The change from SSMD (satsang,service, meditation, darshan) as the four essentials, and the change from being immersed 24 hours a day, slowly changed over time. It evolved over the years, as all the language evolved, to 'listening,' (to videos, tapes, etc) to the message, 'practicing,' 'participating,' and 'keeping in touch.'

Satsang=listening

service= participation

meditating=practicing

darshan=keeping in touch

I am sure the Keys will use that language.

As I was only in an ashram in 1978 and was out before the heavy ashram meetings the next year or so, I, like other householders had no clue at the time what he was saying to you guys about cutting ties, etc. and all the intensity of the expectations of the ashram. I was in a smaller community of many fun people and some occasional heavy honchos. After the ashram meetings started, those premies did seem more uptight than before. I remember the DECA thing being around that time and those in the community had a reverence for anyone "chosen" to go to Miami to DECA. It was like being a special person. When the ashrams closed and people moved away, or into apartments, I was raising a small child and really did not pay attention or have personal conversations with many of those whose lives changed. Some fell into good jobs, others drifted and some, who were affected by DECA chemicals had to deal with that. (I remember one premie dying of cancer and the rumor was it was related to the chemicals). Another one was disabled for a long time, but finally found a new way to earn a living and is still a "blissful" premie always with a big smile...anyway, I am digressing.

It is hard, looking back now, after being in for 30 years and only out for a short time, to remember what people were saying. But you know, it was always easy to continue the myth of "build the house, tear it down, build the house, tear it down" as the way the master teaches the students detachment, blah blah blah...It was so easy to always have the pat answer, just go inside, the outside form does not matter, it is always the same, the outside changes, but the message remains the same...easy to swallow if you are on the inside, always around others who parrot the same concepts.

The closest I ever got to the 'inside' was in the 80s when I did massive fundraising for M in our community and I was 'chosen' to attend a weekend instructor conference in LA (as a guest). It just happened to be the one where he told the instructors they could no longer give knowlege. That only M and maybe Charanand would be doing sessions. It was pretty amazing to see the reactions. One guy actually argued with him about it he was really upset. At the end of one day we all took the "instructor test" a written test and then when we were done, walked down to the front and handed it in to M. I was still in awe and somewhat nervous as they fed it to the machine to correct it. Then we got them back and M went over all the answers. Whats her name (the fuzzy redhead who met M in India) actually argued with him about one of the answers. I was amazed at her boldness for questioning him. That shows where I was at at the time. anyway, gotta go out into the sunshine.