When a group of Eckists and I went to see the Bloomington, Indiana, premiere of Star Wars, we were thrilled by the light sabers of the Jedi knights. In one he refers to me as Lane the widower. So then I wrote The J.R. Controversy for a new journal called Understanding Cults. One exclaims, Arent you afraid of those Eckankarists, arent you afraid what theyre going to do?, I take a guilty sip of my drink. In the past, we thought that this was our little private esoteric religion. Then his whole manner changed he leaned forward in his chair, his voice emphatically rose and fell. I was excited 20 years old, in the moment of discovering something new. When I called to sign up, they told me that I never had to go to a class if I didnt want to. Youre right, every world religion has got its problems. If you left Eckankar because of the lies of the founders and their actions, don't spread garbage about totally unrelated things that were largely debunked after the 1980s "Satanic Panic". Known the world over as the Eckankar mafia because of slippery manoeuvring behind the scenes wrecking marriages friendships livelihoods and demographics where ever they plant themselves. (Such a quake did occur in 1812.) When I get home, my hosts greet me with a Manhattan. Dr. Bluth, Twitchells personal doctor and vice president of Eckankar at the time, has confirmed that he gave Twitchell books from the Radhasoami library. All rights reserved. I came from a religion that was full of dogma and rituals, and it really was a breath of fresh air to have all my questions answered in a way that made sense to me.But above all, I think I most appreciate how I am able to incorporate the teachings of ECK into my everyday life, instead of feeling like my physical and . Several hundred members of Eckankar live in the San Diego area, but not all of them participate in local events. Apparently Lane has equally conflicted feelings about me. When it came out, I got a 25-page letter from a group called the Coalition for Civil and Spiritual Freedom. Im an extremely intuitive person, she says, so I feel things long before I understand them in my head. We have to make sure for ourselves that what were experiencing is truth and not an illusion.. This is where Ive got to be careful. Peebles, says Lane, got so disgruntled when he realized there was some kind of fraud being perpetuated that he wrote Eckankar himself about these findings. Peebles returned to his Baptist roots and sent his paper to Professor Ed Gruss of the Los Angeles Baptist College. At one Eckankar seminar in Florida, a panhandler happened to station himself outside the hotel where the seminar was held. To me, if people want to get into those kinds of discussions, fine, and Ill kick it around with them for a while, too, if they want to talk on that level. I left Eckankar because I was able to prove the concepts of Soul Travel to myself. Soul, being a spark of God, is on a journey to find its way home to God, or the Sugmad. Rebazar Tarzs, yeah, that Rebazar Tarzs. So I came upon this theory called genealogical dissociation. The loss of my old loves and Grosss loss of status become merged in an ineffable sadness. Classic. The idea that people are leaving Eckankar based on what they read in a single book is IMO an advertizing tactic to sell more copies. In October 1981, Eckists were again floored when Gross announced his resignation as the Living Eck Master, but not without first signing a contract that gave him a salary of $65,000 for life, full medical and dental coverage, use of a company car, and entertainment expenses. In one article Lane shows me, Twitchell is reported to have piercing blue eyes, to sleep only four hours a night, to read 5000 words a minute, to eat little, and to have the ability to be in all places at the same time.. Naturally the threat made me want to do more research. Finally, as a last resort, Lane suggests we exit the parking garage and then walk down the ramp where we drove in. Rebazar Tarzs. This guys pretty smart, because he knows that if he pays attention to me, thats a good way of buying me off, so he can spin-doctor my research. Another man named Sri Michael Turner, in Tucson, claims to be the 974th Living Master of the Midnight Sun. A skeptic goes to an Eckankar meeting, or anybodys meditation meeting, and says, Well, now wait a second, are you sure you saw the astral body of Rami Nuri? (In one illustration, the Rod of Power is depicted as a glowing white wand. It never existed. In 68 he was a convener, which means he held Eck satsangs [classes) in his home in Rosemead, California. Harold Klemp. Do you know what I mean?. He offshooted from Eckankar and founded this religion called the Divine Science of Light and Sound. Finally, in 1992, Garland, a publisher of hardback reference books, accepted Lanes manuscript for its library series. Radhasoami is a yogic teaching that, according to Lane, is designed to enable the soul or consciousness to ascend beyond the physical body to higher spiritual regions by means of an internal sound or life current. Central to the teachings of Radhasoami, continues Lane, is the necessity of a living human master competent in initiating disciples into the practice and technique of listening to the inner sound, contemplating the inner light, and leaving the human body at will. The Indian guru Kirpal Singh figures prominently in Twitchells early writing. With the popularity of the Ghostbusters logo. Although i had forgotten my. I was confident that soon James would see the light and become a disciple of Eckankar. 