To supplement what GEB said, about yoga becoming a big trend in just the past 5 years--GEB is correct. Ive seen it happen. I've been a jock for awhile and can remember how the trends have changed. Spinning/Power biking used to be The Big Thing. Now its yoga. (But I bet in a few years, stuff like Spinning will come back. I will tell you why. Aerobic exercise directly boosts the level
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

On december 10th Corboy wrote in two posts to address where the questionable stance originated that critical thinking, and conscious analysis of power came to be considered anti spiriutual and negative by the New Age scene. As an example of it being possible to combine conscious thought about power and social justice with spirituality, I referred to the Liberation Theology movement, within Ro
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

One should google any yoga teacher's name and see if that person was ever, at any time associated with a cultic group. There are some out there who once were in Muktananda's group and now omit to mention it. I would respect them more if they said, "I used to study with Guru X. I learned valuable things. But Guru X went on to abuse his or her role and I absolutely repudiate t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Anger can be an early warning sign that something is wrong. If you suppress anger its like having a house that lacks a smoke detector. Hatred is very, very different from anger. Anger comes and goes. It takes mental effort to maintain long term hatred against anyone. But anger is built right into the human fight or flight response. If you try to suppress it, you're shutting down an are
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Some call it shakti rather than kundalini. Siddha Yoga (muktananda) and syda yoga, (gurumayi) are examples. Rudrananda (Rudi) now deceased, messed with this stuff and has left successors.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QDave, congratulations. Right now you are feeling disgusted, but you know what? That disgust is the early recovery-room stage of GETTING YOUR OWN POWER BACK. You have given yourself an winter holiday gift that will last you a lifetime. And you are gonna make your own reality in a very basic way. You are going to save your money and save your mental and emotional energy at a time in o
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

So a search for 'all forums' and 'all dates' for 'Samael Aun Weor' and you will get some information. And google 'Circle for Investigation of Gnostic Anthropology' and see what you get.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Welcome to the RR.com message board, quest. Does this group advertise or do outreach in any way? If they post fliers, what do these look like? Sometimes I see fliers for some sort of gnostic group that are posted on bulletin boards and store windows in my neighborhood. I dont know if this is the same group as the one you're describing.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

And, just because one can only afford access to scientific medicine if one happens to be in the right social class in a technically advanced country does not mean science itself is at fault. It means society has a problem that needs to be fixed. That we have to think consciously about power, social structures and that doing that is part of spirituality. Some Roman Catholics have attempted
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

New Age survivor wrote" QuoteTo ignore matters that really matter, e.g. social matters, is one common theme in new age. And so, according to them, poverty has nothing to do with man-made power structures, Worse, in NA circles, even trying to talk about power is often considered negative. Try it some time. You'll be made to feel like you've ripped a fart at a society party.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It should not be treated as an unquestionable given that analytic thought undercuts spiritual endeavor or is incompatible with it. This stance that analytic thought undercuts spiritual endeavor was actually promulgated by Vivekananda and V's rhetoric and writings have become mightily influential and permeate the thought patterns of the New Age scene. It has been said that most Hindus even
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I fail to see why analytic capacity and discursive reasoning should cut one off from the deeper side of life. One common arguement heard in New Age circles is that scientific thinking takes the wonder out of life and that critical thinking and testing hypothesis is actually incompatible with spiritual endeavor. One can combine the two and get the best of both worlds. But one has to let
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteWhen the predicted earthquake did not destroy California, some students were angry and blamed Mr. Dang. Some did leave to go back to California or Texas etc. Most remained, staying loyal to the Master and believing his prayers and intercessions to God had averted the catastophe. That is an effective way for someone to identify which members of the group are believe anything die hard loyali
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Rangdrol wrote: QuoteIf someone people had a negative experience and they continue to blame the group, failing, at some point, to ask themselves how they handed their personal power over to that group or leader, then that person probably still has work to do. I have learned that as an adult, I made decisions and am responsible, in part, for what happened to me. This is true, but only up
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It would be interesting to know where 'Master Luong Minh Dang' learned his material. One doesnt hear of yoga being practiced in Vietnam...one would be more likely to find chi gong and tai chi being used as part of the indigenous methods of body work, to supplement Buddhist sitting and walking meditation.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe idea that the world is basically toxic because they are highly evolved and sensitive beings. Seems to me that if something or someone is highly evolved, that should make for a degree of robustness, not increased delicacy/fragility..? This article gives some food for thought , by David Wong. (please dont be content with this quoted morsel. The entire thing is excellent with
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

All this is interesting. But this thread was set up to deal with Tolle and Byron Katie. You guys are totally free to start a separate thread if you want.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear x; Nope, this wasnt confusing and confirms my hunches. And...am glad to report my friend did not go tripping. In a way, doing ayahuasca sounds sounds like doing the Ironman triathlon...one has to be in top condition and mental and physical strength are needed. And even a triathlon or marathon are not risk free---and one wouldnt do either one on a whim, either. Im not against psyche
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear Xythos, what you say about ayahuasca is scary. A rather fragile friend said she wanted to go to Peru and do it and I did some background research and was alarmed. If my sources are accurate, ayahuasca is powerful stuff. 1) It interacts with most and perhaps all antidepressants and psychotropic drugs because one of the herbs used in the ayahuasca preparation is, pharmacologically a Mon
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Do a search on the message board (upper right hand corner) under 'all dates'. Try 'shamanic' and shaman and native american in the search slot and see what you get. Others have posted here on this subject. Here is a result for some searching:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A new URL with material printed from media sources
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A surprising amount of New Age anti intellectualism, especially if one moves around in yoga circles, originated with a movement termed Hindu Renaissance/Hindu Reform. It sought to reconcile Hinduism with inherant dignity of the human person and tried to revive Hinduism in a way that would break the power of the Brahmin caste holders and support young Indians in thier attempts to gain western e
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Information about an SES academy called St Vedast, now called St James (why the name change?)
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Information (2004) about an SES academy called St Vedast
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Information about the background Read Secret Cult a book by Peter Hounam and Andrew Hogg (google it) Joyce Colin-Smith in her memoir Call No Man Master, describes her involvement with Ouspensky's group in London and follows the events after Ouspensky's death, when McLaren and Roles met Maharishi. They hoped MMY's alledged knowledge of Hinduism would lead them to the source
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Information about the background Read Secret Cult a book by Peter Hounam and Andrew Hogg (google it) Joyce Colin-Smith in her memoir Call No Man Master, describes her involvement with Ouspensky's group in London and follows the events after Ouspensky's death, when McLaren and Roles met Maharishi. They hoped MMY's alledged knowledge of Hinduism would lead them to the source of
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

An interesting and very thought provoking discussion thread here.
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

It can probably used by telemarketer types over the phone, as well. I had a run in with someone who tried to sell me a new (and of course more expensive version) of something I currently use. I said no, I was happy with what I had and had no desire to change it. I thought the telemarketer would leave me alone--I thought I was doing the kind thing by letting the guy know I was a waste of hi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Continuing Education Module--Two Articles There are times when making a single commitment is innocuous or even part of a genuinely beneficial experience. Or that first commitment, seemingly simple, is a first step into what later becomes a degrading, expensive and enslaving, betrayal ridden mess. How do we tell the difference? It may be that seemingly minor first commitment is harmles
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I will add this to Sunny's contributions: I have lived in an area with many Punjabi Sikhs and and also have seen 3HO members. As an observer, long before I learned anything about 3HO I noticed a distinct difference between the two groups: At no time did I see adult Sikh women wearing turbans. By contrast, the 3HO ladies wear a peculiar cylindrical turban--Ive even seen one member o
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"