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SRF Walrus > In the news > friend of all commits suicide night of Feb 6th
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soulcircle Registered User (2/8/03 1:44 am) Reply	friend of all commits suicide night of Feb 6th Greg, now, Katherine Carol Powell......we miss you -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In a different thread Greg'sbrother wrote: Quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My brother was into SRF heavily for 20 years. He gained much from it, and contributed a lot too. But I think he also felt like all his efforts weren't enough. He took his own life this year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Katherine Carol Powell, attended Sunday's meditation, and Tuesday's.... here one minute gone the next when she was in great pain there was no one Wednesday,she was dead by suicide She was at Sundays and Tuesday's meditation, and other weekly meditaions, as a regular attendee for twenty years. She lived close to the chapel at Richmond and walked to it. About everyone knew her, she was a friend of mine. and EXAMPLE, and TRUE LADY, remarkable in numerous ways ~~~~~~the circle is broken~~~~~~~ your words, Greg's brother, fit Katherine Carol Powell some of us pride ourselves on community, yet as one former monk says, "there is no real community anywhere in srf, especially around the temples." random thoughts yet more important than anything in here by far, please pray for her soul these thoughts aren't in order they are from the pain, anger, grief, love those in the vicinity may email me, you are invited to my home Sunday at 2PM for prayers for her and to support each other heypoet@aol.com some of the following feelings are mine, others are from others this is pathetic this is sad maybe this could be a catalyst for change, although i'm pessimistic given what i know about the mindless folk in srf it should help people see that there is something wrong in denmark... but change is another matter this is posted because we need to be aware of these things now is the time to press for change some say it was depression that committed the suicide, not Katherine Carol, think of how beautiful it is where she is now....get real someone was just in great pain and there was no one there to help how many more will have to pay with their lives? and some like me are the walking dead hello my name is Dave i am the walking dead the spiritually homless Hello I am Dave I am srf-holic that may be it - a 12 step program for srf aholics with meetings and support persons she was there Sunday meditation and Tues meditation......Wed Dead two blocks from me i loved her she liked sports, i "male-bonded" with her over that one she was probably very depressed that is what every one says.....NOW before when she was outta of work, moving, leaving in a hurry after mediataions, maybe the odd person thought "a little karma"..."I hope she's trying some affirmations" her needs weren't being met breakdowns on the left breakdowns on the right suicides front and behind what reaction have you gotten about having ongoing support groups there? did she have many friends ? the last support group here was the one meeting in '96 she was a friend of mine, although i wasn't in touch with her all knew her all felt, she is a friend all would say as i am saying a friend she goes back 20 years always there she shared homes with other prominent single lady devotees post it right away so she gets everyone's prayers you don't realize how many people loved her there is more community at richmond temple than other centers this is nothing but pathetic she was among us, some of us half our lives she walked to the chapel she lived so close there is no real community anywhere in srf, especially around the temples we aren't in touch our prayers to you Katherine, there will be changes our prayers for Greg the tear icon with this post is a foolish, dangerous and unnecessary tear, a pathetic tear it defines the feeling of a friend ripped out of hearts soulcircle is broken
soulcircle Registered User (2/8/03 10:34 am) Reply	following the 11AM service at the Temple / Richmond p. s. to the post immediately above The support circle at my home will be immediately following the end of the 11AM service at the chapel It will be for those who are open minded and supportive of the loss of KAtherine Carol Powell in addition all concerns will be welcomed about the issues around being srf aholics
srfwalrus ezOP (2/8/03 5:17 pm) Reply	Re: following the 11AM service at the Temple / Richmond Sincere sympathies. We will pray for everyone. We are very sorry to hear all this and sorry about the loss.
soulcircle Registered User (2/8/03 9:29 pm) Reply	thank you SRF Walrus, you are so kind i am remembering a suicide that occurred over ten years ago a man who i got to know, another friend, he was a lesson student, perhaps even a kriyaban i would visit with his friends whom he brought to Richmond at times his livelihood painting the "Naked Ladies" of San Francisco [the old victorian homes] was unique i learned of his suicide form Bri. Miles it had been put out of my mind, as i do with unpleasant things rather frequently let me say with all who will, that it's anybody's guess what this does or doesn't have to do with srf at times i am confused, at times i work with the hypothesis that Deva mentioned at his last evening convocation speech......that a non-srf therapists mentioned how srf counselees carry guilt along whith two other characteristics,...... at times i am just phsycally sick like now as a result of my stomach and headache, i am not hosting tomorrow's support circle thank you again for your prayers circle healing from your prayers
username Registered User (2/9/03 9:26 am) Reply	Re: thank you guilt and what two other characteristics?
