Dear Elizabeth,
You are not the first to have difficulty separating the organisational
issues with the extra challenges they bring to people on a spiritual level,
from the teaching itself.
ime, the ones who have the hardest time of this are those caught up in local
organisational activities/responsibilities just like yourself. Separating
the wheat from the chaff, maintaining detachment, dealing with your own
judgemental ego is not easy when one commits to working within the
organisational structure of Eckankar and the local Satsangs.
My personal opinion is that those who serve in a formal capacity MAY need to
have good long break occasionally .............. like work for 3 years then
take a whole year off....... no matter what!
But that's hard when the ego says, "oh dear there's no one else to do this
important job I do" .......... I've heard that from almost every person I
know personally who works in a local satsang.......... and they keep saying
it whilst their home/personal life is going down the toilet.
All the problems you list below can be resolved with one simple word
"detachment".
I mean seriously, why on earth do you think Sri Harold recommends people
take a time out after they have become unbalanced from serving in formal
capacities for too many years? This is exactly what happened to Ford
........... but he didn't heed the advice, the ones who do, we never hear
about because they benefit from the break.
Many people simply get "burnt out" from too much activity .......... they
can then go past a point of no return, thinking that the only answer is to
dump the whole thing, when all they needed to do was take a step back and
relax for a while about 2 or 3 years beforehand.
I am forever mind boggled that what appears to be so many long time HI's
cannot see this simple solution of "detachment", or fail to be aware of what
is happening to them and the changes in their overt behaviour within
Satsangs.
It's not the teaching or Sri Harold's problem, they don't cause this, the
individual does of their own accord, imho. It's a lesson they obviously have
to learn through experience, which is why I imagine Sri Harold rarely
intervenes untill matters become way too out of control, eg Ford.
So enjoy the break yourself, and don't burn your bridges if you can help it.
Things may look a lot different in a few years time.
Sincerely Sean.
Post by whitefeatherPost by arelurkerPost by RichThe idea that people are leaving Eckankar based on what they read in a
single book is IMO an advertizing tactic to sell more copies. You only
here it from those shills promoting the book or on Ford's sites.
Seriously, what could one say about anybody that left a long held
teaching based solely on words in one book?
They have integrity.
Lurk
*** I didn't leave Eckankar because of a book. I look at my life,
this time around, as an agreement. On my path I gleaned many types
of experiences each a part of my spiritual learning process. Each
year on the path called eckankar (30 years), yes I learned from it...
it helped me move through illusion, realizing what was an "external
power, and what was an inner power".
I learned to be consciously aware of my higher self, and of my
potential as soul. What I found was my own "Middle path", or direct
path... It takes honesty, integrity, courage, self-respect, and love.
These are spiritual qualities and are very important for my
well-being. To ignore them/IT is like selling myself to a power
outside of myself. Eckankar offers a shortcut in life, a direct path
to god... what it is doing is short circuiting our own empowerment as
soul, a higher being! Eckankar appears to offer up for a membership
price, true enlightenment. If it can be bought, we are attracted to
it; All the secrets given to you including love, and protection, if
you pay a membership price.
This reminds me of the movie the Wizard of Oz... The Wizard hides
behind the curtain, giving out orders and enlightenment, puts you to
the test. When Dorothy and the rest do what is asked of them, they
come to find it isn't enough. Dorothy's dog Toto opens the curtain to
show that the Wizard is just roll-playing. The Wizard being less than
forthcoming on his promises.... (This path is 5% outer, 95% inner;
just in case the system doesn't work for the chela... The Wizard won't
have to take responsibility for the chela's failures) Dorothy
discovers on her own, that the Wizard couldn't take her home... she
discovers that she always had the power within herself to return home.
There is no direct path to God that you can buy... the direct path to
God is 100% inner, and only you as soul, your highself can discover
this.
I realized I did not need to walk in anyones shadow, not even a
godman on Earth. It has been said that those of us that have left the
teachings, well surely we must have become lazy... after all how
could a person that became a member at such a young age, spend 30
years in the teachings, become a 6th, an initiator and ESA, ever
question her path? Here is the thing, I realized I didn't have to
project my needs as soul onto a Master, and expect enlightenment.
There will always be someone or some path out there willing to take a
piece of your soul (money)... rendering you less powerful, and
themselves more powerful, (control over you, and in turn become more
the richer).
Becoming an H.I., allowed me to look at the whole outer
organization in a different light. I saw a lot of abuse by H.I.'s,
especially when it came time to evaluate each person up for the next
initiation. It is a sure and true test of how a person will either
allow ego to enter into their path, or will they remain heart
centered... Some H.I.'s won't admit they enjoy the power given
them... how much are you willing to sell of yourself, your morals,
your integrity, your soul, for the sake of a false security on a path
called Eckankar?
Swordsmen of the Sugmad; Eckankar's secret wapon, to take what
ever direction necessary for the organization to get what IT wants...
and they blindly go about their tasks forgetting to practise the
virtues of compassion, mindfulness... and yes finding it okay; it is
true, it is kind, it is necessary. It is easy to excuse away their
behavior, after all they are protecting the teachings.