Karma Chameleons

I dated a girl who looked like this.

Well, I thought she was a girl...

Karma

You've heard all about Karma.  For most, it's the good or bad one engages in during their life.  For most, continuing on blissfully unaware or deliberately ignorant of the impact they have on the lives of those around them and of the world they live in is their way of dodging the Karmic payment that will come due at some point.  At least, that's what most people think.

What's it really all about?  Well, what seems to be the most accepted is it's about recognition of your personal impact and awakening to your interconnection with the world with compassion and understanding - which are things the leaders of the Academy for Psychic Studies have never been willing to accept and are likely to not understand.

What about the teachings?  Didn't the head psychotic Bill Duby continually say "I dated Karma and she was a bitch.  Now I date Grace and she is divine."?  At the same time, didn't Bill also talk about Karma in terms such as "Karmic debt" and "the laws of Karma" and so on as if he was dating Grace downtown while doing the wild thing with Karma in his Winnebago?

As he was with all things, Bill Duby had little real understanding of Karma.  Or Grace for that matter.  I guess he really didn't understand much more than how to run a con.  Anyway, current thought ties the belief in Karma to a belief in reincarnation.  I won't go into details but if you understand Karma is a Buddhist belief and that reincarnation is a key belief of the Buddhist faith that's pretty much the basis for what I'm saying here.

Bill being the psychotic con man who would sell his own mother a deed to the Brooklyn Bridge, tried to tie Karma to whatever crackpot Scientology theories he thought he learned from Lewis Bostwick and the free crap Scientology printed on a book of matches.  Of course that didn't pass the smell test but he crammed it down our throats anyway.

Bill tried to tell us there is a Karmic debt for your misdeeds (which is somewhat true) and that you have to atone for that debt (which is utter crap).  At the same time, he said Grace was the pathway to forgiveness - and since your path to Grace meant you had to fill up Angela's payola envelope, display your empty pockets to Robin's scowling face and endure the tantrums from Bill's deranged mind, you might find that path pretty damn rocky.

Near the end of Bill Duby's reign of terror, he claimed there was no real reincarnation but you do hang around as a spirit in someone's body unable to control actions but able to influence thought and emotion unless you have achieved his level of enlightenment - and you can't work out your Karmic Debt without a body to do it.  Essentially he was telling us we were all Karmic-ly Screwed.

So, all that talk about Karma and your need to repay your Karmic Debt didn't have a meaning since there was no way to restore balance in your soul.  

Even after Bill's psychotic rant that reincarnation was not linked to Karma, that notion of Karmic Debt still remained.  However as Bill dropped as dead as a poisoned rat by then, there was no one who cared enough to keep ramming that point home but Angela and Robin kept rummaging in people's pockets to collect another Karmic Payment anyway.

What's this all about?

Well, like a chameleon, Bill changed his message to suit his own perverted purposes.  When his purpose changed (like maybe Robin wanted another vacation in Europe or Angela wanted to take another shopping spree at Macy's) his message changed to create more interest and raise more money.  He took what little he knew about what little he read about and played it against our own ignorance in those areas (and his own warnings to stay away from those teachings, if we knew what was good for us) and built a tall tale so elaborate, arcane and utterly impenetrable, it looked exactly like the thing it was not: the truth.

That kept us all in a state of confusion and instilled with us the desire to learn more so that someday, somehow, we may attain the level of knowledge Bill had attained.

Obviously, we never knew the spiritual brass ring kept getting moved farther and farther away.

You don't have to believe in Karma, Grace of anything else.  Really, you don't.  However, if you do teach it, at least get the fundamentals right and teach with an honest heart.  That's what the guy who inspired Buddhist thought - and the notion of Karma has been saying for a long damn time now.  If Bill had bothered to listen - aw crap, Bill never listened to anyone, did he?  No wonder his notion of Karma is all messed up.

For Bill and the Witches of Ellsworth Street, you have to wonder: if they do believe in Karma and all the crazy and weird concepts they concocted from the toxic waste in their noggins, you have to wonder what kind of Karmic restoration is waiting for them, what will they have to do to correct it and how long will that take?

Damn good thing Karma requires reincarnation - something tells me they'll be at it a long time.

So maybe Karma really is a bitch?

  

The Academy for Psychic Studies - Church Ladies

...or maybe two of them

So it's looking more and more like the Academy for Psychic Studies is swirling down the drain of their own toilet.

Looking at their web site (the one I can't link you to) I noticed they are listing their next round of classes and workshops and are accepting payments through PayPal.  The problem is: there is no schedule of when the classes will be held.  So, you can pay for a class but you can't attend one.  Nice.

