A Letter of Concern
By Ann Godwin
Hello,
I just happened on your site as I was looking for some research.
I am a trained specialist, licensed therapist, on treating PTSD. I am also an AOL Teacher, internationally.
No guts, (no “balls” definitely a derogatory reference, and query as to why sexual? ) , hmmmm.
I went and set up Courses in Kosovo for the young AOL Teacher who came from Croatia, (risking her life also, as she could be seen as a Serb by the local people) and stayed doing this until we had enough Courses there that she could go and live there full-time, and help the people. A local disabled KLA Vet began helping and the Program went through the entire medical system there and the jails and prisons, as well as the remote villages where people were not easily getting medical and psychological treatment.
We did not live in luxurious living places, by any means, nor did we teach in luxurious surroundings. Most of the time we fund our own living and activities for teaching these techniques. We have seen, used, many mud holes for toilets.
Then I went to Kabul and surrounds for 3 and 1/2 years and trained war victims and helping professionals there, for free, on what I had and on some contributions from a few AOL “family members”. I came up into Pakistan to teach some refugees and to train teams after the earthquake who went to the camps and helped the victims there. During this time some of my AOL colleagues risked their lives by travelling to Iraq during the height of the war and trained many people there. On observing the results, the Iraqi government paid to have some 50 citizens trained in being AOL Teachers to help the people. There are 3 Centers in Iraq now and I have been told that AOL had the longest standing medical unit there, Ayurveda. This is all in what is termed dangerous times and conditions, hmmmm?
Myself and local colleagues have been training Internally Displaced Persons who have lost everything and seen awful things, like beheadings. We also trained local teams how to teach some of the techniques to help others. Our lives were threatened in one camp by Taliban there and so in another area, local people arranged for me to go incognito in a veil and teach, in 100+ degree heat.
One time I was Editor of a magazine for AOL and I could not get people to respond and tell us about all the volunteer activities they were accomplishing for people who need it because they WERE TOO BUSY TO RESPOND. They had energy from INSPIRATION.
I look at all the work AOL has done to help people in disaster areas around the world, in prisons, etc., and I am astonished. Others are toiling day after day at the Centers where we teach to make nice places for people to come and heal and rejuvenate.
I tell you, it takes a lot of courage to stand up and do the right thing for people, usually not getting credit, you just do it because the people need help and you have these tools you can teach them that positively and dramatically improve their lives, and many times, saving lives. You have reviewed the research right? We did not wait for the research to validate it, we saw what it did to help others and just went out and gave it.
Sometimes people with pain and anger from other wounds in their lives will attack you. This is part of it. So you keep on doing it and having the happiness the stress reduction of these brings when you do them yourself, and the happiness of passing this on to others who need it and seeing the results. Having some tortured person who came in horrible pain relax and be able to laugh is priceless.
And yes, it needs Teachers, people who are trained adequately not just in teaching techniques, but also to have the courage to withstand the obstacles externally and internally to pass the wisdom on to others.
And it has been seen that without the Teachers, the techniques do not work the same, so the knowledge has been protected to be able to ensure the quality to help people. Now if people see this and try it and it does not work so well to help them, they may not give any value to taking the Courses and learning the wisdom and techniques in a manner that will help them. And they may pass on the lack of respect to others and this very valuable work will be hindered from reaching many who may beed it. Congratulations. This is definitely not a money making organization in spite of what some people think.
What on earth have you seen and what has happened to you that you want to fully attack a positive, helpful movement and people who are wanting sincerely to help others? This is certainly a time in history where effective help is needed. Right?
Brainwashed? I am a 64 year old highly educated, trained and experienced mental health professional. No, I am not brainwashed, Maybe you are, in a negative manner from painful experiences that cause you to see so much negative.
God Bless you and protect you and help you heal. Is this gutless? Or is this the higher qualities of humanity?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar works day and night, day and night, helping people – I have seen so many times where he was working tirelessly and on and on……..and the so criticized Senior Teachers. And it is not done preaching some dogma or anything else, just teaching the people these things that help them overcome misery, anxiety, fear, depression, eradicate PTSD symptoms, etc.
What is the bottom line agenda you want to achieve from all this? Think about it and be sure you have an accurate target. This may not be the target you really want to get some satisfaction from.
If you read this, will you publish it or paraphrase, manipulate it? I hope you get some relief from whatever is bothering you, not only for your self, but for other people you are giving trouble to and others you are hurting indirectly. Is this the only thing you are doing that you think is helping other people?
Oh, I do not have balls, I have ovaries. And a heart. Wow, at you and your actions. If you had Teacher Training, the principles it is meant to instill did not get in. You did not ask for helpful ideas, so I do hope something is helpful from this and you have less pain, and cease things that can hurt others.
Reply from Skywalker
Dear Ann,
thank you for your e-mail. It is different from the normal hate-mails I usually get, that is why I chose to post it here, with my reply. I even met you in person once, and I remember you as energetic, intelligent, balanced and with a good sense of humor. I also remember you bending the rules, when they seemed pointless to you. At the time, as a good devotee, this shocked me. Were we not supposed to follow the Guru’s every word, to the letter? This was certainly a big point on TTC.
