tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-278659742024-03-07T02:00:22.790-08:00Inner Circle of SRCMThoughts and notes from a former abhyasi and preceptor of the Shri Ram Chandra MissionMichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-63582943994337167152023-03-21T09:45:00.005-07:002023-03-21T09:49:59.848-07:00Essence of Consciousness <p> Excerpt from my Author's blog at: https://www.michaelkoyoti.com/blog/essence-of-consciousness</p><p>".. In my book Is-Ness, I describe the essence of consciousness as experiencing only the present instance in time from a dimensionless point in space. From this singularity of presence our self awareness manifests as mind and body. This description is echoed in ancient wisdom, spanning Shamanism, Buddhism, the Vedic tradition, Sufism and, I believe, the teachings of Jesus. But, how do we describe this to those who have no knowledge or experience in any of these traditions?<br /><br />I like the analogy of a whirlpool vortex in a vast ocean. The vortex exists due to a singular point on the ocean floor which draws water from the ocean. A whirlpool is sustained as long as the singular hole in the ocean can sustain the flow of water through it. <br /><br />Without the singularity, there is only the vast, calm ocean, or empty space. The whirlpool itself is formed from the ocean water. We see this phenomenon at the atomic level. Atoms exist as a field vortex in space. Remove the singularity that powers the vortex and the field collapses into empty space. <br /><br />In our universe, space is clearly not empty. Some call it a fabric of time-space, scientists of previous eras call it Aether, which behaves like a multi-dimensional super fluid. It is what electromagnetic fields propagate through. A singularity created in Aether taps into an infinite source of energy beyond our 3 dimension time-space existence to establish sustainable field vortexes of particles and atoms. Consider a fixed magnet that exhibits a sustained magnetic field. Yet, at the center of the magnet, there is no magnetic field at all. Out of a calm motionless center, spews a vortex of electrical field energy that flows continuously throughout the magnetic material to create a magnetic field, a magnetic dipole with opposing north and south poles separated by a two dimensional structure extending from the center singularity of a magnet. <br /><br />Ancient inquirers, exploring human consciousness discovered the same dimensionless presence in our consciousness. It does not experience linear time, but only exists in the moment. It has no emotions or thoughts. It only “is”. ..."<br /></p>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-23047554658191732202023-02-21T13:16:00.003-08:002023-02-21T13:21:26.310-08:00Is-Ness Book Release<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0VHf3hHcWoVLs20xji3c9NFc81hmD5hBnK917CFdUtPttH4xuAUXze4DSySGU_bcLKAMBoRUzPAx48mGUG8enxi5z1OnXoiN3g-BJIVldbM9Wp_LQy5Eo_uc0OfGt2CtYObZxRYQFStiVvLwBY7Mopmg61FkUwVJf49MsfnkMa3JTH02xwQ/s4000/Ebook%20is%20ne....%203d.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2667" data-original-width="4000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0VHf3hHcWoVLs20xji3c9NFc81hmD5hBnK917CFdUtPttH4xuAUXze4DSySGU_bcLKAMBoRUzPAx48mGUG8enxi5z1OnXoiN3g-BJIVldbM9Wp_LQy5Eo_uc0OfGt2CtYObZxRYQFStiVvLwBY7Mopmg61FkUwVJf49MsfnkMa3JTH02xwQ/s320/Ebook%20is%20ne....%203d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>After more than a decade of work, I've released my first book, Is-Ness,
Science, Consciousness, Spirit, under my writer name Michael Koyoti.</p><p>I expect to release "Chronicles of Monkey Man" as a fiction
follow on to this book within the next year. <br /></p><p>Please visit my author's <a href="http://www.michaelkoyoti.com" target="_blank">website</a> for book updates, blog and future podcasts.</p><p>The book can be purchased in print and e-book formats on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW2RKDJ4" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>MichaelMichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-24809776144125476132015-09-20T08:37:00.000-07:002015-09-20T08:41:22.220-07:00The Current State of SRCM<span style="background-color: white; color: #474b4e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">The 10+ years of experience I had as a prefect and abhyasi in SRCM pales in comparison to the Journey I embarked upon when I departed SRCM over 25 years ago. It is no wonder to me that this organization struggles to continually re-invent itself to maintain their disciples attention and interest. Re-branding and re-writing history only puts a new face on the same organization.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474b4e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">SRCM leadership lusts for being a major world spiritual organization yet remains insignificant in the larger scheme of things. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474b4e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Like all hierarchical organizations, SRCM draws spiritual power from its disciples. It reinforces the myth of spiritual inadequacy and dependence on a hierarchy and mission to achieve some elusive goal. Like all religions it promises a brighter world upon death in exchange for enduring misery and sacrifice in this life. In its wake is the carnage of damaged lives and families. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474b4e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">This is the opposite of spirituality. There is no spiritual goal. There is only the Journey which is infinite! In effect, disciples willingly sacrifice their Spirit Journey to serve a mission. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474b4e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">I pray for the awakening of all sincere souls. May they take that simple step to resume their Spirit Journey that Creator has lovingly placed before them.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474b4e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Love and Blessings,</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #474b4e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;">Michael</span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-29337253352637716232014-12-21T09:33:00.001-08:002014-12-21T09:50:18.574-08:00End Of En EraMy deepest condolences to the family and disciples of Shri Parthsarathi Rajagopalachari, who passed away this weekend. While I parted ways with Mr. Rajagopalachari nearly 25 years ago, he was a formative influence in the early days of my Spirit Journey. His passing is the end of an era for the Sahaj Marg system. May all those who sought his wisdom and guidance continue on their Journey with their hearts open.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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MichaelMichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-84070372648084410602014-11-03T09:37:00.001-08:002014-11-03T10:41:53.809-08:00Obedience To The Mission<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I approach all my experiences on this life's Journey with gratitude. In my youth, I thought my spirit Journey began in 1979 when I approached SRCM– 19 years old, seeking spiritual training and guidance. Guidance was lacking. The aging Master, inaccessible. Dissension within the group was looming. Yet, within the first few months, I experienced an inner calm in my heart center. This would ultimately be my companion and guide. No experience in my subsequent 10 years in SRCM has held a candle to this early experience. It has remained so to this day, more than 30 years later. I left SRCM in 1990 after much disappointment and betrayal. When the Master demanded I be “obedient to the Mission”, I left and never looked back. In fact, my true Spiritual Journey began at that very instant. I am grateful for the push! I would not trade this Journey for anything. <br /><br />Since my departure, I have heard from so many current and former SRCM abhyasis who struggle in their effort achieve something spiritual. Many suffer from trauma inflicted upon them in their association with SRCM, its preceptors and hierarchy. Some struggle with confused thinking and low self esteem. Yet, I believe each and every one has experienced a centered heart early on their practice. The internal struggle results from the pursuit of spiritual achievements beyond the simplicity of a centered heart. That centered heart is the only constant on a Journey that never ends. Further harm is done by demanding obedience to the Mission.<br /><br />What is the purpose of this obedience? What has this Mission created? Vast real estate holdings? Publications irrelevant to anyone who does not share in obedience to the Mission? What has the Mission done to uplift Humanity that merits obedience to it? The Mission anoints spiritual trainers who are but beginners, with little or no training of their own. Its hierarchy has neither the compassion nor the patience to affirm the divinity that exists in every aspirant's heart. Instead they proclaim that the highest divinity exists only in the one Master, as if nature hoards its abundance in only one heart! They forswear their disciples as merely slaves of wishes, full of grossness, in need of cleaning. <br /><br />This behavior is the antithesis of the ancient spiritual truth - The truth, which declares the heart as the true guide, where at its core exists the spark of the Infinite. Only when one affirms this truth does the Infinite Journey begin! When one pursues a spiritual goal, they step off this Journey. They risk mental anguish, trauma and even insanity. Obedience to the Mission is a dangerous distraction. The Mission serves only itself. It serves only to perpetuate myths that perpetuate obedience to itself. The truth is, there exists no divine master to take you an ultimate spiritual goal, because there is no goal. There is only Journey itself – which is Infinite, and the heart is the only true guide and Master.<br /><br /><br /> <span style="line-height: 100%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 100%;">Michael</span></span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-7226698496597775772013-10-14T09:24:00.001-07:002013-10-14T09:25:46.034-07:00A Message From The Spirit Forest<div class="post-footer">
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<b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Monkey Man has posted this on my <a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">personal blog</a>. It has relevance to SRCM so I've reposted it here.</span></b></div>
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Its inhabitants attacked, but not broken<br />
The Spirit Forest dispatches an invisible emissary<br />
Concealed in storms manifest by men<br />
Which tear into continents without mercy<br />
Unnoticed by a world consumed with itself</div>
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Its stillness of spirit resides in destructive spiral cores<br />
Vacuum manifesting destruction<br />
Invisible in the aftermath <br />
Drifting silently to unsuspecting kingdoms<br />
And slipping unnoticed into inner sanctums<br />
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News of its arrival will be silence<br />
Yet its presence will blare like a thousand falcon cries <br />
Self proclaimed Masters will see their end<br />
Unsuspecting loyalists cling to crumbling palace walls<br />
Brightness shines on Darkness<br />
Dark inhabitants, their true form revealed, scatter<br />
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What has been proclaimed as Bright will reveal its Darkness.<br />
...And those imprisoned in Darkness will shine like Morning Stars<br />
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Monkey Man
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-33461972152142428192013-10-12T20:13:00.001-07:002013-10-12T20:15:44.631-07:00I'm posting here a comment made in response to posts on: <a href="http://bewareofsahajmargsrcm.blogspot.com/">http://bewareofsahajmargsrcm.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Having lived long enough to have personally known, Babuji, Chariji, Babuji's Sons, Ragavendra Rao, SA Sarnad, not to mention one of the last surviving associates of Lalaji who died recently at the age of 103, I am going to comment here to the many folks posting here, claiming to "know" about the system of Sahaj Marg, offering their advice and wisdom to Jai Hind for simply documenting HIS experience.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">1. Sahaj Marg is not part of Lalaji's legacy. Lalaji encouraged multitudes of spiritually inspired people, without creating exclusivity or claiming to be the "only path" to some elusive goal. Babuji, after meeting Lalaji only a few times, and a decade after his death, claimed his exclusive successorship. Yet Sahaj Marg bears little resemblance to what Lalaji taught. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">2. "The Goal" everyone is clamoring to acheive in SRCM is a falsity! There is no Goal, no elusive "Brighter World". There is only an Infinite Journey that lays before you and always has laid before you! You can choose to languish in starry eyed trances around the words of a self proclaimed (and dead) gurus, or embark upon the Journey that is yours, and yours alone to travel. Even your revered Babuji hinted about this when he said, " Its as simple as turning ones head from here to here"...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">3. For whatever reason Babuji created this SRCM system, the result is multitude of charlatans and opportunistic family members claiming to be his successors, representatives, holders of his legacy, or, worst of all, directly communicating with him from the dead.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">SRCM blatantly claims to be the exclusive means for humanity to achieve the highest "Goal" possible for human beings. Such claims deserve scrutiny. Call it "judging the system" if you'd like. HOWEVER, such claims go against ALL that true Spirituality represents. Yet, SRCM members feel free to judge anyone who might speak up about it. Even I have been called an "Enemy of Spirituality" by SRCM for speaking the truth on behalf of a much larger and more ancient spiritual legacy that SRCM ever will be! Jai Hind seems to be bearing the brunt of it from posters, who display little or no direct knowledge of the very foundations of the organization and system they defend.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">I truly hope and pray that those of you who have posted here are ultimately blessed with the ability, through whatever means, to see the Infinite Journey that has always awaited you - A Journey where a direct relationship with Creation/Creator is your birthright!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Love,</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555544; font-family: tahoma, 'Trebuchet MS', lucida, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Michael</span><br />
<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-17931158543460533832012-10-11T10:34:00.002-07:002012-10-11T14:36:45.430-07:00Un-Sound Principles of SRCMI've received many enquiries from current and former disciples of SRCM recently. Many agonize over their predicaments, questioning the hierarchy or are simply spiritually unhappy. Some struggle with difficult decisions to either join a splinter group or leave SRCM all together. I have always offered to assist in what ever way I can, asking nothing in return. I have found myself repeating a common theme in most of these correspondences. As a result I have decided to summarize some of my statements made privately below:<br />
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">I believe that the practice of Sahaj Marg, and the entire system established by its Founder, to be based upon spiritually flawed and dangerous principles. Other than completely discarding the core principles and practices of the system, there is no possible outcome other than that which we see unfolding today. </span></i></b><br />
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More specifically:<br />
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<b>1. The Prayer is comprised of affirmations which are spiritually harmful and are fundamentally un-natural.</b> The prayer affirms that the one reciting the prayer is inadequate, having not achieved some unspecified but often mentioned Goal. This Goal, as the prayer states is only achievable through an elusive "Master". <br />
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<li><b>The prayer makes a dangerous affirmation of ones separateness from the Divine:</b> While humility is essential in spirituality, this prayer affirms the disciple's spiritual inadequacy - claiming them to be "slaves of wishes putting bar to advancement". This affirmation is completely counter to spiritual principles which I have come to believe are core spiritual truths. True Spirituality re-affirms ones divinity in order to redirect any thoughts AWAY from spiritual inadequacy and separateness from Creator. <b><i>The SRCM prayer is a series affirmations which do the opposite!</i></b></li>
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<li><b>The statement "Thou are the only God and Power to bring us up to that stage" yet again affirms the disciple's spiritual inadequacy.</b> It states ones dependence EXCLUSIVELY on another living human "Master" to reach some spiritual goal. It establishes a human authority with no peers, no checks and balances. This affirmation causes a disciple to question their own inner spiritual discrimination, and become completely dependent on a a single and exclusive external force. <b><i>This, in and of itself, puts the disciple at risk of ceasing their own spiritual Journey and giving their power needed for that journey to another person. </i></b></li>
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<li>The SRCM prayer, along with one of the accompanying 10 maxims, insists that the disciple urgently strive to reach some ultimate spiritual goal and "rest not until it has been achieved". This is completely counter to the ancient spiritual truth that, <b>The Journey Is Infinite! </b>This ancient spiritual truth states that the only true goal, is to embark on one's infinite spiritual journey, which can be done by anyone at any time. Likewise one can choose to dis-embark on their Infinite Spiritual Journey and seek a finite goal instead, however, i<b><i>n true Natural Spirituality, THERE IS NO GOAL, THERE IS ONLY THE JOURNEY!</i></b></li>
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<b>2. Meditation on light or the form of the master in the heart puts the disciple at risk of letting external and potentially unwanted forces into their inner being. </b>While the standard practice makes a vague suggestion to meditating on divine light in the heart, it is mentioned by preceptors and in the various literatures since the Founder's days, that meditating on a "true" masters form in the heart is "more effective". <br />
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<ul>
<li>Heart meditation is powerful. Any intent, consistently established when doing heart meditation can result in its very manifestation if done repeatedly.<b> </b>Any intent that reinforces spiritual inadequacy will only be reinforced and can also be manifested within the disciple with repeated practice. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Allowing external influences (light from outside oneself or the form of an external master) into the heart risks inviting in things that are possibly not compatible to ones very existence. It is critical, while on the Spiritual Journey that one establish and maintain protective boundaries. Heart meditation should affirm what is already in the heart, and not indiscriminately allow external and untrustworthy forces in. <b><i>This damages one's essential spiritual boundaries which must be upheld in order protect oneself from unwanted external forces. Damage to spiritual boundaries puts the disciple at risk of being spiritually traumatized by external spiritual influences and predators, of which there are many within the SRCM organization.</i></b></li>
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<b>3. Evening Cleaning meditation further affirms that one is "unclean" and unworthy</b>. True Spirituality reaffirms ones direct connection with the divine. It affirms that one IS divine. Cleaning occurs naturally as a result of ones direct relationship with Creator through the resulting the experiences on the Infinite Journey. Making "cleaning" a conscious practice only further separates one from the divine and the Journey itself.<br />
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<li>While spiritual cleansing is a natural event that occurs in life, the daily reinforcing of ones "unclean-ness" risks the perpetuation of a disciples inner sense of inadequacy.</li>
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<li>This perpetuation of spiritual inadequacy is further complicated by the belief within the SRCM that one must rely on a preceptor or the "master" to do the real deep cleaning to remove long standing samskaras/grossness. <b><i>This encourages the formation of a lasting barrier for the disciple's direct relationship with Creator and the natural "cleansing" that occurs from that direct relationship, not to mention making claim that the inner condition of the disciple is gross!</i></b></li>
