My husband is in Masterpath. I've put up with it, thinking since he's an adult, he can choose this if he wants. But, it bothers me. It seems like a scam to me. I worry about a Jonestown-like situation, or that Sri Gary will decide that his followers need to give him all their life savings.

Also, it's all very secret and it seems like it's coming between my husband and me.

I've read about Masterpath on this and other sites, but I've found nothing definitive to either ease my worries or convince me to get my husband out of it. Any advice as to how to handle this? Thanks.

Master Path can easily be seen as a personality-driven "cult" run by Gary Olsen.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Olsen lifted his teachings from Eckankar.

See [www.geocities.com]

Also see [www.culteducation.com]

Viola-
I would be very interested in hearing more about your situation. I am currently producing a documentary about family members that are worried about loved ones in cults and other "high demand" groups. If you are open to discussing your situation please feel free to contact me. In any case, I wish you the best with your situation.

Quote
Viola Berry
My husband is in Masterpath. I've put up with it, thinking since he's an adult, he can choose this if he wants. But, it bothers me. It seems like a scam to me. I worry about a Jonestown-like situation, or that Sri Gary will decide that his followers need to give him all their life savings.

Also, it's all very secret and it seems like it's coming between my husband and me.

I've read about Masterpath on this and other sites, but I've found nothing definitive to either ease my worries or convince me to get my husband out of it. Any advice as to how to handle this? Thanks.

Dear Viola,

I have not been on this site for awhile, but the main reason I came on is because of the Master Path (sri Gary Olsen). My concerns were and are for a friend of mine. She has been a member of the Master Path for about 10 years now she is sooo drawn to Gary Olsen she has even said she would follow him after death..I have listened to his tapes and talked to people who have gone to his seminars and they said, "the minute they saw him they got a sick feeling in thier stomach". I have actually heard him say that he was the "living Master" and Jesus can't help you because he's dead and you don't ask a dead mother to nurse a child..I have watched this friend become more and more confused about the simplest task of a day..She receives his tapes and literature and she says, she can't move forward on her path until Gary says she is ready..I have gotten into arguements with her about this, because I have said, "maybe God has plans for you that he doesn't want Gary to know" She becomes furious if you say anything against him.. She also has a friend that is a member of the Master Path and it has caused a great deal of problems with thier marriage..I have more that I can say and if your interested in hearing any of it feel free to contact me..Hope this helped.

Be Blessed,

A~

a.Ray-
I'd really like to talk to you more about your experience with friends involved in Masterpath. I'm producing a documentary about the subject and people are very unwilling to share information. Please, please respond if you're willing to discuss. Thanks so much.
-DocProducer

Dear Viola,

I have not been on this site for awhile, but the main reason I came on is because of the Master Path (sri Gary Olsen). My concerns were and are for a friend of mine. She has been a member of the Master Path for about 10 years now she is sooo drawn to Gary Olsen she has even said she would follow him after death..I have listened to his tapes and talked to people who have gone to his seminars and they said, "the minute they saw him they got a sick feeling in thier stomach". I have actually heard him say that he was the "living Master" and Jesus can't help you because he's dead and you don't ask a dead mother to nurse a child..I have watched this friend become more and more confused about the simplest task of a day..She receives his tapes and literature and she says, she can't move forward on her path until Gary says she is ready..I have gotten into arguements with her about this, because I have said, "maybe God has plans for you that he doesn't want Gary to know" She becomes furious if you say anything against him.. She also has a friend that is a member of the Master Path and it has caused a great deal of problems with thier marriage..I have more that I can say and if your interested in hearing any of it feel free to contact me..Hope this helped.

Be Blessed,

A~[/quote]

Quote
Viola Berry
My husband is in Masterpath. I've put up with it, thinking since he's an adult, he can choose this if he wants. But, it bothers me. It seems like a scam to me. I worry about a Jonestown-like situation, or that Sri Gary will decide that his followers need to give him all their life savings.

Also, it's all very secret and it seems like it's coming between my husband and me.

I've read about Masterpath on this and other sites, but I've found nothing definitive to either ease my worries or convince me to get my husband out of it. Any advice as to how to handle this? Thanks.

Hello Viola Barry,

I would worry for the indoctrination part, not for possible future financial losses...

My ex spouse followed a female Supreme Master whose teachings stem from the same school Sri Gary Olsen comes from, meditation on the Divine Sound and Light. It is an ancient path.

This school preaches that a spiritual master should never accept any kind of money from the disciples. The would only take donations, given voluntarily.

Yes, the method is traditionally secret. Meditators put their thumb into their ear and meditate in squating position to hear the Audible Lifestream. If you picture this position, you understand why it is so secret ;-))

I do understand that this ideology becomes an obstacle in your marriage. I lived this trough and I lost the love of my life to the Divine Sound and Light path. If you wish to keep your marriage and husband, my best advice to you is unlimited tolerance. I hope you can take what I could not.

Good luck in your efforts,
I feel your pain,

I would have to disagree about the money issue with the Master Path..
Gary Olsen has know problem asking for money.My friend is sent a bill every month for her monthly fees as well as how much literature and tapes she has to buy before she is allowed to be able to move forward on her path..and if she is late He sends her a notice..If she doesn't send it He makes his "chelas" feel guilty that there slowing the process down.. She's not married, but I don't know too many people that would tolerate a self-appointed "guru" to dictate how much money he has to get and you can't even talk about him to your spouse if your not on the Master Path...Plain and simple the guy is a con..Even his own children will have nothing to do with him..

Thanks,

A. Ray~

Hi there

I am a student of Sri Gary Olsen and have been so for about six years now.

I noticed a lack of responses by those personally involved with MP and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the Path and Sri Gary. It seems that there is (understandably) some confusion about what the Path actually is.

I can vouch from my own personal experience that this is not a "cult" in the sense that there is worship of a personality or coercion of any nature, nor is it a religion in the traditional sense.

MasterPath is a registered 501C(3) non-profit whose financials are in public registry. Anyone wishing to know how much Sri Gary is making can find that out themselves.

Thank you for this opportunity!

Frank

Yes, you should be worried. The MP scam is lifted from the Sat Sang Beas, Eckancar and Scientology. Throw in a little military type discipline and voila--you got MP. There's a reason the teachings are secret. MP doesn't want you to know just how much has been plagerized, basterdized and then regurgitated for your reading pleasure. Oh and it won't be long until Gary Olsen suggestes that your husbnad not read any other books until at least his 5th or 6th initiation. Doubt it? Read the paths that MP steals its work from. It doesn't take that long to compare and figure it out. The real crime of MP, as with most cults, is that it plays upon the fragility of a human heart that desires to know more about God. Someone that takes advantage of that is a real low-life. I would suggest to your husband this---read, read read. He will soon discover that MP is not all that unique and that most groups of this sort think they are higher than the rest. Google David Christopher Lane and start there. In the meantime, maybe you can reason with him that the wisdom he seeks is already inside and he doesn't need some self-proclaimed saint to "plug him in." RUN do not walk to the nearest door! Good luck to you both.

This essay, by Professor Lane, is highly valuable.

[www.ex-premie.org]

For anyone doing research, he would be a good man to confer with. He
is a practitioner in one of the Shabd Yoga lineages, and has tracked
various departures and also the highly intricate lineage disputes.

There are additional essays by Professor Lane here

[www.ex-premie.org]

(this website is for a group different from the Master Path)


Finally, this essay contains an interview of Dr Lane

[www.geocities.com]

It is a long essay. If you read (or just scroll down) to the section entitled

'IL FORNAIO ' there is a reference to Olsen.

Its is lengthy, but educational, full of clues for a researcher.