There's also a dearth of activity on the web site. Where retreats were highly touted and occurred monthly there's only one woman's retreat scheduled for August.  I wonder if there will be anyone left to attend it?

The Academy for Psychic Studies web site has a link to ISHI Hypnosis, that organization that conferred a hypnotherapist certificate to me even though I had certainly failed the certification test.  The ISHI Hypnosis home page doesn't show very much.  A short stop smoking class and their one day seminar in Vermont is all they have listed.  There may be more classes available but you'd have to check their site to find them.

That there are fewer and fewer new members coming to take classes, have a healing, receive a psychotic reading or have the Academy Psychotics leave an awful smelling mess when they come to spiritually cleanse their house has been known for a number of years now.

However, the leaders of the Academy kept the pace going, driving the hapless psychotic staff harder and harder, making demands to increase the Academy's visibility and attract more new members.

Unfortunately, the visibility the Academy for Psychic Studies received was of the kind no one would want to have.  What the Academy wanted was to lead a parade.  What they got was a perp walk.

Several disaffected members spoke out about the verbal, mental, physical abuse, the unrelenting demands for labor and the continuous demand for money, money and more money.

As these formerly-faithful members told their story in the public eye, it became more and more apparent who was really benefiting from the hours and hours of free labor and the dump trucks of money contributed by the followers.

It was the leaders:  Angela Silva and Robin Dumolin.

They spared no one.  While the raw, wide-eyed recruit eagerly dug into his pocket to pay for another evening class of mind-numbing droning or a weekend retreat where he could sleep on the floor and eat greasy food, the more seasoned followers were a bit more hesitant.

That hesitance called for an all-hands spiritually enlightening meeting where the leaders would brow-beat the weary remaining followers to give more, work for free more and otherwise contribute more towards the operation and prosperity of the Academy for Psychic Studies.   Anyone who balked would be excoriated as demonically-possessed saboteurs of the Academy prosperity program.

I would understand the leaders methods of harshness if the organization were indeed in trouble and that the organization was being operated for the interests of the congregation.

Unfortunately, there's no evidence of that.  As the financial mechanisms of the Academy are so spiritually perfect, they are a closely-held spiritual secret.  Ethically managed churches of all sizes and beliefs will publish and make public church finances and would allow congregation input on spending.

That doesn't happen at the Academy for Psychic Studies.  When the leaders get a new car whenever they damn well please, purchase properties at will and shop 'til they drop while the followers are eking out a living and paying out to the Academy nearly as much as they earn, you'd have to to wonder if the Academy for Psychic Studies really does work for the benefit of the followers.

The Academy for Psychic Studies is a church of prosperity where you learn how to realize prosperity and practice prosperous thinking.

At the Academy, you can watch two women get more enamored by money every day, while you realize no one else has the kind of assets they do and you'll start thinking "What the hell?" when you see them take all expenses paid special religious retreats to exotic locales to renew their spiritual awareness over a Mai-Tai, refresh their chakras with weekly spa treatments and renew their auras with shopping sprees to Macy's, while they get up in their follower's face to pay up, pay more and find more people to  pay.

You'll learn the Academy prosperity plan seems to prosper no one but the two women at the top of the spiritual garbage heap - and no one seems to care.

Worst of all, these two spiritually-perfect women don't give a damn that empowering individuals provides them even more security and would lead them to even more prosperity.  No, their preferred method of rule is something between Kim Jong-Il and Hosni Mubarak.

Yes, I am comparing them to a couple of banana republic despots.  I have dealt with them - Robin and Angela, that is.  It's pretty clear they not only want to have people totally devoted to elevating them as spiritually superior beings, they wanted people who would be happy to work like pack animals for a proportionate cut of the income - a cup of oatmeal.  Their birthdays are celebrated with more enthusiasm than a national holiday with presents and a party no other follower would dare emulate.  When they get what they want (which is a pretty fair cut of the money - like all of it) they are the the most pleasant people to deal with.  If that percentage drops or if you have a slow period - you're dealing with the Russian mob with a "special healing session" in a secluded location that allows you to reach a personal realization of the true spiritual consequences of your transgressions - like a smack on the side of the head with a shovel.

You'll see how your private conversation will somehow be known by the congregation and you'll be marginalized, trivialized, ignored, avoided and otherwise treated as a non-person until you have paid for your crime by way of reform through labor and a payment of your inflated bills with interest and a tribute payment of your blood, first born and all subsequent children to the leaders.

Such is the price paid by one of their closest confidants and prolific cash cows.

