Willoughby Britton on meditation- related difficulties: building competency
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

happytown Wrote: > > A double bind contains four basic features: > > 1.You must do A. > 2.You must do B. > 3.B is the opposite of A. > 4.You cannot discuss this contradiction. > > For example: > 1. You must come out of your egoic mind and > surrender to God in order to be happy. > 2. You must accept that your mind will never > willingly surre
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Sadgame wrote: >But it is also my opinion that though reform in itself is not malicious or harmful, it is the purpose for which it is employed that makes all the difference. If the purpose is to make people free of their suffering or bring the to a fundamental knowledge about reality, which as an apologist I would say the purpose of Mooji's group is, than I would put the enterprise
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

haha, happytown, thanks for the heads up ;). You're right that these discussions can be helpful clarifications for those who come out of the spell of the absolute, and wonder. In fact, one of the reasons that I decided to write these posts, is that for some people who experience this falling away of false beliefs about Mooji, and start to question things, pretty much as I did, there is
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Corboy, Mooji only spent a few months with his own guru poonja. Most of it in a public satsang environment as far as I can gather (since he's avoided giving any clear details on this publicly). There is a picture of osho in the ashram, next to many other gurus. I think it's more of a catch-all, Scientology-like attitude to other teachings.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I hope you get well soon, SadG, but it could be that you have been overcome by the apologist flu-state, much like the satsang flu-state. In this state you should not trust your perception or have any opinions, which are all clouded by the flu-state. But rather just listen and trust that we are right. I have been quietly asking your friends to make your life harder and more frustrating, in order t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

happytown, you are right consent is very important, and it is clear that some people have not been aware of what they signed up for, I have just read through the guidelines and FAQ that are provided to you if you sign up for a retreat which do state that there can be adverse effects if you suffer from preexisting mental conditions, but not so much that you can experience altered states
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

happytown Wrote: -------------------------------------------- > The question is: what do you do with the > individual in this, now vulnerable, state? > And also of course, was the individual aware of what they signed up to in the beginning? Did they imagine they would become so helpless? I understand many eastern spiritual traditions would not consider the actual indoctrinati
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Exploitation can come about through indoctrination. You had the ability to choose in the beginning. But you have lost that ability. You are a slave, because: A closed ashram environment makes double binds fast and effective. Double binds were first observed as prolonged mixed messages from parents that led to schizophrenia in children. Double binds in ashrams, on the other hand, have a speci
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

First of all, I have to agree that malicious intent is not required to violate people, but that harmful behaviours or harmful practices are what matters, even if they arise as side-effects of well intentioned ideals. It is a matter of definition what counts as a destructive cult, if you think exploitation is required, as Lifton does, I think that presupposes malicious intent but I am wi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This Mooji follower lived in Oregon and didn't think much of wild wild country:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I don't agree that conscious malicious intent is an indicator. I'm sure they believe in what they're doing. I'm sure they believe it completely. As rrmoderator stated, the question is not intent but behavior. And a lack of accountability for that behavior. Some ethics issues I have read that may be more or less controversial: - I think Mooji started with good inte
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

happytown this sidestepping of questionable ethics by the absolute is definitely a great threat and potential problem. The question i am asking is: is this problem actualizing in the moo group with malicious intent? what questionable ethics are we talking about? who, if anybody, is intentionally using the absolute to cover up his or her questionable conduct? in fact how closed is the envi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

> Even reports from those who live or lived at > Sahaja seem just to confirm that social dynamics > around moo are cultlike because he is being > worshipped but that he is a human being after all, > i don’t feel they show malicious intent or > coercion. Please correct me if Im wrong. It's not clear what the conclusion is here. You appear to say: 1. Dynamics are cul
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Learned helplessness and the art of indoctrination :
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Just came across this staged meeting with Mooji and a few select senior members of the group talking about negativity online
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Former siddhayoga member and therapist Daniel Shaw spent 13 years with a Hindu based guru. This podcast on how to recognize a cult:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I'm told that it's the property called "sahaja valley" that is/was plagued by legal troubles, Locals are worried what might happen when the bubble bursts. As most Sangha members will know, all the properties on that website are privately owned. Such obvious misinformation make it easier for everyone to dismiss everything.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

An interview on traumatic narcissism. Very interesting but a little hard to hear- much clearer with earphones in.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Speaking of seconding to Portugal to build a haven, here's a guide to how narcissists isolate you:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Fortunately, whatever cults do, it tends to be culty, so attempts to disrupt the thread just add fuel. Seems to me like Neutrollization! "neutrollization plays on citizens’ own critical faculties by first drawing them in and then confusing them. It is not about merely pulling the wool over their eyes, and it has little to do with coercion or silencing. Instead, it exploits and twists the
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Applejuice it turned out didn't really know much when challenged. A lot of what they said may apply to lower level members, but Constantin seemed more on the money when it came to the deeper experience. Although Applejuice had some valid concerns about worship and mental health. Applejuice also claimed that a long time devotee simply gave up her devotional nature and disappeared in the
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Sahara71 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > i yam what i yam, > > I think it's OK because I am not a blogger, nor am > I acting with malice. I am just a concerned > citizen worried about cult activity. > > If Rick Ross has any problem with what I write, > then he is free to delete my comments from this > forum. I would not
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

i yam what i yam, I think it's OK because I am not a blogger, nor am I acting with malice. I am just a concerned citizen worried about cult activity. If Rick Ross has any problem with what I write, then he is free to delete my comments from this forum. I would not take any offence. Startingover called Moo a 'bastard'. Constantin said he ran a cult and had an unusual in
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Some useful terminology for "satsangs hijinks" Also, if you are in an environment where your concerns are met with something along the lines of, "but can you see that's just a thought?", (and thought is demonised) be weary. Phobia induction and desensitization:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Broadcasting sessions where people are guided into a relaxed, suggestible state is illegal in many countries:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Broadcasting sessions where people are guided into a relaxed, suggestible state is illegal in many countries:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The toxic power dynamics of oneness It's one thing to realize that a toxic structure has grown around an authoritarian leader, but it's a different thing to scapegoat that structure in order to keep your view of that leader pure.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Good point Happytown. Moo could control the board of trustees from behind the scenes. I had a feeling that he wasn't clever enough to oversee absolutely everything, but who knows?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

As rrmoderator pointed out, the board of trustees is probably just a front and everything is controlled by the one guy, based on how he's feeeeeeeeling. A board of trustees is a technical necessity for a UK charity. rrmoderator wrote: "No peers? Sounds like the group is run like a dictatorship. It also probably has corporate bylaws and a board. My guess is that Moo runs that t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"