Regarding Jay Cruises info..this is very jolly interesting. Recall that Janaki reported formerly having been involved with Muk and claims a friend of hers involved with Muk later told her about BK. Given the number of former Siddha YogaGurumayi--successor of Muktananda/SYDA yoga (Muktananda) devotees who apparently have gone on to become involved with BK..and seem to have referred one anot
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A way to see persons who have been recruited into cultic groups is to understand that they have been recruited into something that is not what it says it is. IMO a cult or shitty relationship can be regarded as an ongoing lie undergirded by a social structure and cover story. One can also see a cult or shitty relationship as a dynamic of unreciprocated loyalty. QuoteYasmin wrote:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Anticult wrote: QuoteBut one will never really escape from that kind of trap, without really connecting to one's own powerful emotional boundaries. and QuoteBeing blunt is very important, that is why personally I am blunt. Gentle flowery words can't work against a cultic structure. Repeat-- Gentle flowery words can't work against a cultic structure. Gentle flowery
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Note: Scott Parkers essay, Winning the Integral Game, referred to above, by Dash, can be read, here Frank Visser, who had been a devoted scholar of Wilber's work and had published a book on Wilbers work entitled Thought As Passion, decided it was time to create a forum for Integral Studies that was non authoritarian and based on participatory peer to peer relations. He thus creat
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Here is a modest excerpt--Dash has a great photograph from Zimbardos Prison Experiment as an illustration. His blog has additional great articles on a variety of topics. Quote Dash wrote: (I was once a giddy fan of Wilber myself and when I took the first Integral theory course I was very excited to be able to actually ask Wilber a question on a conference call. Being drunk with in
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

From the cult of Ken Wilber QuoteFinally, there was a personal incident. In short, I had sent Ken, whom I considered a friend by then, since I had visited him and interviewed him for four hours, a draft of an essay on the new world of work, which clearly stated that it was inspired by his work, specifically mentioned a series of consultants working in his spirit, then went on to describe the f
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If it is true that BK crap is actually now being offered as CE credit in some states, that means someone on the review board for those states is snoozing on the job. Or perhaps, as is now frequently the case, the review board is understaffed due to budget cuts. Things are tough all over the country and professional review boards may not have enough people to do the needed background checks and
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I heard someone claim that in some states BK SHIT is being offered in some states as Continuing Education credits. We need to research this. The person seemed to assume that if something was offered as CE credit, that meant the method was okay to use as a resource for clients. If BK crap is being offered as CE credit, that means someone on the review board for that particular state is s
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The most I have heard of in Tibetan Buddhist centers wishing to honor teachers is a ritual of doing a long life offering or puja. This all day meditation thingie in honor of Ole N's birthday just doesnt seem in synchrony with the Kagyu tradition from which he claims legitimacy. If Ole's legitimacy derives from Kagyu tradition, then to the extent he departs from it, he's los
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe essential problems remain though ... untrained and unlicensed people performing a scientifically untested method on 'clients' who have probably paid at least a small sum for the service. There is another problem. People who have been indoctrinated in cults and who are sincerely trying to free themselves very often try to get a sense of agency by too quickly setting up gro
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Years back, Ken Wilber, Dick Anthony, and Bruce Ecker edited a book entitled Spiritual Choices:The Problem of Recognizing Authentic Paths to Inner Transformation (Paragon House Publishers, 1987) The book is the product of a seminar on the subject. The Jonestown massacre was still fresh in everyone's minds. Scandals had happened at various Buddhist centers and Hindu ashrams. One case discu
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Again, my hearty thanks to Pilot. Anyone visiting Janaki's blog, read the articles--and do take care to read the comments. At least one person has written expressing tremendous concern for a loved one. Janaki has written of people making severe and serious sacrifices of time and money, includng one man who who pulled together many thousands of dollars to attend a BK workshop just to b
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Pilot, I owe you an apology. I let myself get rattled, after the troll visits weve had. Your directing us to Janaki's blog has been a huge, huge, help. This is the saddest thing about troll attacks. It leads us (certainly me) to get nervous and then hit out at friends. This says a very great deal: QuotePerfect & Untouchable Katie says, ‘I am here for your projection’,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Greetings to Our Silent Readers--Beware the Trolls Even When Brining Gifts, such as URL links to Useful Sites A professor of ours said, 'Every story has one extra character who is never mentioned in the text, but is part of that story.." 'The reader'. Those who never publish are nevertheless participants on this thread and it may be that you, collectively, may be the
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