soulcircle Registered User (2/9/03 2:18 pm) Reply	username username, i will ask someone for their notes, low-self esteem comes to mind circle
soulcircle Registered User (2/10/03 3:08 am) Reply	Carol never heard back from Mother Center The organization / the leadership has failed another are the theachings bad? Carol Katherine Powell, you will want to know was a long-time executive secretary. She lived in pleasant settings, was beautiful and dressed in lovely style and taste. She lived near the Richmond Temple, was well-known and walked to the Temple She even allowed herself activities that were relaxing and wholesome She lost her job. Time went by and she was unable to find employment. She turned to Mother Center asking about a position as either an employee or as a nun. She never heard back from the organization that she had followed, served and supported, fully and faithfully for twenty years. She went outside of her spiritual family seeking a job from the vedanta society. She took heavy medication for a deepening depression. When in Spring '02, she attempted suicide, some devotees were aware of it She was borrowing money from friends, and found this too much to bear. Wednesday night, 02/12/03 or early Thursday morn, she left her body, committing suicide as she plunged off the Golden Gate Bridge circle Edited by: soulcircle at: 2/10/03 3:10:05 am
chela2020 Registered User (2/11/03 5:59 am) Reply	Re: Carol never heard back from Mother Center soulcircle, I am sorry to hear of your loss, not just yours but of of all of us, even those who never knew her. You are all in my prayers.
SayItIsntSo Registered User (5/29/03 8:42 pm) Reply	Re: In Repose I posted elsewhere tonight that I left SRF after 30 years. I haven't been to a temple in 3 years and got rid of all the trappings. SRF had failed me, and it must have failed these people who took their own lives. Failed because there's no hope in SRF--and can lead to depression. It's all about trying to be perfect in an imperfect world, and hence, everyone is full of shame because they can't be perfect. In 30 years there (many temples), I never saw a perfect person at SRF--nor saw a God realized person (whatever that means). I saw a lot of people pretending to be perfect. I never saw anyone going into Samadi, either. Only falling asleep in their chairs. When my husband and I left SRF, not one person called from the church. No one. We were cut. Just like the Mormans cut. A Christian pastor was shocked that after 30 years no one from MY "church" called to find out what had happened to one of their families. At least you would think they miss all the money we forked out. Okay, it was only about $5,000 a year, but heck...that was worth a phone call! When my mother was dying, the monk wouldn't come to the hospital that night. When she died I gave him $200.00. I guess that wasn't enough. This same well-known minister made inappropriate comments to my teenager. She ended up hating the church because of him. I now call it "Self Serving Realization." They don't help anyone but themselves. They don't give to the community. Everything is in "secret" (like the Mormans). They are so sure they are God, they don't even bother to check on all the missing Gods! I wish I could take back all the Convos where I wasted money "serving" a bunch of takers. I wish I'd been working in a soap kitchen or starting a homeless shelter or managing a suicide line. I pray for those who took their own lives. There's no comfort in SRF. It's a hard board to sit on for nothing. I've found Jesus, and call me what you like, but I'm happy, and I only post here now so someone can read this post and go and buy an NIV or Amplified Bible, read the real truth. SRF only quotes selectively, and from the St. James because no one can understand it. Edited by: SayItIsntSo at: 5/29/03 8:45:24 pm
crogman1 Registered User (5/30/03 5:36 am) Reply	Re: In Repose Self Serving Realization! I like it. Another one I like is "self-Realization Fellowship" as they try to fully focus on them selves. The focus is actually on the matas but that is effectively the "self" of SRF. I too wasted years serving that place when I could have been serving worthwhile causes. I was taken in by a cult and will forever be embarrassed at how gullible I was.
chrisparis Registered User (5/30/03 8:35 am) Reply	Re: In Repose You know, it's great for someone to find Jesus and everything. As I mentioned in many of my previous notes, I consider myself a follower of a path of Christian mysticism. The only problem is that so much of what other posters on this board find objectionable about SRF and SRF's handling of the Guru's teachings is EXACTLY the same thing that the early church did to the teachings of Jesus and the early apostles and disciples. In the first two centuries after Christ there were dozens of gospels, at least a few of which had as strong a claim to authenticity and were as popular as the four which ended up in the new Testament. But these gospels were surpressed, and adherents of their teachings labeled heretics. By the 4th century AD, Bishop Athanasius had sent out a letter to all the other churches ordering them to destry all but a list of 27 approved writings which then became the accepted teachings, and remain vitually identical with our current New Testament. The remainder were destroyed, except those which were stored in jars at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, probably by monks at Saint Pachomius' monastary. THere is even a theory (see Elaine Pagel's new book "Beyond Belief") that the Gospel of John was written specifically as a counter for the extremely popular Gospel of Thomas. THe Gospel of Thomas presents a mystical Christ, a Christ who says "I am IN you, and in ALL things. Find God by going to your origins. Bring forth what is within you, that it might save you". THe Christ of John says "I am the way. Nobody gets to heaven SAVE THROUGH ME. Blessed are you if you BELIEVE WITHOUT HAVING SEEN ME". From that day to this the Christian religion has stressed the uniqueness of salvation ONLY to Christians, purchased ONLY through faith, not through knowledge or personal experience. The teachings have been edited, selected, sifted to support this theological position, and to support the power of the church hierarchy. Sound familiar? It ought to! SRF has edited the truth about PY's death and the subsequent non-decomposition of his body (well DUH! he was embalmed the day after his death!). SRF has edited the teachings to support the hierarchy of renunciants. Dissenters become non-persons, airbrushed out of pictures. But to return to my original beef, here: real mysticism, by which I mean the quest for direct knowledge and experience of the ultimate reality of God, or the Universe, is perrenial, in both east and west. I think PY was a real exponent of it, and his teachings, such as we know of them, are a real path to that experience. But about his life, his thoughts, the level of his advancement we can know little with certainty, and that amount will shrink as time passes and history receives more and more attention from the "editorial board". After 2000 years, we can rely on NOTHING in the Bible, unfortunately, except only what is verified by our personal experience and knowledge. But the mere fact that the Gospel of John (or Mark, or Luke, or an epistle of Paul (of which Timothy and Titus are now KNOWN to be forgeries))says Jesus said such and so doesn't at all mean he did. I am ever so sorry to have gone on like this, but, in my old age, I am becoming a very great heretic.