Actually that is the price paid by any of their close confidants and cash cows.  Thanks to the spiritually superior and deranged interpersonal skills of the Witches, those cows are grazing in greener pastures.

The ranks of the Academy for Psychic Studies are thinning even further.  Thinning to the point where key members have not only become disgruntled, they have run to the door.

Throughout all this, Angela Silva and Robin Dumolin have maintained a strong face and a pledge to continue their mission to bring true spiritual meaning to all who can have it - but mostly to those who are stupid enough to spend all their money for it.

When their closest lieutenants turning their back on the two Witches of Ellsworth Street and the public now so well informed about the dark side of the Academy for Psychic Studies, with the federal government taking an interest in Robin and Angela's special accounting practices, I wonder how much longer these two will be able to keep up a spiritually-courageous front.

But more important: I wonder how much longer until the wrought iron gate of the Academy for Psychic Studies slams shut for good.

Going To The Dogs

Oh Look: Robin is out shopping with a follower's child again!

That Robin Dumolin considered herself the "spiritual mother" of at least one of her follower's children is pretty much well known.  It's also legendary that the relationship appeared to so many of us somewhat like a blond and her fashion accessory chihuahua, with the child being dragged around to so many events and activities just like Paris' Tinkerbell.

As this crazy event was going on, the founder of the Academy for Psychotic Studies decided it would be in the best interest of the followers to start buying pets to relieve them of whatever worldly burden they had (like, maybe the few extra bucks they had saved for say, food, a desperately-needed car or clothes) and teach them about caring for a life that is totally dependent on them and caring for the men at the Academy. 

Ummm.... 'kaaaay.

Overlooked by the Founder, Rev. Bill Duby, was that his targets were by and large, mothers.  Mothers of children in his cult.  Mothers whos children were spending time with Bill and his sister wives.  A lot of time.

And of course, the children were totally dependent on their parents for all the things kids depend on them to provide.  And for the most part, those parents were providing all they could to the extent allowable after all their cult responsibilities were taken care of.  And of course, the cult's needs came before any other because without the cult, where would any of the follower be in life?  They might be living in a comfortable suburb in a nice home with the ability to send their kids to college and give them all the things kids need today instead of slaving away nights, weekends and holidays for the benefit of people who are never satisfied (so who decided kids "need" an iPod, iPhone, iPad, iTatoos, iPiercings and iSkirts that make them look like they belong on an Oakland street at midnight?).

As with all things that came from his bizarre mind, good reason and common sense never stopped Rev. Bill Duby.  He charged forward with the unstoppable force of a freight train.

Bill's days were consumed with searching that interweb thing, newspapers, supermarket ad papers and whatever else for all kinds of dogs.  But not just any dog.  He searched for chihuahuas and only chihuahuas.

Although, it turned out, Bill never had a chihuahua or a pet that anyone knows of, besides maybe the cockroaches in the Academy dining hall (and despite the commenter's note my claim is exaggerated - take a look at my response.  Bill never had a chihuahua - it was Angela's) he became the world's foremost expert on chihuahuas.  Bill spoke endlessly about breeds, care, training, doggy behavior and that he'd better not find any doggy residue anywhere but in the kitchen where it could be served up as a nutritious meal (for six bucks a spoonful - which includes a slice of week-old bread).

Once his authority was established on all matters related to dogs, Bill began his usual endless chant and dribble.  "Chihuahuas are the dogs of the future!", he'd shout.  "People who live in cities need dogs like this!", he'd holler.  It went on, and on, and on...

Soon, he began his plan to hoodwink the poor, unsuspecting faithful.  First, his most loyal lieutenant was pledged to adopt a dog, than another, then another and then one more.  Then, the faithful were gathered for yet another boring, depressing meeting designed to secure control over their thought processes and were given a surprise envelope.

Of course, when he handed over the envelope it was empty.  Bill expected it to come back with "donations" to help secure the purchase of "SRF dogs" for the faithful.  So, the weary followers dug into their pockets for their lunch money and forked it over so they wouldn't get the crap beat out of them at recess.

Not generally known was that the few who did "receive" a chihuahua, blessed, validated and located by Bill himself, had to pay for their pets anyway.

The dogs cost hundreds to adopt.

So, what about the "SRF dogs" he spoke of? 

Well, Angela got one.  So did Robin Dumolin's dad.  Any guesses on who really paid for them?

But those dogs were the blessed and holy property of the Witches of Ellsworth Street and were provided the best doggy food, best doggy veterinary care and I recall little doggy sweaters on them as well.