Reading now about the work you have done, I have no doubt that you have made a tremendous difference in the lives of a lot of people traumatized by war. I believe that as individuals, we all have this power to make a difference. Coupled with skills and resources, this power increases drastically. Why then, I wonder, did you not get more funds from the organisation that you represent? Imagine what you could have done with just 100.000 $, and a committed team of 20 teachers. Why was this not offered to you? The money certainly seems to be there. Why did you have to spend your own money? What if you hadn’t had any, who would have done your important work then? Is it fair to people who devote their life and personal assets to a cause, to have them use mudholes for toilet?
You seem to think that some internal obstacle drains me from the courage to “pass the wisdom on to others”. That is certainly one interpretation, logical from your point of view, where the Guru is still infallible, the knowledge Divine Truth and the sadhana the only way to healing and enlightenment. Well, I have seen the Guru’s facade crack. The knowledge is good sometimes, sometimes just banalities and at other times knowledge is misused to control and manipulate people into worshipping the Guru and enslaving their minds. And the sadhana -I actually have very good personal experiences with it. Regardless of that, the efficiency of AOL sadhana is routinely exaggerated, to the point where some claim it can heal even AIDS and what not. As a psychologist you should know that rarely are people cured by a technique. They are cured by relationships. And close, intimate relationships seem far apart in AOL teacher’s circles, where true intimacy is hindered by the dogma in the organisation, preventing you from giving voice to your doubts and dark sides. The happy cult gobbles you up.
You say: “This is certainly a time in history where effective help is needed. Right?” Well, Ann, why this intense sense of urgency? Have you ever wondered where it came from, and why? First, some facts: Fewer people (in percentage of the total population) have died violent deaths in the time from the end of world war 1 to now, than at any other time in history. A smaller percentage of people starve today, than at any other time. So, with fewer wars and violent deaths, and less starvation, than EVER before, where is the urgency? I am not telling you that we should not help people in need, of course we should. I am merely stating the fact that as a species, we humans are actually doing pretty good. But that image does not support RS’s claims that this is Kali Yuga, we are on the brink of extinction and something must be done NOW! RS puposefully instills this sense of urgency in people. Why? Why make people even more stressed than they already are (and this is certatinly what happens, so much stress in the teacher’s group)? Well, maybe to be able to control us better? It is classic cult indoctrination, even to the point of prophezising The End Of The World. 2012? Any other dates?
“It has been seen that without the Teachers, the techniques do not work the same, so the knowledge has been protected to be able to ensure the quality to help people.” No, Ann. That has not been seen. The reason why the knowledge is “protected” is a different one having to do with money. Now, I respect that, anyone has the right to make a good business. But when that same knowledge is abused to mislead and lobotomize people, then I see it as my duty to make it public. Just as the secret scriptures of Scientology, when publicized, showed the world that it was all a hoax.
“What is the bottom line agenda you want to achieve from all this?”
I want freedom of speech. I didn’t have it in AOL, and it was painful for me to have been cut off from a vital part of my intellect. I want the same for everyone, including people still in AOL. I want to expose authoritarian power structures that prey on the gullible minds of good people who want to do good.
“If you had Teacher Training, the principles it is meant to instill did not get in.”
Well, unfortunately they did, but luckily it wasn’t permanent. It took me 10 years to come to my senses, and start trusting my own judgement again, over my Guru’s words. As it turned out, he was not worthy of my trust. That was a lesson learned.
Dear Ann, you are a good person. Remember that, if suddenly the AOL going gets tough. And please, please, please read this book: The Guru Papers by Kramer and Alstad. It describes in acute detail the mechanisms of authoritarian power abuse so prevalent in religion, cults and abusive relationships.
All the best,
Skywalker
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Beyond The Art of Living 
@Ann: Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Definitely, a lot of good has happened through you.
I admire Skywalker’s response too. Zero – mud slinging. Just a healthy debate between two people with different views.
Having said that: I do agree with Skywalker’s statement that AOL should have given financial funds to Ann.
I have a simple story to share. Guruji had asked a middle class Indian couple to travel with Him to the US. The couple were left to themselves and had to take care of their own food etc which is difficult in a foreign country ESP if one is vegetarian and can’t spend in US dollars.
After one talk in a hotel conf room , Guruji called for the couple to eat the salsa, chips and juice that was provided as complementary by the hotel. I saw the look of mild shock mixed with sadness on their faces. If Guruji wanted, He could have taken good care of the couple by asking local devotees to provide for their lunch/ dinner, but He didn’t.
If Guruji was not going to support the couple, why did He ask them to travel with Him in the first place ? It makes nonsense to me.
I also know Ann very well. She herself told me so many times of different fundraising efforts she had done for different projects for the needy and how the money had ended up in USAOL account and then how she couldn’t get access to it to use it for the projects the funds were raised for in the first place.