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<b>4. The Spiritual Hierarchy established in SRCM encourages Spiritual Materialism. It commoditizes spiritual attainments, achievements and positions in the hierarchy</b>. SRCM from its inception has created both organizational hierarchies and spiritual hierarchies which separate the haves and have nots. This further divides the "masses" from the chosen few in the inner circle.<br />
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<li>Organizational Hierarchy members enjoy physical access to the "Master". Given that the practice reinforces ones dependence on the master, these members appear to the "masses" as having more advantageous access to spiritual benefits. </li>
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<li>SRCM identifies members who allegedly have achieved the Brahaman Mandal or Central Region. Some are referred to as "Full Preceptors", receive certificates to attest to their spiritual achievements, others are simply stated to exist in a higher "region" than the masses. Spirituality is further commoditized as disciples request "Sittings" from these preceptors in order to receive cleaning and have divine grace bestowed upon them. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>While the practice reinforces rank and file disciples inadequacies and creates urgent need to achieve spiritual progress, they are surrounded by members who have been "blessed" with organizational or spiritual gifts. This creates divisions, jealousies and commoditizes spirituality, exactly what we see happening in the various splinter groups and within the main SRCM organization today.</li>
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<b>Summary:</b><br />
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The very core practices of Sahaj Marg can be directly attributed as the ROOT CAUSE of the problems facing SRCM today: A highly divisive and divided organization caused by festering spiritual materialism, and disciples within the ranks who struggle with self esteem while being constantly reminded that their spiritual progress is inadequate, etc. etc...<br />
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<b><span style="color: blue;">On one hand, the Sahaj Marg practice, through repetitive suggestions in meditation and prayer affirmations, tears down the protective barriers around the soul, allowing the possibility of external forces to due harm. On the other hand, the one boundary which DOES get reinforced through disciples constant affirmations, is the barrier that separates the disciple from Creator. According to SRCM myth, this barrier exists until the disciple achieves some elusive goal. A goal only accessible through the exclusive association with a Master, who for the most part remains inaccessible from the common disciples. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="color: blue;"><b>The practice of Sahaj Marg</b><b> this is in fact quite the opposite of a Natural Path. Quite frankly this is not spirituality at all. It is, however, a formula for creating a power based Cult - Which, by the way is exactly what SRCM and its various splinter groups are.</b></span><br />
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Of course, a privileged few see benefits, and some within the rank and file are able to skirt the hazards and avoid inflicting significant trauma upon themselves. Some find benefit from meditating on light in the heart. Some find a sense of belonging to something far more powerful than themselves. Most if not all are motivated by ego, remaining "slaves" of the wish to achieve the spiritual goal created by the SRCM founder. In addition, the SRCM hierarchy constantly reminds disciples that they are "not progressing" while channeling messages from the dead which serve only to validate their authority. These behaviors are the blatant symptoms resulting from the very flaws I have outlined above.<br />
<br />
I apologize for offending so many with these words. What I state above comes from a sincere place, based on over 40 years actively pursuing my Spiritual Journey - more than 10 of those years as a disciple and preceptor of the SRCM. My heart affirms within me that what I say above is the TRUTH. The guidance I have been blessed with upon my departure from SRCM, now over 20 years ago, has revealed a true NATURAL PATH. I can say without a doubt that it bears nothing in common with the Sahaj Marg practice or the SRCM.<br />
<br />
<br />
Michael<br />
<br />
<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-52822308912257285942012-09-03T10:08:00.000-07:002012-09-03T11:32:48.187-07:00Gratitude At Dawn: Keeping Things In Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QYamXIYc2uqlScO-GOtbiZLkEpm1aZyzSDgR8m2sXBCn-ah5k1BgefEecCN9XfWwtDh15kN22W4cqJ7pw0sGPhyeKXG5SlPicK144hfohkMrNOZAzsSWJp11y_NZfoHG6o0qug/s1600/MonkeyProfile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5QYamXIYc2uqlScO-GOtbiZLkEpm1aZyzSDgR8m2sXBCn-ah5k1BgefEecCN9XfWwtDh15kN22W4cqJ7pw0sGPhyeKXG5SlPicK144hfohkMrNOZAzsSWJp11y_NZfoHG6o0qug/s200/MonkeyProfile.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
Whilst the clans of SRCM engage battling Mediums who hurl conflicting messages from their long dead Master into the InfoSpace of the Internet, Monkey Man has retreated to the tree tops of the Spirit Forest to continue his Journey on the true NATURAL PATH!<br />
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His messages do not come from the imaginary dead Master, but from the perspective of a living, breathing being. He has expressed no further interest in following the goings on if this sad, archaic and decrepit organization, instead choosing to speak from a place which is truly Natural, a path that is the REAL Natural Path.<br />
<br />
As the sad affair of the SRCM unfolds, its important for one to keep things in perspective. For this reason I have decided to make Monkey Man a regular contributor on my <a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">SkaiJourney blog</a>.<br />
<br />
His latest message can be found <a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/2012/09/gratitude.html" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
<br />
Michael<br />
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<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-88075285389080772302012-08-18T10:26:00.002-07:002012-08-18T10:26:29.887-07:00...Another Message From Monkey Man<br />
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<h3>
<span style="color: blue;">Monkey Man's commentary on Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari, the self proclaimed Master of SRCM and his dramatic speech and reading of his most recent correspondence with his long since dead (since 1983) Master Babuji. A link to the video can be found on the SRCM site <a href="http://www.sahajmarg.org/literature/online/speeches/chennai-20120815" target="_blank">here</a></span></h3>
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I am sad, so very, very sad.<br />
<br />
I've descended from the trees of the Spirit Forest to see what the commotion is, only to witness this small band of invaders, noisily spouting imaginary words of dead people, leading their masses on a garden path to nowhere.<br />
<br />
Dead people do not call the living "Great" - Because they are dead! They live as spirit in all of us and are incapable such blatant, foolish compliments!<br />
<br />
In real Nature, where all Paths are Natural, living Spirit Beings ignore such vague messages channeled from the dead. They instead prefer to thrive on the living spirit world around them which is full of wisdom and life.<br />
<br />
Sad, so sad... So many Souls, willing to follow the withered echoes of those long since dead and silent, when they can embrace the living and breathing Spirit that thrives in their very presence and guides them from within their very own hearts!<br />
<br />
I am concerned for these brothers and sisters who chatter in the forest floor below me - Exposed to such drama and misguidance. May the perpetrators of this misguidance find reconciliation and forgiveness for their behavior so that they not live their final days in sadness and regrets.<br />
<br />
The real Natural Path is not this! It lives and breathes within us all. The wonders of the Natural Spirit Forest are vast and infinite. There is no end, No brighter resting place. Any "Brighter World" that might exist can be found HERE AND NOW, and is not some elusive and un-achievable goal! There is no need to rest on the true Infinite Natural Path as the Path itself sustains us.<br />
<br />
With tears in my monkey eyes, I return to the tree tops, where the wind through the leaves drown out this noisy chatter. I dare not descend again any time soon for fear of what I might see or hear. I prefer the sounds where Nature pervades. I prefer the true Natural Path, in all its glory, which lies before us as an infinite expanse, never ending!<br />
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Best Wishes and Blessings to All. May those who've wandered so far down this garden path, AND those who led them there, find their way home.<br />
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Love,<br />
<br />
<br />
Monkey Man<br />
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-10836407734974711102012-05-13T12:09:00.001-07:002012-05-13T12:09:53.670-07:00Forest Through The Trees: Message From Monkey Man<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"><b>GUEST ARTICLE FROM THE WRITER KNOWN AS <i>MONKEY MAN</i>:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;">My Journey has led me to this place and made me compelled to speak about the Spirit Forest and the true </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;">Natural Path</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4em;"> - A Path where all are welcomed as Masters of their own Soul - All are Soul Masters!</span></div>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">True Spirituality is like a Tree in the Forest where the Tree IS the Forest.</span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">True Spirituality does not tell the Tree it is alone or separate from the Forest. </span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">True Spirituality embraces One-Ness of the Tree with the Forest, In the Forest, Of The Forest.</span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">True Spirituality embraces these truths regardless how the Tree feels about it - It is truth.</span></li>
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Alas, I see many things here that Spirituality is NOT:</div>
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1. It is NOT a franchise</div>
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2. It is NOT a prayer that affirms ones slavery to wishes and submits oneself to a "Master" in order to achieve some unimaginable goal or entry in some "brighter world" upon death!</div>
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3. It does NOT affirm that one's soul is un-clean, requiring subservience to a Master and his franchisees to be cleansed.</div>
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4. It does NOT require face to face shut eye meditation in the presence of a franchised gurus assistant, attendance at shut-eye meditation seminars lead by franchisees or costly books one must read when eyes are not shut.</div>
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5. It is NOT a path to an elusive (and illusive) Goal which is unachievable without the unquestioning surrender to the "spiritual" franchise, its leadership, its founder, his assigns or representatives. </div>
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6. It does NOT rely on un-verifiable messages from the dead, conveniently reaffirming all of the above.</div>
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I see many things here masquerading as Spirituality. They are like the mocking birds in the Spirit Forest, singing songs of other birds. Such spiritual masqueraders ask un-natural things of others while calling these things Natural - though they are not. </div>
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The true Natural Path, however:</div>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">Embraces the fact that ones very existence is and always has been Sacred and Divine.</span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">It affirms our One-ness with Creation ( Tree = Forest, Yes?)</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">It is about BEING, not becoming something you are not.</span></li>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">This Path is a Spirit Journey that is infinite.</span></li>
</ul>
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<li><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">Because it is infinite, there cannot be a goal. (Even monkey mathematics can grasp this!)</span></li>
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Why is it that a monkey can see the Forest through the Trees, yet some Humans choose entanglement in organized despair religions, masquerading as Natural Paths? </div>
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I have heard the noisy chatter of empty wisdom parrot speak - mindless repetition from countless overheard speeches and words read in books. It is this clamor that has brought me here. I am curious as to why humans choose such foolishness and call it Natural. <span style="line-height: 1.4em;">It is difficult for those of us on the true Natural Path to witness. </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.4em;">We welcome others to see the forest through the trees - To BE the Tree AND the Forest. All that is required is to BE! </span></div>
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It gets no more <b><i>Natural </i></b>than that...</div>
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<i><b>Monkey Man</b></i></div>
</div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-23328355192041914032012-02-08T11:54:00.000-08:002012-02-08T11:57:32.238-08:00SRCM and Sahaj Marg Renamed as Natural Path MeditationSince late 2010, several SRCM centers in the US and possibly abroad, appear to have changed references to SRCM in their public meeting announcements on the MeetUp.com and other public Internet sites, using instead a new name of either "Natural Path Meditation Group" or "Natural Path Meditation Center". They also appear to be replacing the term Sahaj Marg with the brand, "Natural Path Meditation"to describe their meditation practice.<br />
<br />
For quite some time now, a web search of "SRCM" or "Sahaj Marg" results in one or more blogs critical of SRCM showing up in the early search results. One can easily theorize that such a concerted deception is an attempt to keep prospective members from being informed prior to attending an introductory workshop. Interestingly, many of these Internet meetup invitations also neglect to mention any spiritual Master by name or title.<br />
<br />
I am not aware of any official announcement of the re-naming of Sahaj Marg, however, I will honor the SRCM leaderships apparent push to quietly re-brand SRCM/Sahaj Marg. Going forward I will refer to Sahaj Marg as <b>Natural Path Meditation</b> and the SRCM or Shri Ram Chandra Mission as either the <b>Natural Path Meditation Group</b> or the <b>Natural Path Meditation Center</b>.<br />
<br />
I hope this clears up any confusion folks my have in their quest to understand more about this organization and its meditation practice.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Michael</i><br />
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<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-41629696663945417422010-12-05T14:34:00.000-08:002010-12-05T14:34:00.763-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This post is re-published from my <a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/2010/12/manifestation-of-spiritual-hierarchies.html">personal blog</a>. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MANIFESTATION OF SPIRITUAL HIERARCHIES</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">MANIFESTATION OF THE COLLECTIVE MIND</span></b></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">We live in a reality that is manifested by our very thoughts. Our collective minds have gathered around a common perspective of Time/Space, establishing a shared reference within the fabric of Ether. Beyond this thought construct, lies an infinite expanse that mind cannot comprehend. Within this construct, however, we share a common reference of Time/Space and share physical and mental laws and limitations.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The Collective Mind imposes a powerful boundary that limits the Individual Mind from venturing into the un-imaginable and potentially mind-shattering realm of the Infinite. Beyond the Collective Reality, the laws and rules that we have manifested do not apply.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRgg8coYCviHZow-atK7W4zmoqwnZM0Z7cjZHqsKSt7cWFRXEAitMvfWZR-9Eiw7oPjljZ0S2I6MfqNR2YC6NuMimBDQ-iL2Deh5XIqXJetF72WDxw26Efb0SVCBnJiauIZeV3w/s1600/Collective+Reality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbRgg8coYCviHZow-atK7W4zmoqwnZM0Z7cjZHqsKSt7cWFRXEAitMvfWZR-9Eiw7oPjljZ0S2I6MfqNR2YC6NuMimBDQ-iL2Deh5XIqXJetF72WDxw26Efb0SVCBnJiauIZeV3w/s320/Collective+Reality.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">When the Individual Mind suspends belief in the Collective Reality, it is able to experience the impossibilities that lie beyond. A mind altered by drug-induced hallucinations, sleep deprivation, dreams or mental instability, can stumble into a realm that appears very real, yet defies the constraints of the Collective Reality. The Individual Mind can also suspend belief through various mind-distracting practices, like meditation or sensory deprivation and have similar experiences. The influence of another Individual mind can also cause in the suspension of belief in another individual mind resulting in experiences outside the realm of the Collective Reality. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Regardless of the method, when an Individual is able to suspend belief in the Collective Reality, any experiences or resulting capabilities that defy the perceived boundaries of Time/Space are immediately discounted by the “rational mind”. These experiences are written off as coincidence, mass hypnosis, illusion, insanity or worse. When the rational mind takes over the experiences cease to occur.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">We exist in a web of entanglements that lie within an infinite expanse. We each experience an individual and shared journey in that infinite expanse. Any experiences of this Infinite Journey are filtered through our collective and individual manifestation. It is possible to remain so entangled in our manifestation that we cannot even acknowledge the possibility of an Infinite Journey, let alone experience it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">In other words:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"></div><ol><li>Our mind manifests the reality and associated limitations in which we exist</li>
