I think that Cool Chill does represent the offering of a community. Look at the pictures of the shiny happy people.
Shiny happy people laughing
Meet me in the crowd
People, people
Throw your love around
Love me, love me
Take it into town
Happy, happy
Put it in the ground
Where the flowers grow
Gold and silver shine
And I don't think that Maharaji is offering anything new agey anymore. He's got it boiled down to something called "practicing" just as if it's like practicing playing a muscial instrument. Surely, this is not going to be something that objectionable. And with the Keys being a do-it-by-numbers affair how does that not fit into the down to business instant gratification centered YPs? I think that YPs are more savvy in life and that they want things spelled out clearly as opposed to the open-ended junk we went through to receive Knowledge so many years ago.
Again, I think that Maharaji has abandoned his former approach of not scattering the seeds without intensive preparation. Heck, what does he have to lose at this point? If Knowledge takes then great. If not Maharaji might have at least received revenue via the sale or rental of the Keys.
Besides, what is the historical retention rate anyway? Other than during that brief shiny moment in the 70s I'd say the retention rate has been absymal. And the retention rate was higher in the 1970s only because there was so much peer pressure and so much Guru laden guilt trips. But those days have been gone for a long time. And all systems and schemes to spread Knowledge since the 70s have all been mostly fruitless. The Keys is a punt strategy that has very little cost and is riskless in the West where Maharaji has nothing to lose except the 70s base which is very unlikely. However, as I said before the 70s base wants to see and believe that something is happening and I think that Maharaji has fulfilled that need with the Keys and Cool Chill and his efforts in India and the tsunami relief efforts.
Do not count Maharaji out yet. Oh, no! He's got more identities than David Bowie. The Thin White Duke meets The Lord of the Universe!
