James P From: eugene To: NotM Date: 12/09/2010 06:06PM Hi NotM, I know James Parkinson and have some similar doubts. I'm a little afraid to go public about it though and was wondering if you might want to share. I posted a message before but that was when I was still in denial. Now I have seen things which I would like to share but I am not sure if you are willing to do that. I und
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Because of so many unfair accusations made by Steven Maldekar, I have decided to share my knowledge and the experiences I have had over the years with my dear beloved teachers and friends –Marshall Govindan and Durga Ahlund. First of all, I have known Marshall Govindan (aka Satchidananda) since 1992 and his wife Durga since 1996. I never had the impression that Marshall Govindan has ever,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi Don, I am not involved with the cult you describe, or have any family member involved, but I have a daughter still very much under the influence of the Sri Chinmoy Centre after many years. We believe she may not be a disciple now,but sadly still does not want any contact with her family. After reading many posts on this board, I am constantly amazed and distressed by how similar and destruct
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

dar3463: "I have many photo's I would love to post - RR let me know how" put your photos on any of the free photo web sites like photobucket.com and put a link here to the individual photos
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Part 1 My name is Don Raskopf. I post ALL of my personal information here & EF because I have NOTHING to fear from vampires & leeches. I use full names of those I have known personally for over 2 decades because LIGHT is a disinfectant - an antidote to secrecy & mind-control. I was recruited into this cult - THIS IS A CULT NOT A SCHOOL - by my then girlfriend Julie Hodson (co-found
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Y'know..a person could angle that sort of story if clever enough. Castaneda claimed he met his teacher at a bus station. Situating a first encounter in a demotic/democratic venue such as Dunkin Donuts or a Tescos might work. Gurdjieff staged his encounters with 'marks' quite carefully. He got prior information about them (Ouspensky was a lecturer on spiritual matters and a jo
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A possible source of background material for later new age guru/teacher in-the-desert narratives. Theos Casimir Bernard died in 1947. Wrote an early book on hatha yoga that was published shortly after his death. Wrote and published an earlier book describing his travels in India and Tibet. As he died young, he would have had no say in the matter if others were to borrow elements of hi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Shambalah: Please avoid personal attacks.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

First of all: Notm1 spoke his experience for what it was, just like the many other thousands here have spoken on their experience of undue influence and coercive cults. While it is curious you, "Eugene", have taken interest in this most random of posts, enough to sign upnand post exclusively here, I'm sure it is just coincidence and you suffer from ignorance of the main objectives
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A critique of Gurdjieff and the Enneagram. Suggestion made the if Sufis did use the enneagram, it was more likely the Ismailis--a very small subgroup, indeed.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Critique/Overview of Gurdjieff and enneagram
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Critique of Gurdjieff and a chapter on enneagram
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

As the term cultic milieu is referred to, here is a capsule definition from an article on a different topic. Quote"cultic milieu," which is a parallel religious tradition of disparaged and deviant interpretations and practices that challenge the authority of prevailing religions with rival claims to truth. These upstart movements are dynamic and novel, but usually short-lived. They a
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Steve Susoyev, who survived a dangerous psychotherapy cult, wrote a memoir entitled People Farm. He told of utterly horrible things he did in love and loyalty on orders from a leader who was a charming and ruthless psychopath. These actions included but were not limited to passport fraud, aiding in flight of fugitives from the law, concealing assets. The leader at one point considered throwing
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteA discernment guide Quote: A GUIDE TO AUTHENTIC SUFI GROUPS The following points are designed to assist sincere seekers in their quest for authentic Sufi representatives. These days there are many Sufi organisations. Some are genuine and some are not. It is too common to hear reports of negative experiences of people who have been "burned" by dubious groups. The poin
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A discernment guide Quote A GUIDE TO AUTHENTIC SUFI GROUPS The following points are designed to assist sincere seekers in their quest for authentic Sufi representatives. These days there are many Sufi organisations. Some are genuine and some are not. It is too common to hear reports of negative experiences of people who have been "burned" by dubious groups. The points below shou
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A discernment guide Quote A GUIDE TO AUTHENTIC SUFI GROUPS The following points are designed to assist sincere seekers in their quest for authentic Sufi representatives. These days there are many Sufi organisations. Some are genuine and some are not. It is too common to hear reports of negative experiences of people who have been "burned" by dubious groups. The points below
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Some claim Gurdjieff got material from Sufi lineages. Others claiming to follow him claimed to be Sufis. Here is a useful bundle of discernment advice. I personally, would advise having second thoughts about any entity that is constantly seeking money to upgrade to yet more fancy club houses, etc. A path of renunication should not require constantly adding property holdings etc. It is di
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