dawnrays Registered User (5/30/03 8:56 am) Reply	Re: In Repose Chrisparis, You are absolutely right. Most people today who believe they are following Christ's teachings are actually following a sect called "Zoroastrianism". It is a religion that infiltrated and eclipsed the original Christian/Jewish Essene teachings (which are actually closer to the Hindu teachings of "oneness") in the second century AD. This hybrid religion stressed duality as in heaven/hell, absolute good and bad, satan/God and pure/impure (hence the curse on sex, the body is the enemy and at war with the soul, etc..). The originator (Zoroan or Zoroas) was eventually flayed alive as a heretic but the religion had already taken it's roots and is now known today as Christianity. Thank God for PY. Let us not let this historical tragedy repeat itself through srf. Also, my great sympathy on the previous posts. The first is one of the saddest stories I've ever heard. The second poster is an all too common casualty and a tragedy in it's own right. Love, dawnrays Edited by: dawnrays at: 5/30/03 10:31:56 am
chrisparis Registered User (5/30/03 10:17 am) Reply	Re: In Repose Actually, you can find plenty of the dualistic and world hating attitudes in very early Christian gnostic sects, and in certain jewish monastic movements. It's kind of hard to chalk it up to Zoroastrianism. Likewise, you can find the same kind of distrust of the body, turning the back on the world, etc., in vedantic hinduism. Isn't this attitude the very crux of the problem people are having with SRF?
dawnrays Registered User (5/30/03 10:28 am) Reply	Re: In Repose Well yes, obviously. I'm not an expert and thanks for the information (and the right spelling). I just remember being relieved to know this information (about Zoroastrianism) because it all never felt right to me (as a Catholic). Oh yes, I can definitely see the parallel with srf. It's really scary to be honest. I think a lot of it does lead to the same self-hatred and unhealthy attitudes. I think that it's very important that they not have sole control over the teachings. It is very important that they do not have the power to silence and edit people, writings, (Master?) out of existence. They are extremely controlling and secretive. dawnrays Edited by: dawnrays at: 5/30/03 1:46:31 pm
chrisparis Registered User (5/30/03 11:09 am) Reply	Re: In Repose The early fathers of the Christian Church have much to answer for. In "The Gospel of THomas" the author says "If you bring forth that which is within you, that which is within you will save you; but, if you don't bring forth that which is within you, that which you don't bring forth will destroy you". Well, the early church extrirpated ALL of the methods they knew of to "bring forth that which is within you". But this is the essence of what we are supposed to be doing "down here", so not being engaged in the effort of bringing forth that which is within you leads to a hunger that can't be satisfied by anything else. So people sign on to all kinds of things within various churches: serving on commitees, making macaroni and cheese for potluck suppers, taking blankets to the poor in El Salvador, serving as lay ministers in various capacities. And there's lots of important stuff that happens as a result of doing all that kind of thing, but it can't reach that level of starvation. Hence that "not feeling right" thing you mentioned. Kriya can help. So can zen meditation, prayer of the heart, centering prayer. Boy, it's painful though, this hunger for the "spiritual connection". There is no other hunger or thirst or addiction like it.
dawnrays Registered User (5/30/03 2:05 pm) Reply	Re: In Repose Amen.
stermejo Registered User (5/31/03 2:04 pm) Reply	Re: In Repose Dawn writes: " ...Christ's teachings are actually following a sect called "Zoroastrianism." Just a heads up: Your church history teachers may be confusing Zoroasterianism with Mithraism an earlier dualistic philosophy that morphed into Zoroasterianism. Mithraism is "famous" in the christian church. When St Augustin of Hippo defeated the high priests of Mithrades in debate parts of the philosophy were subsumed into the teachings of Christianity. St Augustin is who Bob Dylan refers to in the words, "I dreamed I saw St Augustin in the utmost misery." He was the sinner saint and generally self-punishing. Actually the influence of Zoroaster's teachings is more important to Sufism. The present day followers of Zoaroaster call themselves "Parsis." The Parsis, worshippers of fire, were driven from Iran and given sanctuary in India where they adapted to the local culture. The Parsi community thrives primarily in Mumbai. Edited by: stermejo at: 5/31/03 2:20:44 pm
dawnrays Registered User (5/31/03 9:29 pm) Reply	Re: In Repose Very interesting.... and thanx for the information. dawnrays

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