She complained to me and others so many times how the USAOL not only wouldn’t give her any funds for different projects but also would “steal” the money she had raised and wouldn’t give it to her.(A common practice in AOL BTW).
She was telling me how they were happy to use her projects to collect donations but would never pass these to her projects. At one particular time she had to beg for her expenses to be reimbursed. AOL president back then was treating her with such contempt.
I also have heard SriSri and his inner circle people talk most derogatory about Ann. Not only her work in war areas were not being acknowledged by them, but also they laughed and mocked her behind her back. She was considered a single desperate woman craving to have her name in AOL publications. There were couple of such brochures with her photos but AOL taking all the credits. However behind her back they were saying she was a liability, that she was desperate to go back to Afghanistan, but SriSri strictly had forbidden her going back and instead sent some of his inner circle lackeys to Afghanistan. He instructed that Ann to be totally cut off Afghanistan work (same from Pakistan, etc.). SriSri and lackeys would say, behind her back of course, that she had done more damage in Afghanistan than good and that she had given a bad name to AOL in Afghanistan, etc. I heard these statements to be reiterated by SriSri’s teachers who were sent to Afghanistan and later on even by the local Afghan teacher. Ann was told in a derogatory manner “don’t worry, when we make a brochure about Afghanistan, we acknowledge your work”. Ann knows this and repeated the same to me and others.
And of course Sri Sri wanted to go to Iraq and Afghanistan, first because his mouth was watering with all the money he could get his hands on in terms of humanitarian funds available and second he was trying to make a name for himself as a “peace maker”, so he can get a Nobel peace prize. I will write a separate post on that sometime, but for the time being, it suffices to say that SriSri did send his lackeys to Afghanistan to arrange for his “state visit” to Afghanistan. And unlike Ann, SriSri’s lackeys were sent with huge amount of money and were put in a luxurious hotel in Kabul!
I was told Ann was furious and jealous that she wasn’t sent to Afghanistan nor was consulted about it in spite of her previous work there. All in all in Ashram Ann was considered another single, desperate woman in search of glory and wanting to be acknowledged and belong to some organization/somewhere (perfect prey for SriSri, but treating her as if she was a parasite!). They didn’t mind her doing any work on her own initiative and resources, but the moment any project would take off AOL would take the credit and the first thing they wanted to do was to kick her out of the scene and spread rumours about her. It was actually quite pitiful to see how in spite of all this Ann wanted to ingratiate herself to SriSri/AOL. She wanted to stay in Indian Ashram, but SriSri had her and rest of the “useless” “hanger-ons” (in his opinion) removed from the Ashram (including a US woman who had given more than 20 years of her life to SriSri and didn’t know of any other life than Ashram life.)
So I don’t know if they have treated Ann any better last few years, hence this desperate attempt on her behalf to ingratiate herself to SriSri by writing this letter, full of half truths. If anything Ann should know better than anyone else that all these so called “AOL projects” are actually done with zero input from AOL. They are done by resources and initiative and funds of individuals. AOL is all too ready to take credit for them and MAKE MONEY OUT OF THEM.
So I don’t know your motive in writing this letter Ann, perhaps getting some bonus from SriSri/AOL?! Good luck to you! Maybe they were right about how desperate you are. After all it was you yourself that told me few years back that you felt so demoralized about the treatment you got from AOL that you were thinking about leaving AOL and getting a proper job. You were telling me about difficulties you had about getting a job in spite of your degree, because you have been out of workforce for so long.
Funnily enough you were the first person ever who told me about an Anti-AOL website. You also told me how upset SriSri was about people behind that website (this was few years back, so not sure which website you were referring to then, you mentioned it as “Art of Leaving”) and that SriSri had said he was hurt by these people and that has excommunicated them and forbidden any contact with them.
How funny to see you writing a letter in support of AOL on this blog now? Knowing you well, I am very suspicious of your motives. Anyway, what are you doing for AOL now a days? Maybe you have been promoted to a post or something, hence this bizarre letter in support of AOL? Last I heard from you after you were kicked out of the Indian Ashram, were you trying to teach courses to returned US soldiers, how did that go? Have you got your hands on any funds you previously raised for various projects?
It is so saddening that people like you continue to cover SriSri lies and his big scam (brandishing your degrees!!), even though you know the truth. You help SriSri use some “stolen” knowledge and deceive a large number of people in the guise of spirituality and charity. You , of all people, should know that not only SriSri hasn’t given even one $ to any charity ever, but also usurps money intended for charity to build an empire for himself and his family.
Well Ann, I have news for you. SriSri is on his way down. By 2012 he has well joined the ranks of the rest of the fallen/disgraced gurus. So you better use your degree and get a proper job and stop being part of SriSri’s web of deception!
ouch! some of that was below the belt.
“I was told” “I heard that…” Please only report what you directly know about a person not what you guess or surmise.
Yeah muckraker – you are one to talk – if I remember correctly, you were the one who posted comments impersonating as different AOL people.