<li>Our individual and collective manifestation exists within an infinite expanse</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Every individual is on an Infinite Journey that is experienced through or limited by our individual/collective manifestation.</span></li>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">SPIRITUAL HIERARCHIESS AND THE COLLECTIVE MIND<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Spiritual and Religious Hierarchs use techniques that confuse or divert the individual mind from the Collective Reality, causing momentary suspension of belief. This results in experiences that defy the collective manifestation. Hierarchs reinforce the individual’s belief of inadequacy in order to establish dependency on the Hierarch for these experiences. It is an ancient technique and few who are capable of this can resist the temptation to claim their supremacy for bringing about these experiences<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">But it does not end there…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">To create a Spiritual or Religious Hierarchy, the Hierarch focuses the minds of their converts to create an Alternate Reality - an Alternate Reality that overlaps the already established Collective Reality. This new reality conveniently revolves around the manifestation of Hierarch as the supreme sovereign. They create a trusted Inner Circle that reinforces the Alternate Reality. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Any thoughts of the Infinite Journey are obliterated. The Individual is instructed to accept the Hierarch’s manifestation as their own. They forgo any pursuit of an Infinite Journey in lieu of achieving some elusive goal established within the Alternate Reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1M2i5Kt-Kbaz08C2rqGFXV77nh-CumCE09htsoKOVuAuYUz2g0eWqUeRMrfzCGSY51H3kvsoV8cfApiRbFXvzEuR4-jiTas2QAJOrhUmZa0r14nPqdne3btoFGIVRWooQFVWXQ/s1600/Alternate+Reality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1M2i5Kt-Kbaz08C2rqGFXV77nh-CumCE09htsoKOVuAuYUz2g0eWqUeRMrfzCGSY51H3kvsoV8cfApiRbFXvzEuR4-jiTas2QAJOrhUmZa0r14nPqdne3btoFGIVRWooQFVWXQ/s320/Alternate+Reality.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">This overlapping Alternate Reality sets up a parallel existence for those who participate in it. It is very real - with its own levels of achievement, always around some ultimate goal, only accessible to those who totally surrender to the Hierarch and his/her Alternate Reality. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Individuals who succumb to this new reality experience a sense of empowerment. They are part of something that extends beyond the Collective Reality. Any sense of inadequacy in the Collective Reality is replaced by the dependency on the Hierarch and his/her Alternate Reality. Participants in the Hierarchy cling to their new reality with a fervor that can be unsettling to those observing it from the outside. This is how Cults are formed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The process of indoctrination into a Spiritual Hierarchy is as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">1) The Individual experiences nothing beyond the Collective Reality and either believes nothing lies beyond it or accepts that they are incapable of experiencing it on their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">2) Through the association with a Spiritual Hierarch, the Individual has experiences that defy the rational mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">3) The Spiritual Hierarch claims responsibility for the Individual’s new experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">4) The Spiritual Hierarch reinforces the Individuals sense of spiritual inadequacy and offers guidance to overcome it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">5) The Disciple surrenders their thought power to The Spiritual Hierarch who uses it to continually manifest an Alternate Reality<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">6) The Disciple embraces the Alternate Reality and replaces the Collective Reality with it<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">7) The Disciple becomes enslaved to a new collective manifestation, but one that revolves around a Spiritual Hierarch.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">There is speculation that some Hierarchs are sincere and truly have the best interests in mind for their disciples at heart. It is more likely that these Hierarchs are so entangled in their own Alternate Reality that they are unaware of the damage they have done. It is my belief that ANY Spiritual Hierarchy that claims to have a defined goal and insists that the Individual must become dependent upon the Hierarch and Hierarchy, only results in a new set of entanglements. The Infinite Journey is replaced by a finite goal that serves the Hierarch and his/her Inner Circle and Successors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">THE LIFE CYCLE OF ALTERNATE REALITIES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Alternate Realities have shown some longevity, but none can outlive the primary Collective Reality that they overlap. They begin with the inception by a spiritually adept Individual seeking greatness, however, in order to build their Hierarchy, they require an Inner Circle and a series of successors. It is the very Inner Circle that sustains the Hierarchy, which ultimately destroys it. Dissention within the Inner Circle creates fragmentation of the Alternate Reality. The collective manifestation becomes weakened and the power-seeking members of the Inner Circle loose power over the masses. The Alternate Reality dwindles and once forgotten, ceases to exist.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">This life cycle can be said to have five stages<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">1)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Inception<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">2)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Establishment of Inner Circle<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">3)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Dissention within the Inner Circle<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">4)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Fragmentation <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">5)<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Dissolution <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Religions, spiritual organizations, even political movements all appear to follow this life cycle. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">THE INFINITE JOURNEY OF THE INDIVIDUAL<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Some spiritually inspired Individuals do not seek greatness or choose to create a hierarchy around themselves. They silently proceed on their respective Infinite Journey, occasionally inspiring other individuals to peek outside their own manifestation and into the Infinite. This powerful and silent thread weaves throughout the history of humanity and influences every age, every religion and every spiritual movement. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">These Individuals generally remain nameless, choosing not to participate in the enslavement of the masses or creation of Alternate Realities. They instead inspire others, one by one, without asking for anything in return or attracting attention to themselves. These inspired Individuals are everywhere and exist in all time. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Those who seek out such Individuals for guidance are rarely successful. This is not due to their being unworthy. What limits seekers is the very belief that they are not worthy of experiencing the Infinite on their own and must seek guidance. Once a seeker realizes that they themselves are whom they seek, they begin to receive the infinite bounty that exists beyond our Collective Reality and the Infinite Journey commences. The Individual embraces their existence for what it IS without the need to manifest anything to justify their Is-Ness. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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</b></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-40473646309145402882010-06-12T12:00:00.000-07:002010-06-12T12:16:49.701-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQlqzNYZ2oAI9HV_DQ3wyqssI7iB4fY1YsmyNOqsFeWoNqrqNHyDx2ugtnekyRu9HUtjYxBpg6H7P7p2SkkYppjcK3NZeBQqQ9Io5Z0xQ3YdZ9JIQXNHXBiUPrRSj2UW-OYiBqQ/s1600/BuffaloGold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQlqzNYZ2oAI9HV_DQ3wyqssI7iB4fY1YsmyNOqsFeWoNqrqNHyDx2ugtnekyRu9HUtjYxBpg6H7P7p2SkkYppjcK3NZeBQqQ9Io5Z0xQ3YdZ9JIQXNHXBiUPrRSj2UW-OYiBqQ/s320/BuffaloGold.jpg" /></a></div><i><b>SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM</b></i><br />
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As SRCM and its offshoot organizations experience turmoil and disputes amongst its most senior members and leaders, it brings into question the founding principles of the organization and the meditation practice itself. <br />
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The Buddhist monk Chogyam Trungpa wrote the book "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism in 1973 that inspired me in my early spiritual practice prior to my introduction to SRCM. Having gone through the SRCM experience for over 10 years and having yet another nearly 20 years since my departure to process that experience, I have had lots of time to develop some thoughts of my own on the subject of Spiritual Materialism. While my article on my <a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/">other blog </a>is not specific to SRCM, it seems a timely subject given the current circumstances that SRCM finds itself in.<br />
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I've put a link to the article below:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/2010/06/spiritual-materialism.html"> Spiritual Materialism</a></div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-84059828049169326922009-12-09T08:09:00.000-08:002009-12-09T09:52:26.438-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">IS-NESS: An Alternative Spiritual View</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;"> " Given that I have forsaken the concept of a goal based</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> path and have</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> embraced the Infinite Journey, I have been forced to adopt a different view of things based on nearly 3 decades of experience in the Yogic, Sufi, Mystical Christian and Shamanic traditions. Like any intellectual pursuit in the realm of spirituality, my personal view is limited by my own human mind’s inability describe the Infinite Experience - so suffice it to say it i</span><span style="font-family: arial;">s an evolving </span><span style="font-family: arial;">an</span><span style="font-family: arial;">d limited description that I have formulated on my personal and inexplicable Infinite Journey. While it is yet another attempt create an organized spiritual view of something that is inherently inconceivable, I have found it extremely helpful and have chosen to share it here for others to benefit from." <a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/2009/12/is-ness-alternative-spiritual-view.html">more...</a> </span></b></span><br />
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</div>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-9556235376108543452008-10-25T11:45:00.000-07:002008-10-25T11:54:33.851-07:00<a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3uHPT6dzbcOLCXK60SdS6ZfKa8IMFWYRwhQRdVUJouCibZKvh1fJf-2EZU6pyavY48W_fVzXB8MDHZctowccgQOfC6M0GCKrjfeLVxKlg9J3ixNPEJMmTiWYmq3Idbncus1p/s1600-h/DancingDude.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 424px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3uHPT6dzbcOLCXK60SdS6ZfKa8IMFWYRwhQRdVUJouCibZKvh1fJf-2EZU6pyavY48W_fVzXB8MDHZctowccgQOfC6M0GCKrjfeLVxKlg9J3ixNPEJMmTiWYmq3Idbncus1p/s320/DancingDude.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261140179045550498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Law of Creation</span></span><br />Reprinted From Personal Blog: <a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/">SkaiJourney</a><br /><br /></span>Creation</span><br />At the moment of creation the Creator/Primordial Singularity transformed into an infinitely expanding sea of energy. Vibrating from the moment of creation, energy organized into living matter, forming new singularities capable of new creation. This process of unfolding transforms into life that creates new life, linked inextricably to the Creator by the vibration emanating from the instant of creation.<br /><br />We are made of spirit, energy and matter, spawned from the Primordial Singularity. We are singularities, responsible for our own creation.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Co-Creation</span><br />We are not self contained creators however. We do not create our reality in a vacuum. The source of our spirit-energy is not us, but around us. The initial gift of life, the primordial spirit-energy, comes from the Creator. We all share this common gift, however, we also rely on energy co-created by others for sustenance. We evolve through co-creation, which happens when we acknowledge the link our spirit-energy has with that of the Creator and Co-Creators and truly surrender to the creation process.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Co-Dependency</span><br />Sprit-energy is organized into inter-linked singularities with a diverse set of motivations to create. These spiritual motivations range from passive, cooperative to power seeking.<br /><br />Self serving, power seeking sprits exploit the willingness of passive spirits to steal their spirit-energy in order to expand their influence upon the co-creation process. This aspect of creation law, insures that inactive co-creators are subsumed by active ones in a co-dependent cycle of creation and re-creation.<br /><br />Such co-dependent spirit-energy relationships create an unbalance in the universe. Just as the Creator, as a sole singularity was compelled to spawn the creation, exploding into an expanding creation of many, any attempt by creative elements to merge into one singularity will also eventually result in destruction and re-distribution of energy. This satisfies the law of creation as it results in the process of re-creation. All that have merged into the singularity are destroyed, returned to an elemental state and scattered across time-space to form new organized pockets of creation. This cycle occurs again and again as spirit-energy power continues to revolve around an unsustainable, unbalanced cycle of dependency. This is the law of creation and re-creation.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Inter-Dependency</span><br />Spiritual Sovereignty is the sustainable process of co-creation. To remain sustainable, it requires balance. This balance requires that spirit-energy singularities continue to create, at the same time respecting an nurturing the creation of other singularities. No singularity can exist without creating. Likewise, no singularity that swallows up others to amass power and creation autonomy, can be sustained without eventual destruction. Most importantly, no singularity can be sustained without depending on spirit-energy from outside itself.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sustainability</span><br />We as spirit-energy beings are linked and live by the laws of creation. At one end of the spectrum, we must create or be swallowed up by other creation forces. The law of creation insures this. At the other end of the spectrum, when we fail to maintain balance through co-creation, and choose to swallow up and control others, our creation will ultimately be destroyed to release creative energies to reorganize into sustainable sprit-energy. These aspects of creation and sustainability exist on all levels of existence.<br /><br />When spiritual guidance devolves into a co-dependent relationship, it creates an imbalance in creation. Sustainable spirituality requires two things:<br /><br />1. Co-Creators surrender to their natural requirement to create<br />2. Co-Creators seek sustainable relationships with the Creator and its co-creators.<br /><br />At the universal level, balance is always maintained. At the human level however, tragic consequences occur when an individual relinquishes their responsibility to create and surrenders their essence to other creation forces. The tragedy grows exponentially, when others choose to exploit passive spirits to create a power base to fuel their own personal creation. There is no sustainable version of such co-dependencies. There is no benign version of co-dependent master/disciple relationships that doesn't ultimately result in the destruction of both the master and disciple. Demanding that the masses surrender to a singular human being, creates an unsustainable spirit-energy creation. We can see this law of creation playing itself out with our world economic banking system where so many surrendered the responsibility of wealth creation to a few, and the few created unsustainable banking structures. The natural result is total destruction and redistribution of wealth.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Surrender</span><br /><br />True surrender comes when co-creators surrender to the process of co-creation. The concept of surrender is perverted by those who insist that we surrender our god given ability to create to another in exchange for salvation, security, or the common good. This, by any other name is slavery. It always results in its own destruction in order to renew the creation process.<br /><br />Before our eyes we can see spiritual, religious, political, and economic structures created and destroyed just as we see co-dependent relationships in our individual lives result in destruction. It is the duty of all sentient human beings to surrender to the creation process. In doing so we must be responsible for our own creation, and sustain it by respecting the boundaries of of other co-creators and fostering sustainable inter-dependencies. Spirituality is supposed to be the process of learning these interdependencies, yet so often, spiritual and religious organizations are created that demand the total surrender of individual creative energy. We must first address our spiritual sickness and co-dependencies within ourselves before we can ever expect the world around us to evolve into a more sustainable environment.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-33209653704219483592008-04-19T11:10:00.000-07:002012-02-08T08:21:13.435-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fmglpvvguijOqvHFL7KfbkKUHC1gcvHa3Fj8wghU3QBq_F9JVNWLD_mDrTyqRqqXiJ_uV0dPJgrk3ZF5laQ8_MchKeESA0zfefSotxo1Es-i8hPcwpqdNXkXaZAlP-njC_inBg/s1600-h/eagle.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191020636459229554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9fmglpvvguijOqvHFL7KfbkKUHC1gcvHa3Fj8wghU3QBq_F9JVNWLD_mDrTyqRqqXiJ_uV0dPJgrk3ZF5laQ8_MchKeESA0zfefSotxo1Es-i8hPcwpqdNXkXaZAlP-njC_inBg/s320/eagle.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">SPIRITUAL SOVEREIGNTY</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">I have recently posted an article on my personal blog that I believe is pertinent to the discussion on this site. In my younger days during my involvement in SRCM, I did not have the intellectual sophistication to understand principles of spiritual sovereignty. Sadly, these principles were not taught to me by those whom I entrusted with my worldly and spiritual training. Years later, I have realized that my resolve to leave SRCM was due to the affront to my own spiritual sovereignty which has become an increasingly important theme in my ongoing journey. In my heart, I understood this even at a young age, however, it has taken decades to uncover the actual principles that are the foundation of my inner resolve to remain a free and sovereign soul and spirit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">This </span><a href="http://skaijourney.blogspot.com/2008/04/defending-spiritual-sovereignty.html" style="font-weight: bold;">article</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> explains my current thoughts on this subject.</span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-596840065322237772007-04-02T04:14:00.000-07:002007-04-02T05:47:10.171-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="font-family:arial;">There have been many comments on other sites that refer to this blog, apparently by people who have either not spent sufficient if any time reading it to understand the contents, or wish specifically to misrepresent what is written here on other sites. Many of these posters have taken the approach of insulting the character of SRCM dissenters such as myself. Recently, the official <a href="http://www.srcm.org/welcome/srcminfo.jsp">SRCM.org</a> website was updated to again allow disciples to comment on our blogs (they had been forbidden to do so last year). In that comment we dissenters are described as being "at various stages of our own development" suggesting that disciples ignore our activities and only refer to the Master. This of course implies that we are not sufficiently evolved spiritually to be worthy of having a valid opinion. In addition it shows little confidence on behalf of the SRCM hierarchy, in the discrimination abilities of its disciples to process information from various sources such as this blog and others.<br /><br />Some disciples indeed have started to post comments on various blogs about SRCM since this new policy allowing them to do so. A few have choosen to make comments regarding my blog as far from the actual source without referencing this blog directly so that readers only identify my name, some vague reference to my blog, and a condescendingly implying that I may not be sufficiently spiritually inclined or informed to have a valid opinion. So it now appears in word and in action that this is the new "official" approach to handling those who question the direction that the SRCM has taken over the years. I recently posted the comment below in response to a few anonymous commenters in <a href="http://www.geocities.com/sha211_211/srcm.html">Shashwat's site.</a></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><br />I've put it here as a sort of "readers digest" summary of the points made in this blog. I believe it also reflects the key points made on the sites of <a href="http://pourquevivelesahajmarg.blogspot.com">Elodie</a>, <a href="http://shriramchandramission.blogspot.com/">Alexis</a>, <a href="http://4d-don.blogspot.com/">4d-Don</a>, and others. I hope that this helps keep discussions here and elsewhere on track as disciples respond. I am happy to say that not all disciples have taken this tact as a few have commented on this site making their points respectfully.<br /><br /></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> All,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> I fear we are getting into personal assaults, and sarcastic insults as opposed to having an actual debate or dialog. I am also somewhat amused that some SRCM members choose to criticize the contents of my blog in remote comment pages such as this where my words cannot be cross referenced. They have not even the courtesy to include the link to my blog for reference which makes their motives appear to be nothing other than an attack against my character without any substance.