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A new website FaithLeaks.org has been set up for the anonymous and secure uploading of documents in an attempt to force increased transparency within religions and cults.
This is an offshoot of https://mormonleaks.io/ which did some serious damage to the LDS Church (Mormons).
Here is hoping that there might be some recent ex-premies out there that might have some useful documentation to submit concerning TPRF and other Prem Rawat organizations.
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If i can just upload useful documentation to my brain - and confront it head on - instead of the subtle denials i still carry around with me after all these years...
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I don't know. I've been out now almost as long as I was in the cult 20+ years. I still find myself wondering how my life would have been had I not bought into Rawat's Steaming Pile. Mostly, it's ok but I don't think it ever completely goes away.
Just ran across this:
“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
― Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (at least we know we were bamboozled)
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Sometimes I wonder if we are specially willing to be bamboozled. I mean, we've demonstrated our capacity to be bamboozled pretty thoroughly at least once and I'm aware of having been bamboozled myself at least a couple of times since realising I was a twit in a cult - despite a determination not to be fooled again, a conscious effort to be sceptical. I've steered my ship to avoid trouble a few times, but still hit the rocks twice at least (literally and metaphorically!).
At least we are evidence that 'once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back' is probably not true. But could it be that if you're the type to give a charlatan power over you, you'll probably keep on doing it? I'd hate to think so, but I've no room for complacency!
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Once you've been had by one - eg by a religious cult, you are more vulnerable another bamboozlement occurring.
The good side of the internet is forums like these where you can work your way out of them.
Yes I think we are a type of person that makes a bamboozler sit up and see a sign that says lunch over our heads. But we're not lunch to everyone, it also means we are a desirable type of person - friendly etc.
and we live and we learn. I am certainly not complacent, but less scared than I was.
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Well we are living proof that power can be taken back from a charlatan.There are many things of that sort out there. With various masks.
I am a bit optimistic, in the sense that I think that having been vampirized once pretty badly, does not make me more vulnerable. On the contrary. My antennaes seem to be working well enough
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I agree, having survived one charlatan we are in better shape to avoid others. It is a good feeling to realise I can see them coming but I am still wary of what I don't know and can't see coming.
My point is that being hooked by the cult dismantled my natural wariness and I got fooled by others more easily as well as Rawat.
Believing in God is a real issue for me - it just trumped everything once I took it on board as reality and it was hard to think well about anything.
Once out of the cult things slowly improved. And now I am living in the natural world again which is daunting but still good.
Modified by lesley at Sat, Nov 11, 2017, 13:18:24
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I believe that we develop some form of emotional antibody after being duped, used or abused. Take for example vaccinations, a pathogen is introduced to the body and the immune system adjusts to prevent further disease.
Or another way to think about it is muscle or body memory. Having been a carpenter most of my life I can say that in the first five years, you tend to cut yourself about once a week or suffer minor injuries often enough to learn what NOT to do over time. The body actually remembers pain and learns how to prevent more.
In the case of the complex and layered human entity we (supposedly) have multiple bodies ie etheric, emotional, astral etc. My theory is that our emotional body has memory. This gives explanation to psycho somatic illness and disturbing bodily reactions to negative stimuli.
Once we heal ourselves, we can navigate the world of unpredictability better and distinguish human fraud from foible. The danger signals show up as emotional disturbances, that in turn translate into revulsion, avoidance or if needed...anger.
Rawat and his ilk push ALL the wrong buttons on my radar field now. But I don't think it helps to over-react either. That would be negative feedback that narcissists live off as well. They're bottom feeders and don't discriminate who's souls they devour or which human spirits they consume.
Can you just imagine his karmic colon ? (sorry, try not to visualize that) .
my $.02
see also: The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk MD
Modified by Manincar at Sat, Nov 11, 2017, 16:19:34
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nothing theoretical about that. I like the term 'having an emotional history'.
When I taught swimming every so often I'd find myself in deep water with someone who was so stressed their muscles were tense and who can learn anything like that. First things first, they need to relax and I came to recognise that when a person who had had a near drowning got into deep water, it would bring up their emotional history of experience in deep water and the terror of nearly drowning. So I would hang in close and chat away and after a while they'd laugh at something silly and then we could add some memories of enjoying being in deep water and it wasn't long before they could relax and get their swimming happening.
It was all about balance. Letting their emotional history of being in deep water settle into and inform their present while remaining comfortable from my company.
so for me the next thing was I recognised that I had an emotional history and what I am feeling is being triggered by my present not my past. and it was to do the same for myself.  It led to big changes in how I saw things. and that led to big changes in my life.
Modified by lesley at Sat, Nov 11, 2017, 18:13:49
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I agree. All kinds of red flags go off when I'm faced with anything, even yoga classes that teach belief systems.
It takes courage to look inside oneself in order to figure out being in a cult. The best result ought to be that one develops a healthy skepticism. And to know that one should run away from anyone who tells you that they have the "one answer to life," and especially if they say one must never doubt or ask questions about what's being taught. Especially run if they call them "teachings." That's a huge red flag.
Learning is predicated upon a student asking questions, but more, questions what one is being taught.
All the best,
Cynthia
Modified by Cynthia at Sun, Nov 12, 2017, 17:29:41
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Hehe...that is a common one it seems.The Buddhist call their stuff " teachings" Dalai Lama teachings etc..
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Yeah, I like to learn from actual teachers and books. "Teachings" to me are beliefs or philosophies or religious or cultic dogma. I can adopt my own beliefs and philosophies as well as the next Buddha or Dalai Lama.
I don't like the Dalai Lama much. He gets too much adoration for my taste.
Hope you're well,
Cynthia
Modified by Cynthia at Mon, Nov 13, 2017, 14:22:23
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There are so many " systems " out there. It is confusing. One thing for sure being that most have a core of " truth " attached to them. But then...past that...what happens which make them go overboard, and violate individual freedom? Where is the line?
The Dalai Lama has in my view the merit of being a holding cement for his community. I am also bewildered by the huge consideration he meets worldwide. At least in the West. But we need I guess to hold onto some role models. Can't always focus on the wrong of the " wrong " models and entities in power. Still seems out of proportion, in his case.
Yet I admit feeling some sadness at the thought he is gonna leave more or less soon. Sad for the Tibetans. They will be on their own...as we all are.
Just sharing random emotions and thougths here.
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