AOL PR teams and lackeys are finding innovative ways to quell the momentum gathered on these websites while the local center heads are trying hard to pump up a rally and create staunch followers. (Yes people)
Ann Godwin is defnitely a remarkable woman at 65 years who intends and has done a lot of good for people but to certify or imagine the entire AOL clan to be like her is ridiculous.
And there will be and there are many more Ann Godwin’s out there across the globe doing good on their own accord and AOL takes the name. It is just the inherent goodness and willingness to share and sacrifice that is beneficial.But to imagone this is what saved Aghanistan, Iray or Kosovo is an illusion. People like Ann need an organization to network and bring out their humanitarism but that does NOT make the fraud, deceipt and money laundering in AOL OK.
AOL PR teams are doing themselves a big favor by commenting on this blog. To comment, they are forced to read these posts, which tastes like bitter medicine now, but will cure them of their delusion.
Skywalker is doing the right thing by letting them comment, which will keep them coming to the blog.
For SriSri, this is a no-win situation. He can’t stay away from the blog. At the same time, there is too big a risk in having a dedicated PR team to comment, since the PR team will soon leave AOL after the delusion fades. If SriSri changes PR teams that comment on the blog, SriSri is helping spread the word about this blog :))
Freedomfighter, one of my friends experienced the same:
Sri Sri asked my friend to be a part of his entourage to one of the cities in India. She was over the moon, she called me from India and was practically crying with joy. She was told to go to the ashram travel desk and collect her tickets – she was asked to pay for the tickets although she kept insisting that Sri Sri had asked her to travel with him.
In her euphoric state she paid for the tickets and travelled with him and she was completely ignored, she had to find her own way to the place of stay and Sri Sri did not even give her second glance.
She was dissappointed yet kept giving all excuses to justify Sri Sris behaviour. Over the years she realised that AOL is not what it portrays to be, she realised it was a cult and
a scam and KLIM’s and this blog has opened her eyes to the nonsense that goes on in that organisation. She is out of AOL but keeps saying that she misses Sri Sri and yearns to be with him.
Yes. Guruji invites gullible devotees to travel with Him. The devotee initially thinks that AOL will take care of the expense but the Ashram Travel Desk will clear all illusions on that front.
There was an AOL couple who are full time in the ashram. They traveled with Guruji on their own expense on a US tour (on Guruji’s invitation) and were extremely annoyed with Guruji’s treatment. They were expecting to be taken care of. Mentally, they thought that their only expense would be air fare which btw is huge in itself given that it was a tour. But, they had to pay for the hotel room costs etc and AOL covered nothing. And they paid for 5 star hotels since that is where Guruji is hosted.
This is how full-time ashramites are treated.
And it was Hassan; an international teacher and a blue eyed boy of SSRS; , who was sent from Ashram to Iraq.
To digress to a political subject. How can you bring peace in Afghanisthan or Iraq by being there and teaching breathing exercises to them. The problem is not with the afghanis or iraqis. It is with the US foreign policy, geo politics and oil. If at all anyone wants to bring peace in these two war ravaged countries they should have been protesting and lobbying in Washington against their war machinery and foreign policy.
Alas Sri Sri is not peacenik or flower child. He is as usual playing to the establishment and the UN – US controlled policies which has created all the voilence and war. It is clear that Sri Sri does not have any guts or bravery to go against the establishment. Forget that he can’t even utter one word against any of these powers. He is just a shamelsee man and a greedy politician who sucks up to every powerful political lobby. We have seen this in Karnataka where he is around with the Mining lobby mafias like Janardhan reddy. The most corrupt people who have illegitemetly decimated the iron ore mines and the environment in karnataka. They give him free helicopter rides and some gifts from theri illgotten wealth. And he had even got the guts to talk about Naxalism and disenfranchised people. It is time people realize that corrupt people like Sri Sri Ravishnakar are part of the problem and not the solution. There will be more peace if these people are exposed of their true colours.
“It is clear that Sri Sri does not have any guts or bravery to go against the establishment.”
It is also clear that he has not shown any intellectual comprehension about any give problem he is suppsodely solving. He goes by the usual established line of thinking about any problem. His primary objective is to get news coverage, more publicity and more money.
Btw whatever Ann godwin has done is also another bunch of aol propoganda. just travelling to afghanistan, iraq and kosova and get some guniea pigs to practise pranayama, taking photo ops would not bring peace anywhere.
Ann,
Read the post about “Original sin in AOL”. The good in AOL is usually attributed to Sri Sri and the bad to volunteers. It’s not true – the good is due to volunteers or stolen/borrowed knowledge of scriptures. AOL has huge financial resources, but they are not really used for service – only for guru service. They do little work in one area, and take huge publicity out of it. If there are one or two teachers in Iraq, it is publicized as bringing peace to iraq – and the funds raised from publicity never reach the people doing work, once sri sri gets the $$.
So I don’t know if they have treated Ann any better last few years, hence this desperate attempt on her behalf to ingratiate herself to SriSri by writing this letter, full of half truths.
