or...Cape of Good Hope....which is what we were still wearing before the Holy Family schism...and even more perhaps after , as we needed more hope to drown any fledgling doubts.( " never leave room for doubt in your mind "...that's for Yadot who may never have learnt the sacred commandments.. an indispensable part of being a cult member, then ).

"I guess the peak of my fervour was in the early to mid seventies when I was at my all-out devotional best...... I really felt that I was on a mission back then."

I was insufferably lit at that time as well....it's too embarrassing to contemplate for long...makes me want to crawl on my hands and knees under the carpet and sit in the dark squirming and making noises of revulsion for hours. A good therapist could make a fortune out of it. My family almost disowned me completely ( I was too embarrassing to have around).

I seem to remember sweeping the foyer at the P of P  and hating every moment ( but probably with a blissful smile on my radiant face). Tolerating quite a few " psychologically disturbed" aspirants and premies and worrying about them as there seemed little real help.( and it didn't occur to me that I might be somewhat disturbed, but in a more hidden way, myself ! )

I remember the spooky and dysfunctional "factory" at Camberwell....and probably knew PatW.s brother (?) at the time.

Selling the Divine Times on the streets ( don't tell me that wasn't embarrassing  and generally trying to " surrender" and do " Satsang,Service and Meditation" . Also trying to get it right but never being quite sure what "right" was and looking for "more realised" premies ( like Mike Finch for example) to emulate......or maybe even catch a bit of bliss by osmosis from Glen Whittaker.  What a Crock...!

" the changes being made to DLM and premies were Maharaji's frantic attempts to keep the money rolling in - see Bob Mishler's interview for more about this."

Bob Mischler's Interviews were the first thing I read on discovering EPO. I well remembered when he defected......also that his sad, untimely death was kind of considered proof of what might happen if a premie left the "Lotus Feet". The big interview was a massive revelation. If only I had read it at the time.........but how blind would I have been back then ?? Which brings me nicely to your last point, Dave ...

"I really don't understand premies like yadot1 (what kind of a name is that?) and don't know where they're coming from.  They're beyond my comprehension.  Either they weren't around in the early days or they have amnesia.  I mean, they couldn't be blatantly lying, could they."

I hate to be accusatory but I fear that they ( yadot and co. ) are blatantly lying...but a lie in the service of Prem Rawat becomes a virtue maybe ?? If it isn't blatant lying then it's a case of  what psychologists call " denial ". Where the truth is too painful , traumatic or threatening to the belief system someone has chosen to adopt, to be consciously recognised and is ( often angrily and with great self - righteousness ) suppressed in the sub-conscious mind.That's what I was alluding to when I said " How blind would I have been back then " when referring to the Bob Mischler interview.

I also wonder whether they have been "sent" here on a specific mission in which case they may be full of " service-style" zeal.....and any tactic can be excused when you're in the service of the Lord......oops sorry....er...what is he now??? oh..thats it.....an Inspirational speaker giving an experience of Peace ( bit of a mouthful...that ).

Nice to talk to you here Dave !