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SRF Walrus > Core Issues > Where does the SRF bad ladies FEAR come from?
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member108 Registered User (2/9/03 10:56 am) Reply	Where does the SRF bad ladies FEAR come from? Most all the disappointing actions of the bad ladies of the SRF Board of Directions is cause by fear fear fear. Part of the fear generated by SRF (mother center) is that of simple insecurity. The bad ladies are incompetent in running an organization and know it. Of course most businesses are run poorly so it is just another indication of their immaturity that they would go to such lengths to try to hide it. $:\$ The bad ladies are also not God-realized and the truth be known not even very advanced. Of course, again, most people are not! It is only their mistaken feeling that the organization is the central focus of Yogananda’s work and that they derive their authority from a myth of spiritual advancement that drives them to this fear of being found out. They must hide it at ALL costs. The costs are a bunch of broken devotees and a slow destruction of the great Yogananda’s reputation for those who buy into their SRF = Master view of things. What if the organization was run by lay members and monastics who made no claim to being advanced. Who kept the work simple and made no claims to being the one true representative of Master's? What if they kept on mission and just tried to publish Master's words and help reach as many people as who felt drawn to this form of path? What if they didn't claim SRF was the highway route, the best of the best, blah blah blah? What if humility became part of the organization? Edited by: member108 at: 2/9/03 10:59:45 am
soulcircle Registered User (2/9/03 2:23 pm) Reply	member108 what if you and some other here formed a small group formally and as directors guided these goals into reality? first step, an offshoot, separate affliliated baord with this as its common goal with daily doses of fun, humility and openess
member108 Registered User (2/9/03 5:07 pm) Reply	Re: member108 We would have to find people that think SRF is worth saving. People who feel that an SRF organization run by an abusive monastic organization was what Master had in mind for the org to publish his books. For myself I don't think that is what he had in mind.
soulcircle Registered User (2/9/03 5:50 pm) Reply	or.... i see three distinct energies as we go into this year and the years ahead 1) srf walrus, it's continuation and growth 2) new group/organization.....would complete projects such as a complete public online library of py's original writings 3) activists rise up within srf demanding changes srf walrus allows different discussions, one being whether srf will ever be different than power grabbers leading willing sheep this is good, this is so good ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ others may move beyond this debate [whether or not they remain active on srf walrus] and set objectives 1) completely independent of srf ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and separately DIFFERENT people 2) a revolution within srf for equality of householders and openness ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ is it clear one and two being entirely separate energies?
Borg108 Registered User (2/9/03 9:31 pm) Reply	Re: or.... If another organization in India had wanted to publish the writings or photos of Sivananda, Ramana Maharishi, Anandamayi Ma, Sri Ramakrishna, Sri Aurobindo, etc., the ashrams associated with those divine personages would have blessed rather than sued them. Books put out by ashrams are usually sold for a low price so that the words and images of the saints can be available to as many people as possible. If others wanted to also cover their costs by publishing the same, then that would be welcomed. If others charged higher prices than the ashrams with the idea of making a profit, then who would buy from them, since the same items could be gotten from the ashrams at a lower price? When I first came to SRF in the 1960’s, they sold only a handful of books by or about Yoganandaji and one or two phonograph records of him chanting. They also sold a book on hatha yoga, the Arnold translation of the Gita, and a book on Gandhi. Prices on everything were relatively low. There were no books by disciples, no cassette talks or chants by monks or nuns, no fancy calendars, etc. Now publications are big business for SRF, generating millions of dollars a year in revenue. Back in the 1960s, instead of Convocations that generate a million dollars in revenue every year, there were inexpensive summer class series attended by hundreds, not thousands of devotees. As many of you know, all SRF temples, centers and meditation groups are expected to not only be entirely self supporting, but to send most of the contributions they receive directly to MC. Hidden Valley sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to MC during the years its herb business was booming. More recently, Uma Ma told HV that SRF would shut the place down unless they could again turn a profit. In India, ashrams are supported by God working through the generous donations of the devotees. There is therefore a sense of closeness, commonality, and community – God serving and helping God, in both directions. But when organizations stress becoming self sufficient, self reliant and self-interested in turning a profit, then business practices move to overshadow spiritual ones. Generally accepted accounting principles take the place of Only Love. Edited by: Borg108 at: 2/10/03 11:22:01 pm