One teacher who emerged from the scene in the 1970s and who also uses the enneagram as part of the package is HA Almaas. Oddly, this stuff has become popular in some sectors of the Buddhist community, even though in Buddhadharma, properly understood, there is no role for an inherantly-separately-existening essence, God, or First Principle. And there is nothing in the earliest texts (the Pa
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

SO grateful for this site....I have been out a few months now from one of the NY groups. I had been thinking of leaving the for quite some time but hung around a little longer to see who I could get to come with me. I watched Gans, Koch and Mindel and the rest of the vampires from a different perspective after reading this website, esotericfreedom.com, and ganscult.com. What Freaks. It was great
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hats off to the previous poster for talking so much with the students still stuck in this fake School! The students left behind in the Boston and New York groups may appear loyal because they show up for class twice week, but I'm sure they have their doubts, too. The more they talk and question and speculate among themselves about whether it's a cult or not, the more likely current stud
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

SO grateful for this site....I have been out a few months now from one of the NY groups. I had been thinking of leaving the for quite some time but hung around a little longer to see who I could get to come with me. I watched Gans, Koch and Mindel and the rest of the vampires from a different perspective after reading this website, esotericfreedom.com, and ganscult.com. What Freaks. It was great
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Malamatia, The Sufi Path of Blame, Crazy Wisdom Alibi- Necessity of Rude Gurus-- Speculations On How What Was Originally Advice For Humility Became a Rationalization for Guru Abuse On his website Dr Shepherd has this article from which a few quotations are taken in my attempt to offer a possible way in which malamatia, a practice of privacy, was in some cases, taken to admirable extremes, b
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

"These two principles combined to form a powerful one-two punch. First, my valuation of this lifetime was drastically reduced by the belief that I had a limitless supply to spend. So I became much more willing to pay this small cost in the interests of higher consciousness. Next, in this vulnerable mindset, the final blow was dealt by suggesting that this might be my only chance. If
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Ok, sorry, I didn't intend to attack anyone. This whole post seemed like a flame war as you call it and I was just wondering how it is fair that people can be condemned online without evidence. Couldn't I say the same of my neighbour who I really dislike? :D
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

eugene: Please read the rules again. Attacking members of this message board personally and flame wars are against the rules.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

@NotM: How is it exactly that he damaged you? You haven't provided any evidence. So far it's just name calling. We call that slander over here in the UK and it's illegal. I've googled 'signs of a cult', 'how to recognize a cult' and read so much more about Cults. What you have written here just doesn't add up. Just curious as to what exactly you expe
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

What I find incredible about the cassiopeians is the level of double think that operates on that site. They put massive emphasis on pathology and identifying it in others, while at the same time pushing Gurdjieff who says man is a machine, get rid of your emotions but if this is the ideal state they are trying to achieve it is essentially a pathological one. To operate without emotions is patholo
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Almost forgot, since I'm so unsubstantiated I'm sure people will understand where I'm comming from when I publish the years of correspondence we shared. It'll make for a pretty revealing read. I don't mind my old personal crap being put there, but your techniques should be studied and understood. A Mr. Columbia University college professor of Psychology friend of mine is
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"