Re: Sydney School for Self Knowledge
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 11:35 am
Thanks Tootsie and Middle Way. Perhaps the oblivious service team leader who inadvertently served the toast in the incorrect order to Mrs M was me! There is a place to observe etiquette of course, and respect for elders -- these are aspects of mindfulness (think of the Japanese tea ceremony) but methinks the etiquette at Residentials was observed for reasons other than spiritual unfoldment for all concerned.
I omitted to mention that one of the most persuasive reasons for my decision to leave was the departure at the beginning of the year of two of the most senior students in Sydney followed by the departure of two very senior members in Canberra. Much respected and liked people, seemingly close to Mrs Mavro, suddenly gone! A great cone of silence descended on the SFSK following these departures. Not a word was said by any of the remaining senior students, let alone Mrs M herself. They behaved as if nothing had happened. It was such odd behaviour, and I realise now, classic cult behaviour, tantamount to the "shunning" that occurs when people leave sects such as the closed Brethren. This I found deeply disturbing and the lack of explanation frustrating. Obviously, there was much going on behind the scenes that led to the respective departures and to discuss these was no doubt seen as liable to cause further disruption than was worth it to Mrs M. But, the gap in information only led to speculation, gossip, hearsay, and uneasiness. If some candid explanation had been forthcoming, that would have been most welcome. But nothing, not a word. The truth was concealed. We, the underlings, were obviously deemed not spritually mature enough to handle the truth about the departures. Or something like that. I began to ask myself if I really wanted to stay in a "community" that a) shunned people who departed and b) treated the rest of us like children, fed no or filtered information. The answer was no.
Babs
I omitted to mention that one of the most persuasive reasons for my decision to leave was the departure at the beginning of the year of two of the most senior students in Sydney followed by the departure of two very senior members in Canberra. Much respected and liked people, seemingly close to Mrs Mavro, suddenly gone! A great cone of silence descended on the SFSK following these departures. Not a word was said by any of the remaining senior students, let alone Mrs M herself. They behaved as if nothing had happened. It was such odd behaviour, and I realise now, classic cult behaviour, tantamount to the "shunning" that occurs when people leave sects such as the closed Brethren. This I found deeply disturbing and the lack of explanation frustrating. Obviously, there was much going on behind the scenes that led to the respective departures and to discuss these was no doubt seen as liable to cause further disruption than was worth it to Mrs M. But, the gap in information only led to speculation, gossip, hearsay, and uneasiness. If some candid explanation had been forthcoming, that would have been most welcome. But nothing, not a word. The truth was concealed. We, the underlings, were obviously deemed not spritually mature enough to handle the truth about the departures. Or something like that. I began to ask myself if I really wanted to stay in a "community" that a) shunned people who departed and b) treated the rest of us like children, fed no or filtered information. The answer was no.
Babs