Lobo Registered User (2/9/03 10:52 pm) Reply	Re: or.... Borg, I too came to Yogananda through SRF in the 1960's. Your description of it then is right on. My memory is that they did sell the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, by the westerner, is it Johnson?, oh well I forget his name, but they did in deed sell the book as well. But as you say that was about it. No monastics, no pictures of monastics, no videotapes of monastics telling us of their undying love of PY (even bringing forth tears-remember PY tellings us to cry to God in secret), etc. etc. etc. The focus on was God Alone and the guru/founder through his kriya yoga teachings, without any of this direct disciple nonsense we've been so sorely subjected to in the intervening years. Now, alarmingly, the SRF of the 1960's is no more, replaced by Corporate SRF who will crush any dissent, brooke no suggestions no matter how heartfelt, and sue those who dare to stand up for themselves and attempt to follow PY's dictum that if one is right, "he should stand up unafraid even if the whole world tells him he is wrong" (paraphased). I've noticed that one can purchase the writings about Ramakrishna from the Vedanta Society for a modest sum. One can purchase Swami Sivananda's writings for even less, etc. etc. The goal of these guru's disciples seems to be to get out the truthful, original, unedited words of their guru's to the widest possible audience. A greater goal, in my opinion, a disciple could not hope to have. But we've seen disciples who've decided that they are worthy of emulation. That they know best and will stop at nothing (such hubris) to "edit" the words (longago written) of their/our guru and twist them in a transparent effort to bolster their own prestige, their desire for power, their need for total control over all members, lay and monastic. So sad.
chuckle chela Registered User (2/10/03 9:45 pm) Reply	Re: or.... Borg, a comment on one small item from your post. You wrote:As many of you know, all SRF temples, centers and meditation groups are expected to not only be entirely self supporting, but to send most of the contributions they receive directly to MC I have a slightly different take on the meditation groups and centers, based on my own experience. I can't comment on the temples. From my experience with groups, they are not expected to send most of their contributions to MC. Funds collected from the Commemoration services are sent, after the group keeps funds needed to cover costs (rent, flowers, etc. for the service). Groups may also submit an annual tithe, but this is not a requirement. Groups do submit an annual accounting of funds to Center Department, which is a good thing. Yes, the groups are meant to be self-supporting, but this isn't unreasonable if you think about it. And I have seen many, many instances where Center Department does everything it can to help groups that might be struggling. Having said all that, I am aware that, at times, there have been issues about MC being "keen" on collecting funds; for example, during Center Tours by ministers. Sometimes it's a tricky balancing act because the groups are not legally connected to Mother Center. But, over the years people have spoken up about these types of issues, and Center Dept. has been, as far as I can tell, fairly receptive to the complaints. I could write a great deal more about Center Dept. On the whole, I think it is probably the most progressive department of all at MC, and it has been staffed and directed over the years by a number of monks who have worked very hard in doing the juggling act they all too often have to perform. It's a bit self-serving to say this, but I think that one of the things that keeps them sane and progressive is dealing with all of us sane folks out here in the boonies. I liked the things you had to say in your post about how business practices can overshadow spiritual ones. "Generally accepted accounting principles take the place of Only Love." Well said!
Borg108 Registered User (2/10/03 10:38 pm) Reply	Re: or.... chuckle chela, Thank you for your information regarding centers and groups. I only spent 2 years as part of a center and that was over 20 years ago. The rest of my non-monastic time has been around the temples. I'm glad things are different now where you are. The temples I've been at are pretty much a one way financial conduit to headquarters, as is HV. I think it's good that we remain open minded and accept information from others so as to have a more accurate and complete view of things. In other words, let's do what SRF does not. Now if Astral 7 could come up with facts instead of just opinions and rhetoric... Edited by: Borg108 at: 2/11/03 2:28:28 am

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