Forced Choice
You are required to commit yourself exclusively
to one Master, one teaching, or one belief—or you are denied
the privilege of receiving the Light from your Master, entering the
presence of the Master or going to spiritual meetings of this group,
or receiving teachings.
In addition to withholding spiritual benefits,
you are threatened by terrible consequences: hell, transmigration,
or denial of entrance to the path for incalculable amounts of time.
You feel compelled to do what you're told because
you don't want to lose the Master's blessings and Grace, or experience
the suffering of the consequences. This ultimatum forces you into
believing there are only two alternatives, when in fact there are
many.
Mystification
The teacher answers your questions with ambiguous,
vague symbols that can be interpreted in many different ways. This
produces mental confusion. It frustrates your critical thinking. It
encourages blind faith and devotion without gaining understanding.
Spiritual Intimidation
The teacher manifests a form that you encounter
at the edge of your unconscious mind that follows you even in your
dreams. You gain the impression that your teacher is watching you
all the time. You may develop guilt feelings or even paranoia if you
don't obey the Master's every wish.
Information Overload
By inundating you with spiritual information with
no time to process it or integrate it, you reach a state of information
overload in which you your mind shuts off. In this state, you may
"snap" into an altered state of consciousness and remain fixed there.
Spiritual Theatre
By showing you love and kindness, then rejecting
and being cold to you, you become emotionally confused.
The love and
caring shown to you gives you a feeling of safety and comfort, and
cements your dependence on the teacher.
The rejection stimulates your
fear of abandonment, which makes you try to do whatever you believe
will please the teacher, so you won't lose the teacher's love and
Grace.
The Grateful Teacher
The teacher gives to you "the opportunity for selfless
service," conveying the impression you will receive unspecified blessings
or favor. You volunteer thousands of hours to do service and propagate
the teacher's message.
You receive a smile and a sincere expression of
gratitude from your teacher. Compensation for your time, money and
effort are not forthcoming, however.
Humiliation
The teacher routinely humiliates you in public by
chastising, criticizing and ridiculing you. You are made to feel insignificant,
like the teacher is a god or goddess, and you are nothing—a mere
gnat or insect.
When you come to feel sufficiently bad about yourself
and doubt your judgment through this continual barrage of put-downs
and public embarrassment, the Master will advise you what to think,
believe and do.
Gradually, your entire personality may be re-shaped
through this means, and you can become the Master's obedient slave,
and literally, lose your own individuality.
With the loss of your
unique perspective and independent judgment, you may also lose your
ability to think independently and to make your own decisions, so
that every aspect of your life will be guided by the Master's commandment
and wishes, or scrupulous adherence to doctrinal guidelines.