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> So for reference of anyone who chooses to read it, my blog is: innercircleofsrcm.blogspot.com</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> I'd like to make a couple of points in my defense:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. I do not judge Chari, Babuji or Lalaji as individuals, nor do I question their spiritual approach, but it is within my rights as a thinking human being to have opinions about their actions and the results of their actions. It is also my human birthright to choose who I should trust and obey based on my own discrimination. I should be free to explain to others how I came to choose whom I trust and obey and whom I do not and why.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 2. I make no claims to my own spiritual approach, however not claiming to be a Master or in the "Central Region" does not negate the validity of my arguments.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 3. I reinforce this by encouraging all who comment on my blog that their experiences and personal analysis and opinions are valid and worth considering. I discourage comments that are not based on personal experiences and simply reiterate SRCM doctrine without thoughtful analysis.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 4. I have striven to provide only verifiable facts on my blog that I can reference or have directly experienced. I've also clearly identified where comments are my analysis and opinion and base them on facts not myths or hearsay.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 5. There is no intention to convince people in SRCM to leave. I state this from the beginning of my blog and repeat it throughout. My objective is to simply to state the facts and clear the air with regards to my experiences and departure from SRCM for others to make their own conclusions. This has obviously caused a problem within SRCM as evidenced by the personal attacks on me and my character.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> I have worked hard to make my points with truthfulness, and integrity. I may have angered some by being a little too critical of their comments, and I apologize for any hurt feelings. In every instance, however, I have striven to abide by what I have outlined above.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Since many commenting here will likely not take the time to actually read my Blog in detail yet use its title as a basis for sarcastic conclusions, I'll make my key points here. I'll keep them simple:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 1. In the late 70s SRCM was presented as a light organizational structure established to provide spiritual training.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 2. Training was offered for free. Books were few and very affordable. The practice was practical for a typical householder with a family and career. The practice was not marketed to the community, but was simply made available, by word of mouth, to those interested. There was no urgent need to grow numbers. Quality not quantity was the motto. The Guru was a friend and a guide, not one who was worshiped. Meditation was taught out of the homes of preceptors and disciples. Discrimination of what is right and wrong was supposed to be developed as part of the practice. Gatherings were done in rented halls and peoples homes. These were the principles in which attracted myself and many others at that time.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 3. As one got more involved, one discovered that SRCM claimed to provide exclusive access to higher reaches of development. In other words, no other system could compare. The Master was deemed as the highest living evolved Master and it was eluded to that he might be "the special personality" sent to this world to do divine tasks and we were fortunate to be associated with such a person.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 4. Rancor existed between senior preceptors during Babuji's days. There was a major rift between P. Rajagopalachari and several other senior members as well as Babuji's sons. This rancor only continued in Babuji's death.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 5. As SRCM evolved, meditation training and gatherings required purchased property by SRCM. Disciples were constantly expected to purchase expensive books and book subscriptions. The Organization itself became an entity that one must serve and be obedient to.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 6. Unquestioning obedience became expected of every disciple. The concept of developing Discrimination appears to have been eliminated, apparently as this goes counter to unquestioning obedience and implies that such obedience must be earned out of the discrimination of the disciple not demanded by the Master. Not only had obedience to the Master become something demanded but now obedience to the Mission was added as a critical element to the practice. Disciples are regularly criticized for not being sufficiently obedient and unquestioning of the Master and the Mission as evidenced by several published talks by PR, many of which have conveniently been removed from their websites after dissenters such as myself referenced them in our blogs.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 7. An Inner Circle is a necessary tool for any hierarchical organization. It can be used to establish order and protect the integrity of an organization. Conversely it can become a manipulative power structure to control and manipulate members of the organization. My blog discusses this in detail as it applies to spiritual AND secular organizations. I also indicate what I believe are key characteristics of a power based Inner Circle from my own personal experience in spirituality and business.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 8. The SRCM organization has broken into at least three splinter groups. Accusations of poisonings and even murder have been exchanged between PRs SRCM and the primary opposing splinter group run by Babuji's family. There continues to be a legal battle over who owns the Emblem, the SRCM moniker, and the property. This indicates that there is something of value and/or power contained in controlling these things.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 9. My thesis is that the drifting from the basic principles occurred over the years due to the insistence on creating an exclusive organization, claiming exclusive access to the highest level of human attainment, requiring access to an single living man, no other, to get you there. Out of this grew a culture of power and control. Wealth was created from this power over the years and, as a result, many fight over control of the power and wealth that has grown since the SRCM inception.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> 10. I would argue that unless SRCM returns to these basic principles and eliminate the concept of exclusivity, these problems will continue. I reference the Yogic and Sufi traditions from which SRCM was derived, and note that they have avoided these downfalls for centuries by avoiding establishment of exclusivity in the Master, Organization or Methods used to train aspirants.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> If we want to have a constructive conversation, lets discuss these points. Unfortunately, it appears that the only method to debate these facts and opinions is to insult the one presenting them with degrading, uninformed and sarcastic comments. I will maintain my points and respect opposing points and arguments.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> This is a public record, and those who choose to attack dissenting opinions by insulting their character or implying spiritual inadequacy will not stand up to public scrutiny, and I see little point in responding directly beyond what I have done here.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"> Michael </span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-1152012050193023262006-07-04T04:20:00.000-07:002012-02-08T08:18:53.517-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;">OCTOBER 16, 2006 FINAL POST - LESSONS IN POWER PART 8: ANALYSIS<br /><br />I have made my final entry in the LESSONS IN POWER section of this blog. I consider my work done here, but will continue to respond to comments and questions. Those wishing to send me any personal messages may do so by commenting here with their contact information. I will not publish private correspondences.<br /><br />I hope that this has been helpful to those who have left the SRCM or are questioning their involvement. At the very least, it is my sincere wish that by providing my truthful thoughts and experiences, here, that an honest discussion can occur that strengthen's everyone's confidence in whatever spiritual direction they choose.<br /><br />Michael<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: red;">UPDATE FEBRUARY 24, 2007</span><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">Recent postings of letters and accusations against Chari's SRCM from the Shahjahanpur based SRCM introduced by Navneet, Babuji’s grandson, ( www.srcmshahajahanpur.org.in) has caused may questions. I'm going to attempt to address this as best I can as I am being asked to do so by several who comment regularly on my Blog. What is written below is based on facts as best I can recollect them, along with my own personal analysis and assessments of characters and underlying intentions of each character involved. </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Lawsuits, Letters and Quotes from Dead People</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">SRCM has many divisions and factions, the two main warring factions I will refer to in this article as the Chari Clan, and the Umesh Clan. I use these terms because their behavior can easily be likened to Clan warfare. </span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Both clans are guilty of using the same techniques to discredit the other Clan and bolster their own credibility. Chari claims that the Umesh clan poisoned him with arsenic. Umesh produces a letter written by Babuji in Paris in 1982 claiming that Chari was poisoning Him. Both sides file legal actions against the other and produce signed, typed letters from Babuji making bold and contradictory claims. Both sides claim credibility from communications with the Dead. As an example, the Umesh Clan website quotes Lalaji from the grave claiming Babuji as Master until the end of earth ( http://www.srcmshahjahanpur.org.in/facts.html ). A quote that clearly was not made while Lalaji was alive! Chari recently had a French medium allegedly communicate with Babuji from the dead and publishes it as a book. Naturally all comments from Babuji are complementary of Chari.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">This behavior has it’s source from Babuji himself. He meets Lalaji 3 times in person, then years after his death, claims in a dream to be told by Lalaji that he is a special personality and his sole successor. Babuji allegedly writes volumes upon volumes of autobiographical material claiming to have meetings with Jesus Christ, Buddha, Vivenkenanda, all transmitting to him and praising his spiritual prowess. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Why would anyone spiritually driven even bother to do these things? What is the natural result of creating an exclusive successor lineage, and an organization of passive, and subservient disciples who unquestioningly follow the orders of a single Master or his Organization? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">With this smokescreen being laid out by both sides I constantly hear the following questions in various blog commentary:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">1. Was Babuji Delusional?</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">2. Which side is telling the truth?</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">3. Who should one believe?</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">4. Are the letters authentic? </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Like any good political or religious organization, these are the questions that those in power want the population to ask. It distracts from the real questions and causes one to question their opposition. I suggest we ask the following questions.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">1. Why would a spiritually adept individual with humanity’s benefit in mind create such mythology around them selves? </span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">2. If spiritual up liftment of Humanity is the goal, why would nature restrict this through only one living human being?</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">3. Why does a spiritual organization like the SRCM have so many factions that are fighting for control? </span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">4. What do they desire to control that is so important that they resort to this kind of behavior?</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">5. If all parties agree that Babuji’s letters can be forged, why give credence to any of these documents.</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">6. Why is control over the Mission’s name, emblem and property so important to the warring Clans?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">I don't have answers to any of these questions. I only suggest we ask the right questions and not get lost in the smokescreen. I will attempt to re-iterate what I know from my blog and add any further details I can below:</span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">The Guru Persona</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">Having been a preceptor once, I directly experienced the cultural influence such a position has on people. It is the easiest thing to act holy and command the attention and reverence of others in this position. Its source does not come from the Preceptor, nor does it come from the Master, it comes from the combined attention of those who believe that a preceptor/master is a source of spiritual power. It only takes one or two non-believers to destroy the communal mindset. Gurus avoid these situations like the plague to maintain their image. Chari and Babuji were no exception to this, choosing to stay close to their inner circle where they could easily maintain their persona. I’m certain that Umesh used similar techniques. Put any of them in a Texas pool hall and watch their persona and influence diminish to nothing.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Babuji's Letters</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">I</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;"> watched Babuji sign letters written by his close associates and handed to him for signing. I’ve also seen Babuji extremely sick and completely at the mercy of those around him. I suspect that the original letter that Chari produced was authentic ( http://www.srcmshahjahanpur.org.in/facts-fraud_nomination.html ), however, it did not claim that Chari was a spiritual Master. Simply that he would be president and representative. This however is only my opinion knowing the characters involved. Whether Chari and others exploited Babuji's condition to forge letters doesn’t really matter one bit as, clearly both Clans accuse the other of creating forgeries, then both sides are admitting that forging Babuji's letters was easily done. That is a fact we can all acknowledge since all parties involved have admitted to this fact.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Character Assessments</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">Chari - Chari in his disciple days made himself as visibly loyal to Babuji as possible. He inserted himself in visible ways during Babuji's trips to the West, always attending to him, always advising him, always near him. His outward appearance was very materialistic and imposing. He smoked Dunhill cigarettes, dressed extremely well, and was visibly putting him self in the public eye of westerners as a likely successor. I can only imagine how Indians resented this. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">Umesh - My experience with Umesh was from knowing him and his wife for about 2 weeks while he visited the US on his "unofficial" visit to the US. Un-official because Babuji would not make it "official". This, in and of itself, is telling. He travelled with two of the more senior Preceptors in the Mission who opposed Chari. Umesh occasionally attended sittings and showed little interest in being actively involved in the activities of the organization. I definitely felt that these two Preceptors (Ragavendra Rao and Ramacandra Reddy) had brought him along to give them some sort of additional credibility and start socializing him as a possible figure head. It was obvious to everyone that Babuji would die in a few years and this appeared to me to be a direct counter to Chari's interaction with the west. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">Overall Analysis is that both the Chari and Umesh clans were blatantly trying to woo the West for support. Chari's more westernized personality was far more effective than what was presented by his opposition. The other senior preceptors did not have the political skills nor the financial where with all to travel extensively with Babuji on his international trips. Umesh appeared to be their only figurehead given that, as his son, he had as much close access to Babuji as Chari. The validity of either seems immaterial to me as in both instances,it was a fight for control and power, having nothing to do with the spiritual upliftment of humanity and far more to do with gaining the favor of wealthy westerners.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Paris 1982</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">I attended the Paris 1982 gathering. My observation is that, at that time there were those who supported Chari and those who opposed him. Andre Poray was on the side that opposed Chari. There was no doubt in my mind that this gathering was an attempt to divert western attention away from Chari. Chari was explicitly not invited to the gathering, however, somehow, he managed to be there. I was told that this was because Babuji demanded Chari’s presence there. This may or may not be true, as Chari may simply have shown up on his own accord. Chari was in a room next to Babuji's, which adds credence to the theory that Babuji wanted him there. Members of Chari’s opposition attempted to attend to Babuji keeping Chari as far away as possible. I spent many an hour in Chari's room and witnessed Babuji's attendees sheepishly requesting Chari’s presence in Babujis room due to Babuji’s request. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">I also witnessed that Babuji was sick and delirious. Attendees would drive him to the meditation hall, and carry him into the hall, this effort requiring two large men to carry out. He would black out and fall on his knees if he tried to walk. It was as if they were carrying a corpse into the hall for all to see. Any letter written by Babuji at this time in this state, is questionable, especially such a long letter as the one on the Umesh Clan website. In my opinion, any official documents signed by Babuji during this time frame has little credibility. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Chari on the other hand was also aggressively keeping himself in the public eye. He played the role of the man in exile, holding court in his small room, inviting friendly disciples to mediate with him. It was a very effective bit of drama as he knew that people like myself would see his opposition attempt to attend to Babuji in a western country, while Babuji had come accustomed to Chari serving this role. Babuji's constant calls for Chari were embarrassing I'm sure to Chari’s opposition.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">As for the references to the doctor attending to Babuji. I spoke with the Doctor at length just after Babuji left. He was a German doctor who practiced both homeopathic and conventional, allopathic medicine. No mention of treachery. His story was that Babuji was far too sick to travel to the west and should never had made the trip. He felt that the trip to Paris would likely be the death of Babuji. Given that Babuji never fully recovered from this trip, his words have the most credibility of all other claims. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Fact and Fiction</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">Ignoring letters, legal pursuits, accusations, etc, we can at least determine the following as facts:<br /><br />1. All factions agree that Babuji's letters could easily be forged</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">2. All factions were clearly posturing for taking over the Mission during Babuji's last days</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">3. Significant importance was put on developing the Mission in the West and attracting wealthy westerners</span><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">4. All factions strove to be visibly close to Babuji during his western trips in his final years<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Hypothesis</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="color: #6666cc;">Babuji created an organization that was based on power and exclusivity. In his last years he was also an extremely sick man who clearly could be manipulated by those around him as evidenced by accusations from both sides claiming the other side exploited this situation. The push for western validation was about power and money. Chari spent significant time and effort gaining a foot hold before Babuji's death, then exploited it by traveling to Europe and the US after Babuji's death, surrounding himself with wealthy disciples from the west and creating a massive library of books from his talks and speeches. He overpowered the opposition who reacted as best they could, by discrediting Chari through whatever means necessary. Both sides exploited the corrupt Indian legal system to gain control of the name and emblem.