Lets not jump to conclusions about a (seemingly) good woman. It could be just another AoL lackey writing in as “Ann”, knowing that Whstleblower etc. are likely to have known her…
What is clear is even though she was defending AOL, she also let the truth out saying all the charity done by her was done with her own efforts… unknowingly AOL supports give more insight (proof) into the org than their original intent. It seems that some good/lot of lackeys end up spilling the real truth about AOL and RS, irrespective of how they defend. Good going.
It’s unclear if this “Ann” is actually the real person or someone pretending to be Ann. If it is, let me say this to her:
Ann, I also taught in wretched conditions. I gave everything I could from my heart to SSRS and AOL. I worked tirelessly, innocently, as requested. Teaching often took place without electricity! People came in droves. Living conditions were horrible so much of the time, I wondered if I would survive them, and my health did deteriorate. I travelled on my own money, and when that ran out in other countries, relied on the kindness of the students who gave me housing and food (when it could be acquired — conditions were really that bad). For my efforts, I received, in the end, scorn and threats from SSRS if I did not do even more of what I had done. (I refused to teach anymore.) I never saw a beheading, thank God. Students also seemed to benefit from the basic courses. Thousands of people learned SK. Yet, I knew, even then there was something wrong (this was awhile ago). I found out later that money had been collected and raised to help me teach. That money was taken by SSRS himself, personally, to ‘give’ to me. Even the head teachers who had been in charge of collecting were shocked when I described how I had lived for months and months. They asked, innocently “what about all the money we collected for you??” Then it was my turn to be shocked. I told them I never heard about it or saw any of it at all. They remained with SSRS. I left shortly thereafter, for other reasons. If you have been close to him, you will know that what Whistleblower is saying is true: SSRS often takes advantage of willing teachers, uses them, then badmouths them in small closed circles. And when I would be in the small closed circle, I’d hear him badmouthing others. It was beyond my comprehension what he was saying about people. The humiliating lies he told about people I knew to be good-hearted and innocent. The truly ugly tones, sarcasm, laughter at people who were giving their very lives to him! And I found out, in the end, after I left, that he did the same thing to me. My friends who sat and heard him say these things left him quietly, as they knew what he was saying was sick, twisted, and sad. Those who didn’t leave simply were not friends.
Yes, Ann, in spite of your many degrees and qualifications, you are, from your writing, brainwashed. It can happen. Why not? It happened to some of the most highly educated Germans who associated with Hitler. It happened to many in Europe who were royalty, educated, possessed of all the good things in life. They simply were brainwashed by him. It happens, many times to the most educated among us, actually.
SSRS is not doing good work. You may have been, out of the goodness of your heart. But he is not. He does not work day and night tirelessly. If you have lived around him for any length of time and known him personally, closely, without others in the room, you will know this to be a fact. When he cannot sleep, he calls one of the “boys” to the room. His ‘work’ is mostly travelling around first class (no harm in that, actually), from place to place, eating what the devotees tirelessly prepare for him, giving a few talks, then ‘gossip’ sessions with the chosen few of the day or evening. He undergoes none of the physical hardships you have undergone. He doesn’t do any of the work you have done. It’s all very sad.
Yoga is wonderful. Breathing, including SK is wonderful. Basic teaching, as found in the basic course is wonderful. But SSRS and Art of Living are not wonderful. They have successfully packaged ancient techniques and are selling them to the public through you and others. He, his family, and certain others have gained immense personal wealth through this endeavor, Ann. If you don’t know this, then you don’t know his family or him. If you do know it and insist on being part of it, then that’s your choice.
I left when the commands he gave became just too bizarre to follow, when his paranoia became obvious, and it was clear he had changed totally, and would never be the great yogi I had thought him to be.
Just travelling a few times with him, or living with him at the ashram with hundreds of others, seeing him occasionally, does not always give you a clear, intimate look at who he really is. It sounds that your experience is like this.
If you leave, you might recover and collect back some of your own dignity now, Ann. I’m sure the other posts are telling the truth as to what he and his family (and whoever is in the ‘inner circle in that 5 minutes of time) are saying about you behind your back. That is his/their nature — back biting, and insincerity, making fun of others who work themselves nearly to death. He’s done it to many of us now. Why would he do anything different to you? Even his now long-haul senior teachers are not exempt. They just refuse to see the truth of him because they perhaps have nowhere to go, having reached middle age, and having given 20 years up to him. They want to believe he loves them. He will use you until he no longer sees you as useful. If you try to leave and he is afraid you know too much about him, he will threaten you, directly, from his own mouth, and through others. You would not be the first, and will not be the last to leave and come under threat, ridicule, and be subject to lies and sick rumors. A little truth will be mixed into each rumor and lie so foolish people will say “this much is true, so the rest must be also”. As a psychologist, you must know this trick of the manipulative type personalities.
I remain anonymous here, even in the depth of my comments, so as not to come to his attention. This is the level of abuse I received. I never want those people to even think of me, much less contact me again for speaking out. I also want freedom of speech, which was never granted in AOL.
