A New Spiritual Path ? – The Rise and Fall of “Sri”
Michael Owens as the 974th Living Eck Master
Introduction
This writing responds to numerous e-mails received at www.thetruth-seeker.com and www.higherconsciousnesssociety.org
from seekers asking about Michael Owens and others who have created a new
spiritual path called The Way of Truth. Owens had proclaimed himself
the 974 Living Eck Master in spite of the fact that Harold Klemp continues
to legally hold this position created by Paul Twitchell in 1965. This paper
exposes the true nature of this new path that perpetuates the Eckankar deception
and fabrication detailed in Confessions of a God Seeker.
In addition to perpetuating the bogus history and mythology
of Eckankar, The Way of Truth has been legally challenged by Eckankar
and forbidden from using any of its legally protected words or terms or from
proclaiming that he (Owens) has taken over the position of the Living Eck
Master. Facing this rejection, Owens, like Paul Twitchell, has named his
own line of masters (supposedly the same as the Eckankar line but by another
name) and a new title (new for the same reasons). He now calls himself the
“Bentel” and asks that others believe his new invention and follow him into
yet another spiritual entrapment. This paper presents material that will enable
the seeker to understand how this new spiritual path, just like its precursor,
Eckankar, came into existence through a combination of fabrication and the
misinterpretation of self-generated and self-serving inner experiences.
Interestingly, Owens' prohibition against proclaiming himself
the 974th Living Eck Master did not carry with it a requirement
or a pledge that he also disavow the title. Indeed, he has never done
so but merely sidestepped the legal mandate by inventing yet another title
while permitting his followers to believe that he is the de facto 974th
Living Eck Master even though Harold Klemp retains the legal title. This
act now makes Michael Owens the third person to simultaneously
claim to be the current de facto Living Eck Master (a circumstance that
must have Paul’s host of Variagi masters reeling.)
In 1981, Darwin Gross relinquished the title of Living Eck
Master to Harold Klemp. However, in 1984, Darwin claimed that Harold had been removed
from this position by Rebazar Tarzs and Yaubl Sacabi. He went on to point
out, in an open letter to Eckankar’s membership in the same year that :
“…He (Harold Klemp) was given a spiritual
responsibility, which he has lost. He no longer holds the Rod of Eck Power….”
“These excerpts [sic] from letters come from Eckists around the world: Very
quietly, this was what was spoken from the Eck. ‘Harold has been removed.’
I asked by whom? ‘Yaubl Sacabi’ Who is the replacement, I asked? ‘Darwin Gross.’” (See: Confessions
p. 239)
Darwin was also required, through Eckankar’s
legal maneuverings, to “cease and desist” from any usage of the title “Living
Eck Master” or any other legally protected Eckankar word. While Darwin complied with these legal mandates,
he has never disavowed his alleged reinstallation as the Living Eck Master.
He has continued, much like Owens, with a different title but still known
to his followers as the “real deal” de facto Living Eck Master, even though
Harold retains the keys to the castle and legal rights to all associated titles.
So, it would appear that we have three simultaneous pretenders to the throne
of Living Eck Master all claiming authenticity from the same group of masters
even though the two putative de facto masters had to do a fancy bit of renaming
and explaining. If this is not enough to pull back the curtain on yet another
chapter of outright spiritual deception or, at the very least, self deception,
then it might be helpful to understand how this phenomenon recurs.
How
Religious Splinter Groups Develop
The publication of Confessions exposed the deceit, fabrication
and lies rampant in the Religion of Eckankar. The resulting confusion and
spiritual dislocation that many experienced opened the door to others who
lure seekers into yet another entrapping master/chela co-dependency.
Disputes within the ranks of Eckankar have resulted in the
creation of at least three other groups that have either built upon the lies
that Paul Twitchell originated or have created their own mythologies building
on Paul’s invention. They have exploited the vulnerabilities of those who
are looking for spiritual guidance from someone to whom they can look for
love, devotion and the assurance that they know the way to God Realization.