<br /></span><span style="color: #6666cc;">There are plenty of examples of either side filing legal action against the other. One attempt in April of 2000, where Chari’s Clan filed a complaint against the Umesh Clan with ICANN, the internet domain registrar, protesting the use of sahajmarg.org as a domain name. The complaint was denied, however, this effort clearly demonstrates significant value being placed on the intellectual property of the Mission. (See http://www.arb-forum.com/domains/decisions/94237.htm for the decision). Need I remind everyone that the Legal profession both in the US and India, is not one of high integrity when it comes to these types of legal actions. Giving any credibility to the lawyers who represent these claims misses the point. These legal claims are attacks on the credibility of the opposition and simply the exploitation of the legal system for the purpose of gaining an upper hand in controling the Mission.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">What is happening here is a power grab, and, "he who has the most disciples wins" appears to be the rule of the game. I stand by my analysis in the "Lessons In Power" article in my Blog (www.innercircleofsrcm.blogspot.com). The real power comes from the disciples, not from the Master. It is easy to sit in a chair in front of thousands of doting disciples and appear to be holy. The spiritual environment is created by the people surrounding the Master, not by the Master himself. Any truly spiritual teacher will not impose anything of him self on the student, but will push the student to find it in his or her self. This is completely lacking in the SRCM system from the beginning, and neither of the warring factions have attempted to introduce anything but centralized, power based spiritual principles to their disciples. The Sufi tradition treated the teacher as a friend, house guest or grandfather. It was about human interaction and learning by example. It was about actions in the real world, not un-substantiated communications with the Brighter World. This Sufi aspect has been completely eliminated from SRCM, leaving only a misguided concept that spirituality must come from something outside oneself, and one must find the one and only true spiritual guide in the entire world to achieve it. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">I know I am repeating myself as I've already stated this in my Blog, but, the most dangerous aspect of SRCM is the creation of myths. Quoting Babuji or Lalaji from the dead, claims of inter-communication with Jesus ( who's legacy is slammed constantly by Chari and his inner circle), Buddha, etc. are easily created, and unfortunately easily believed by non-thinking, obedient members of a cult. All factions are using this technique to give themselves credibility. How hard would it be to create such myths and get obedient, unquestioning cult members to believe them? Anyone can produce a letter signed by Babuji, and invent a quote from Lalaji or Babuji from the brigher world, or claim intercommunication with Krishna or Jesus. Sadly, we have seen that the cult mentality will have throngs of individuals believing these claims without question.The actions of all those involved in all factions of this organization is embarrassingly materialistic, power seeking, and not the behavior of anyone even remotely interested in spirituality and God. There is little point in weeding through these claims to determine the truth. There’s plenty of deception, lies, and selfishness from both Clans. Its the equivalent of choosing which street gang has the least negative impact on the neighborhood, or whether the Hitler or Mussolini was the better man. There is a battle for control of the minds and souls of an extremely wealthy and subservient group of individuals. Beyond that, the true facts are vague and irrelevant. One only needs ignore the words, documents, legal filings and quotes from dead people, and examine the actions of these individuals to see the truth –and the truth will indeed set you free.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #6666cc;">Michael</span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3333ff;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com124tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-1150725875146378222006-06-19T07:00:00.000-07:002012-02-08T08:21:53.139-08:00<span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Introduction</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Over 20 years ago when I was young and impressionable, I decided to react against my protestant upbringing and explore eastern thought and meditation pracitces. Living in the northeast, there were ample choices from the Tibetan Buddist temple down the street to the Vipasana Meditation Center out in Western Massachusetts. I sought something more personal, and discovered a rag tag group of people in the US who were learning a reformed version of Raj Yoga that had somehow had combined Sufism with Yoga to create a meditative, spiritual practice. The organziation was called the Shri Ram Chandra Mission. The method of meditation they practiced was called Sahaj Marg, which means natural path.<br /><br /> I traveled to India to meet Ram Chandra, or Babuji as they called him. He was an aging retired bank clerk with an impressive presence. He still traveled to the west occasionally, but within a few years he passed away. One character who dominated in the organization was Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari, kindly referred to as Chari. This man was an imposing westernized, cigarette smoking Indian who ran a mill in India. He had the financial freedom and drive to attend most of Ram Chandra international travels.<br /><br />When Babjuji passed, Chari surfaced as his hand picked successor. This caused great controversy in India and parts of Europe, as many were offended by his strong and apparently arrogant personality and aggressive approach to running a spiritual organization. For Americans, it was normal, so many of us just accepted this behavior as status quo.<br /><br />This story is about my hasty indoctrination into Chari's inner circle and just as hasty removal. The lessons learned from human behavior around people and positions of power and influence has guided my life for more than a decade of experience. I attempt to explain in this story the evolution of my thinking starting from this experience of over 15 years ago to present day.<br /><br />The other objective of this blog is for those who currently belong to this organization, which has evolved into a large international organization that hungrily buys real estate like castles in Europe and entire neighborhoods in India. Those who choose to leave the organization are confronted with subtle and not so subtle threats of great spiritual destitude and abandonment. While I have no intention to convince anyone to leave, I do want to let those who choose to leave, that life on the other side is fine and ones spiritual quest, what ever form it takes when one leaves such an organization, does indeed continue.</span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-1150208823047995432006-06-13T06:54:00.000-07:002012-02-08T08:20:45.338-08:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/1600/sunset.0.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/200/sunset.0.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">LESSONS IN POWER: Introduction</span><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br />After my very first post "Lessons in Power", many have requested that I document my experiences in SRCM. To address these requests, I am integrating this first post into a series of 8 sections which will be published over the coming weeks:<br /><br />1. The Founder's Last Years - describing my experiences in the Mission during Babuji's last years from 1979 to 1983<br /><br />2. Death of the Master - Chariji's Early Days - outlining the power struggle that followed Babuji's death and Chari's establishment as the new President and Spiritual Representative of Babuji.<br /><br />3. The Publishing Commitee - my experiences during my invovlement in recording and publishing Chari's speeches.<br /><br />4. Establishing New Principles - observations regarding Chariji's efforts to establish "Service and Obedience to the Mission" as a new key directive in the practice of Sahaj Marg<br /><br />5. My Departure - description of my departure from the mission<br /><br />6. Meeting New Masters - exploration of the history of Sahaj Marg<br /><br />7. Recovering from SRCM - my recovery process from more than 10 years of indoctrination<br /><br />8. Analysis - My personal analysis of how cultism evolves and the source of a Guru's power.<br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 130%;">LESSONS IN POWER Part 1: The Founder's Last Years</span><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: arial;">When I joined SRCM in 1979, I was 19 years old. I had taught myself to meditate at the age of 13 and wished to receive some training and guidance. I sought out a low key organization that didn’t want money or exploit people. I was not interested in joining a cult but sincerely wanted to explore how meditation could calm the mind and help one in their journey towards God.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;">Sahaj Marg seemed perfect for me. This organization seemed not to be about money at all. Several key factors attracted me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">1. Prosthelytizing was not encouraged</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />2. Training was offered for free</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />3. There was no focus on buildings or property</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />4. The practice did not involve cultural or religious indoctrination</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />5. Focus on experience as opposed to study of the practice</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />At the time I joined, Babuji was in his last years. I traveled to Denmark in 1980 to meet him for the first time. Here I also met Chari, his apparent right hand man when traveling abroad. Chari was a very westernized, Dunhill smoking Indian executive. He seemed very European and interacted well with the westerners. He was clearly part of Babuji’s inner circle.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />The Danish center was one of the first in the west, with an impressive group of middle aged, successful abhaysis who seemed to love Babuji had integrated Sahaj Marg into their European lifestyle. This impressed me, as they did not dress up as Indians or pretend to be something other than Danes.<br /><br />Babuji spoke little, preferring to sit with his disciples and smoke his sweet tobacco smelling hooka pipe. When he traveled, he would publish a short message in lieu of giving public talks, and instead remained available for people to simply sit quietly with him. Occasionally, he would offer to meditate with the group.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;">It was a compelling experience for a young impressionable 20 year old such as myself.<br /><br />I followed him to Munich where things turned dark. Andre Poray, who was a senior French Preceptor was there and appeared to be a rival of Chari’s. The rumors were that Andre, while extremely successful in attracting large numbers in France, had also attracted people who were not necessarily sincere in their spiritual practice but were interested in black arts. I can’t say for sure whether these rumors were true or not, but, I witnessed the beginning of a very dark series of events. Babuji suddenly stopped being available to the larger group, and Chari’s demeanor went from jovial westernized Indian to being very curt and secretive.<br /><br />I left Munich this point, but others close to me told stories of Babuji and Chariji showing up for a group meditation dressed in black. A group meditation occurred where some one meditating in the crowd shouted out and became delirious. Andre Poray helped to remove him from the room and the sitting was topped. Babuji quickly left the scene with Chari. Later Chari was quoted as saying, “I will never go to France again”. Given that he was in Germany, the assumption was that this little incident had something to do with the goings on in France and the rivalry between Andre Poray and Chari.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;">Having missed some of these incidents, I choose not to think too much about them until much later in my practice.<br /><br />Prior to my first trip to India in 1981, three Indians did an un-authorized tour of the US. Babuji’s son, Umesh Saxena, and two senior preceptors, Ragavendra Rao and RamaChandra Reddy. They stayed in my center for a week or more, and traveled a bit to centers in the US. It was made clear however that this was an “unofficial” visit. The intent of this trip seemed innocent at the time. I befriended the two senior Preceptors, and they clearly made great efforts to get favor with the Americans, going so far as to dress up in western suits when meeting prospective abhyasis for the first time.<br /><br />Umesh, Babuji’s son, seemed to me to be along for the ride. He was not a preceptor, and occasionally took sittings. He told a few stories about pretending to give sittings to kids while growing up. There was some talk about him being able to transmit because he was Babuji’s son, but, he was for some reason not allowed to do so. In retrospect, this was the second incident I witnessed that indicated some internal strife within the organization that had been created to make Sahaj Marg available, but at the time, I was young and naive, and willing to overlook the obvious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">I traveled to India in 1981 and stayed in the Ashram in Shahjahanpur. It was the only property the Mission owned at the time – a beautiful complex located a few miles from Babuji’s house. Prior to this property, abhyasis would stay at Babuji’s house. The ashram was built to accommodate the larger numbers that started to travel to visit Babuji. No money was requested, but donations were accepted to pay for food and operations. The basic feeling was that of hospitality, we were Babuji’s guests.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />The last time I saw Babuji was in France. Chari, who was not invited, went against his statement in Munich and showed up anyway. It was clear at this time that Andre Poray and Chari were in a bitter power struggle and a public display for the masses was put on. Andre ran the show, giving long talks and being seen with Babuji. Chari hid in his room and gave sittings. Privately he complained about the goings on in France. At one point he said, “I want to get up and give a talk of my own by putting a microphone to my heart and say, hear the voice of the Master”. He was allowed to give a talk, his talk was lengthy as well. I remember innocently telling him that it was a good talk but it was a bit long. He seemed shocked by this comment.<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">During this last visit to the west, Babuji was frail and made few public appearances. In one appearance he was walked down the isle to give a sitting, two large men held each arm. His legs would give out and he would start to fall, they would hold him up and continue to walk him down towards the stage. I was sitting at the edge of the isle looking down sadly when Babuji was being walked by me. At that instant, in spite of the two men holding him up, he fell over on top of me. I was shocked and devastated. The message I received from this was that he was dying. This overshadowed the rest of the gathering, and overwhelmed any thoughts of the ongoing power struggle between Poray and Chari.<br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">LESSONS IN POWER Part 2: Death Of The Master - Chari's Early Days</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">In 1983 Babuji grew sick. Conflicting messages came from various factions throughout India. Umesh Saxena clearly was attempting to take the stage by sending notices that Babuji would be healed and would live to the age of 100 or more. Babuji finally passed. At this point in time, the battle began for control of the Mission.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">Chari immediately produced his letter from Babuji stating that he was the designated successor. Umesh Saxena wrote a letter to all centers saying in broken English “I have little evidence that Chari’s claims are not correct”. Ragavendra Rao and his associates appeared to side with Umesh, and a legal battle ensued which prevented Chari from having control of the Ashram in Shahjahanpur. Chari eventually gained sufficient legal status to establish himself as the President of the Mission. He garnered support from the west, having befriended the more senior disciples in Denmark, Germany and the US. Almost immediately, he traveled to the west to establish his base, making speeches and publishing every talk he made for the masses to read.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">I made one trip to India to where Lalaji’s birthday was to be celebrated in Shahjahanpur. Chari choose to be there, although he was clearly not invited. A large group of Chari supporters arrived with Chari a week before the celebrations. Chari stayed in Babuji’s cottage, and kept Babuji’s Chair empty and visible as a symbol. I had married an Indian and spent my time with the Indian contingent and was asked to help with nighttime security, walking the compound. On the third night, an Indian friend told me that my help was not needed and that I should do and sleep. A jeep had pulled up and there was lots of talking going on. Clearly some sort of incident was about to happen, and the Indians were trying to protect me from it.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> That morning, I awoke to find gates locking the entrances to the dormitory. The water shut off, and all the staff who ran the Ashram were gone or hiding.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">People were able exit from small doors from the dormitory, and eventually it was decided that we were to all move to the farm next door run by the Tandon family, who were loyal to Chari. We stayed in tents and camped there in view of the Ashram. I was delegated as the Western Representative as I had recently had a suit tailored in India and had it with me. Chari seemed to like my innocent, and sincere way of explaining things. I was asked to have my account typed up by a typist, but in fact Chari dictated the entire account himself while I was present. I was sent to speak with the local magistrate and gave interviews to the press about the “international incident” that had occurred in Shahjahanpur. I took a letter signed by US abhyasis to the US embassy to file a formal complaint about our treatment there. This gained me lots of favor from Chari and allowed me a peek into his Inner Circle. The next year I was made Preceptor.<br /><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">Lessons In Power Part 3: The Publishing Committee</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">Prior to my becoming a preceptor, the Zonal Secretary of the US had befriended me and asked me to be involved in the North American Publishing Committee. Since I was an engineer who designed digital recording equipment for a living, my skills were directed towards recording and editing Chari’s speeches. I remained on the periphery of the NAPC. The members of that committee were senior abhyasis who were loyal to Chari. Their efforts were clearly important to Chari and being a member of this committee afforded up close and personal meetings with him that often pre-empted other activities. Members of this committee used their involvement to gain exclusive access to Chari as a result. The atmosphere within the committee was that of exclusivity and importance. Chari’s style of managing this group was to insist on his total control of the flow of his words into published tapes, videos, and books. My involvement was tolerated due to the need for technical expertise, but in no way was I accepted into the inner fold. Secret meetings occurred without me on regular basis. These meetings generally involved discussions around the content of what was being published and I was only involved in discussions that required logistical or technical decisions. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">While I was sufficiently trusted to be allowed into this exclusive circle, activities in this committee required intense interaction with Chari and members jealously guarded that privilege by keeping me at arms length. Here I saw for the first time how a Guru uses his inner circle draw people in, and test their devotion to him. Others clearly saw that this was an opportunity for relative new comers such as myself to shine and gain favor. Subtle efforts were made to insure that my work was overshadowed by theirs. I was tasked with the un-glamorous work of running tape recorders and editing the recordings for publication. My job was to insure that Chari had a copy of every speech as soon as the speech was over. This was sufficiently important to him that I was allowed to deliver these tapes personally, however, other members of the committee would occasionally insist on intervening and delivering these tapes themselves. The unique attention I created from this new attention getting task was not going be allowed to be exclusively mine!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">Volumes of tape recordings were produced on a yearly basis, and it was my job to edit out French translation and delete harsh language. Chari appeared to improvise many of his speeches, and there were times when he needed his words changed by recording over phrases that he did not intend to say for posterity. Chari insisted on absolute control over his words. My job was to insure that bootleg recordings were discouraged and even confiscated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">There seemed to be a dire concern that if abhyasis were allowed to make their own recordings Chari’s control over his intellectual property was breached. Rumors of abhyasis caught sharing bootleg speeches with others were investigated, and if found to be true, I would be asked to approach them and get all copies of tapes to secure Chari’s absolute control over the distribution of his words. By this time there was a large and growing group of French abhyasis who followed Chari around the world. They were particularly upset with me, as many were not fluent in English and used the tapes to interpret his speeches and private conversations. I was instructed to promise them that a French translation of the speech would be available at a later date. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">The Publishing Committee became increasingly interested in recording Chari’s private discussions. There was constant pressure to “know” when to turn on a tape recorder, and when, to shut it off. I was often chastised by members of the Committee for not recording something said in private, and at other times for allowing discussions to be recorded. Chari always reserved the right to have certain discussions erased or confiscated. Often in private, he would interrupt and ask if the tape recorder was on, when he was going to say something he particularly did or did not want published. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">He had established a sense of urgency within the Committee members to produce as much volume as possible, and left things sufficiently vague to create second guessing and rancor amongst the Committee members. Over time it was resolved that there were two primary objectives, generate as much of his published words as possible, and maintain absolute control over the content and distribution of his words. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">These objectives had two benefits for Chari. First was the revenue that the constant flow of new publications generated, as a supply and demand relationship was exploited around any new material that Chari produced. The second and more insidious benefit was that Chari could now re-interpret the practice of Sahaj Marg and systematically insert himself and any new messages of his own, into the constant flow of published speeches. Since Chari was particularly verbose, there was no shortage of opportunities to generate more content to be published. Eventually the pressure to record private talks evaporated as public speeches provided plenty of opportunities to find material.<br /><br />The Mission was still young in the west, anddid not charge money to abhyasis for training. This created challenges early on as these publications required up front money. Chari devised a plan where disciples were encouraged to purchase life subscriptions for puplications of Chari's new works. A sufficiently large fee was charged such that the bank interest from the fees could be used to fund the publishing efforts. Members had benefits of early access to new publications and in some instances exclusive access. With the publishing machine now funded and well oiled with capital, Chari used this machine to gradually shift attention away fro Babuji and his written words, and focus it squarely on himself and his dedication to grow the Mission as an example of devotion to his Master.</span><span style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Lessons In Power Part 4: Establishing New Principles</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">While Chari kept Babuji’s primary message of heart based meditation alive and accurate, he was also slowly inserting new principles and directives for abhyasis. He presented himself as the model abhyasi. His devotion to serving his Master by growing his Mission in size and numbers was becoming a new and repetitive addition the core practice of Sahaj Marg.<br /><br />As abhyasis came to accept Chari as the Master, a Master whose example should be emulated, they began to accept the same sense of urgency to grow the organization in numbers as a new integral part of their practice. By the sheer volume of text generated annually from Chari’s speeches and the absolute control over its distribution, this new concept of “Serving the Mission” as part of the actual practice of Sahaj Marg was being introduced as a constant underlying message in practically every speech Chari published. Success was measured in the quantity of new abyasis joining the Mission. The lack of growth in numbers was systematically equated to a lack of spiritual growth. A particular Preceptor or even Center was judged by the annual growth of abhyasis and chastized when numbers did not grow significantly on an annual basis.<br /><br />Integral to the "Growth In Numbers" directive, was a new urgency to move group meditations out of the homes of Preceptors and into purchased or rented meditation halls. In addition, for the first time, Chari began planting the idea that the US should purchase property for its own Ashram. These efforts required money. More wealthy abhyasis eagerly donated to the cause which spawned a flurry of activity to raise more money. Dedicated abhyasis were approached and asked to make regular monthly donations to support this new costly effort to acquire property.<br /><br />By this time Chari had established a powerful and well financed communications machine to spread the not so sublte message that with Mission Growth, came the need for abhyasis to dig into their wallets and donate money. Large gatherings became revenue generating events, where fees charged for attendance exceeded the expenses. Once gatherings became profitable, the need to reduce overhead by owning, not renting the halls where gatherings took place became tantamount. It was insisted that, these purchased properties were important as the Master could infuse his spiritual power into them and they would become holy places for spiritual gatherings.<br /><br />By the mid 1980s France had purchased an estate in Augerans and the castle on the estate was transformed into a residence hall for visiting abhyasis and the visiting Master. The US could not be outdone and privately some wealthy Indian abhyasis conspired to purchase some property in Troy New York from an abhyasis. Somehow this deal was not officially sanctioned by Chari. It posed an interesting problem that an individual abhyasi was financially benefiting from the Mission by selling his property to it. The wealthy Indians believed that if they executed a private deal between themselves and the property owner, then donated the property to the Mission, this could be worked around. This created difficult political problems and eventually Mission funds were used for the transaction.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the initiative to build an Ashram in the US spawned competition between various centers throughout the US to find the perfect site for an Ashram. This flurry of activity was fueled by the belief that an Ashram in your center equated to more favor and access to the Master, Chari.<br /><br />Within a short 7 years, Chari had completely transformed the Shri Ram Chandra Mission. New principles were being introduced in Chari's speeches that focused on "service to the Mission". This new Mission was being transformed into an organization that required unquestioned loyalty and obedience. Rather than being a light structure used to serve in the spiritual training of abhyasis, service to the Mission was becoming an integral part of the practice of Sahaj Marg.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lessons in Power Part 5: My Departure</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">The Gathering:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">I arrived at an SRCM gathering in 1988 showered with congratulations from abhyasis I didn't even know. Apparently, without my knowledge, it had been announced to the entire group that I was to become a preceptor. This disturbed me a bit as I wasn't even asked if I wanted the job, and I lived in a particular center that was plagued by in fighting amongst preceptors and senior abhyasis.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">In those days I was still impressionable with position and authority, and the glamour of being appointed by the Master to this position without being asked was intoxicating, so I fell for it. In reality, the correct response should have been to just say no, but that would be done for me a few years later.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">The reality was that I wasn't appointed because of my spiritual abilities or sincerity, but as a political ploy by a Zonal Secretary who wanted to have the senior preceptor in my center removed. It was a political appointment, and was made clear to me that my job was to help. I reacted by simply making my home open to people for meditation. I tried to avoid the politics by having a quiet place where people could come and meditate without being subjected to the in fighting in the center. I did what I could to shield new abhyasis from the inner rancor of our center.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">The Inner Circle Event:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Then a year later it happened. I was drawn into one of Chari's many inner circle love fests - Select abhyasis sitting in Chari's presence without the "riff-raff" present.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Chari, was handing out prasad saying things like, "this is for the beautiful wife of so and so" and "this is for he who wears a scarf"... In retrospect, the scene was not unlike that of a dog trainer throwing treats to his animals to see what tricks they would do for him.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Then he got serious for a moment and said, "This is for he who is pure of heart". The Zonal Secretary blatantly put out his hand to take the prasad, instead, Chari handed it to me. I reached out my hand in awe and took it. Jokingly I told the Zonal Secretary, “If it makes you feel better, that was extremely hard to swallow”.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">This was the beginning of the end of my preceptor-ship in Sahaj Marg. From that day on, the Zonal Secretary turned from being my "friend" to doing what he could to marginalize me which ultimately led to my removal as preceptor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">If I was ambitious like others in the inner circle, I would have fought to retain my position, but, by that time, I had learned a little bit about the lure of power, and chose not to. I resigned all my administrative positions within the organization and proceeded to take a very low profile hoping that somehow the Master would intervene.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">This is how things work in the inner circle. Those who desire influence and control, fight for it amongst each other in the presence of the Master and behind his back. The Master rewards those left standing with positions of authority. It’s an interesting version of "survival of the fittest". The Zonal Secretary eventually lost to a more ambitious individual; in fact his position was all but eliminated. There's truth to the saying, "He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">Retrospect:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Chari eventually did intervene. I was removed as a Preceptor in the same manner as how I was made one. No warning, just a letter announcing that while my services as a preceptor were appreciated, they were no longer required. Aside from the method of delivery of this message, I was relieved. Chari was completely unable to tell me what I did wrong other than a cryptic message stating that I should, "Just sit tight and keep a low profile. In six months, I'll make you a preceptor again." He seemed oblivious to the lessons I was learning from all of this. I had just paid a price for selfishly accepting a position of power to begin with, why would I want to be lured into taking it again?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Whatever reasons Chari has for tolerating these goings on in his circle, it was clear that he wasn't about to confide in me. Having still much to learn about the temptations of power, and Chari’s assumption that I was driven by my desire to have it in the form of preceptor-ship, it was clear that he was in no position to guide me at that critical time in my existence. I needed to leave the SRCM to learn this important aspect of reality. I am relieved that I left when I did, as Chari was in no position to provide me with the support or guidance during the dark times ahead of me, nor was any of his "preceptors". SRCM encourages dependence on the Master, what I needed to do was face what was ahead of me alone to learn that in reality, I am not alone nor am I independent.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">I have proceeded in my "material" life to have power and authority positions in companies and organizations, reaching a pinnacle in the corporate world. While no doubt I still have much to learn, my conclusions today are as follows:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">When Given Power:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">1. Understand your responsibility in accepting it</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">2. Understand why you are given it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">3. Treat it responsibly and execute selflessly</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">4. Remember that no one is master of the power they have.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">5. Power becomes the master to one who becomes attached to it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">In SRCM, these aspects of power are implied in the teachings and philosophy, but no practical training is provided. Worse yet, the SRCM administrative hierarchy is itself entangled in a web of power that takes on a life of its own. Surely Chari understands this, but apparently is willing to let this happen for some end that he cannot explain other than "I am following the instructions of my Master".</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">We can only hope that the end does justify the means. For myself, I've taken refuge in the private sector and found a bounty of spiritual lessons to learn there. While there is no living, breathing master to guide me through the dark times, guidance comes from the most unexpected places if one remains sensitive to it. To this day I remain grateful for the lessons I have learned from all these events.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">I have nothing but love and best wishes for those who practice Sahaj Marg today. I hope that all find their way. For those who wish to leave but fear the consequences, I only hope that I can stand as proof that ones journey continues even outside the bounds of SRCM.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">In his early days as a master, Chari was fond of saying, "The Proof of the Pudding is in the eating of it", when justifying spiritual practice verses scholarly study of spirituality.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">I would counter; "The goal of one's life is to live it.”<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 130%; font-weight: bold;">Lessons In Power Part 6: Meeting Other Masters</span><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Right up to the end of my involvement in SRCM, I had truly believed that Chari had a noble objective and somehow the right thing would happen. Instead I was betrayed and treated like a pawn within the inner circle. My example caused fear in the ranks, followed by an unspoken assumption that I clearly must have done something really bad. It was assumed by some, that I was simply a hot head who stood up to authority and questioned the intentions and integrity of people like the Zonal Secretary, but I tried to do the right thing in a very bad situation. I was punished for not completely surrendering to the temptation of spiritual attainment and power.<br /><br />I exchanged a couple of fruitless correspondences with Chari only to find his story towards me evolve with every iteration. It started with tempting me with restoration of my preceptor position if I would just keep a low profile and stay in the Mission, to insisting that I had been “Disobedient in matters of the Mission”, then praising me as one of his most sincere disciples, one of only two westerners whom he blessed marrying an Indian woman. After saying my good byes to a few friends in the SRCM, I left with a huge sense of relief, never to looked back.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Meanwhile, my troubled marriage with an Indian woman continued. We had not been able to have children for 7 years of marriage, suddenly, after leaving the organization, this difficult relationship became more complicated with the birth of my first son. Chari would always tell us that we should not expect to have children and accept our fate - yet, almost as soon as we departed from the organizaton, the situation changed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">In all this I began my search for answers. A close Indian friend, PEN, who knew and was associated with Ramana Maharshi took me under his wing. This gentle fellow, an engineer by trade, introduced me to a wealth of knowledge about spirituality and yoga. Never once did he expect me to join anything, but simply share in the knowledge and quest. I got interested in the writings of Vivekananda and started to learn about traditional Raja Yoga. PEN took me to a Vedanta society center to get books and explore their culture. PEN, being an extremely westernized Indian, acknowledged strange attitude people associated with Vivekananda had towards women, keeping them separate from men in meditation. I was immediately reminded of how Chari started to enforce this in SRCM in the west. Indian culture seems to want to deal with sexuality in spirituality by pretending its not there. This created a bit of turmoil in me, having just left a cult, I was certainly not going to join another one. I was sufficiently indoctrinated into Indian culture through my marriage. Getting involved in any organization like this would require me to give up entirely my heritage as a westerner. My exploration in this area was acedemic and short.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">I had also discovered through an abhyasi who came to me for meditations, that an Indian fellow who knew Lalaji was still alive. I was introduced to a local doctor who had met this man and was starting to have meditation sessions in his home. I met with the Doctor and started to meet people who had gathered in his home, most refugees from a local academy that taught eastern thought. I hesitated to get too involved, but this Indian, who we called Ranaji Saheb, came to stay in the Doctor’s home.<br /><br />I took time off work to meet him. His demeanor was similar to Babuji’s. He loved to hear people to sing. People would simply sit with him silently with occasional discussion or song. I liked this man, but both he and I knew that I was not about to give my obedience and trust to him or any one else. While Ranaji had made it clear to the Doctor that he must completely submit to him if spiritual progress was to occur, he told me quite a different thing. Ranaji advised that I should explore my Christian roots. Both the Doctor and I had observed the inner circle culture revolving around this man. Ranaji didn’t seem to exploit it, but people attracted to the possibility of gaining spiritual power and advancement by association with him, showed all the typical signs of fighting for his favor and attention. Both the Doctor and I decided to cease our association with Ranaji and I have completely lost track of him and do not even know if he is still alive.