"So if you don't like Maharaji, forget about Maharaji, but don't forget about that power within YOU - if you believe in something like that."

Does that sound like "satsang"?!

Anyway "satsang", in its proper sense, refers to expressing truth, so I would hope to be doing that.

Most people believe in something beyond themselves. Do you? Maybe you don't understand it as "a power within" (which is why I added "or something like that"). I don't want to put words in your mouth (which is why I said "put your own label on it"). What do you believe in?

I certainly did NOT say that I "don't believe Maharaji is deceitful, but if he were deceitful, that would be okay." I did say that I "don't believe Maharaji is deceitful", but I definitely didn't say the next bit!

For me faith comes mainly from my own experience. I have a very skeptical mind, and I am not the type of person who would swallow anything. Hence I would not swallow a lot of the information on ex-premie websites. I think it is important to be both open-minded AND skeptical.

You say:

"What is it about Maharaji specifically as your teacher that would preclude him from ever allowing you to have, say, a casual conversation with him or to ask him a question? Have you ever had a one-on-one conversation with Maharaji?"

The answer to the first question is "nothing". The answer to the second question is "no".

In regard to "special powers", what I am saying (without using the word "experience"!) is that Maharaji has a very special ability to teach me how to find a very special power within ME. He does this by teaching me how to get in touch with it, and by encouraging and inspiring me to practice doing this on a regular basis. He teaches me this through his words, and, consequently I also learn through my own actions and activities (I almost said "experience" there!).

Thanks for the stuff you asked me to read, which I had a look at yesterday. I'll go to the top of the board and give an answer (certainly not a definitive answer) there.