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That was a book I read in college and also a big anthropology topic. Sacred (and often secret) rituals are what allow us to create transcendent moments separated from the daily grind. It is definitely a human itch that gives us a sense of purpose, identity and community. (as an aside, I just watched Netflix docu about a group of non homo sapien hominids who apparently were doing some kind of elaborate death rituals 500K years ago, longer than we were even around.)
So surely the whole secret ritual moment and long preparation is what gives the knowledge (and its giver) power over the recipient. You can read tons of examples of this in all kinds of cultures. Interesting that Prem was insecure enough to think that he had to be doing it directly, just to make everyone knew who the real giver was. Also the tech made it possible.
The excuse was of course that the instructors/mahatmas were all doing it wrong and that is why it didn't stick with so many. Of course if you think about it for like 30 seconds, what is there to actually get wrong? But the ritual magic is what is supposed to make it work and somehow having a video of Prem is more magical than the real life touch of a human instructor.
One thing that I did find interesting in the manual, which I only skimmed over for about 10 seconds, is that they had diagrams where 100 knowledge receivers were planned. So they were thinking big or bigger anyway. So if it was really only 1-3 people as someone in the thread said, I guess it didn't turn out to be the big takeoff they were expecting.
Oh well, every act has its downfall, unless you are Madonna.
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