Real understanding is indelible. Once there, it is and it cannot be challenged by argument or coercion.

It's no secret that Maharaji goes to great lengths to instill real understanding prior to revealing the techniques of Knowledge (which, by the way, really does connect you with an indisputable profound inner peace). He asks interested people to listen to him for at least a five month period, during which time they have a chance to digest for themselves the message, and weigh its benefits in their own life. After some time, some of these people choose not to pursue it any further. From what I've seen, Maharaji is much happier when a person decides for themselves that it is not for them than if they blindly continue without real understanding.

So I ask ex-premies, how can a person who you claim to be a charlatan money-grabber bear to lose this lost revenue? I mean, if mere money is the goal, why put obstacles in the way? Why not just cash in - cha-ching - and be done with it? And to top it off, why go to all the bother to keep showing up to remind and instruct those who've received Knowledge when he could just let the poor suckers fend for themselves? The only conclusion a rational person could come to is, whatever it is Maharaji is teaching, he values the person having a real understanding of it over getting their money.

So what does someone whose aim really is to profit from the purveyance of esoteric "understanding" look like? The norm is to set up shop for a couple of days in the conference center of some respectable hotel. They do ample advanced promotion, inviting all interested to come and receive their "knowledge". People are probably introduced on the first day, and given the "secret knowledge" on the second. And of course, they need to ante up before returning for the second installment. Maharaji clearly bears no resemblance to this model. In fact, he doesn't ask for anything in the form of compensation in return for receiving Knowledge.

But ex-premies in their desire to find fault in Maharaji portray him as someone even more sinister than the garden variety charlatan described above. Their conspiracy-laden rationale goes something like this: "He is so insidious he doesn't even ask for money! Instead he enslaves you (if you stick out his five month-plus selection process) into a life of servitude, bamboozling you for their life's blood, sweat and toil" …or some such equally inane nonsense.

Let's face it folks. Maharaji gave you something that you stopped valuing. Why and how? Simple. There was never real understanding in the first place. I know, I know… the ego has a hard time dealing with that one. But anyone with a grain of honesty HAS TO leave that option open. Because without question, there is something profound inside to discover for those who care to look. That is a tried a tested truth supported throughout the millennia by so many. Yes, without real understanding you were knocked off your "truth" like a leaf in the wind. And all it took was a little coercion from light-weights the likes of Jim Heller.