Mythologies, fables and stories are always easier to sell to the true believer
than a postulate that would place the responsibility for their spiritual unfoldment
squarely on their shoulders. Why carry the burden alone (even if it means
faster and more direct spiritual growth) when there is someone who claims
to have the answers and a willingness to take on my burdens and supervise
and sanction my spiritual growth (by giving initiations). Some of these spin-offs
have exploited the weaknesses of those who seek the prestige of positions
or the fool’s gold of initiations to bolster their spiritual self-esteem or
to secure their social standing.
The most notable examples of this have been the spin-offs of
J.R. Hinkins and his much maligned M.S.I.A. as well as the group calling itself
A.T.O.M that was created by Darwin Gross following his much-publicized legal
conflict with Harold Klemp and Eckankar. Both groups built on the fabrication
and deceit inherent in the Eckankar teachings much as Michael Owens is now
doing. While an attractive palliative, it only traps the seeker in a deeper
deception even as they also convey certain spiritual truths. The potential
for the creation of such splinter groups is rife within Eckankar because its
mythology supports and even encourages every male seeker to wonder, at some
point, whether he is one of the thirty or more potential Living Eck Masters
in training. This is the mythology that Eckankar spiritual leaders have told
their followers. Little wonder then, that Harold Klemp frequently denigrates
his own devotees with the label “mini-masters” to describe those who evidence,
in their letters to him, that they have received some inner signal that they
are now or are soon to be “the man.”
The
Dilemma: A Ceiling on Spiritual Development
This is the inherent dilemma in teachings such as Eckankar.
Many followers do progress spiritually. Indeed, many become quite proficient
in “soul travel” and report startling, even spectacular experiences with various
“masters” in the inner worlds. In some instances, a seeker may be told that
he is to be the next spiritual leader of Eckankar or some other line of masters.
This is what happened in the case of Harold Klemp, which he related in several
of his books, that convinced him that he was to succeed Darwin Gross as the
next Living Eck Master.
In the teachings of Eckankar, Paul created no place for an
aspiring and spiritually evolved soul to ascend, except to the higher 7th
and 8th initiations, which are reserved for older Eckists, regardless
of their actual spiritual attainment. In short, initiations are devises of
reward and control regardless of the false mysticism that surrounds them.
Thus, Eckankar does not allow others to become “masters” during
the reign of a Living Eck Master. This ensures that the LEM will always be
seen as spiritually superior and elevated regardless of the actual merits
of that claim. The actions of and the insipid content of the messages of the
last two “Eckankar Masters” (see Confessions Chapter 10) clearly reveals
the speciousness of their claims. But not permitting anyone else to ascend
to mastership within the doctrine and structure of Eckankar is also the reason
that Harold, and consequently Eckankar, were so quick to discount Graham Forsyth’s
journal as well as the proclaimed mastership of Michael Owens. Harold was
accustomed to receiving these representations from various “mini-masters”
and apparently routinely dismissed them. This is revealed in Confessions
where the responses from Harold Klemp to Graham and the other high initiates
involved in sending the journal to him are presented. He considered these
experiences the work of the negative force -- the Kal. Harold was “King of
the Hill” and would acknowledge no spiritual elevation i.e. initiations, other
than those he tightly controlled and dispensed.
Communication
With Beings In Other Dimensions
For those who have succeeded in slipping the bounds of the
physical dimension and consciously traveling into the inner worlds, described
in the sacred literature of many faiths, the experience is breath-taking.
The traveler can visit inner plane cities and converse with denizens on the
other side. This is not the same as psychic communication where the individual
serves as a channel to communicate the words of the departed. Instead this
is a full consciousness experience much like conversing with someone on the
physical plane. Often, the wisdom and insight that one encounters is enlightening
and enlarging. However, the seeker must never surrender his or her judgment
and right discrimination. As in the physical plane, there are those in the
inner worlds who know and those who do not know. Spiritual knowledge and wisdom
is not the inevitable birthright of those who teach from the inner planes
even though travelers from the physical plane are often inclined to think
so.
There is as much variability in knowledge, wisdom and experience
in those who teach and pontificate in or from the inner worlds as there is
in the spiritual teachers in the physical world. Yet, most people consider
anything coming from an entity whose residence is a “higher plane”, to be
superior in truth, if not the direct word of God. However, any review of the
content of channeled material, often from the same inner sources, demonstrates
how superficial, conflicting and simplistic some of this material can be.
