1754 From: Simon Dicon Montford  <sdm@e...>  

Date: Mon Aug 28, 2000 8:25am
Subject: dignitaries and important personalities

Originally from http://www.sahajayoga.org/Events/, which was down as of May 12, 2007:

"Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi's Tour of North America during the month of  June, 2000 marked a breakthrough for the American public, drawing  thousands at each of the six public programs (New York, Los Angeles,  Washington DC, Toronto, Vancouver, and Berkeley, California), as well  as dignitaries and important personalities at the VIP reception on  June 22nd in New York City."

M: Sounds like Hitler arrival at Munich This vague use (ultra-generic  indeed)of "thousands" can be anything from 2 thousand to 90 thousand. But we know from facts that they might be - at best 2 thousand - and  of these nearly 1 thousand are SY. Apart of that we hear once again  the pathetic ring of marketing "triumphalism".

SD: VIP reception? So which "dignitaries and important personalities"  showed up?

M: So which "dignitaries and important personalities" showed up? Madonna? Bill Gates? Sting? Michael Jordan? The Rothchilds?

Originally from  http://www.sahajayoga.org/Events/2000TourImpressions.html, which was down as of May 12, 2007:

"Shri Mataji said that the only two diseases which are really hard to  cure are AIDS and the Alzheimer disease, mostly due to the  negative/aggressive attitude of the patients which makes it difficult  for them to receive and accept their Self Realization."

SD: Same ol' crapola.

M: Known cases of agressive AIDSians running after Mataji kicking her  and/or shouting names at her? What about fierce Alzheimerists  furiously guiding their wheel-chairs intent on erasing Mataji or  members of her brigade?

To support that affirmation (that implies that she has huge scores of  successful healing)she has to show her impressive numbers concerning  healing "easy diseases" like all forms of cancer, and all cardio and  angiopathies, not to mention siphilis, tuberculosis, diabetes and the  Indian disease "diarrehia". And her own: constipation.

O, blame it on the decay of enlightenment. Besides, the show must go  on, play on the same ol'music.

1756 From: Isabel Martenson  <imartenson@y...>  Date: Wed Aug 30, 2000 0:25am Subject: RE: Fw: [SY] questions

I guess Maslow would say that when we have all our 'lower' needs met then our minds can turn to 'self-actualisation'. I dunno.

Isa: Is Maslow the one who wrote about the pyramid of needs?? Looking  back at my vast experience of life ;-) Id have to say that when I  have financial/physical difficulties thats all I think of, I dont  turn to spirituality at all, I remain on that base level, but when other, higher needs arent satisfied I tend to turn to  spirituality.

When Ive felt lonely or isolated for example Ive always turned to the spiritual, not purposefully, because of a need to join a group, but  somehow when Ive been surrounded by friends and loved ones and really  enjoying myself I havent felt so much the need to discover ultimate truths. So if spiritual love is a substitute for earthly love, is  earthly love of higher value? Answer me that one for ten points  Cambridge. Ok, Ill get back to work now. Isa     1757 From: Miguel Henriques  <migcah@h...>  Date: Wed Aug 30, 2000 2:51am Subject: RE: Fw: [SY] questions

Dear Isa, perhaps this duality spirituality/ materiality is not conducive to  zero experience mind. this zero experience mind is one who sees every  situation as new, and does not interpret it according to a set frame  of reference. Seeing unconditionally then is true seeing. The path of  seeing does not separate lower from higher. Indeed lower is higher ,  higher is lower. Everyday life contains all. Every situation (whether  pleasant, painful or neutral) is the teacher.

So those who set "spiritual" over a pedestal and against "material"  are on a wrong track: the priest path. This world right now is  joyfully divine and does not need external divinities. May be  enlightenment is breakthrough from all kinds of spiritualities. They  are an unneeded byproduct. In short the Spirit has no "spirituality"  that can be named. That's why all Yogas and Mahayogas are paths to be  discarded. That's why the Zen path is said to be a no-path path.  There's no ultimate sandal. Regards, Miguel de CH

  1758 From: Britt  <brittbaumann@h...>  Date: Wed Aug 30, 2000 5:07am Subject: Re: Fw: [SY] questions

So if spiritual love is a substitute for earthly love, is earthly  love of higher value? Answer me that one for ten points Cambridge. Perhaps Earthly Love is Spiritual Love. The love shared between  friends, family and spouse is of the highest value but the  conterfeit love is the one reaping meaningless sexual gratification from strangers....or for that matter meaningless, empty love from a  guru.