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">From Ranaji, I learned about Lalaji and his brother. Both were considered spiritual twins. Ranaji explained that Lalaji was a Hindu Sufi of the Naqushabandhi path. Teachers of this path typically did not create organizations, or had singular lineages, but strove to elevate humanity around them by association. Many travel to live with their disciples like a grandfather. Then move on so as not to foster too much attachment to them personally. I learned that a Russian woman, Irina Tweedie, had spent time with a disciple of Lalaji’s brother and started an organization called the Golden Sufi. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Irina had gotten old and reclusive, but her successor Llewellyn Vaughn Lee, and I corresponded for a year or two. This organization focused on dream analysis and meditation. I was not particularly interested in joining, but was very interested in learning more about the history.<br /><br />My life by this time was flooded with dream like experiences far more profound than those found in my sleeping dreams, so dream analysis intrigued me. I decided to make a trip to New York City when Llewellyn was visiting there. We met in a small group at a book store. He seemed happy to see me and treated me with respect, like a peer of sorts. I appreciated this. The group meditated, followed by people telling Lewellyn about their dreams. A woman who was casually visiting told of a dream, and was convinced that she should attend the next day as a guest of Llewellyns. Others were chastised for their dreams. It was starting to become clear to me that this telling of dreams puts the teller in an extremely vulnerable position. Analysis of dreams can be used to pump up a deflated ego, or tear down an inflated one.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">The next day, I attended another meeting. This time, I spoke about one of my real life dream like experiences - my son being born. His mother would not touch him or hold him at the time of birth. The nurse in frustration this unresponsiveness handed my son to me instead. The surroundings became surreal, everyone seemed to disappear. It was only me and my son. In spite of being less than a couple minutes old, he opened his eyes for the first time and looked straight into mine for what seemed to be an eternity. This shook me to the core as it was as if I was looking into the eyes of God. We stood together by a window looking out over the city together for at least 10 minutes. A silent communication occured during that time, that could not be explained in words.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">After explaining this story in a somewhat emotional manner, Llewellyn proceeded to tear me apart. Asking me what I really wanted, and why I was there. I stated that I was there to learn about his path. He went on to tell me that I had already been lead down the garden path, believing that spiritual achievement was the goal when simply being was the path.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">I left New York City by train that night, thinking about what he had said. What he said was true. I had already concluded that before hearing it from him, but the message was delivered in a manner such that I was humiliated in front of his disciples. I had broken the peer relationship by sharing a dream like experience and becoming vulnerable to a master. Yet again another inner circle experience had occurred. Humiliation was used to determine the sincerity and trust of a potential disciple. I had seen enough. I wrote one last letter thanking Llewellyn for the meeting and never heard from him again. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">My last meeting was by happenstance. I met an old local Indian man named Mr. Rao. He taught yoga at a community center and had a small following. He seemed humble and took no money and seemed uninterested in creating much attention around himself. Mr. Rao came to my house for dinner and decided to read my palm and tell me something about myself. He did not read my palm at all, but simply took my hand and looked at me in the eyes. He said the following:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">“You were a prodigy in your youth. Had you developed your material and spiritual self simultaneously at an early age, you would have achieved great things by the age of 27, but you did not receive proper guidance and got distracted in the spiritual path you took. Because you did not develop materially at the same time, your efforts in spirituality were fruitless. You lost that chance and must now focus on your material development. By the age of 47, you again will start to find your spiritual and material ballance. You then must develop both aspects of yourself in tandem for some time. You will truly succeed and by the age of 54 will have achieved all that is possible from a balanced existence. Guidance will come to you and you do not need to seek it out.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">It was as if Mr. Rao was using my own words, not his. Intuitively I knew that I had to focus on my career, which was starting to blossom, and somehow deal with an incredibly unhealthy and abusive family life that was evolving in my home. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">I had finally come to the end of my quest of eastern spirituality only to find out that I had to develop my western existence and embrace who I already was. I focused the next several years on entrepreneurial efforts, developing my executive management skills and starting my own technology companies. I saw great success materialy. All along, my spiritual quest continued, not in a spiritual setting, but in corporate America. I saw demons and saints in the corporate world. It was there that I finally met a handful of people who knew how to handle positions of power in a selfless manner.<br /><br />I realized that power, whether spiritual, political or corporate, is power. Humans in positions of power are easily corrupted by it, be it spiritual or corporate. The likelihood of discovering a person who is not corrupted by power is equally possible in a spiritual organization as it is in a corporate setting. Inner circles are created for the same reason in both types of organizations. I found at least the corporate world far more honest about the inner circle’s purpose. The hierarchy has a purpose and is know by all. A President has a function. When they cease to perform, they move on. If they violate ethics they are removed. Unfortunately this does not occur in spiritual organizations. My spiritual quest continued in the offices of corporate America for quite some time. It was several years before I took Ranaji’s advice and re-explored my roots in Christianity.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">Lessons In Power Part 7: My Recovery From SRCM</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Sahaj Marg is a system of energy manipulation and power. The basis of the practice is to create a craving, or sense of urgency for God realization in the heart. The disciple performs a daily cleaning process using their own will force, to remove the effects of experiences that cause impressions that limit ones spiritual approach. The Guru/Preceptor further uses their own will force to push these spiritual impurities out of the disciple. Transmission is a transfer of spiritual energy through the will force of the Master or a Preceptor to the recipient to establish more advanced spiritual conditions in the disciple. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">This entire system revolves around all participants using their own will force to achieve spiritual attainment at a rate that is accelerated compared to ones natural evolution. While Sahaj Marg stands for “Natural Path” it is in fact a practice that cheats nature by using the force of will to accelerate ones natural development. It is based on accepting that one starts from a place of spiritual inadequacy and requires the external will force of others to rectify the situation. The problem that occurred in me practicing Sahaj Marg, was the constant reinforcement of the need to push to a higher level of attainment, no to mention the constant reinforcement of spiritual inadequacy. At the same time humility is required to keep the ego in check. Sahaj Marg solves this problem by establishing the need for a living Master to surrender to.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">A forced craving is established within that causes one to become obsessed with spiritual development which diverts ones priorities away from other worldly activities. This is often mistaken for non-attachment, but is in fact the establishment of a new attachment to the achievement of spiritual power through the dependence on the will force of a living Master.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">Recovering from spiritual obsession developed under this system is an involved and time consuming process and my case was no exception. I continued to desire spiritual attainment after leaving SRCM and explored spiritual practices that involve manipulating ones inner energy and power to that end. Having cut off my association with any Guru, I was on my own, which turned out to be my saving grace. Every effort to manipulate power for my own spiritual gain resulted in failure. I started to practice Raja Yoga breathing exercises and immediately contracted bronchitis, which discouraged me from continuing. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">My experience with the Golden Sufi organization, being publicly humiliated for being associated with a practice that had spiritual attainment as it’s goal was another shock. Meeting Ranaji Saheb, Lalaji’s disciple was another revealing experience. His recommendation that I explore my Christian roots, caused me to question further whether having a goal of ultimate spiritual attainment at all was a worthy endeavor.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">As I proceeded in my business career, I started to notice some successful people leveraged their success as good stewards to humanity, while others selfishly pillaged what they could for personal gain. This reflected back to my experience in SRCM, seeing how some “advanced” abyhasis appeared very selfish an self serving, yet others did not. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">I started to learn about the boundaries that one must place around oneself to protect against malicious attacks. Such attacks can come from the financial, physical, emotional and spiritual levels. One of these important boundaries was learning how and when to trust another person. When one achieves a level of attainment on any level, those who desire to topple or steal their attainment often attack them. This is equally prevalent in spiritual groups as it is in corporate and secular environments.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">My practice of Sahaj Marg, and the resulting dependence and trust in a Master at such an early age caused me to not properly develop my boundaries with the world around me. This became a harsh lesson as I learned to deal with an abusive and mentally ill spouse and the Machiavellian politics of corporations and venture capitalists. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">From my experiences after departing SRCM, I learned that the Inner Circle created by Gurus, is in fact a useful tool for self-preservation. A Guru of course has lots to loose, and must only trust those who have completely submitted to him. On a personal level, I learned that my trust must be earned, not simply due to repeated association, but by observing how individuals around me reacted to difficult situations. Under such pressure, one shows their true self. I learned the importance of establishing my own trusted inner circle, which to this day is a small group of individuals. I also learned that the strength of having others one can trust, establishes a base for ones own actions and contributions to the world. Inner Circles like anything can be used as a valid setting of boundaries, or as a base for power and manipulation. My experiences outside of SRCM helped to define these differences and determine exactly how I should use this concept to protect myself without falling into the lure of power and imposing that power on others.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">The most difficult Sahaj Marg artifact to eliminate was the sense of urgency to become a more spiritually evolved person. This urgency ingrained in Sahaj Marg abhyasis reinforces a low self-image and a desire to overcome ones limitations through the dependence on the strength of others. The humility of this dependence on others is in fact not humility at all, but self-deprecation. Left unchecked for years on end, it creates a behavior pattern that assumes false security that the Master will eventually correct ones faults and one will achieve spiritual greatness.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">My re-examination into Christianity led me to the Catholic Church. I found people there who practice silent prayer, and re-learned Jesus’ message of forgiving ones self and others for their humanity and non-judgment. Meeting regular people doing charitable work within the church was the most inspiring message for me in my recovery of a power based spiritual practice. These people did not pretend to be anything other than what they were, humans with imperfections, but through their imperfect but sincere action they did extraordinary things.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">After 15 years of struggling with my addictions to spiritual power, I sat in prayerful meditation one day. I felt restless, not very inspired, no swirling energy around the heart, head or central point at the base of the skull. In spite of this I felt my being. I accepted my spiritual being as it was, a gift from God, sacred in all its mediocrity. I suddenly felt free to accept my spiritual self for who I was. All sense of inadequacy faded, and I realized that the true subtle condition that is spoken about in SRCM has nothing to do with attainment through will force and power, but through acceptance of ones self. This can be achieved in an instant without the dependence on a Master, but it does require one to accept and live the life that is laid before them. True humility and charity is developed in real life as one learns their own humanity and human limitations.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">A long path was taken to get me back to where I started at the tender age of 19 when I was first introduced to SRCM. I finally learned that it was ok to be me - that my lack of spiritual prowess was in fact an illusion. Accepting this allowed me to finally start my spiritual practice - the practice of accepting my life and living it, accepting my humanity and being it. The lessons in power learned from the process, however will serve me for the rest of my life.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">LESSONS IN POWER PART 8: ANALYSIS</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">History</span>Sahaj Marg was introduced as a revised method of Raja Yoga by Ram Chandra of Shajahanpur, India in the 1940s. Ram Chandra, referred to as Babuji, was a young disciple of Ram Chandra of Fategar, no relation, and affectionately referred to as Lalaji. Lalaji and his brother were a disciples of a muslim Sufi master who taught them the Sufi method of meditation and acknowledged its historical foundation in Vedic meditation practices.<br /><br />Being young Babuji visited Lalaji only a couple times, and spent most of his time practicing meditation at a distance from Lalaji and corresponding with him by letters. When Lalaji passed away, he left many sincere disciples behind. It remains a controversy as to whether Lalaji intended an organization to be formed around his legacy or chose to have a single successor. His Sufi Master clearly had no organization, nor did he delegate anyone his sole successor, nor did Lalaji establish any organization around himself or his teachings. His brother, considered a spiritual twin also left a legacy of disciples, who also appear not to have claimed sole successor-ship nor created any organization. Yet, Babuji claims to have gotten direct orders in a dream from Lalaji to establish the Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM), and claim himself as Lalaji’s sole successor.<br /><br />This history leaves many loose ends. What is known is the series of events that proceeded as Babuji established the SRCM and began to attract very dedicated and evolved disciples into his inner circle. The most notable was the scholar Dr. Vadarachari, who died unexpectedly leaving a void in Babuji’s Inner Circle.<br /><br />The practice of Sahaj Marg, Babuji’s reformed Raja Yoga, devoid of any Sufi references, was intended to be accessible to householders, and was not to be associated with any specific religion. It was a method for the disciple or abhyasi (aspirant) to have direct experience with God.<br /><br />In the early 1980s, Babuji passed away, leaving an embattled organization behind. This spawned a series vicious legal challenges between senior disciples, fighting over who controlled the Mission. Parthasarthi Rajagopalachari (Chari), appeared to have the most credibility with his legal paperwork and legacy of accompanying Babuji on his various trips abroad, and was adept at early on establishing himself as the new President and Successor to Babuji. Splinter groups were spawned revolving around the son of Dr. Vadarachari, and Babuji’s son, Umesh among others. At the same time, competing organizations founded around Lalaji and his brother were also established.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Root Cause of the Failure of SRCM</span><br />Yoga acknowledges the power of thought, that thought focused on a thing, gives that thing power. The Yogic principles are based on the concept that creation is the result of an initial thought from the Ultimate, and that each human being a spark of the same initial thought also has their own creation spawned from their own thoughts.<br /><br />SRCM promotes a process of meditation on the heart, a cleaning meditation done in the evening, and a prayer done at bedtime that acknowledges the living Master as the goal of life. The intent, was that thought, redirected towards the divine within would promote a more spiritually evolved human being. While the practice is supposed to empower the disciple to experience God and Reality directly, this is done under a veil of complete and total dependence and on and obedience to a living Guru. The danger with this type of practice is that if the Guru is not truly selfless, it becomes a power based relationship that benefits the Guru more than it benefits the disciple.<br /><br />Core to the problem that has evolved as SRCM has progressed, is a culture that is fostered around spiritual attainment. Babuji established that a new vista of human attainment was possible through his practice, referred to as the Central Region. The resulting culture around attaining the Central Region has established a very dangerous precedent. Disciples, who are supposed to be reducing ego, are developing a self centered desire to achieve this spiritual goal and earn entry into a Brighter World at a highly evolved level in the afterlife. Exclusivity established in the SRCM culture caused disciples to believe that only through the SRCM and the support of the living Master could such high attainment be possible. This dependence on the Mission and Master promoted a competitive atmosphere where people vie for attention and favor of the Master in order to achieve their selfish spiritual goals and serve the Mission at all costs to self and family in order to gain spiritual favors. Lost in this culture, is any sense of selfless charity. All selfless actions revolve around serving the Mission and are in fact not selfless at all. The disciple assumes that their “selfless” contribution to the Mission will be rewarded with spiritual attainment and entry into the Brighter World. Clearly something is expected in return for unquestioning obedience to the Mission and Master.<br /><br />In fact the very principles within the Yogic traditions around realities being created by thought, have been used to create a culture of psuedo-selfless disciples, who serve a Mission and a Master, in expectation of getting something in return. A grand deception results where the disciple believes they are promoting selflessness, but in fact, are selfishly sacrificing what they can to achieve something perceived as better for themSELVES. In the end, the ego develops a new veil. While the Master blames his disciples year after year in public admonishment, about the lack of progress, in fact, the grand deception itself has created its own barrier. Disciples have been trained to selfishly strive to attain something by serving a Master and the Mission that hungrily requires new disciples yearly.<br /><br />SRCM has in fact created a culture that has completely deviated from the very principles that Sahaj Marg promotes. The root cause appears to be the Mission itself and a singular Master who claims sole successor-ship, without peer, and cannot be questioned. Disciples are encouraged to cease questioning the contradictions and in fact are told to ignore them as they are of this world, and it is only the next world that they should worry about.