Thus, seekers must always be alert and willing to challenge and question what
they hear and experience, even as they learn and progress spiritually.
Just as there are beings that have the seekers interest at
heart and are willing to teach what they know, incomplete though it inevitably
is, there are also beings that indulge in creating confusion and chaos in
the lives of seekers by playing on their egos. They often create inner scenes
and experiences that confirm or confer some special spiritual status consciously
or subconsciously sought by the traveler. Those who succumb to these temptations
often have developed exceptional abilities at inner travel or the capacity
to channel the views of entities from other dimensions, regardless of the
veracity or depth of wisdom they channel. However, the vulnerabilities of
some seekers can make them easy prey to inner “guides” who would use them
as channels for their own purposes or to establish dependencies that are enhanced
by reinforcing their feelings of spiritual pre-eminence. This is often the
kind of experience that results in the individual proclaiming himself “God
Made Flesh” or some equivalent title or position like a Mahanta, the God Man
or a “Bentel” master. These encounters and the messages they communicate are
personal to that individual. They are used to teach and strengthen the spiritual
self-confidence of the seeker or, as is sometimes the case, to mislead the
seeker. Indeed, Graham Forsyth’s journal presented in Confessions,
is replete with proclamations of his spiritual superiority and promises of
his -- soon to be-- elevated spiritual status. But these were actually spiritual
confidence boosters, self or other generated encouragements designed to help
the individual overcome the disbelief that often accompanies the realization
or the suggestion of spiritual light and power that each of us possess. For,
in truth, every soul has this potential as God-soul. It often takes powerful
inner encouragement, if not a touch of spiritual superciliousness, to help
the seeker in his or her journey to recognize the awesome truth embodied in
the paradigm, I AM, GOD IS, WE ARE ONE.
Therefore, an inner experience proclaiming the divinity of
an individual is certainly true, as far as it goes. But, the seeker makes
a mistake when he or she assumes that this message pertains exclusively
to them and is not true of others who are also divine sparks of God. This
misunderstanding often results in individuals placing themselves on a spiritual
pedestal vis-à-vis others and is the necessary prerequisite for the creation
of a new master/chela co-dependency.
This is what almost happened in the case of Graham Forsyth,
whose spiritual journal describing his inner travels is presented in Confessions.
Various “Eck masters” he encountered on his inner journeys told him that he
was to receive the “Rod of Eck Power”. Harold’s rejection of his journal prevented
this from ever happening. Graham’s inner experiences proclaiming his elevation
to the fourteenth initiation and his soon-to-be role as the next Living Eck
Master were based in Eckankar mythology, which at the time he believed. He
was later to learn that these experiences, particularly as they pertained
to him, were for his benefit and did not represent transcendent truth applicable
to everyone. These experiences were real ─to him─ but were nonetheless
created by his higher self to teach him certain spiritual principles.
These lessons would eventually lead to his escape from the Eckankar mythology
and, because of Klemp’s reaction to it, the eventual exposure of Eckankar
itself. Thus, the higher self, sometimes working with other entities or their
images, will present inner experiences consistent with the individual’s belief
in a particular paradigm, to bolster the individual’s spiritual self-confidence
and to prepare the way for the next step in the growth of spiritual consciousness.
It is to the dubious credit of Paul Twitchell that he created
such a rich mythology. For, in spite of the extensive revelations of deception
and fabrication of the doctrine and dogma of Eckankar, including the created
position of Mahanta, the Living Eck Master, the Variagi Masters and the entire
bogus history, there are those who would still believe in and propagate these
myths as truth. This is based solely on their belief in inner experiences
and the supposition that the “truth” that inner experiences purport to show
takes precedence over the truth that is on the ground and in front of them.
Surrendering common sense and the more gullible acceptance of virtually anything
propounded from the “inner” is the first step to losing one’s true inner and
outer guidance. Recognizing the role of each plane and trusting our inner
truth meter is the only way to balance inner experience with outer reality,
taking what we sense as truth from each as we move to higher consciousness.
