just spoke to a friend on the phone today who I used to do lots of volunteering at the centre with. reminiscing of the times when we would nearly drop frm exhaustion etc... so i found out there is this new rule you can't attend those grreat events at the centre UNLESS... you take classes and tithe-that is an absolute requirement EVEN TO VOLUNTEER! at least that is what i thought my friend explained to me.... so you have to take classes and tithe-give 10 percent of your income in order to attend any of the events like the dinners (which you pay for of course-- the services on friday nights which used to be the ONLY FREE ITEMS EVER AVAILABLE )
so for my friend it was very heartbreaking. apparently my friend even spoke to administrators at the centre and was even questioned as to WHY THERE WAS A DESIRE TO TAKE CLASS. this friend is not one wth a lot of money- and lots of people who take to kabbalah do not have a lot of money. i for one had a decent wallet when i joined but it dwindled from the tithing the classes the charities and i volunteered enough for a full time job. i just can't believe this rule. it is like animal farm in my opinion - george orwell all the way. this is what i certainly came to see as i practicall lived in the centre for 2 yrs.
i am happy i deprogrammed myself. i feel sad for my friend who poured heart and soul into learning and volunteerism and the kids

How were you able to deprogram yourself?

thats exactly what I wanted to ask??how did you deprogram yourself??

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becker
thats exactly what I wanted to ask??how did you deprogram yourself??

I wonder if it's similar to how I decided to leave Ben Yishai and later on th Baal Teshuva Movement, Carlebach and Chabad.

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richardmgreen

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becker
thats exactly what I wanted to ask??how did you deprogram yourself??

I wonder if it's similar to how I decided to leave Ben Yishai and later on th Baal Teshuva Movement, Carlebach and Chabad.

Hickman was pointed out to be a fraud when I found out that he ripped off a speech from the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The BT movement usually is a flop, the statistics are very bad. Carlebach was something I divorced myself from after I finished with my advanced degree in business and Chabad was the worst after my failed marriage.

i cannot say it is the way you are supposed to do it but my way was to stop calling the people i was hanging with / stop volunteering/ stop going to the centre to see if anyone needed help with anything/ stop going to services/ stop returning any phne calls/stop calling back anyone who needed help with events/stop giving anything of myself that i gave so freely to them/ stop tithing/ stop communications with anyone or anything centre related no matter how difficult it was and concentrate on my real world of work andmy job which could have been lost due to the consuming effects of KC
The very last event I ever attended was a shadow viewing over a year ago
i was sitting w a friend in the synagouge looking at her photo album
a chevre came up to us and rudely interrupted us to ask us to sweep the floor later when we had a chance (assuming we were ready willing able voluntters)
auuuhhh
OK FIRST OF ALLi am a woman just like any other and maybe not married
and maybe i don't make 6 figures and sit at the head table with whoever bt-what nerve
i was pissed
that was the last time i ever went to the center
believe me this is not a matter of ego
i did so much work for the center too
i sacrificed a lot, gave a lot whether it was time, money, heart soul
but i saw so much caste system bs that went on there
one saturday one of the rabbis told everyone to switch seats to prove a point - all the snobs had to sit in back and the humble people (on the women's side) got to sit up front
i thought that was interesting.
my whole intention to get involved w the center was for peace of mind and it literally drove me to a mental and monetary breakdown and physical as well. i am thankful i am no longer involved

I can totally relate to those endless hours 'volunteering' for the our meditation group's Center (different group, same principles it seems). My friend and I would drive down there each day, from 10 in the morning till 9 at night.

The reward for doing this 'selfless service' was to be endlessly complained about, ranted at and told how lacking we were in spiritual understanding, abilities or development.

We, like kabbalah, had our own minor 'celebrities'. Nobody ever ranted at them or told them to sweep the floor.

I'd like to see someone like Madonna last a week being told to do menial chores in order to 'break down her selfish ego'.

Oh yeah,what am I thinking, it would never happen. Her enormous wealth is proof of all the good things she did in the past that make her exempt from those kind of activities.