I was a member of Eckankar for 5 years. This is the first time I have told my story because I felt ashamed that I was ever involved. The local group I got involved with was in Raleigh NC. The people were very maladjusted in general and couldn't get along with each other. When I asked one female member who had been an Eckist for a long time why this was so, she accused me of being judgmental.
Early on I was picked for personal information until I finally told one girl it was none of her business. I got to where I would do what was asked of me from the local group but in general I didn't go to the center unless it was needed. After about 5 years, I was told by a long term member how initiations came about in truth. So I called the area Resa to verify if it was true that reports from local higher initiates were used and all the comments was recorded in computers in Minneapolis along with your sign up date.
When I asked the question, he refused to give me an answer twice. He said that he couldn't talk about that and stated that he had said nothing about me on any reports. Anyway, when I stated that I really felt a need to know about the process, he started screaming at me that I needed to get along with other people. I had asked in a respectful manner and I never got upset with him but there he was screaming at me about my inability to get along with people.
Frankly, from day one these seemed to be the most difficult people I ever saw and it seemed that so called higher initiates were to be revered if you want to get anywhere in eckankar. It is a hierachy in which all lower chelas are subject to the whims of higher initiates. Also, their appear biased against women since women can't be considered as the living eck master. Also, it cost a lot to study eckankar.
Besides the yearly dues you pay, books are costly and numerous. You pay and pay again for everything you get from eckankar. Any functions you participate in through eckankar you pay for and any functions you help promote you pay the cost for. Eckankar org.in general uses it's members as slaves to promote eckankar. These people are subject to mind control and in turn use intimidation to get new members under control. They slop gossip around about each other and apparently in general are gossip collectors on everybody.
Being a private person in just isn't possible. I value my own integrity. I saw little of it in eckankar.in general it seems that being an ekist means becoming a moral degenerate. I enjoyed reading the books but I found the people so spiritaully deprived that I could not relate to them. It saddened me and back then I was willing to believe that I didn't understand. I hoped one day it would make sense since I found meaning in what I read.
It seemed to be beyond their understanding that a person needs to see their own values reflected in a so called spiritual group.instead of being valued as a person apparently because I wasn't taking part in the crap, I was black balled as far as initiations are concerned. After the area Resa made such a spectical of himself I quietly decided not to renew my membership. Then out of no where, a pink slip came for my next initiation along with my membership renewal.
I guess it was important not to lose a dues paying member. At this point it was worthless to me. I went on line instead and bought the book by Ford Johnson who was an ex speaker for eckankar. It told the whole truth about how Paul Twitchell plagarised the works of eckankar. I read it and finally felt free of the cesspool called eckankar. I now am more happy and content and I wonder sometimes if these people have any idea how messed up the whole thing is.
I have read the stories of how a lot of ex eckist are harrassed by eckankar so until now I just haven't talked about it. The only thing I feel now about it is anger at myself for having spent so much money on it and anger about the lies and manipulation used by the eckankar zealots. I warn anyone who would consider trying it that the attempts at mind control are so subtle that you almost don't see it coming.
I never felt controlled by them but I did feel depressed that what I read in their teachings, just wasn't what I was seeing. Not being under their control I believe is the reason I wasn't initiated further. You are no use to the corporation of eckankar unless you are willing to become a mindless idiot that believes anything that comes from Minneapolis. There was some good in the books I read but to learn that it was all stollen from others just kind of negated the works of eckankar all together.
I would rather ead the original sources. Out of curiosity I watched a female eckist on Utube in a video fairly recently where she was incouraging people to "wake up" to The Teachings of the Light and sound of God. All I could think about while watching her was how anyone could be so mesmerised by Paul Twitchells lies when they all know he lied continually.
They crack jokes about what a character Paul Twitchell was but in their blindness they excuse his lies because it was all necessary to get eckankar off the ground. The lies continued after he died about how he died and his successor is no longer recognized as ever having been a member of eckankar let alone the living eck master. If you are curious about eckankar do your reading on line.
They even advertise their "secret teachings" on TV now. What a crock of crap. I had a few other bad experiences with eckist of a personal nature when the truth was warped for their purposes but I can take some of the responsibility for those because I did participate in the situations. One particular female got off on spreading lies but couldn't face. Apparently eckist are not big on self responsibility.
Thanks to all who have read my story. I hope it will be of use to any who might be thinking of joining eckankar. It is an honest assessment of what eckankar was like for me. I do not want to hear from any so called eckist unless you call yourself an ex eckist. I will not tolerate any threats for what I have had to say nor will I suffer any intimidation from any one on behalf of eckankar.
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