'Ohoh! Buying a used car you at least look underneath the hood, hit the tires, maybe take it to a mechanic to check it out. Susan Rice, the director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, is stepping down from her post, President Biden announced Monday. And I saw into the vast soft interior of the universe which was slowly and gently turning itself inside out. He never had much money. When they find out youre talking to me, I guarantee that their lawyers will write. This was in 76 or 77, and I was 20 years old, so its like All the President's Men. Yelman tells me she was born in Germany. So, Im not scared of attorneys. Once when I was driving down to Baja on one of my frequent surf trips, he continues, I noticed to my amazement a highway sign that said Rebasar. I dont know exactly what it means No Passing, or something like that. I am afraid my beliefs will cause conflict within the Eckankar community and it may be best that I leave Eckankar. Lane asks me if I want to see Twitchells Del Mar home. There was music and noise and clamor, and I turned to look at my friend. If thats his focus in life, then he has a very limited view of life. McMahon explains that plagiarism isnt always what it seems. Among those two explanations, Occams Razor points to the simpler one, I overslept. While a few people I met were off-the-wall, Eckists in general make wonderfiil friends, kind, caring, nonjudgmental. Sipping his virgin strawberry margarita, Lane says, I got a sense of authenticity when he played his vibes, like thats who he really was, a musician, instead of trying to be a master. Whenever I saw Gross and Atkinson, I would be seated in an auditorium, surrounded by thousands of avid followers, each hoping at some point to receive the darshan, the Masters gaze. Followers of Eckankar believe that beyond the physical world there are many other realms existing at higher vibratory rates. Totally aware, she says seriously. Shortly afterward, Twitchell claimed, a 500-year-old Tibetan monk, Rebazar Tarzs, appeared to him and instructed him to move to San Diego. They knew what I had done with Eckankar, and they thought, Well, he can do this with J.R. So there was a secret meeting in a Santa Monica condominium with these defectors. Del Mars beach is amazingly clean. We have a different focus and intent, thats all. I dont have a real axe to grind., At a Hillcrest cafe, Lane confides, The people who scare me are John-Rogers people, not Eckankars. John-Roger Hinkins, founder of the Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (MSI A, pronounced Messiah), has gotten a lot of bad press lately. Lane places his hand to his face like a phone receiver, Hi, Fubbi, this is Gakko. I choke down the last gulp of my Green Garden vegetable cocktail and ask,. If you want to go and follow a group in which the founder lies to you, whether its about the spiritual masters on the inner planes, about his personal life, or about the sources of his information and his books, well, fine. I called him my friend, she continues. See! she exclaims. Sitting in this pathetic room with its riotously floral turquoise-and-purple carpet, it feels as if nobodys dreams will ever come true. His earlier writings didnt really talk about Rebazar Tarzs. (The 500-year-old bearded Tibetan monk Rebazar Tarzs wears a maroon robe, carries in his powerful right hand a huge walking staff, and speaks with a musical voice. Through a process that Lane himself does not completely understand, someone photocopied this manuscript and circulated it around the country. Blame Eddy for May Gray and June Gloom, Chamise and Buckwheat are blooming, All the Dylan Mulvaney San Diego connections. But, Dave, I whine, why wont you talk about it on tape? Because I have a certain kind of respect for him, a kind of sweet affection. I was 21. He took my wifes diaries and made hand-written notes in the margins. When youre traveling, you want to have fun; you want to see pretty things. Nobody knew hed been married before. Within two years Klemp fired Gross, accusing him of negativity, spiritual decay, and embezzlement. Eckankar is the most direct path to becoming a coworker with the Sugmad. Initiations link Soul to the Eck (Holy Spirit), which can be seen as light and heard as sound. The suggested annual membership donation for individuals is $120, a bargain in the miracles-and-freedom market. The guys like an idiot, right? Those answers were so far-reaching in their depth and breadth, they still help me today, nine years later. Lane looks like hes swallowed a mouse, grinning and biting his finger. This must not be true. Im also aware that in at least two previous lifetimes I was killed because of my beliefs, specifically in reference to Eckankar, and so I think some of that karma was still sitting heavily on my chest, so to speak., Im impressed with Yelmans absolute assurance. Some letters contained threats against me and my informants. Lanes research indicates, however, that Twitchell was born between 1908 and 1912, in Paducah, Kentucky. He is Shamus-i-Tabriz (a living Eck Master of 400 years ago who now teaches on the Causal Plane at the Sakapori Temple of Golden Wisdom in the city of Honu). My only regrets were that I sold all my rock albums to pay for