The followers dogs didn't fare quite as well.  The dogs were cared for to the extent the follower's could afford.  Most are still alive to this day and are given all the attention and care they need.  No sweaters and rhinestone doggy collars, though.  No fifty bucks a bag specially formulated doggy food either.  Makes you wonder how much a critter really needs.

The care and love given to the dogs wasn't exactly what I was thinking about, though.

Bill, dog expert extraordinaire; Bill, dog training authority; Bill, expert authority on all things chihuahua forgot about the whole damn thing and stopped talking about any kind of pets of any kind once the dogs were integrated into the SRF cesspool.

Kind of makes you think about what happened to all of us, doesn't it?

The dog craze didn't stop the procurement of pets and animals, though.  The infamous "Blue Sky Ranch" in Bethel Island had lots of animals!  Nearly all of them were re-located in the Blue Sky Ranch special animal housing unit six feet underground before they lived a year.

I remember seeing a cat wandering around the SRF headquarters one time.  It was a good looking cat and appeared to be doing a lot of cat things: like climbing into, onto, around, over and under any thing he could find.  It also had a bad habit of clawing.  It clawed people.  Lots of people.  He turned my hand into a bleeding road map.

There was a spray bottle filled with water or something I'd rather not think about placed prominently in the SRF "center room" where the psychotic readings, mind control classes and worthless healings were conducted.  While I was receiving one of those "healings" the cat appeared.  The person "healing" me quickly grabbed the bottle and began spraying like a woman possessed - which I guess she was (and still is).

While furiously squirting the cat with whatever was in the bottle, she shouted "That's for scratching me three days ago, motherfucker!"

I suppose SRF is a warm and nourishing place for no one - not even a cat.

Now, I have had several cats.  I have two of them now.  In fact, my wife's sister lived with us and brought her two cats.  So I've lived with four of the little furballs at once.

I know from my experience that cats don't take to having a lot of people around easily.  And they become skittish, frantic and otherwise nerve-wracked if the people around them behave similarly.

You see, our two cats are pretty friendly.  The big one seems to love everyone - that's how we raised him from a tiny kitten.  The smaller one was a stray and has a little fear of people but still warms up to them quickly.  Our visitors always want to pick up and pet the small one and just pet the big guy because he's too damn big for them to pick up.  Those other two were pretty much crazy, one always coming up to you to claw the hell out of your leg, the other pissing on furniture, pissing on walls, pissing on any damn thing at all.

Well, that went on for a while until the sister-in-law and her daughter took a three-week retreat from the den of iniquity we call home sweet home.  In a week, the change in their cats was remarkable.  The clawing cat leaped on our bed and curled up next to me, claws safely tucked away.  The pissing demon became so calm, he climbed up onto my legs and fell asleep.  Not one drop of cat pee anywhere. 

You see, the house got quieter, calmer, less frantic with their owners gone and before you think it was just because it was an unfamiliar situation, those cats behaved in exactly the same crazy way when they lived with only their owners - claws, pee and all.  My wife and I were nice to them and gave them the kind of environment and attention they craved.  No loud outbursts, no running in circles, no odd and unusual behavior - quite different from the environment they came from.  Coincidence?  What do you think?

So there's no doubt in my mind that the lone SRF cat was just acting out like the people who were surrounding him every day.  I never saw that cat after a few weeks.  I heard he "went to the farm" - or more likely, given Angela's warm and nourishing nature, he "bought the farm".

Apart from that unfortunate cat, what does that say about the calm, peaceful, warm and nourishing atmosphere at the Academy for Psychic Studies?  When a cat becomes disturbed from the behaviors of the crazy people who congregate in a psychotic madhouse, you'd have to take a hard look at a lot more than the cat. 

   
So, a commenter says Bill was an expert as he bought a Chihuahua some years before this nutty Chihuahua binge and purge.  This Chihuahua was named "Taffy" and soon left the expert care of Bill Duby for the affections of Angela Silva.


OK, we are to believe Bill Duby, the man's man, the man who lesser men aspire to become, the man who vanquished lesser men by siccing Angela on them, the man who liked to "whip it out and slap her in the face with it" and exhorted us to "own your balls!", the man who's manliness would be unquestioned by any lesser man:

GOT A FUCKING YAP DOG AND NAMED IT "TAFFY"????

So what else was he doing?  Knitting tea cozies?  Designing shoulder bags for Paris Hilton?

That fucking shitbag was lying again.  The dog was Angela Silva's all along.  Bill just wrangled the money to buy it.

Hey, did that animal show up when Angela's daughter suddenly moved away?  And do you know why she moved away?