What do I hope to achieve by even posting here? To contribute to the truth, so that good people can move on into actually helping people, not contributing to some money-making, fame-seeking fraud. Also, I long to see the day when SSRS himself, and his most senior teachers, simply retire to the mountains to silently contemplate what they have done, to look inward for a change of pace, to try to know God. They should do this, having paid all their back taxes (millions of dollars and rupees are now owed, since they are far from a charity).
Wishing you well, and that you make your escape soonest from AOL and SSRS. Life is too short. Don’t waste it.
Guruji is saying bad things about you to remove your bad karma. You should thank him for helping you like that. It is a great blessing.
@Fishmanjoo / @Xiphobia / @tyuop / @Dr. Freud / @bouincepill,
Feel free to use as many aliases as you like but when you come on to this blog taking the stand you do, you represent Art of Living and SSRS. If you wish to be abusive, you are actually confirming much of what has been written in these blogs about AoL and its followers, so well done for helping us get our message out there.
You have shown not a shred of compassion or love in any of your posts, just hatred and abuse. Is this what following Art of Living and practicing Sudarshan Kriya for 25 years does to you? If so, I strongly recommend no one practices otherwise they may end up like you.
bouincepill,
I’d like to better understand your reasoning.
How does Guruji saying bad things about someone remove their karma and give them a happier, more peaceful life?
If someone else says something bad about them, does that remove their karma too?
“bouincepill,
I’d like to better understand your reasoning. How does Guruji saying bad things about someone remove their karma and give them a happier, more peaceful life? If someone else says something bad about them, does that remove their karma too?”
@Doreen,
When others criticize, its their low Prana circulating.
When Guruji criticizes, his laser beam energy is burning through your defects and purifying you.
Tongue in cheek.. 🙂
Hari OM
I have been reading KLIM’s as well as this blog for many weeks now – was sent KLIM’s link by a friend at the time when Nithy sex video surfaced. I have gone to Kanakapura AOL location couple of times when my family members wanted to go there – i felt it more like a picnic spot that any spiritual centre of the world.
I sat in one of the meetings / evening ones where there were some celebrities and RS; saw that he was sleeping and his head was dropping every 3 minutes – heard some one that he is going to samadhi – but i thought he was just sleeping while some other program / songs were going on. I never could feel and kind of presence there.
I am really really surprised to know how these people – Nithy, RS, Hugging Saint and others make money – this is nothing but a pure business – easy sale since they are exploiting the quest of seekers to realize what is the purpose of life. All what these folks preach / teach are obviously keeping the BODY as I whereas a little search inside would reveal that we are not the body and the body is not me, not for me and not mine. This body is nothing but the manifestation of ones own prarabhdha and hence is ‘past’ and hence nothing can be / need to be done on this body – it belongs to HIM and let him do what he wants to do. Getting the body of human is very rare and is the chance for us to realize oneself – if there is Prarabhdha for this body to do social service and what not; it would happen; but one should not feel that I am doing this and that…
Setting up hospitals, meditation centers, vedic centers, schools etc with the motive to make money or do social service is not meant for the true seeker and these type of Gurus/CEOs who chase teachers / volunteers / sevaks to meet their target numbers is DEFINITELY not true seeking and hence these people are talking undue advantage of the quest in seekers for their own prosperity – no harm if at least they admit that they cannot give enlightenment to the seekers so that they can forgo what they have done so far and start looking inward to find out Who they are.
Pranams
Very nice Venugopal, I doubt they will ever admit that they’re hypocrite.
Ann,
From your post it becomes evident that you, being a part of AOL, did a lot of teaching in isolated areas and dangerous places of the world. You write: “I look at all the work AOL has done to help people in disaster areas around the world, in prisons, etc., and I am astonished”. You are astonished, because you see the world thorough “AOL is unique” eyes. Due to my occupation I met a lot of people, who travel around the world to remote areas to teach and help local people in various sorts of ways; others help refugees, or are engaged in teaching yoga, meditations, pranayamas etc. without travelling far. I never heard from these people that they consider their work something “special”. They simply do it, because it is their inner calling. Some of them work as volunteers; some are paid for their work. So, don’t try to persuade us that things that AOL does are so unique. Just stay happy for doing something you consider to be so good. But here a question arises: do you really do all this work, because it is your inner calling, or as a part of a big group of brainwashed people, which you think you are not? Is it really good to help one individual (RS) establish and spread his totalitarian empire and make his family enormously rich, using money donated for charity? Is it really good, using ancient teachings, turn people into slaves of this empire? Try to see a bigger picture.
The nature of Evil is to deceive and hide its nature under a beautiful façade. To keep this façade it tries to brainwash and enslave as many people, as possible, making them believe that they “serve mankind”, “spread Knowledge”, “change world for the better”, “establish peace in the world”. Many dictators used and still use these “techniques”, just dig a little deeper into the history of mankind, if you are a “highly educated” intelligent person. Then, ask yourself: “Who am I with? Whom do I serve?” If you, then, decide that you are in the right place, it’s your own choice, and you will share karma of your Master. You are already sharing it, that’s why there is so a lot of discontentment in your post.