Consequently, all inner experiences must be scrutinized and
construed with an understanding of their ephemeral nature (whether dreams
or awake) and how they cannot always be literally interpreted to apply to
themselves or to others in the physical plane. Some would even rely on inner
experiences to verify an outer fact even when it directly conflicts with the
evidence that is right in front of their face. Such practices deny the role
that physical reality is intended to play in the development of right discrimination
–the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood. Outer facts and truth must
be respected and right discrimination fine-tuned on this plane in order for
the seeker to have any chance of withstanding the imagery and the manipulation
of perceived reality they will encounter in the inner worlds.
The
Self-Proclaimed 974th Living Eck Master
With this as background, we return to the more recent phenomenon
of Michael Owens who proclaimed himself the new 974th Living Eck
Master. According to him, he received the “Rod of Eck Power” in the Valley of Timer, ousting Harold Klemp from this position
and presumably taking control of Eckankar. Michael penned his own version
of Book IV of the Shariyat Ki Sugmad replete with experiences with Eck masters,
some formerly known and some new.
Michael Owens’ belief in his own experiences is not questioned
any more than those of Graham Forsyth, James Davis, Wilson Esangbedo or any other inner traveler’s experiences are
questioned. Because of the numerous inner experiences that I have had over
the years, with those I believed to be Eck masters and others, I know first
hand the importance and belief that the individual, as the spiritual traveler,
places in his or her inner experiences. However, what many do not realize
is the ability of the higher self to work with any thought form placed in
the inner worlds. Thoughts and images are alive in the inner worlds just as
they are the precursors of all outer manifestations in the physical world.
Yet in the inner worlds, they take on their own life and express themselves
as living conscious beings capable of unfoldment and expression. Fiction writers
often speak of this as they create characters in their novels with whom they
have conversations. At times, authors even disagree with their characters,
especially about what they would do or say in a certain situation. This is
how the worlds and characters of Star Wars, Star Trek and The
Lord of the Rings came into existence first in the inner worlds of their
creators. After a point, the creative process ceases to be one of “inventing”
and becomes one of “describing” the world, the experiences and the characters
that spring from the thoughts, images and feelings that we originate.
This is how personalities like Rebazar Tarzs and other “Eck
masters” come alive and speak to believers. Once an image is established in
the individual’s inner space, the seed is planted that takes on a life of
its own. At the very least, the image becomes a useful channel through which
spiritual lessons can be communicated. This is why followers are urged to
keep the pictures of their master close at hand for it reinforces the potential
for inner experiences with that image. This is also how many report experiences
with Yoda and Obi-Won Kenobi in one of the fastest growing spiritual
“paths” in Europe, Australia and even in America, the Jedi (see: http://www.explorefaith.org/news/05_17_05.html).
It is also the mechanism that enables millions to have inner experiences and
even outer encounters with Jesus and the Virgin Mary despite the fact that
there is simply no historical or other record (other than the + 100 year versions
of hearsay, pious fraud, and pseudepigraphy that were the basis for the new
testament, now treated as the “gospel” truth (see Confessions p. 285). Thus,
the experiences that many, including me, have had with Eck Masters are the
experiences with imagined (thus real in the inner worlds) or real
disembodied entities calling themselves or allowing themselves to be called
Rebazar Tarzs, Yaubl Sacabi or other names new to those having the inner
experience.
So, do these “masters” actually inhabit the inner planes? Yes
they do! Do they follow the same laws and have the same “reality” and objectivity
that we experience and attribute to persons in the physical world? No they
don’t. And this is where the problem arises. We are apt to attribute the same
authenticity to inner experiences that we do to outer experiences even though
we know from our own dream encounters that they are not to be given the same
degree of trust or reliability as these outer experiences. Yet, when we have
experiences that we call waking dreams we are prone to apply the same reasoning
and attribution that we apply in the physical. Indeed there are some that
would rely entirely on the inner experiences and dismiss any contradictory
physical level evidence or experience.
These dimensions are quite different. And, they are different
for very good reason. In the physical world, we experience a slower movement
from thought to manifestation. Along with this is a corresponding “paper trail”
that all physical experiences inevitably generate. They are designed to help
us perfect right discrimination –to discern truth from non-truth. This in-turn
is designed to prepare us for the less-certain, more immediate and less reliable
experiences that await us in the inner dimensions. Gradually, we are led to
see through the outer fascia of experiences to the more transcendent meaning
that all experiences are designed to teach. Applying the rules of the physical
world to the interpretation of inner experiences is like applying the laws
that define the action solids to the behavior of gases.
