>
SRF Walrus
Mt. Washington, Ca
Open discussions about SRF
Gold Community SRF Walrus
    > Life on the Inside
        > Can an Xmonk tell us what a day in the life in SRF is like?		 New Topic

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>
Author Comment
Rosemarie7
Registered User
(11/11/02 9:45 pm)
 Can an Xmonk tell us what a day in the life in SRF is like?
Can an X monk enlighten us on what it's like from waking to falling asleep: what it's like to be an SRF monk?

How do the "Rock Stars" live, what privileges do they get that a lay monk doesn't?

Are you always treated with disrespect or is it just sometimes?

Do you ever see the BOD, when and what is it like.

Outings, if any?

Contact with family or old friends?

Can they visit you?

Is all individual expression discouraged?

Can you go home if a family member is near death?

How much time do you get to meditate?
Does everbody meditate together?
Is it led by a senior monk?

Or you can e-mail me personally: mindtraveler7@cox.net

Please, don't be shy

Edited by: Rosemarie7 at: 11/12/02 1:38:04 pm
KS
Registered User
(11/11/02 10:39 pm)
 Re: Can an Xmonk tell us what a day in the life in SRF is li
I can fill you in on a few details to get the topic going.

1. There are no lay monastics anymore so there is no difference. Actually I think there are one or two women but they are treated exactly like nuns.

2. The monastic experience is always one of a drain on self esteem. You are constantly aware that your opinions are not welcome and the abuse is worse if you resist. Once your will is drained some of the focus is gone. For those who have climbed into a position of power, over the backs of friends and dead bodies, life is easier for a time.

3. They NEVER see the Matas. Maybe at Christmas. Some monastics see the president at the Christmas satsanga and some not even then. Remember that Faye does not even live at mother center and when she is there access to her is strictly strictly controlled by those who draw their power from access to her.

4. There are more outings on the monks side. They can sneak out and see movies, ride bikes in the area and even sneak out for coffee in the middle of the day. The nuns certainly have trips out to do minor shopping but the nuns are much more controlled. At places like the Lake and Encinitas the monks roam the area fairly freely. They even go camping and take vacations.

5. Contact with old friends is discouraged as is family contact. Once you have been in a few years access to family is easier. Family can even visit and in some cases stay in a property off campus at mother center. (Money does change hands) The cult environment specifically restricts your access to old friends and tries to keep family at a distance. You can certainly travel to sick family members or attend funerals. However, remember that the constant chant is that the outside world is a terrible place full of evil and therefore the training leads one to want to stay close to the ashram. It is terrible mind washing.

6. There are morning and evening group meditations. With moral so low these are not widely attended and are optional. The monastics are encouraged to meditate privately as well and I could not comment on what goes on behind closed doors. Remember that a large number have left in the last few years, so maybe those still there have different habits. What group meditations occur are lead by a monk selected from the group. Senior monks are not specifically involved. If I had to bet I would say that serious lay members meditate much more than monastics.

7. As far as classes, there are not frequent classes internally on SRF topics given by senior monastics. The Mata’s don’t show themselves at all and what classes are given in the ashram at all are usually treated as training sessions for monks before they go out to the public to give lectures. It is practice for public speaking.

username
Registered User
(11/12/02 5:21 am)
 Re: Can an Xmonk tell us what a day in the life in SRF is li
what exactly is said in regards to not seeing friends, family, old life?

Gitano no divino
Registered User
(11/13/02 12:24 pm)
 Re: Can an Xmonk tell us what a day in the life in SRF is li
About a year ago an ex-monastic addressed this somewhere on the board. He (she?) said that he needed or wanted to visit his family, had plane tickets, but soon found out that SRF would neither take him to nor pick him up from the airport. He complained, and SRF relented--sort of. They agreed either to drop him off or pick him up, but not both. He even got a letter from Daya Mata, but basically she wanted to make sure HE was paying for the ticket, not SRF (I guess she needed the money to pay the taxes on her pad in Sierra Madre). Of course, he was pointedly reminded on more than one occasion that SRF was his real family. I think I´d rather live with the Munsters, if you know what I mean. Any family that treated its members the way SRF treats the monastics would be declared dysfunctional.

Edited by: Gitano no divino at: 11/13/02 12:26:43 pm
username
Registered User
(11/13/02 2:13 pm)
 RE: family connections
I can't recall what, but is it said at the temples that you should hang out with your old secular (non SRF) friends anymore, because they are too worldly? or something like that, the same for family -- that they will pull you into the material world and then the meditation will be a waste. Any body else recall this?

Rosemarie7
Registered User
(11/13/02 5:34 pm)
 Re: RE: family connections
There was something in the lessons about not mixing too much with people who weren't like minded, which I interpreted as meaning not part of SRF.

Sooooooooo if your family thinks your bananas because now you are going to a cult like church with Gurus.... they might be included as not being like minded.

I'm sure in the ashram the pressure is much stronger.

Any X Monastics out there with a voice?

X Insider
Registered User
(11/16/02 4:03 pm)
 Re: RE: family connections
Everybody within the ashram is treated differently, according to his or her own particular circumstances.
There is no one rule, although you are told there is even when you see there is not, so this is crazy making to say the least.
You are read the quote from Gyanamata about "what is OK for the lay disciple is death for the monastic." That scary language is enough to make you pause while your requests to see family are denied for a few years.
I was always terrified to request a family visit outside the boundaries of a few days every two years. The "counselors" are trained to make you feel really afraid and guilty about it and you get lectures about how you are being given exceptions (a common buzz word) and stuff like that. After you live in the hell hole for 10 years or so they ease up on you. And if you can manage to get your work covered, you can go.
Of course, there are monks and maybe even nuns who see family all the time. They have either managed to prove the brainwashing doesn't wear off (oops, I meant to say "discrimination") during family visits or their family has threathened to sue.
And of course, there are the elite who do kind of what they want, for various reasons, depending on what cards they hold, or how many years they have put in, or how they have managed to manipulate the system, God bless 'em.
It's a loony bin. But there are some really sweet people there. That's the sad part. No sadder, however, than the fact that people send money to perpetuate the farce.

Rosemarie7
Registered User
(11/16/02 11:57 pm)
 Re: RE: family connections
Dear X-Insider,

Thank you

Edited by: Rosemarie7 at: 11/17/02 12:12:11 pm
<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>


Email This To a Friend Email This To a Friend
Topic Control Image Topic Commands
Click to receive email notification of replies Click to receive email notification of replies
Click to stop receiving email notification of replies Click to stop receiving email notification of replies
jump to:

- SRF Walrus - Life on the Inside -



Powered By ezboardŽ Ver. 7.32
Copyright Š1999-2005 ezboard, Inc.