my membership. Much of Grosss current teachings center around the easy-listening jazz he performs on the vibes. It's. But its just a few blocks off University.. Sitting at a table outside Monsoon at Village Hillcrest, surrounded by potted plants and curving walls of mango orange, gold, deep purple, and rusty red, Lane sips a Coke and tells me the history of his involvement with alternative religious movements. No, I sigh, Im not afraid of those people.. It got to the point that it became a mythology in which Twitchell couldnt remember all the names. Be very careful with Eckankar. "Actually, Eckankar is the one who has kept me going because they keep [after] me every time I try to come out with something. May 1, 2023 6:30 AM. Lane and Walsh had put a circle with a slash through it over Eckankars logo, which is EK formed into a circle. In October, at a seminar in Las Vegas, Gross was revealed to be the new Living Eck Master when Atkinson walked over to him and handed him a blue carnation. And I dont mean fun in a mean way, I mean, I find Paul to be incredibly imaginative and very interesting to investigate.. Spirit can express itself as sound or as bright or even colored lights. I think that in Eckankar skepticism is healthy, he continues. Here's something you might be interested in. I urge, Come on, Dave, its starting. I practically have to pull him into the concert. In Understanding Cults, Lane published The Criminal Activities of John-Roger Hinkins, a laborious account of Hinkinss alleged break-in and smear campaign. And there was a big note on a box that said, NO MORE. No jewelry was gone only research stuff, including materials for my doctoral dissertation., He took my wifes personal diaries, a camera which he must have thought had film in it, videotapes, an address book, and my recipe file containing my favorite recipe for Del Mar lentil loaf. What about Lanes plagiarism charges? I ask. I didnt know why it happened. They fade out clean and quietly. Recently I have had a spiritual crisis where I stopped believing in the concept of the Abrahamic God. Hi, Im Dave." The religion seems to be centered around spiritual experiences, particularly experiencing the "Light and Sound of God." Though Eckankar does not try to coerce disillusioned members to remain on the path, Eckists are warned that when they drop out, their spiritual growth stops, and they are at the mercy of the Kal, the negative force of the universe. It wasnt just David Lanes personal opinion. Simply put, Twitchell cut his connection with Radhasoami for good marketing reasons. Dont miss out. He does that all the time. In The Sea, the Sea she writes, Far away in that ocean of gold, stars were silently shooting and falling and finding their fates, among those billions and billions of merging golden lights. Lane shakes his head. Rather, hes tried to make the teachings more accessible to the average person whos interested in religion or spirituality but may not be familiar with a lot of the terms that weve used in the past., What alternative terms have been developed?, Instead of talking about contemplations or the nurat or the surat technique for the light and sound, we just say we do spiritual exercises. The term God no longer had use for me. Yelman flickers in her pink-and-cream chair like a pale flame. Lanes no longer an easy man to find. In days of old the barrier [sic] of bad news to the King was done away with. Its membership today is primarily in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Lane leans across the cafe table, excitedly tapping his straw. As the great Houdini wrote, The yellow thread of exposure seems to be inextricably woven into all fabrics whose strength is secrecy. Houdini, like Lane, was a man whose obsessions drove him to expose religious frauds. Last April the current Living Eck Master, Harold Klemp, spoke at a three-day major seminar at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina. Gross continues to work as a spiritual master, with a small group of devoted followers, many of them former Eckists. I need it. Yet it has a sweetness to it. A line will leap out and inspire you. Again, I am reminded of Houdini, whose interest in spiritualism was awakened with his dearly loved mothers death. But he refuses to reveal details for publication and will only repeat the facts as listed on the death certificate. I told him I didnt plan to write about him, but letters [started going] around the country saying that I was a gay FBI agent in San Diego, that I had researchers working for me that I wasnt paying. Other students of Radhasoami have objected to Lanes critical stance in The Radhasoami Tradition: A Critical History of Guru Successorship, published by Garland. If we were to rely on books as the source of our knowledge and our truth, wed be really hurting, because wed be all going in different directions. During their first six months of membership, new Eckists usually receive what is known as their first initiation in the dreamstate. Today it is perhaps the most successful religious movement to come out of the 60s, claiming a worldwide membership in the tens of thousands. As members are leaving in droves, the speaker looks into why. That i owed it to myself to know for sure that what i. Hes got his music. Hes listed in Ripley's Believe It or Not as having sold an article every day. The Rod of Power was passed on to Harold Klemp. My family is