One wonders why on earth the NYT fell for the Vetterlein(sp?) connection, when there's an abundance of material, complete with citations, linking Daedone with Baranco. Ten years ago, at a class in journalism, the instructor told us that many print media publications no longer paid to have a full time fact checker on staff, and instead would hire free lance fact checkers, or expected jou
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Ignore the troll. Lets concentrate on what was being discussed before Pilot flew into RR.com's airspace. Remember, trolls often showed up on this BK thread and did distraction games right after significant material is disclosed.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Become your own Buddha.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

'bluesky' 'Pilot' Pilots fly in or through (the) bluesky. Things 'happen' out of the clear bluesky FYI, no they do not. Nothing happens out of the clear blue sky. Everything has a cause, even the most mysteriously inspirational mood. There is no such thing as a mood coming from nowhere, no such thing as something coming from nothing. Its all caus
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Its typical for trolls to talk about how people give their power away to gurus. Ever hear of 'bounded choice?' This distracts our attention to the way certain entrepreneurs target people already abused, who for various reasons are unlikely to seek help from licensed professionals. Journalist John Horgan referred some years ago to 'The Enlightenment Industry' in his
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Plug and Play People by By Annalee Newitz, AlterNet. Posted January 22, 2002 Quote 'Lately I've noticed that the concept of "plug and play" has extended into the realm of human interaction. 'People talk about wanting to hire a "plug-and-play engineer" who can churn out uncreative but stable bits of Java, C++, or whatever. Or, describing somebody who
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Maybe 'Pilot' is trolling here so he or she can get promoted to a higher rank in some abusive group after being kicked off of RR.com I was once on a listserve that discussed another LGAT and people who had trolled here on RR.com talked of how they'd been kicked off and made themselves look like innocent martyrs. There may be another thing. If someone is encouraging folks
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

What do you think? I am asking this because what I see happening in Tibetan Buddhism is people too often wait for some more experienced person, someone higher in the hierarchy, to validate them. Or people sit around hoping that the leader of the lineage (in this case the 17th Karmapa whoever he is) will come in like Magic Daddy or Superman and clean up the mess. What if the leader of t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Commentary on The Matrix on Last Psychiatrist's blog "With every passing day, you realize you will not fight bad guys, not join the CIA, not be in a band, not throw the winning touchdown. You will not know kung fu. Your body sickeningly, boringly confirms it. You breathe harder when you run. You don't run anyway. Hair missing, hair appearing, in the wrong places.
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Spread it wide...spread it wiiiidddeee.... (Your wallet)
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Correction, I meant to write, "Instead, be like Santa Claus" rather than "Instead, not be like Santa Claus' --I need more coffee in the mornings.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Avoid the Trolls---Be a Secret Santa Maybe its best to not give advance notice that you are about to reveal something that a questionable person or group wants to keep hidden, keep secret in the worst sense. Instead, not be like Santa Claus, and do not announce the time you plan to arrive bearing gifts of truth telling. Let RR.com wake up to it next morning. Dont tell us when you�
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

To my personal satisfaction, I believe I have identified a pattern within some discussions of troubled sanghas that, I am now convinced, tremendously hampers any discussion and resolution of power abuse on the part of a leader,. I read all 52 pages of the E sangha discussion thread on Ole N--it took days, but I recommend this exercise to all interested in this matter. Along the way, I r
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There is a thread discussion on a secret install the guru in your body meditation that was practiced in SYDA yoga, years back. Something like this could lead people to become very protective of such a person, even if years later, they find the person did not act in their best interests and failed to reciprocate their devotion. This is not confined to SYDA yoga, BTW. Ive read of visualization
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Finding Treasures on RR.com Message Board Or..The Search Feature--a Neglected Resource Y'know, I forgot that JJ52 was spooked off the board. Good that you brought this up. If there is someone whose posts you have found especially valuable, a person such as JJ52, you should do what I call an author audit. Also if someone seems to be making you feel off key, or you're wonderi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

With this said, here is a report from the old Google listserve (do a search of the groups and it should still be there). It is a report from 1998of some very strange things experienced and reported by someone who stated he or she had been doing G work ---via the Gurdjieff Foundation. QuoteQuote: Moon Food, posting on Google listserve wrote: Moon Food View profile More options Sep
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"