“Ask not that events should happen as you will, but let your will be that events should happen as they do, and you shall have peace.”
– Epictetus
Skywalker,
Just keep the dialogue short and sweet.
The real question all of you (as former AOLers and even ex-teachers) have is “where is the money going if it is not being spent in the field?”. Send that question to Ann Godwin and ask her for a reply
She knows I posted her mail, and I encouraged her to comment freely.
Financial irregularities aren’t the only concern here.
Many of the posts and comments on this blog as well as on KLIM’s blog suggest significant brainwashing and emotional abuse within the organization. These things might not be as easy to identify as immoral and/or illegal but they are clearly not practices and values to support in an organization.
Christine writes:
it has been 5 months now since I left the aol org. after 10 years with 5 years of teaching. I remember the good and joyful times in Bad Antogast, where we had easily access to SSR, who was a humble, playful man in those days. I was proud of being ‘a chosen one’, and a proud mother of 4 who have all done aol courses incl. my husband. Yeah, still happily married, despite many challenges over the years. I managed to sway through all the years mainly because of my sensible up-bringing, although I had so many questions and I have seen so much mess. After our emigration 7 years ago I was more dependent on the Indian Ashram, where I did my follow-ups, TRM’s etc. Here my eyes were opened up in the most shocking way. I met there sr. teachers, who I knew from Europe totally dried out, without any penny, living from their suit-cases for months. There was no time or money to give them a health check-up or any financial support. I met some brilliant students (friends of my daughter) who gave up everything to be more in the presence of SSR. One of my own daughters was almost entangled in the claws of Rishiji, by making her the most fantasy promises. She nearly gave up her study for becoming a teacher. I left the Ashram last year october and knew that I would never, ever come back there again. Not because of the cobra’s, not because of the dozens barking dogs during the night, not because of the cold shower every day and not because of the extreme high course fees. But just and only because of the NON-belongingness in the whole AOL org. I have never seen so much competition, so much ‘what’s in it for me’ behavior.
I cannot stop reading your blog-site, which gives me support in my decision. I feel very much for the people I know, who are still in ‘prison’ and do not dare to step out. It needs courage, but I don’t regret it, not even one day. In our country 7 teachers left the aol in one week. YippieYeah.
@Christine: It is really heartening to hear the courage you had to get out of the system (cult) when you find not matched with the promises even after stuck there so long, will really give hope to so many people who could not decide what to do. Hope Ann Godwin and other similar to her will have same courage to ask her inner feelings about the whole thing and make the decision right for her/him so that they can also heal. We should thank skywalker and klim for providing such a platform for healing for so many AOLites.
This latest string of letters has finally made me see that I can no longer hang onto anything about AOL. Ann’s letter and all the replies have really tugged at my heartstrings and have been the final straw for me. I was one one of the 7 teachers Christine writes of and although I knew it was right for me to leave I still wanted SSRS to be what I wanted him to be. Leaving was quite a process, taking down photos and putting them back up. Telling all those who were on the AOL email list, telling my family and my friends.
I have followed these sites on a daily basis and felt saddened at all I read, SSRS was not who or what I wanted him to be. I recently read the Guru Papers and there found more truth, it was reading that book that finally made me break down completely, my heart broke as I tried to say the word betrayal when explaining the book to my husband, I was finally able to shed the tears I had stored for so long and so really start my healing.
These latest letters have left no room for doubt – I imagined all the things that could be done with AOL, and although when I did my TTC I was aware that things were not right I still enjoyed sharing the knowledge with those who were on my courses. The money issues never seemed right, the fact that teachers were expected to supplement course costs and none of the money went to any local projects. I was never prepared to pay out of our hard earned income when I knew that the organisation was rich.
Having said all of that I still appreciate ride it gave me and the experiences I had and so I am grateful for the journey and I am grateful that I could see the right time to leave. Thank you to all of you who have created and contributed to the blog sites – they really are a place of healing.
One thing you (@Relieved) and other AOL long timers (&teaches) can do is share these sites to those on the fence and those you have brought to the system and feel guilty about it. I am sure they can go through these blogs and make up their mind themselves. Atleast they can understand the pitfalls and not get themselvs immersed deeper into AOL.
when i left aol my interest in organisations selling spirituality was completely lost. after care full investigation , today i am taking initiation in kriya yoga from Shibendu Lahiri great grandson of lahiri mahasay ( guru of yuktaswar giri who was guru of sri sri yoganand). there is no organization no marketing pure vedant but wish me luck. i chose him because i want to practice pure sadhana rather than repackaged one.
Ann:
I do not doubt for a moment that you took great pains and personal risks for propagating AOL “knowledge”. AOL’s mansion is built precisely on the sacrifice of such teachers and volunteers.