But the history and mythology with which Twitchell surrounded
the names of his Variagi Masters does them a great disservice. While they
do come to possess an inner reality unique to each person that uses their
images, there is no corresponding outer history to validate his tale of their
physical existence. When this is known and appreciated for the truth that
it represents the individual can still experience their inner reality but
only as the created inner images that they are, like Yoda and Obi-Won Kenobi.
These are all useful devices that help move the seeker along in their spiritual
unfoldment. But they are only devices, which the truth seeker realizes must
some day be abandoned for the recognition of a higher truth.
This is also how those who have had encounters with spiritual
beings prior to coming to Eckankar, or other paths, make an association which
enhances their belief in its mythology and its masters. Upon seeing the artist
renditions of Eckankar’s smaller band of organizationally acknowledged Eck
masters, many followers proclaim that a particular picture depicts the very
image that came to them years if not decades earlier. While no one doubts
their encounter with beings during an earlier period of their lives, there
is more than a reasonable doubt that the images they are presented in the
Eckankar drawings are the ones they actually saw. Eyewitness studies virtually
all confirm the fleeting and unreliable nature of recollections of events
and people even after just witnessing an event or seeing a person moments
before. When the imprecision of recalled events and persons is combined with
the true believer’s desire to make a connection between an earlier transforming
experience and a group of composite drawings representing masters ─who
also look awfully much like the drawings of ascended masters of another popular
path─ all of the conditions for a self-fulfilling association between
the past and the present are extant. When enhanced by the mythology of Paul
Twitchell, they come alive to the true believer and speak, teach and reflect
the characteristics that Paul’s mythology attributed to them. But mythology
and inner experiences cannot alter the “facts on the ground.” In the case
of Rebazar Tarzs, for example, there was and is no physical evidence of his
life on this plane in spite of the history over many centuries and up to and
including the present, which Paul attributes to him.
Michael Owens’ experiences that led to his proclaiming himself
the 974th Living Eck Master are much like those of Forsyth and
Davis in the detail with which these “masters” reinforce the Eckankar mythology.
Indeed, Owens’ claim to mastership and spiritual pre-eminence reads much like
Graham’s in his elevation to an exalted status as the superior spiritual being.
Here is a quote from the Shariyat IV by Michael Owens (aka, Dan Rin)
“There are five primary Masters that
teach within this line of unfoldment. The first and greatest, and the head
of all others within this hierarchy of love and unfoldment, is Milarepa. He
is the one that guides [of] all others within this universe’s planes, for
he does possess the greatest wisdom of all that may be known, except for Dan
Rin.”
This book appears to virtually ignore Michael’s predecessors
--Twitchell, Gross and Klemp-- even as their existence is acknowledged by
designating himself the 974 LEM. The structure of the inner worlds described
in his book also does not reflect the Eckankar doctrine and dogma as laid
out by Twitchell. It even speaks of a 37th plane (which sounds
awfully like the Hylozoic cosmology presented in Confessions that goes
to 49 planes.) Owens’s book, which was published in 2004, reflects many other
concepts expressed in Confessions that go way beyond Eckankar doctrine
and mythology and suggest the integration of his own expanded awareness, voiced
through the words of Eck Master(s). Rebazar Tarzs is also largely absent from
this book as are some of the other masters whose origins were exposed as fabricated.
Doing
Double Duty: A Helping Hand For Jesus
An interesting side note is Owens’s “channeling” of another
book during this same period (2003 Copyright) in which, writing under the
pseudonym of “The Scribe,” he purports to have channeled the words of Jesus
and his Twelve Apostles. While a fascinating work, it is one of at least three
channeled books purporting to contain the words of Jesus and/or some of his
apostles; especially the channeled works that make up A Course in Miracles,
and The Disappearance of the Universe. When comparing these
three works, there are rather apparent conflicts in facts and mode of expression,
even as they all purport to come from the same channeled entities, Jesus and/or
his disciples. These differences stand as stark physical evidence of the fact
that inner experiences and even channeled material cannot be taken at face
value and require scrutiny and right discrimination to determine both their
provenance and their veracity.