full of attorneys. We were suddenly in a marketplace with lots of bright burgundy-colored carpets. Not long afterward I joined Eckankar, unaware of the dissension. It may be a game for Lane, but believers are playing for high emotional and intellectual stakes. I had the following experience, I was taken back to the crucifixion. A job as a correspondent for Our Navy took him to Washington, D.C. in 1945. He came up with the name Sudar Singh from the name Sudarshan Singh he just cut off the shan part of it and put Sudar. Usually he mixes Indian names with Chinese names [from] popular Tibetan or Taoist books, and hell conflate the two. We take our seats among the 50 or so other seekers, many of whom have flown in for the event. Yelman received hers while at an Eck seminar in Hawaii. Home study discourses and musical tapes are also available. I went to sleep, and in my sleep I seemed to hear a sound of singing.. I never stopped, not even for a minute even though they, pardon my expression, treated me like shit. As I walk away he yells after me, Hang in there!. They were gods to me, and one doesnt question the mating patterns of gods. I always have been. The report made claims of tax irregularities and personal misconduct by an Eckankar leader. Sure! But when we go to the Hillcrest Village parking garage to retrieve Lanes car he cant find it. So I may Ik damaging the organization, but the real essence of Eckankar is not the organization, its the Eck, that inner spirit., They read my book. Eckankar, which is now called the Religion of Light and Sound, teaches that each individual is Soul inhabiting a human body. Twitchell told his second wife, Gail, that he was born in the early 20s. 1:08. After a year or so, he branched off and started his own group, MSIA, claiming that in 1963 he had a kidney stone operation and that after nine days of being in a coma he had been commissioned to be the Mystical Traveler Consciousness. At first Hinkins thought it was the legendary Rebazar Tarzs who came to him on the inner planes and passed on the keys to the Kingdom, but later, after seeing a photo of Radhasoami guru Sawan Singh, Hinkins decided that it was really Sawan Singh who had given him the mantle. Lets try to make it easy for them to at least understand what were doing, what were about, and what the potential of the teaching is. A lot of people would see Eckankar as a cult. In 1983 Lane and Brian Walsh issued a glossier version of The Making of a Spiritual Movement through their own Del Mar Press. Youre not going to say, Well, Im a dumbshit. Toni Atkins wife Jennifer LeSar to bid on Todd Gloria's downtown project. Lanes still a member of Kadhasoami, but hes been reluctant to talk about it, beyond mentioning that his guru Charan Singhs death in 1990 has thrown him into a state of crisis. . Two years ago you were living at your girlfriends aunts house, not making much money on the pro-bowling scene, and now youre God., Lane rolls his eyes. Twitchell was living in Point Loma in 1965 when he started teaching workshops and selling booklets on how to leave your body. Grosss rise to power was steeped in controversy from the beginning. I said to myself, I bet this is where Twitchell got the name Rebazar Tarzs! ", Charles Richards: "David Lane is making a name for himself by being an antagonist to Eckankar.". Very top secret, for they were really scared of upsetting John-Roger. I saw myself very clearly as the roman centurion responsible for maintaining order and preventing any trouble. Before founding Eckankar, Twitchell was involved in yoga, self-realization groups, and Scientology. We zone out on lounge music for an hour and a half, then Dawn walks to the front of the room and says, Thats it. I ask Lane if hes going to introduce himself. Eckankar believes that God exists in two parts, the Light and Sound, known as ECK. He and Gross have been sparring since 1977. Garland decided to withdraw it. All, I have been an official member of Eckankar for 10 years. When I sit down on the cream-colored day bed, he suggests I might be more comfortable in the armchair facing him. I feel like Ive stumbled into a New Age greeting card or a novel by Iris Murdoch, try to imagine experiencing this extravagance on a regular basis. Lane pays for my coffee and his Coke, and we sit down at a small, dark table. Eckankar is cult just like Scientology. Charan Singh forwarded it to Lane. I am skeptical of paranormal claims, because I believe we need to shave more with Occams Razor. Occams Razor?, The principle of competing theories, developed in the 14th Century by a guy named William of Occam, who said that if you have competing theories, go for the simplest theory first if it explains the issue fully. At this stage, Peter McWilliams, the guy who later wrote Life 102, was still pro-John-Roger, so he was putting his hands on the camera, that kind of scene, when they tried to interview John-Roger. Lane drives me back to Hillcrest. Lane does arrive, at one oclock Thursday afternoon, on time to the minute. Like so many children of the 1960's, my awakening began with marijuana and LSD. He was a pro-bowler as well as a higher initiate in Eckankar. Gail Atkinson, who has long since broken with Eckankar, is said to live in wealthy seclusion in Palm Springs. Im not interested in all this other dialogue that David Lane is so focused on.

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