You are required to attend satsang?
Friends, I did a number of silent insight meditation retreats and two or three week long Zen sesshin retreats.
We were not required to attend ever single meditation session. In fact, we were told that if we were feeling overwhelmed, we should feel free to go for walks, and we also had names of people to talk with.
And -- no one was shamed or put down for deciding to leave.
Especially when these Moo satsangs are reportedly confrontational and you can be filmed during satsang and those images may appear on Youtube?
What if a person is feeling overwhelmed and needs some quiet time?
They should not be required to attend.
This in itself is a very bad thing. What if someone needs some privacy for themselves?
Needs some time alone to listen to their own gut feelings, journal, reflect on what they are seeing and sensing while at Monte Sahaja?
For someone feeling overwhelmed by the ashram experience, requiring attendance at satsangs instead of allowing a person to choose some private time, some personal time could contribute to "mental illness".
Feeling as though you have to sneak read your own book while at Monte Sahaja, saying that it was like reading samidzat literature also indicates a coercive atmosphere.
i yam what i yam wrote:
Friends, I did a number of silent insight meditation retreats and two or three week long Zen sesshin retreats.
We were not required to attend ever single meditation session. In fact, we were told that if we were feeling overwhelmed, we should feel free to go for walks, and we also had names of people to talk with.
And -- no one was shamed or put down for deciding to leave.
Especially when these Moo satsangs are reportedly confrontational and you can be filmed during satsang and those images may appear on Youtube?
What if a person is feeling overwhelmed and needs some quiet time?
They should not be required to attend.
This in itself is a very bad thing. What if someone needs some privacy for themselves?
Needs some time alone to listen to their own gut feelings, journal, reflect on what they are seeing and sensing while at Monte Sahaja?
For someone feeling overwhelmed by the ashram experience, requiring attendance at satsangs instead of allowing a person to choose some private time, some personal time could contribute to "mental illness".
Feeling as though you have to sneak read your own book while at Monte Sahaja, saying that it was like reading samidzat literature also indicates a coercive atmosphere.
i yam what i yam wrote:
Quote
Finally - I wanted to mention that I remember being gripped when a 'doubting Thomas' spoke up during a 10-Day retreat a couple of years ago. I was watching the paid-for live stream.
On perhaps the second day, one of Mooji's inner circle found this young man sitting somewhere outside during satsang. This was a breach of protocol as it's obligatory to attend. They had a conversation - 'why aren't you in the hall?' - and he was persuaded to come inside and address his questions to Mooji.
When he spoke, he said something like that he had been watching Mooji on Youtube for years, but now that he was at the ashram he had serious doubts about Mooji/the teachings/the place.
Mooji was initially quite cross, telling the man that he was arrogant, and if that was how he felt then maybe he shouldn't be there.
After their long exchange, the inner circle guy took the mike again and said "That's not what he told me he was going to say to you!" Everybody laughed and some emotional weight left the room. Nobody had expected Mooji to be so questioned.
Many of the following speakers referred to this exchange. One woman was quite upset, saying "I can't believe that someone would come to this place which was built out of love and doubt you, Mooji". Mooji by now had calmed down and was being placatory and reasonable about the interruption. He said that the man would be able to stay for the rest of the retreat if he wanted, or he could go home early and get a refund. I believe he chose the latter.
At the time I was into watching satsang and it felt like really gripping theatre to see someone speaking directly to Mooji questioning the whole enterprise. Unfortunately this episode didn't make it onto Youtube, because only one or two satsangs from a retreat are scheduled to be uploaded and this wasn't one of them.