I wanted to respond to your request, r.e. recovery.

I received the techs in the early 1970s. Except for some years in the 1980s when I was in grad school, I was a dutiful practicing premie/pwk. I was also involved in the DLM/EV org to various extents, and was privy to some insider information. I stopped all association with the org and pwks still entrapped in the cult several years ago.

Over the years, thousands of people have 'awakened' from the 'personality cult' mind-think and simply left. However, in most cases, it has taken some time to deconstruct what happened, and also to deal with the damage done on an individual basis to one's psychological and emotional framework. By that, I mean that the indoctrination in the Rawat cult [like most cults] is actually quite insidious, akin to CIA mind-control experiments.

The constant reinforcement of certain messages in the cult and videos affects a person subliminally and creates a co-dependency and weakness. This actually works to cumulatively undermine a person's ability to function effectively and think clearly, and in some cases has proven detrimental to the natural self-preservation instinct. A number of people have committed suicide, as they attempted to leave the cult or deal with the personal issues generated by their longterm mental and emotional submission to Rawat.

The recovery process takes awhile, especially for people who were heavily involved, or who bought into the whole trip, or who were very sensitive and vulnerable, or who had a past history of being abused in their lives.

In the recovery process:
It is important to get rid of all cult artifacts, or store them as evidence somewhere where you won't see them as daily reminders.

It is not helpful in recovery to maintain contacts with active cult members, and this is especially difficult in cases where the person's spouse or other family member[s] is still a Rawat zombie. The cult member will try to affect the person leaving, because this is the very nature of co-dependent pathological behavior. You see, all pwks are co-dependents of Rawat. (Note: there are a number of good books about co-dependency. I recommend 3 books: 'Codependent No More' and 'Beyond Codependency' by Beattie, and especially 'Self-Esteem' by McKay. These books are also helpful for anyone leaving an abusive relationship, or who is trying to recover from a dysfunctional family or job situation, etc.)

The Rawat cult programming serves to break down one's ability to discern natural protective boundaries of personal space, making a person feel dependent, weak, and allowing others to violate oneself, thereby making it difficult for a person to stand up for oneself in life's situations.

If this is a problem that sounds familiar to anyone, then I would strongly recommend getting some personal counselling from a licensed mental health specialist, but Not a psychiatrist. This is Not 'clinical' mental illness; it is rather a 'situation' where a person needs to recover from a bad situation and harmful mental programming.

The process involves recognizing that one's inner being has been infiltrated and undermined through the mind-control conditioning coordinated by Rawat and his organization. Here, I am not referring to the meditation techniques, but rather the focus placed on submission to him, and the insidious nature and environment of the videos and events and organization, which place one in a state of co-dependency to Rawat (and by proxy via his designated agents on the local level.)

If one wishes to continue practicing meditation, then I think it is best to develop your own approaches to any meditation techs, or incorporate some Buddhist/zen or non-sectarian holistic non-cult breath meditation. The purpose of this is to disassociate oneself and the techs from any link with Rawat. After all, these ancient techs are universal and found in many books, and taught freely without strings attached; his clan hijacked them and claimed ownership and supernatural mastery in order to divert the gratitude people felt from practicing the techs, and direct that gratitude toward the Rawats themselves instead, for their own worldly empowerment and enrichment. This usurpation and deliberate misleading was inherently evil. If one can not disassociate the techs from Rawat, then it might be best to stop practicing them altogether.

Regardless, it is important to realize and accept that the full recovery process takes some time. The physical distancing of a person from the cult and active cult members is important, because this distance allows the recovering ex-cult member to gradually gain a clearer perspective on the situation, and accelerates the recovery process. When one is ensnared in the cult or involved with cult members, this objectivity is virtually impossible, because there is this constant tug-of-war internally with cult-programmed subliminal feelings and emotions involved with personal relationships. With distance, a person gradually recognizes the sick nature of the group mind-control which is absolutely integral in maintaining and perpetuating the Rawat personality cult (or any cult, for that matter).

While recovering, one may experience unexplainable feelings of depression, low self-esteem, loss of a sense of direction, anger/outrage, etc. This is natural and understandable. If the depression is intense, then again, I would urge anyone to get some mental health counselling. I do not advise the use of medication (whether anti-depressants, or self-medication with drugs), unless one has actual 'clinical' psychological problems, as well, such as manic depression or schizophrenia. Most people in recovery from cults go through bouts of depression, and this is Not a form of mental illness. It is 'situational depression.'