We Can Tell When You’re Ready: Climbing
the Ladder of Initiations
Despite the revelations in Confessions --that Michael
claims to have read-- that initiations are a false and manipulative mechanism
of spiritual control and a determinant of status within a spiritual organization,
Michael’s novel approach is to recruit followers by reportedly promising higher
initiation levels than Eckankar. Claiming to have received the 14th
initiation himself, the same level that Graham reported he had received, he
has apparently been quite generous in granting his immediate lieutenants
the 10th initiation or better. So strong has been the fool’s
gold of initiations that followers have fallen for this artifice and succumbed
to its beguiling lure. Michael writes:
“This we know as the power of initiation,
which other Living Masters of other paths sometimes have. In The Way of Truth Eternal, Book IV [his version of the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad
Book IV] there is a paragraph which emphasizes that mastery can
be achieved in a little over two years. It is not related to your length of
time on the path in this lifetime, what you have done in service, how many
discourses you have read, or what your outer initiation happens to be. I cannot
tell you, exactly what the relative factors are. What I can tell you is that
your initiations will depend on the sum of all that you are spiritually, it's
that simple. As soon as we notice, in our inner vision,
your readiness for the next initiation cycle, it will be provided. ….”[emphasis
added]
Leaping
Over Truth: The Techniques of Avoidance
Michael and his co-organizers, several former RESAs, have provided
no answers to explain the pattern of pathological lying on which the doctrine
of Eckankar ─and therefore the doctrine of his new path-- is based.
Confessions clearly shows --and Harold Klemp, in large measure, acknowledges
in his books-- this pattern of lying and fabrication. Rather than addressing
the lies and fabrication on which the entire doctrine and dogma of Eckankar,
and in turn his group, The Way of Truth, is based, Owens blithely ignores
the fabrication and deception with the following statement:
“There are many ’facts’ assembled by
Paul Twitchell that were, indeed, fabrications. We have no desire to justify
them. David Lane and Ford Johnson have done an excellent job of uncovering
a number of rather serious mistakes Paul made when he brought these teachings
out. Plus, Paul had, as Ford ably points out, a considerable overinvestment
in ego. He was given considerable latitude and he used it.
That notwithstanding, with the creation
of this Universe, as it happens, there have been 973 Living Spiritual Masters.
I am the 974th person to function in this role. But, there have been and are,
many individuals operating with the Bentel [Mahanta] consciousness in this
Universe and in the Universes of many other Sugmads at the 14th Initiate level.”
“It is not our job to prove our spiritual
merit and warrant to you.”
Michael virtually acknowledges the facts presented in Confessions
regarding Paul Twitchell and Eckankar presumably including:
·
Countless
distortions and outright lies about Paul’s own personal history,
·
The invention
of the Eck Masters and the fabrication of their names or the adoption of other
masters from other paths who in fact had nothing to do with Eckankar,
·
Creation of
a myth of 973 prior masters (in fact there have only been three, Twitchell,
Gross and Klemp)
·
The assertion
by Twitchell’s second wife Gail that he “made up the whole thing”
·
The appearance
for the first time after 1965 of the names of many of Paul’s masters having
substituted their names for the names of real live spiritual teachers under
whom Twitchell studied or read about,
·
The invention
of the title of Mahanta as a usurpation of the higher self, God-soul that
is the true inner master working with each person,
·
The farce
of the conflict between the two eck masters, Gross and Klemp, and now a third,
each claiming that the other was an imposter but both holding to the lie that
protected the fraud associated with the title of Mahanta, the Living Eck Master,
·
That Twitchell
as a pathological liar and one of the most distinguished plagiarists of his
or any generation,
·
The entrapping
and often debilitating curses that plague that teaching making seekers fearful
of leaving lest the wrath of God descend upon them,
·
The double
talk included in the Shariyat taking both sides of virtually all spiritual
issues adding to the deception of new comers and established Eckists alike.
·
The trickery
of words that would equate eck, eckankar, mahanta and living eck master as
meaning the same thing thus merging them all together perpetuating confusion
and brainwashing that is self-effectuating,
·
Etc.