1759 From: Jane Pickup  <jane@h...>  Date: Wed Aug 30, 2000 7:44am Subject: Re: Fw: [SY] questions

I can't comment on the first question(because I don't really  understand it! However, I must say I agree wholeheartedly with the  other comment regarding "counterfit "love" reaping meaningless sexual  gratification from strangers!"

If only people had such a burning "urge" to show genuine love and  kindess towards their fellow men and women as they do for the kind  just mentioned - the world would be a much nicer place!! Jane Pickup

 1761 From: Simon Dicon Montford  <sdm@e...>  Date: Thu Aug 31, 2000 2:15am Subject: RE: [xsy] FW: Testimonial Supporting Sahaja Yoga

Email from current SY member received by Freedom of Mind on August 14, 2000

Hi Just read your page on Sahaja Yoga.

I've been "in" since 1983 and have practised SY in England, India and  Australia.

I'd just like to say that SY is for ever evolving... so the many ridiculous actions of the big leaders of the 1980s do not happen now  (not to my knowledge anyway.) The cruel and unjust actions reported  at www.sahaja-yoga.org did not only happen in the 1980s but continue  to the present day.

SD: They were not only perpetrated by leaders of Sahaja Yoga, but  also Shri Mataji, the Guru, "Supreme Goddess" and major beneficiary  of Sahaja Yoga.

Secondly, SY evolves in different ways in different countries - which  is something Judith Coney in her PhD thesis/book on SY in England  failed to understand.

SD: In fact differences between countries are discussed by Dr Judith  Coney in her PhD thesis and book. The subject is also a major theme  of her 1995 article 'Belonging to a Global Religion': The  Sociological Dimensions of International Elements in Sahaja Yoga,  *Journal of Contemporary Religion*, Vol. 10, No. 2, p. 109.

I am not brainwashed, and still retain my critical faculties Critical faculties can be selective.(having been awarded two Masters  degrees at a major Australian university in the 1990s),

SD: Unfortunately academic honours are no defence against cult  membership. Most cults have MDs, PhDs, etc among their membership.

nor do I accept everything said in the name of SY.

SD: The acid test is whether you accept everything said by Shri  Mataji. Do you accept her claim that babies that cry in front of her  (or her photograph) are possessed? Do you accept her claim that  Indians have extra genes protecting them from 'sins against the  Father' and 'sins against the Mother'? Do you accept her claim that  she is not benefitting financially from Sahaja Yoga? Do you accept  her claim that she is the Supreme Goddess who created the universe?

For me, there has to be a reason for any SY practise I engage in -  mantras, footsoaking, whatever - in the end my constant question to  myself is: does this way of life make me a better person, do I  benefit? So far, the answer has been yes.

SD: People can use the same argument for involvement in organisations  like the Nazi party. In the end it is down to personal choice. Incorrect. There is an ethical dimension because your support for the  guru and the organisation affects the lives of others, especially if  you are involved in recruitment activities, donate money, or attend  money-making events like pujas and India Tours.

Personally I feel it is unfair that the actions of the minority in the 1980s in certain countries, should still be visited on  everyone else in the year 2000.

SD: The main concern of www.sahaja-yoga.org is Shri Mataji's own  behaviour: her cruelty, injustice and multi-million dollar  profiteering. The financial report at:  http://mitglied.tripod.de/Sahaja_Yoga_Facts/mneytxt.htm concerns Sahaja Yoga finances at the end of 1999.

Ps. Beware selective quoting from Shri Mataji's book, or indeed any  book. You just make yourself look foolish to those who have read the  book in its entirety.

SD: Critics of Sahaja Yoga would welcome the full text of the book  being made available on the Internet. It would do more than we ever  could to publicise the abusurdity of Mataji's ideas. Previously there  was a book called *The Kingdom of God* freely available at www.adishakti.org that espoused equally absurd ideas. Unfortunately  Shri Mataji decreed that the book be taken off the Internet and  privately published.

Best wishes, Simon M <sdm@e...>

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