It is very fascinating to go back and look at ones own earlier worship of a Guru, and to then deconstruct it years later.
It can be more than a bit disturbing to see the programmed thinking, and manic idealizations that a person was influenced into having.

What Michael and Royal Way do, is the same as every other sect/group/cult.

They say, if something GOOD happens in your life, its because of the Guru, RW Michael, Byron Katie's Work [forum.culteducation.com] SGI chanting [forum.culteducation.com] its all the same technique.
If something BAD happens, that is YOUR FAULT for not believing in the Guru or his/her methods hard enough, so take more courses and give him more money/gifts/tithes.

That is not even hyperbole, that is exactly what they do, in slightly less blunt language.
Everything bad thing is always the followers fault, and everything good is due to the Guru. That is simply a technique of control.

In fact, the truth is the opposite! The good things in people's lives, are being had by their own efforts and hard work, and the like.
The bad stuff in their life, other than the human condition, often can come from destructive processes like the Byron Katie "Work" [forum.culteducation.com] and bad Guru's who use, abuse and exploit the person, and then BLAME the victim.
So the Guru turns everything around on the person.
Byron Katie even has the stones to call it a TURNAROUND right to their face.
The Guru knows what they are doing, they are not dummies. Michael learned a lot from his years as a therapist.


On top of that, they always try to CURSE and HEX unbelievers, like SGI Soka Gakkai [forum.culteducation.com] as well as Royal Way, and all the other groups.
Heck, one of the Royal Way people by the code-name "Paprika" even tried to put a supernatural hex in this thread, saying a critic was going to get what Judas got.
[forum.culteducation.com]
_________quote__________
QUOTE PAPRIKA (Royal Way member): "I know who you are. ...you actually think you’re hurting Royal Way, when in fact you are destroying yourself. You have committed the worst kind of betrayal. Have you ever heard of Judas? When Judas betrayed Jesus, he didn’t hurt Jesus, he created a world religion for him. But do you know what happened to Judas after his betrayal? Maybe you should find out."
___________________________

That is, either their guts blowing up or hanging. Evil and toxic words from a senior Royal Way member, perhaps even Michael himself.
Its all just attempts to use superstitious FEAR and psychological terror tactics on former members.
Of course, they don't work, as most kids learn by 6 year old name-calling.
All those toxic words from Royal Way do is reveal the ugly and vicious mentality of a senior Royal Way member, or Michael himself. They want to do a Turnaround on the RW members, and make them turn on themselves, to point the finger away from the perpetrator Guru, Michael.
Same technique as everyone else.

Just found out that Michael passed away sometime within the past week. Anyone have any details about what's going on/what happened?

Quote
brut458
Just found out that Michael passed away sometime within the past week. Anyone have any details about what's going on/what happened?

Don't like to be blunt but.....FUCK Michael.....he was dangerous and all the best he is gone......maybe now the group will start to fall apart........he always knew what he was doing and did not care about his group / people / followers.....so Michael I bid you fare well.....and fuck you....twice !!

A former Jacumba member !!

Guitar X

PS......Please let me know how he died....thanks !

Friends, Jacumba/RW as an organization may fizzle once Michael is dead.

But many of his follower may remain colonized by projected material he entrenched in them.

They may even be targeted for recruitment by other gurus who are out there, watching like vultures.

Go read histories of Gurdjieff and what happened after he and Ouspensky died. Bereaved students either formed other, smaller groups or were recruited by others on the make.

In his young days, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was in London and he managed to recruit as followers some bereft followers of Ouspensky. Mahesh made it seem he had access to the true source of Fourth Way work. He nearly succeeded in taking over the assets of the group when some of its leaders caught on and kicked him out.

And any time there is money and property, there are going to be squabbles.

Elizabeth I supposedly said that a throne is never vacant for want of an occupant.

Is there an obituary in the local media?
If he is dead, then in reality Royal Way, it will be mainly business as usual. Someone who was his right hand man/woman will take over the reigns, and just use the images and writings of Michael, like every other sect with a deceased Guru. With a clever manager, the sect can actually get a lot bigger and richer once the Guru dies.

There appears to be no word yet on the RW PR-propaganda page for Michael.

Royal Way Spiritual Center
Michael Menahem Gottlieb
[www.royalway.org]

This blog mentioned it, then appears to have removed it? But its cross-posted on other sites.

[dtacconelli.com]
"Royal Way creator and teacher Michael Menahem Gottlieb passed away earlier on 8-9-2010."

here is a link to his death.

[www.tributes.com]

Michael M. Gottlieb
* BORN: February 26, 1928
* DIED: August 9, 2010
* LOCATION: Lucerne Valley, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2010 04:13AM by The Anticult.

Carlos Castaneda tried to conceal his own final illness and death.

Years later, there are still true believers ('TBs') who are convinced his stuff is real and various spin offs.

Gurdjieff kicked the bucket and his stuff continued.

Ouspensky, just before he died, faced his devotees and told them there was no system after all, they had to find their own way.

They were shocked, and many refused to take Ouspensky at his word and convinced themselves he was testing them.

After Rajneesh died, his followers continued to push his legacy, and re-named him Osho, to distance it from the salmonella poisoning scandal.

So it will probably go on, exactly as The Anticult has predicted.

Especially where any sort of $$$ and real estate etc is involved.

And, friends right now, Cash is King.

We have not seen the end of this, unless they find some way to resolve things without
it becoming public record.

It appears that the show must go on. Profits must be made. Will the followers and worshipers, follow and worship a substitute? That's a frightening thought. Will they continue to recruit new members? Who buys this BS?