After acknowledging flaws in the mythology of Eckankar, Owens
leaps over them in a single bound with the word “notwithstanding” and proceeds
to treat as valid the entire bogus history of Eckankar by designating himself
the 974th Living Eck Master, adding yet another level of mythology
to the already crowded shelves of Eckankar mendacity.
Michael’s book reads with the convincing tones of Graham’s
journal and Davis’s Rosetta Stone of God, both of which provide
temporary validation of the Mahanta and Variagi Masters. In the absence of
reading Confessions, it is somewhat understandable how some former
Eckankar stalwarts could be influenced with the offer of an elevation to the
10th initiation or higher. Seekers who are more concerned with
status and position than with truth are apt to be swayed by such a enticing
offer. But, unless these followers have also leaped over the “facts on the
ground” that constitute the truth about Eckankar and its progeny, one must
ask, have they; accepted yet another layer of myth?, succumbed to the attraction
of position and status?, responded to a clever collage representing the best
of Eckankar’s mythology and the higher truths revealed in Confessions?,
or been misguided by a genuine, albeit, mistaken belief in yet another master?
Their reasons are their own, for certainly each person is free to choose his
or her own spiritual course. But to ignore the facts is to foster self delusion
and to perpetuate the Eckankar mythology of entrapment and dependence.
The
Rise and Fall of the 974th Living Eck Master
As stated earlier, Michael had originally proclaimed himself
the 974th Living Eck Master in the line of Variagi Masters. However,
this elevation did not last very long. Michael soon received a letter from
Eckankar’s attorneys to the effect that not withstanding his self-proclaimed
elevation to the “exalted” position of Mahanta, the Living Eck Master, the
franchise is owned by Eckankar and Harold Klemp. No one else is allowed to
claim descent from this line of “Eck Masters.” Recognizing that he could
not take over the throne from Harold, Michael apparently abandoned his claim
to be the Living Eck Master in the line of Variagi Masters and did a side
step, presumable ignoring his anointment from Sugmad and the order of Variagi
masters to reemerge, this time, as the “latest in the long line of ‘Bentels’,
Living Spiritual Masters (not known by that name).” He writes:
As the Living Spiritual Master, the
Bentel, my job is to help you with all that and to help you achieve a level
of spiritual living that you may never have dreamed possible…
“And the way that will work is that
my higher self, which the Detached Order chose to call the Bentel, has been
given the power to acknowledge that you have removed impediments to your Godhood.
In so doing, more spiritual power is granted to you. Essentially, you are
relocated to a point closer to the Godhead.”
So, unable to openly and candidly claim decent from the original
line of fabricated Vairagi masters, the current version of which was created
by Twitchell and is owned by Eckankar, Michael has been forced to rename Eckankar’s
line of masters while continuing to claim that he is the latest in its line.
But, how could this obfuscation be truth when only months earlier he openly
claimed to be the 974th Living Eck Master? Seeing no disingenuity
in such contrivances, he has attempted to sidestep Eckankar. Like Paul, Darwin
and Harold, Michael has attempted his feat of magic in full view of the world,
creating in the space of several months, a newly named band of masters along
with a new name for himself. In this regard, he has certainly demonstrated
adroitness with the truth that appears to be one of the hallmarks of the Eck
Masters. He now cleverly calls them the “Detached Masters” instead of Vairagi
masters ─which means detached─ while protesting that the name
he is now using is not the name by which they are actually known. Completing
the magic, he now calls himself the “Bentel” instead of Mahanta. He perpetuates
what is now the double myth ─if not the outright misrepresentation─
that he is the 974th in this line of masters.
What is equally remarkable in the above quotation is that Michael
recognizes the “higher self” (a term emphasized in Confessions and
equated with God-soul) within him and the inner guidance that it provides
as the true inner master. Yet, he would deny or try to substitute the direction
of his higher self for the guidance and direction that only
comes from God-soul, the true spiritual center of everyone. For, why else
would he proclaim himself the agent for recognizing and bestowing initiations
on others and claiming that his higher self will lead them to “a point closer
to the Godhead.” As indicated, each person is possessed of an identical inner
capability, i.e., a higher self, and requires no substitution or usurpation
of this role in order to communicate with and ultimately realize his or her
oneness with ALL THAT IS.
