Rawat started doing the whole modernization/westernization thing in the early 80s :– getting rid of premie satsang, dropping Hindi terms, training premies to present Him and Knowledge as the teacher of an inner path to peace since that’s more palatable and sellable than the Lord saving all his devotees.  This was in the early ‘80s which was after both Mishler and Dettmers had put it forth to him that in order to sustain the movement he needs to come down off the Lord’s stance. 

I also remember not long before this (late 70’s/turn of the 80s) in some ashram meeting (exact details of when/where are fuzzy), he was not open to having anyone in his service who was not clear in the understanding that the Master cannot be told how to run things.   But later by the early 80s, either something happened to him or he finally realized the validity of Mishler’s and Dettmers’ advice and started following it.

Ever since the 80s, premies have been well-trained (on every level – at participation meetings, at trainings, from instructors, everywhere) to view this change in terms of progress, modernization and presentability of the Master’s message – not as the Master falling back on his claim to divinity, which in reality it was.  I’m amazed at how well this worked to keep Maharaji’s real motives secret, not just from the public at large but from so many premies and for so many years – just amazing. 

What’s also amazing is the huge disconnect between how oldtimers view him and how newcomers view him.  Although from what I’ve seen, the same pattern of mind control still ensnares and holds everyone in the fold – i.e the repression of questions, critical thoughts and doubts and allowing oneself to be well-programmed in the *understanding* (understanding meaning *belief and total faith*) in the path and teacher, master-student relationship.   By everyone, I mean those premies old & new still in the fold.  I can’t begin to count (or remember) how many have just silently dropped out of sight over the years – definitely a larger proportion than the number who’ve stayed. 

Also to note, of course the proportion of people who’ve left who post is very small.   I can only speculate as to how many have left over the years who still haven’t heard of EPO and maybe are just doing their own thing with meditation, trying other paths, incorporating their Knowledge beliefs with other paths or just holding onto them alone.  The reasons & degrees are varied, many and run the gamut – don’t have time for the premie thing right now, can’t stand the boring video programs, seeing Maharaji doesn’t do anything for me – I’m fine just meditating etc etc etc)

For myself, I wanted to leave a number of times in the late 70s but couldn’t and wouldn’t out of fear for fucking up with God & eternity.  I left the ashram before it finally closed, felt a huge personal relief and wished I had done so earlier.  However, & this was the thing for me, I still believed in Knowledge as the only path and Maharaji as Lord, so would continue practising.  

Although the mountains became smaller and more manageable, they were still big hills.  A number of times when I felt it unnecessary and had enough of all the trips, I toned down my involvement even more, but only to try later out of guilt (premie read:  felt the need) to get reconnected, back into meditation and sign up again for service somewhere.    

A lot of people marginally involved still move in and out like that.  But until reading EPO and seeing through the wool of everything, the belief will remain there and keep calling you back sooner or later.