If someone were considering getting more involved in the Academy for Psychic Studies I wonder what I would say if that person ask my opinion of their involvement. I don't think I would tell them to turn and run the other way.
Honestly, I think if the Academy for Psychic Studies gives you what you need (whatever that may be) then by all means, stay there. If not, then leave. It's pretty simple.
But for the prospective new member, you might want to ask a few questions before you sign on the dotted line.
If you see more people leaving in a year than joining, you may have found a red flag. The number of staff and Clairvoyant Training Program students has shrunk from the heyday of over 40 active members to a mere 6 today. From 2009, more than a half-dozen people have left the already depleted ranks at the Spiritual Rights Foundation. Have that many people joined the SRF Clairvoyant Training Program and completed it? Well, no.
If you are seeing people writing blogs in the negative, you just may have found another red flag. And if you only find one blog in the positive (and that blog is sponsored by and has content written only by organization staff members) then you may have found another red flag.
Don't just rely on what you see on the organization's web site. It's all designed to present only what they want you to hear. Don't just rely on this one either. Make an objective and rational decision. But be sure to read between the lines...
The following is an excerpt from the Spiritual Rights Foundation web site. It is a portion of the page containing the vision of the Spiritual Rights Foundation. If it makes any sense to you, please tell me what that is. I have a Chinese computer program that looks just like it.
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The facts of a spiritual reality are taught to people who come here for the teaching of the inner truth that will set them into their freedom to express greatness. Many are called to enter these doors but few seek the truth of how to let go and let the God of their heart do the workings of arising in consciousness for self realization. The few that are sincere in their search for the truth, find it here, as elsewhere. Of course, the many who walk away do so because they are not kindred in spirit with the place or the people.
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OK, so first of all, whoever wrote this statement must have been rounding first base on the astral plane during English class. But look at this more closely (if you can do it without getting seasick).They want those who are interested in helping themselves over society.
SRF is appealing to the selfish.
Do you have no interest in helping your fellow man? Would you rather get yours wherever you can get it? Well, when you come to the Academy for Psychic Studies. Nearly every day, you will hear: "you are not your brother's keeper." At the Academy for Psychic Studies, it's every man for himself and every woman for whatever is left.
Nice. Any other churches out there teaching the same thing? A show of hands, please.
Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
You are told to "keep your aura close around you" and to "put up your separation roses". Those concepts are used to keep you from taking on the energy of another and help you to maintain separation from the rest of the disease-infected wretches who aren't part of the spiritual elite. In fact, you'll be told to maintain separation from your fellow psychics - especially your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, your... uh, you get the point. Basically, you have to stay away from everyone except those at the Spiritual Rights Foundation who will guide you and lead you from the happy place you inhabit now, to the wretched and miserable existence you'll have with them.
What a great concept! Let's walk through life at an arm's distance to the people who would walk with us, while we sit calmly as our lives are systematically ripped into shreds! Where do I sign up? Oh, that's right. I already did. crap.
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Of course, the many who walk away do so because they are not kindred in spirit with the place or the people.
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So, let me get this straight: The Spiritual Rights Foundation's vision statement appeals to those selfish enough to look out for themselves over anything else. But you have to be "kindered" in spirit with the place or people in order to stick around?
Uh, doesn't that require at least some amount of altruism?
Once you get into SRF, you are told, "you have to give to live". I think I heard that from Jewel.
Anyway, give you will.
Many who left the Spiritual Rights Foundation decry the seemingly endless hours of unpaid volunteer labor for SRF owned properties or enterprises and the never-ending handfuls of money dumped into the SRF black hole.
You wouldn't have to believe you are saving the world to fall into this trap. I guess you'd have to believe your money is your energy and by throwing into The Spiritual Rights Foundation abyss, it will come back to you in, well... OK, so you get a free healing but we would have charged you a hundred bucks for it.
And that free labor you give to SRF will help you achieve your own personal freedom, won't it?.
"Arbeit Macht Frei" anyone?
Even if you did hope to change the lives of even just a few, as we all did, you'd put up with the abuse and the exploitation for at least a little bit.
And that was the reason so many of us spent so much time at the Spiritual Rights Foundation. We were out to save the world one person at a time. But with all the insider back biting, the people clawing over each other to curry favor with the leadership, the people positioning for a piece of the SRF pie, the real mission got put aside.
And with all the public revelations of sexual misconduct, abuse, exploitation of the membership, lies, deception and the constant maneuvering of the leadership to obtain the membership's small and hard-earned assets, the focus at the Spiritual Rights Foundation seems to have turned from putting on a public happy face in order to gain a lot of new members to putting up a shield to the public so they can loot a member without anyone looking.
How would you feel if you woke up one morning and realized your savings, your home, your livelihood, your spouse and children were usurped and consumed by a place like the Spiritual Rights Foundation.
And would anyone care?
I mean, their statement admits a lot of people will get fed up with SRF and all that happens there. Why should they care if you are one of those who get fed up - that's your problem, isn't it?
The Spiritual Rights Foundation has been constantly changing some of their superficial practices. Those changes have done nothing more than confuse and disorient the membership and frustrate potential members. Class times and durations were moved up to an earlier time, then moved back, class terms were shortened then lengthened. Class prerequisites were relaxed then reinforced then relaxed again.
None of those changes address the fundamental issue: there was no mandate to serve and no vision that inspires or promotes cohesion. As those who remain at SRF are largely less-than-well educated, and those who are educated are held in disdain, it's no wonder that a coherent vision statement cannot be formed or communicated to the membership.
If they can just get a clear vision statement written and get that bishop to pull her feet out of her mouth, they might just get somewhere.
Would you want to learn about spirituality from people who you can't understand?
Maybe not, but just drink the Kool-Ade. It'll all make sense after that.
Wow, These are extremely witty comments. Very sensible and enjoyable to read. It may have been a low blow to call them uneducated. But surely you have replaced Robin as the King of dry wit.
ReplyDeleteSteve Sanchez