I spoke with a premie friend just before the Ft. Lauderdale event.  We were very civil despite our differences.  Now, after having read Carolina Cacicedo's very thorough and revealing report about the program posted at ELK, I would like to offer some reactions, being as civil as possible, (since I know that some of my old freinds read here from time to time).

Below are some quotes from Carolina, and then my reactions in brackets.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida -- Sunday, 01 February 2004

A report from Carolina Cacicedo

I wanted to share with EL a bit of the Sunday, February 1st, 2004, Fort Lauderdale Event with Maharaji

In this video, Maharaji spoke of a noble cause and the happiness of spreading the good news.   {When I hear Rawat say this sort of thing, I think about the past thirty years and the little progress that has been made so far in spreading this "good news".  There's something not clicking here.  Why is the good news so hard to tell people about?  Aren't people usually very receptive to good news?  Now the phrase "noble cause" is a suspect phrase in and of itself for most people, because we all know that not everything that has presented itself as a noble cause has actually been such.  If I were still a premie, I would cringe a bit anytime Rawat talks about the supposed happiness of spreading the news about him and Knowledge, knowing full well that Prem Rawat has a difficult PR problem and that the happiness of propagation has actually been mostly frustration instead!  Rawat needs to stop using terms such as "good news" (too reminiscent of what the Christians call the Bible), and "noble cause."}

 Hall A was filled with around 2,500 people!  {This says a lot about the results of  thirty years of propagation in the United States}.

 Someone really has to remind us of what is important; because that is the one thing we'll forget." Maharaji proceeds, "Basic Murphy's Law: 'You'll forget that which is most important.' That which is most damaging to this existence, to this miracle that is taking place, that is what we will do."     {Boy, is this a turn-off for me!!  I truly don't agree with this part of Rawat's message and philosophy.  What a pitiful picture of human beings.  It really is not nearly as bad as he describes, but without this sort of terrible problem inherent in humanity, there would be no need for a guru or a savior figure.  This is one of the worst aspects of all religions, not just Rawat's, this horrible idea of originial sin or basic human failing.  Yuck, it really makes me sick.  How can people listen to this crap?  I'm still trying to be civil.}


"Within your life lies this seed. Do whatever you need to make it rise." "But then, there's something else in you; you have all this drumming, banging, mini-explosions, manipulations of the world, A voice saying: 'Do this! Do that!'" "On one hand you have these drums banging away and in the middle of all this, you're supposed to be listening to a flute. The flute of this consciousness says: 'Awaken! Look! Open your eyes and see; don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of yourself. Who are you? Don't run away from you. Don't run away from this simplicity. . The passion, the love that you are looking for is not removed from you. The purpose is already there: Know Thyself. The mission is already there: Know Thyself. Find that sound. That sweet sound. Move with certainty! To know, to understand."  {This is Rawat's main philosophy, the dual nature of man, on the one hand a mind that is ignorant and harmful, and on the other hand a heart that is simple and loving and grateful for life.  This duality is another tenet of all relgion that is actually psychologically harmful to any person who believes it.  No.  There is no mind vs heart in us.  There is only our mind/heart, our basic consciousness.  It is not a duality.  There is intelligence and there is love.  These aspects of ourselves are NOT at war with each other.  We do NOT need to transcend our mind to get to our heart.  Only those who believe in this duality find any need for a guru.  This incorrect and damaging philosophy is one of the reasons that Rawat has been unsuccessful in spreading Knowledge.  It simply is NOT true and if Rawat were really interested in evolving his Knowledge so that people would accept it, he would get rid of this Hindi misrepresentation of man's basic nature  Do premies really still believe this stuff?  No.  That is why so many premies have left.  You talk about opening your eyes and seeing reality, Mr. Rawat, but you are ignoring some obvious facts about your lack of success.}


I've seen people in bathrooms, taking a leak, and using the cell phone." Audience rolls over in laughter.   {This sort of reaction to Rawat's frequent potty jokes always turned me way off).

There's only one thing that matters. If I can have it one second of my life, that's what's real! One second of gratitude, that's what's real.  {Dang, why is life so very hard, Mr. Rawat?  Is it really so hard to feel a little gratitude about life?  Do we have to make so much effort just to be a natural human being?  My answer is no.} 


"With Knowledge there's no difference on the outside; but they (people with Knowledge) know the difference. To be in this world, handle responsibilities. But to know the difference. To feel free because you are free; not because someone told you that you should be free.  {It is true that I see no difference between people who have Knowledge and people who don't.  Certainly not on the "outside."  But I really, really, don't think that the PWK's are any different on the inside either or any more free than anybody else.  Any premie who thinks they know something that other people don't know, I think they are just fooling themselves, but they are not fooling anybody else.  They certainly don't act any different.}

"Times are coming in your life that are going to be better than all other times you've ever had before. Here! I'm making a prediction not based on astrology (audience laughs and applauds unanimously) and I'm going to try my best to prepare you for that."  {Oh brother, how long are premies going to wait for the good times to roll!!!!!  Promises, promises, they have all been given from the early 70's till now.}

"Concepts are disregarded when it comes to fulfillment. When fulfillment happens, it happens based on something real and it is as subtle as the sound of a flute. As small as an invisible speck of dust. All that matters is what it brings and that is coming your way. How do I know? Because it has come before and will come again and again. So practice!"  {Fulfillment depends upon a certain something that is ever so subtle and invisible that nobody ever gets it and is in constant need of practice, practice, practice.  What a sad merry-go-round it is.}


Here are some of the expressions I remember:

A man expresses to Maharaji how kind he is to come. "I didn't realize how much I had missed you. It's OK to be a grain of sand as long as I have the ocean to look at." Maharaji answers him by saying, "And what a grain of sand you are!."  {Here Maharaji is accepting being called the Ocean as compared to other human beings being only grains of sand.  This is so sick that I can't imagine people falling for it.  Sick, sick, sick.}

A lady says "Maharaji; for me it is a miracle to be able to be in front of you and for so many years to follow my heart, yet I am so bad at bringing people to you: nobody wants to come." Maharaji replies: "Because you're presenting Knowledge in the light of the mangoes you don't have. But if you present it on what you do have... Don't embellish Knowledge. Don't say, 'I found the Truth'. Say: 'I found myself.' The mangoes you don't have say: 'I found the Truth.' The mangoes you do have say: 'I found myself.'"   {Rawat is supposedly such a great being that it is a miracle just to be in front of him.  Hey guys, that is precisely the reason that nobody else wants to come and join in the club.  Get real, guys.}

Reject the bad and accept the good and that day you will live in the real world."  {No, that day you will be wearing the Rawat special rose colored glasses.}

. "Indians never get constipated because of all the bumps they get when they ride cars. In India you get in a car and you get a massage."  {More potty jokes.}

Maharaji speaks of teamwork. He says that the U.S. has no teamwork. {That's not the problem.  The product is the problem.}


Another lady says, "I hope I see you more and more. I moved to Santa Cruz from Gainesville." Maharaji says, "Gainesville to Santa Cruz?" To which the lady replies, "I was having a hot flash when I moved." Maharaji answers, "That's the only thing that would get you there."  {This is the one expression that I enjoyed reading}.

That's all for my reactions.  I tried to be honest and civil.