<br />Like the Wizard of Oz, they are told to ignore the man behind the curtain and focus on the light show before them, on the Master who will grant them their selfish wish to gain entry into the Central Region and be assured access to the Brighter World upon death.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Invertendo Revisited</span><br />Invertendo is a principle that has been aggressively promoted with in SRCM to explain every contradiction that one comes across in spirituality. The root of this principle comes from Lalaji’s book “Truth Eternal” where he claims that by starting from an ignorant state, we strive for knowledge, but after pursuing knowledge comes true ignorance.<br /><br />In my own practice I have learned that in fact we start where we end. In fact, all this attainment and lust for achievement, once exhausted, resolves back to the very point of simply being, with the love of God in one’s heart. The journey itself appears only to serve the function of wearing down of one’s ego until one returns to the ignorant state that one started the journey with, eager to be part of God’s mystery. In fact, the Path or “Marg” itself is an illusion. This explains the contradiction of the Master bowing before the beginning disciple. Perhaps it is because the innocence that exists in at the start is corrupted and lost along the path, only to be regained when one finally gives up all desire for spiritual attainment, and simply desires to be near God for God’s sake, for Love’s sake. Perhaps, all along the disciple was never very far away to begin with.<br /><br />This brings into question why so much focus and pressure is put on growing the numbers of disciples. If a new diciples bring their own personal power and surrender it to the Mission/Master, and provide their own thoughts to empower the Mission/Master, we have a process in which a Master can gather power and focus thoughts towards himself and his Mission to strengthen his own personal power. The most insidious concept of Invertendo could be that while by outward appearances, the diciple comes to the Mission/Master to get something, in fact the real power transfer is from the disciple to the Mission/Master.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Summary</span><br />The fundamental mistake made within the SRCM is the obsession with attaining a spiritual goal “The Central Region” rather than simply promoting “being” which in fact IS all that is left when one has achieved the elusive “Central Region” as, apparently any sense of self is all but lost and only identity or “being” remains. Sadly this fixation on attainment coupled with un-questioning obedience to a singular Mission and living Master creates the very scenario being seen in the history of the SRCM. The symptoms of this include:<br /><br />1. Lack of true selfless charity<br /><br />2. Selfish in-fighting amongst Inner Circle members of the Mission<br /><br />3. Struggle between Inner Circle members for control of the Mission<br /><br />4. Sacrifice of careers and family for the sake of the Mission<br /><br />5. Intolerance of debate or independent questioning of the Mission<br /><br />6. Intolerance of other religions - especially Christianity<br /><br />7. Fixation on myths rather than direct experiences.<br /><br />The last point is the most destructive of all as it degrades SRCM into a religion - Religion of the worst kind, one that has no checks and balances as it is controlled by an Absolute Leader who cannot be questioned. Propagation of these myths increase as tangible results from the practices fade. Myths include channeled messages from the Masters in the Brighter World, stories of Masters cavorting with the likes of Krishna and Kabir, and edicts from Masters delivered in dreams declaring the current living Master as “The Master of the Universe”.<br />As myths replace actual experiences, disciples thoughts are deflected away from their own experiences and towards these myths, which make them their own reality. The very yogic principles of thought focused on a singular thing, giving it power, has been turned upside down to establish power in Myths that now become a reality of their own with the collective thoughts of disciples focused on them.<br />SRCM, initially established as an organization that promotes a simple spiritual practice of God Realization that can be practiced by the common householder, has now become a power based organization using yogic principles to create a new Mythology and as a result a new religion. The question is, with all the divisions between factions, cultures and belief systems today, does the world really need yet another religion?<br /></span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-1148661835068458982006-05-26T09:09:00.002-07:002007-02-11T12:22:03.696-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/1600/7goddesses.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/200/7goddesses.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 153, 51);font-family:arial;" > <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Identifying Guru Exploitation<br /></span><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div> <span style="font-family:arial;">What I am posting below is not intended to be a cynical rant or to single out SRCM specifically. In fact many of the things I mention below are actual tools used by capable Leaders to run corporations and organizations around the world.<br /><br />I am outlining these Seven Techniques as a way of leveling the playing field. It is important for every individual involved in any organization to discrimiate between necessary techniques used by good leaders to achieve a noble end, verses exploiting techniques for the drunken lust for power and control.<br /><br />It is not a bad practice to review every organization one belongs in order to determine if un-warranted exploitation is occuring. I encourage those within SRCM to examine these techniques used in their organization and ask themselves if a "light structure" has been created for the achievement of high spiritual ideals, or if a autocratic power structure has been established to manipulate and control the masses.<br /><br />I leave this determination up to each individual.<br /><br /><br /></span> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Seven Techniques Used By Gurus to Control The Masses</span> </div> <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Establish High Ideals</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Establish noble, high sounding principles, such as selfless service, closeness to God, and brotherly/sisterly love.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Insist that your teachings are free and the birthright of all.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">• Demonstrate charity in a highly visible manner.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Define and Enforce Exclusivity in the Organization</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">• Every Guru must have an exclusive hook to differentiate themselves from others.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• The exclusive nature of the system or Guru must be re-emphasized at every opportunity.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Disciples are trained to also extol the virtues of the system’s exclusivity in every conversation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Exploit a Higher Authority</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Designate a “Higher Authority” that can be attributed to for literally everything. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Higher Authority must be easily identifiable by disciples. Abstract higher authorities such as “God” are generally not as effective as a dead person.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">• It is critical that the Guru can claim to be in direct communication with this Higher Authority.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• The Guru’s example of love and servitude to this Higher Authority serves as an example to disciples as to how to treat their Guru.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Miracles, which happen naturally in an emotionally charged environment, can be attributed to this Higher Authority</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Disciples will naturally transfer all things credited to the Higher Authority to their living Guru.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Establish and Maintain an Inner Circle</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Guru creates contentious environment around themselves for people to earn their trust.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />• Those who fight the hardest and most effectively for inner circle status are rewarded with positions of authority and grandeur. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• The Guru must treat inner circle members with strictness and humiliation when necessary to maintain their loyalty and subservience.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">• The Hierarchy established through the Inner Circle is a critical tool for a Guru to maintain exclusive control as the organization grows.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Foster the Image of Humility</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">• The Guru will exploit any ailments or physical injuries to get sympathy by silently suffering.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• If no physical ailments exist, the Guru can use exhaustion from serving his disciples as an ailment.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• The Guru does not directly complain about ailments, but uses the Inner Circle to propagate stories of his humble suffering for the cause.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Establish and Maintain Total Control</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Demand total devotion and trust</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Guru uses their own total devotion and trust to their “Higher Authority” as an example</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Blame all disciples failings on not having sufficient faith in the Higher Authority or lack of dedication to the practice.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Reap the Benefits</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Establish an organization to hold and manage wealth collected.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Exploit that wealth through the organization, not directly</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />• Enjoy the services of devoted disciples as their expression of devotion to the Higher Authority.</span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-1148653914493461262006-05-26T07:09:00.000-07:002006-10-16T08:11:17.116-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/1600/banner_her_3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/320/banner_her_3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">ANOTHER LETTER TO AN EX ABHYASI<br /></span></span> <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Background: A French speaking ex-abhyasi named Terrine posted a quesiton to me about how to deal with her "scalding" experience within the SRCM. She has left the organization and is exploring an offshoot organization called the <a href="http://www.sriramchandra.org">ISRC</a> . I am posting my translated reply to her after it is reviewed by native speakers on the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=20689467&postID=114811773890453486">Blog</a> where she posted the question. Here is my response in English:</span></span><br /></span><br /></div></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It saddens me that you had such a bad experience in SRCM. ISRC is a new organization that I am not that familiar with, but I have met a few of the people from India who run the organization. While I do not think they have bad intentions, they are little different than you. They are hurt by the direction SRCM has taken and chose to react by starting an alternative organization.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />There are two things I would say to this:<br /><br /> The first thing will cause many to disagree, but I’ll say it anyway. We must remember that Babuji did indeed establish SRCM and chose Chari as the one to lead it after his death. Since Babuji is no longer living, it is quite easy to assign him God status and imply that his intentions were perfect, but in reality we cannot criticize the direction of SRCM without acknowledging Babuji’s responsibility. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Secondly, I do not believe that this planet needs any more organizations to teach the basic spiritual principles. SRCM was established to market Sahaj Marg to the masses. It has evolved into an organization of people who spend far more time worrying about their level of spiritual attainment rather than becoming better human beings. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">SRCM trains people to become overly concerned about their spiritual development.<br /><br />In reality, spiritual development happens naturally when you live the life that God put before you. Guidance comes from many places when one lives their life with a sincere desire to grow spiritually. I have found the example of common people doing extraordinary things far more instructive to my development than any of the staged theatrics I witnessed from any Guru.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">I would suggest that SRCM is a drug that people become addicted to and organizations like ISRC are the drug treatment programs. In reality, it is important to understand that it takes time for the influence of SRCM to wear off. Organizations like ISRC still promote the addiction and as a result, does not help a person eliminate the dependency.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />When I left the SRCM, I explored similar organizations. Ultimately, I found it necessary to take a break from all spiritual organizations and practices in order to put things in perspective. We do need to find a spiritual community to associate with, and seek out guidance. I would warn against any “guide” who tries to claim that they are God themselves or have the only path to God. I get my guidance now from a variety of mentors. I also try to do my part to give back to the world for the guidance and direction that I receive.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">In the Sufi tradition that Lalaji came from, the teacher was treated like a member of the family. He would live with his disciples like a grandfather. Unfortunately Babuji did not spend much time with Lalaji and did not experience this aspect of Lalaji first hand. I met others who did, and they do not believe that Lalaji ever wanted an organization like SRCM to be created.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">My suggestion to you, is that if ISRC helps you with your pain, then participate, but use caution. If you are able to remove yourself completely to let the addictive aspects of SRCM leave your body, that is the best approach. After you have put things in perspective, you can then decide whether to join another organization or simply get on with your life.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I pray for you and others like you - that you may find a spiritually fulfilling life.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Michael<br /></span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-1147819344269403412006-05-16T15:40:00.000-07:002006-05-17T13:02:26.226-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/1600/henry-muscles.1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/200/henry-muscles.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >Spiritual Parables: Body Building vs. Farming<br /><br /></span> </div> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >The Body Builder:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br />A young man strives to be physically strong so he seeks a Champion who will help him develop big muscles. He finds a champion in body building and learns how to modify his diet and lifestyle to grow big muscles. His Champion is demanding and mean. He expects to be served and waited upon by his students. The young man perseveres and achieves physical greatness and becomes like his Champion teacher. His obsession with his physique expands into every aspect of his life. He becomes selfish and very competitive with other body builders. Only his system of body building can achieve the optimal muscle mass in a human being and only he has achieved the highest level of attainment. All others are inferior. He becomes the new Champion and establishes a school for aspiring young men looking to be large and intimidating. They seek training with the new Champion because only through him can they achieve optimum muscle mass. Eventually this new Champion grows old and dies, leaving only his legacy as a man with big muscles behind.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br /><br />The Farmer:</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br />A young man grows up on the farm. From a young age he worked on his family farm stacking hay bales, branding cattle and working the fields. He developed tremendous physical strength. He grew up and inherited his family farm and became a successful Farmer. Great famine spread in the world making food scarce. The Farmer worked hard to grow crops to feed his family and others. He donated milk from his dairy to the local orphanage and provided crops and livestock for soup kitchens that feed the poor. He was active in his community. One day a storm came through and a tree fell on his neighbor’s house trapping a young child inside. The child was bleeding to death and needed to be set free in order to live. The man, being strong from back breaking farm labor came to the rescue of this child and using his strength lifted the tree with brute force, saving the child’s life. The Farmer grew old and passed away. The community sadly honored the passing of a great man who used his naturally developed strengths to serve his family and community and save the life of a child when no one else had the strength to do so.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" ><br /><br />Sahaj Marg was supposed to be the path of the Farmer described above. Grihastha Ashrama, or Ashram of the Householder was the term used to describe it. Here spiritual development occurs naturally in as a result of ones daily life in conjunction with prayer and silent meditation. It strikes me that SRCM has become an organization of aspiring, bodybuilders rather than householders who develop their spiritual skills through service to their families and community.<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:130%;" >I hope and pray that I am incorrect in my observations. How foolish it would to be worry about the size of one’s muscles rather than finding meaningful ways to use them…</span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27865974.post-1147798025333958952006-05-16T09:20:00.000-07:002007-02-06T13:56:56.426-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/1600/God%20Is%20Talking%20To%20Me.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7469/2939/200/God%20Is%20Talking%20To%20Me.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Letter To Abhyasis<br /><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:130%;">It is common for Abhyasis to claim that their experiences with Sahaj Marg are unique and exclusive. I have to ask, what other forms of meditation have they practiced to make such comments?<br /><br />I also remember my first experience of participating in an intensive meditation seminar years ago. It was truly the first time I had experienced such inner peace. I've since experienced this many times outside of Sahaj Marg. It is not exclusive to Sahaj Marg, but is a natural occurrence when one meditates intensively and focuses their thoughts towards the God within.<br /><br />To claim that this can only be experienced in Sahaj Marg is not logical unless you've practiced several other similar meditation techniques. We need to be careful making such claims of exclusivity.<br /><br />One unfortunate aspect of SRCM is its fixation on a person’s level of spiritual achievement. God can take you to whatever stage you need to be at in an instant if it is required. It is more important to focus on what type of person you are becoming and how you treat others. By living your life with God in your heart, you will learn how to prepare yourself for whatever level of spiritual development is required. Comparing ones spiritual level to another’s is just an egotistical game that serves no practical purpose. In fact it is dangerous as it diverts one’s focus away from being selfless in their actions to being extremely self centered. For this reason, I see much selfish and narcissistic behavior in most spiritual groups, and Sahaj Marg is no exception. Rather than chasing the Master around the world to get a glimpse of him or dedicating your life to reaching the central region, you could be feeding the poor!<br /></span><br /></span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13240653496527659506noreply@blogger.com86