Hi guys
I am not wishing to preach or convert anyone to whatever I may believe. However, it is difficult to separate the behaviour of any teacher and his/her followers from the experiences and beliefs of those within such a group.
It is too easy to simply blame the teacher for using beliefs and teachings to manipulate and exploit people. The followers of any such teacher have to accept responsibility for their own part in the process.
When Lifewave ended I had a lot of very mixed emotions, including relief and anger. As more and more was revealed about what had been really going on, I felt anger at JY for teaching one thing while doing very different things. I felt anger at those teachers within Lifewave who promoted the idea of JY as the perfect spiritual Master, while knowing that he was not what he seemed. But most of all I was angry at myself for my unquestioning acceptance of all that was said. I did occasionally wonder about some aspects of the teachings or some of the things done in the name of spirituality, but I suppressed these questions.
Eventually I had to accept that if I was misled then it was because I had ignored my own discrimination and allowed myself to be deceived. We cannot just blame the teacher or the practices taught. But it was all a valuable lesson for me.
Going back to an earlier comment, equating meditation with the trance states of hypnosis is to misunderstand the nature of both. If the moderators of this forum believe that meditation leaves us open to being manipulated then I have to question their understanding of meditation. And are they not simply promoting their own beliefs about meditation?
I was not manipulated by sitting down to meditate; instead I allowed myself to be manipulated by all my beliefs surrounding my meditation practice. As far as I am concerned the meditation itself is still wonderful (30 years later), but now I can do it without any silly beliefs that I am being guided by a Perfect Master.
peace
I am not wishing to preach or convert anyone to whatever I may believe. However, it is difficult to separate the behaviour of any teacher and his/her followers from the experiences and beliefs of those within such a group.
It is too easy to simply blame the teacher for using beliefs and teachings to manipulate and exploit people. The followers of any such teacher have to accept responsibility for their own part in the process.
When Lifewave ended I had a lot of very mixed emotions, including relief and anger. As more and more was revealed about what had been really going on, I felt anger at JY for teaching one thing while doing very different things. I felt anger at those teachers within Lifewave who promoted the idea of JY as the perfect spiritual Master, while knowing that he was not what he seemed. But most of all I was angry at myself for my unquestioning acceptance of all that was said. I did occasionally wonder about some aspects of the teachings or some of the things done in the name of spirituality, but I suppressed these questions.
Eventually I had to accept that if I was misled then it was because I had ignored my own discrimination and allowed myself to be deceived. We cannot just blame the teacher or the practices taught. But it was all a valuable lesson for me.
Going back to an earlier comment, equating meditation with the trance states of hypnosis is to misunderstand the nature of both. If the moderators of this forum believe that meditation leaves us open to being manipulated then I have to question their understanding of meditation. And are they not simply promoting their own beliefs about meditation?
I was not manipulated by sitting down to meditate; instead I allowed myself to be manipulated by all my beliefs surrounding my meditation practice. As far as I am concerned the meditation itself is still wonderful (30 years later), but now I can do it without any silly beliefs that I am being guided by a Perfect Master.
peace
