So much said in so few words:

To paraphrase: a word play that insinuates mockery for "inner peace," a cornerstone of "Knowledge;" our irrepressible instinct for inner peace, strength, independence, etc.; and the inevitable conflict between the cult and our daily lives (that so many premies have likely rationalized away in fascinating ways).

Thinking back, perhaps at the core of my conflict was the blatant, malicious contempt Rawat, members of his family and his inner circle cabal had for everyday premies, for... me!  (This came to a head during the team trainings.)

Perhaps it started when Linda Pascotto got away scot free when she said she didn't like meditation in "Passages" a globally distributed cult revisionist DVD.  Some people have a hard time looking themselves in the mirror.  They'd rather smash it than face it.

Perhaps that's what all the contempt is really about.  They can't face the fact that they were duped -- that they fell for it too! -- and so they try to mock and destroy the reminders, the vestiges that remind them of their dalliance with devotion, with... yuk, everyday premies, the bohemians and bongos and people too stupid to stop practicing satsang, service and meditation... the "sari brigades," all the while indulging in their vices and lavish, superior lifestyles and justifying it by saying, "don't have concepts."  (I was being sarcastic -- I never thought of premies in those ways... but others certainly did.)

And besides, mockery can be a two way street!

It reminds me of the time (and Jasper had a similar experience) when I unexpectedly bumped into (Guru Mahatma) Charananand at a large premie event.  He had just finished his first set, satsang, and went back stage to prepare for his second set -- devotional bhajans.  Searching for a men's room, I bumped into him in a backstage bathroom.  His look was dark, glowering and sinister.  (To be fair, that was only my impression.)

My takeaway to this day is that he was disgusted by how low he has to stoop to maintain his cushy, unemployed western lifestyle by pretending to be a true believer and chief advocate of so much tripe.

Apparently, some people love golf that much.

But perhaps the ultimate form of contempt is Rawat allowing another human being to kiss his foot as a result of the utter chaos and confusion he implanted in him or her, which is only a slight level of contempt above his demand for and control of ashrams and everything they entailed.

I wonder how the inmates would feel about that.

Thank you, Lesley, for such a clear reminder!