That was one of my all time favorite forum posts. I had heard via someone who stayed anonymous that same story of the intervention at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito. I found the level of cognitive dissonance needed to stay following him yet confronting him fascinating. It also echoes what Mishler described happened in 1976. It shows two times Prem Rawat confronted, as an adult, with the consequences for premies of this cult where he has so much power. I also focus so much on them saying they never saw a group with so much fear. Someone should make a film about this. One of the people there went back later I heard.
I feel very torn about saying how I feel about Michael/Mutkananda. I haven’t spoken to him since maybe 2004 or so. Yet, I do have genuine gratitude for what he did here and for me. I hate the idea of causing him pain. Yet, in both groups, he wasn’t an ordinary member. He even describes “restructuring” in reference to Sai Maa. Which, if you read his story, it sound like he was critical in finding Aubrey West who guided Prem out of a huge crisis with IRS.
I can’t help but reflect on Mishler had taken an expert’s advice and given Prem 1976 (per Mishler and Dettmers writings) that Prem had to sell Malibu, drive a Chevy type car and live in Denver in suburbia on the salary a well compensated parish priest might make.
Dettmers saved Prem from that fate. These criticisms of Sai Maa run the gamut. But the theme is money in many of them.
It’s not a pretty picture.
I will say, I got close to the end of that audio thing on his site. I think he sounds like he really believes it and in her and his experience. I guess, what I would like to believe, is that this conversion was sincere and his using his skill set with with yet another person accused of being a cult leader was a consequence not a primary motive.
