Quote
Martin
-- What is it, what psychological blip on the ego-scene, brings about such conversion of thinking?
still exploring the forum - maybe I am way off the mark, but I seem to be dectecting that there is a tendency to hold on to past bad experience, to constantly relive it, to continue to live in it, rather than to let go and move forward?
Hi again Martin :
Yes, the stories. Tks for sharing a funny 'family story'
Some sweet memories of shared devotions, working as a group 'family' toward a common laudable goal, in our little protected social bubble. And, or course, the psychological manipulation and life screw ups. I got three great kids from the TM movement. They are now adults, college grads and doing their lives w/o a cult! As am I. whew!
Yes, it may look as though folks are repeatedly hanging onto old pains and manipulations here.
Can write only about my experience, but reading & discussing is about answering your first questions. What caused us to fall into the rabbit hole (ala Alice in Wonderland). Unlike you, I was raised in it, along w/ the Olsen gals, and had to climb my way out. Understanding the rabbit hole is the way to climb out, and leave it behind once and for all.
Yes, have released it and moved forward. I left nearly 2 decades ago. Still have a few old friends from those days.
Writing here helps to "pay it forward". Those of us who were in cults, usually had some idealized values of helping others.. whether for enlightenment, Jesus, political values, psychological strength.... By sharing our experiences and recovery, we help the next defectors who are waking up to how they were conned.
I don't know about your circle of old friends, but many former TMers that I know are still guru-hopping. Those are the folks that I no longer spend time with. It's sad.. the looking for a mystical answer/ path/ leader/ emotional parent / spiritual 'high'. My personal vulnerability came not from joining another cult, but from invovlement w/ someone in a different 'spiritual group'. The cultic-blind spot was my disastrous achilles heel.
Glad you are here. I have to run.. back to my REAL job. Keep clicking around on this website, and the other links to the major cult information organizations. You will learn a lot!
yes, moving forward and totally enjoying life. But remembering my origins w/ humility.
t :D