In recovery from a cult, one should be kind to oneself by taking positive steps, daily:

Cultivate a network of friends who are kind and non-judgmental, and not involved in any cult or church (because they will simply try and take the opportunity to convert you to a new co-dependency, which is a transferral and not recovery).

Think about the things you have always wanted to do or explore, but haven't. Find some fun hobbies, take an interesting class, read some good books.

Get some kind of exercise daily. Exercise is wonderful for the body and spirit. It is advisable to do exercise which is aerobic, because the distribution of fresh oxygen to the body is therapeutic emotionally, too. I recommend swimming, cycling [stationary bike or a bicycle], walking 2-3 miles each day, hikes, etc. because these activities are not physically intense and can be done by most people.

Buy some nice house plants, or cultivate a garden. Gardening is very peaceful and therapeutic.

If you have an artistic nature, play music, paint/draw, or write, etc. Photography is a fun hobby. Buy some instructional books, or take a class in one of these fields.

In the winter, purchase a full-spectrum mood light [10,000 lumens].

If you live alone, consider getting a cat companion.

Eat healthily every day. Take some time to prepare your food. Don't subsist on junk food.

Take vitamins, especially B complex, and eat grains with flax and Omega-3. You can also take St. John's wort capsules. Drink herb teas: ginger and ginseng for vitality, chamomile for calm, etc.

Get out and have some fun! Be good to yourself! Avoid being self-judgmental. Accentuate the positive. Hang out with people who have healthy positive outlooks on life. Cultivate your sense of humor; people who can laugh at life's foibles generally live longer. Rent some comedy videos.

Take care of your appearance and grooming. Dress yourself nicely, and avoid over-eating [from depression or boredom]. Take a nice shower or a relaxing bath every day.

Brighten up your home with nice pictures, and keep your space neat and clean. Your environment is important, too.
Visit pretty places: beach, mountains, forests, etc. Getting out into natural settings is very invigorating.

If you have anxiety or panic attacks, breathe into a paper bag for a few minutes. Similarly, when stressed out: lie down and meditate on the breath this way: breathing through the nostrils, focus your concentration on the rise and fall of the abdomen, breathing slowly and deeply for 15-20 minutes. When thoughts occur, merely observe them without attachment and immediately return to concentration on the flow of each breath.

Get enough sleep each night, so that you have energy each day. Fatigue and stress are unhealthy and contribute to depression and emotional problems. If your bed is uncomfortable get one of those 3-4 inch foam pads that is placed over the mattress and under the sheet, or buy a futon. Sleep on your side, with legs slightly curled and a small/pillow cushion in between your knees. Elevate your head with 2 pillows, or get a specially-designed foam pillow with the concave head/neck area.

Listen to soft, soothing music: I recommend peaceful classical music, such as some Bach, Vaughn Williams, etc. The Harp is utilized extensively in music therapy. Also, classical guitar. If you like pop vocal music, listen to music with a positive message [lyrics].

Adopt a positive outlook each day and in everything you do. Be kind to others, and avoid confrontations/conflict. Avoid negative persons or unhealthy situations.

When you wash your face, brush your teeth, or comb your hair, smile in the mirror.

When interacting with others, don't allow yourself to be a doormat. Set personal boundaries, and inviolable personal space. Don't give others your trust, until they have first proven they are trustworthy. Similarly, be careful who you share confidences with. Don't expose yourself by opening up unnecessarily, only to be hurt by others. Many people are not very sensitive to other human beings, and oftentimes they don't realize when they say hurtful things. However, there are always those who will take advantage of a vulnerable person. Choose your friends carefully and wisely. Who are those people who are kind to you, with no hidden agendas, who do not pressure you or judge you, and who allow you to be yourself? Do Not tolerate verbal or physical abuse, under any circumstances, either towards yourself or others.

And, every single day, find your own bliss. Don't forget to stop and smell the roses or lilacs, etc. No matter what our age or condition, life is still full of discovery and wonder.

Best wishes,

Mick

P.S. Hope something I have written here is helpful somehow.