Whether Eckankar will allow Michael and his followers to proceed
with this rather blatant attempt to affect a silent take over of Eckankar’s
position and standing, sullied though it is, remains to be seen. But for those
caught up in the Eckankar paradigm of prevarication and deception, Michael
adds yet another amazing, almost unbelievable chapter in the ongoing tale
of what people will do when the whole truth doesn’t seem to matter.
Physical
Reality Still Matters
It must be apparent that on the physical plane, inner claims
of mastership do not hold up against trademark, copyright and other physical
plane laws. It is difficult to translate self-serving inner experiences into
the “stuff” that is respected and honored in the physical world. So, Eckankar
owns the original invention, warts and all, and stands at the gate guarding
it from pretenders to the Eckankar pinnacle, such as Michael. Self-generated
inner experiences, proclaiming a new elevated spiritual status and title,
without informing and receiving agreement from the incumbent of his ouster,
simply will not work. The laws of the physical are controlling on the physical
even though the outer manifested reality is shaped by and originates from
the inner. On the physical, an outer fact trumps an inner conflicting reality,
even though the inner vision may portend a future physical reality.
The
Easy Way Out: Usurping the Higher Self
For those looking for a master or the mysticism of an Eckankar,
Radhasoami or some other path heavily endowed with inner mythology, and not
too bothered with veracity, there are many paths from which to choose. For
those who need close support and guidance and for whom truth is not nearly
as important as having a “caring master”, “mahanta” or “bentel” who dubiously
promises to take them to God Realization, any of these paths will work. But,
as Baba Faquir Chand so eloquently pointed out, it is the belief of
the seeker that enhances and makes this possible, not the illusory
power of a “master.” We now know that it is the higher self, God-soul –who
we really are─ that protects, provides for, teaches and guides us. However,
because most seekers are not aware of their inner gifts, which are part of
each person’s spiritual equipment, they are quick to give credit to anyone
or anything that claims to be the giver of such blessings. If a God seeker
cannot accept or use the gift that has already been given and chooses instead
to follow a master who claims to be the way shower, then Michael Owens is
as good as any other self-proclaimed and self-titled master with a bag of
initiations to bestow.
The
Way to Higher Consciousness and Out of the Wilderness of Illusion
The story or Hansel and Gretel is quite appropriate here. The
trail of breadcrumbs is very delicate and easily lost, for it is the path
of truth that alone can lead soul out of the wilderness of illusion and deception.
When the seeker allows himself/herself to be distracted and misled by deception
and fabrication, no matter how deeply the “way shower” believes in their own
mythology, they are losing sight of the trail of truth that will lead them
out of the forest.
The trail out of the wilderness leads to a glorious realization
that each person is a divine spark of God and possesses all the powers, abilities
and capabilities of every other soul. It does not have to be a journey through
outer or inner initiations or even through inner planes –though we tend to
learn in stages. More important than these props in the inner and outer life-school
in which we spiritually evolve, is our discovery that the journey lies within.
We are already One with ALL THAT IS. We simply do not recognize that we are
nor do we live from this realization.
When soul comes to realize this simple truth and, more importantly,
enters into a period of love, discipline and truth, it is firmly on the path
to realizing its full potential as God-soul. Teachers and guides that
empower are needed, but those who require titles and historical fabrications
to define their spiritual position must be avoided. In the end, their power
lies in the control they exert over followers by convincing them that the
titles and initiations they bestow demonstrate their actual level of spiritual
attainment. While these trinkets may be appealing to the ego, dependence on
outer confirmation of one’s spiritual progress is beyond illusion, it is deception,
for only the individual can truly know or control their spiritual progress.
These spiritual ornaments may be attractive in the short run but they take
the seeker away from the sublime truth that they are here to learn: I AM,
GOD IS, WE ARE ONE.
Adoration or worship of a master, though needed for a while
by some, only delays this realization and represents yet another self-imposed
entrapment from which the individual must be liberated ─masters do not
easily surrender control─ before he or she is free to pursue his or
her own path to the ONE. This path lies within, not through or by another
being that is no different from them.
The End
Top