What we are really interested to know is during your evangelical mission what support and resources you got from the AOL cult? I am sure you believe that you have been toiling for a worthy cause and it certainly seems so. Can you please tell us, how much financial support you got from your organization for pursuing this worthy cause? In what way your efforts and motives were inferior to Bawa or Dinesh or Rishiji or Bhanu or other lackeys of SSRS that they get to travel and live first class while you yourself have admitted that you never got to live or teach in luxurious surroundings? Trust me, AOL saga is littered with the stories of teachers like you who have sacrificed their lives to help AOL become what it is, used and finally dumped.
I rest my case.
Ann,
You seem like a genuine person who is trying to make a difference in the world, as naive a concept as that can be at times. I commend you for your work. Your letter made clear that your boss (Guru) is a multi-millionaire and you are tirelessly working for this organization which was built to fund service projects. Yet, you never get any of that money for the projects? Is this correct? I’d like to know the balance of your assets and that of SSRS. There’s definitely something wrong with this picture. Where EXACTLY is the money going if not to you or the service projects you are doing? Hmmmm…..
Funny, you spoke in support of AOL and your Guru, yet you made it all the more clear that it is a scam. This happens a lot on these blogs.
I also ask you to talk more about this:
“And yes, it needs Teachers, people who are trained adequately not just in teaching techniques, but also to have the courage to withstand the obstacles externally and internally to pass the wisdom on to others.”
I detect brainwashing here as subtle as it may be. What obstacles do you speak of? Obstacles to spiritual growth? Why is an AoL teacher more able to handle said obstacles than the average person? The idea that the teachers have some special courage that others don’t have, which enables them to pass along wisdom, sounds rather pompous.
Someone even questioned if it was Ann G. the real author of the letter. Knowing Ann and having read stuff written by her, I confirm it is her. And if it was not, it also says quite a lot about what AoL is ready to do or how nut they have become. Still, reading the letter, I am swayed by all kinds of emotions. I struggled many years with seva projects in the AoL. “Seva” is a word used by AoL to create good propaganda, but it is not its main intentions. Teachers were asked to raise funds to carry out projects while saying that all the monies of the courses went to the projects. RS even himself said to us to “not waste our time” in those projects and just “teach”. Money kept coming in that were “to go to the seva projects”, and all the money was sent to India, no matter what the situation of your local country or city was. As much as I know Ann worked really hard in her projects, the truth, is most people doubted her projects too. Sorry Ann. But I heard too many times SS make fun of her and senior teachers kept calling her a “head-ache”. SS called her a “blue star” and if she was outside his door waiting to see him, we knew we better come back later because he would not let anyone in. He only finally let her in when he had no choice. Word was he sent her to Kabul to put her far away. Little did he know she would actually produce something beyond his capabilities. In my opinion, this is yet one more of the many incongruences and facts that show AoL is NOT a spiritual path and is NOT providing real spiritual or positive education, and that SSRS is NOT a spiritual master. People are just too brain-washed and addicted, including Ann, and myself, when I “belonged”. Ann was working her ass off, no matter the traits of her personality, and instead of valuing those qualities, he was bad-mouthing her in meetings, calling her names, making fun of her. Some AoLers would even interpret that as “lucky Ann … look at all the karma he is taking away from her”. Sorry. Too much bullshit.
By posting to this blog, perhaps Ann G. learned a thing or two about herself, how she is perceived/looked down by the AOL clan/insiders. Would be interesting to see her replies in his regard.
I am baffled as to why RS would treat Ann so badly. Was it some personal issue?
I bet it is his ego as he feels superior to everyone else around and makes him treat everyone like beggars.
LOL @ John’s funny question! Isn’t the whole point of having a Guru that they would not have such problems as “personal issues”? But rather, that they would love unconditionally, and also teach us to do the same? Instead, what has happened is this man, posing as a great guru is teaching people to hate, compete, gossip, lie, cheat, hide, and to have more than their fair share of “personal issues” themselves. Yeah, Ravi has lots of personal issues. That’s why I left. For people on a spiritual quest, what’s the use in having a teacher who himself has problems with greed, hatred, anger, all the various vasanas? I personally was looking for someone to set a better example and show me how to be a better person, not a more crooked one. Ravi Shankar specializes in teaching folks how to be devious, nasty and deceitful. If they don’t want to learn, he gets a personal issue around them. This was my observation of him.
John, if you’ve read the other posts and comments on this blog as well as KLIM’s blog ( http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/) it’s not that surprising to hear of such behavior from RS.
A few comments from an outsider –
I took the basic class in Bangkok over a period of several days, and I found it very interesting, to say the least. After the first long kriya, we took a rest and I saw a series of visions, including 3 rather strange looking pillars, which I definitely could not identify. Nine months later, I saw them for myself in the meditation hall of the ashram.
I mention this to indicate that SK does have an effect. Call it what you will – ESP, opening the third eye, hallucinations, whatever, but something about it does work, so I do not think it is a fraud.
One of the first people I met at the ashram was Afghanistan Ann. She immediately began telling a few of us about the horrible situation and how the evil Taliban had killed 40,000 people in a stadium. When I responded with a surprised (shocked) “What!?”, she flew into me with a “Do you think I am a fool? I know what I am talking about, I am a highly educated person, etc.”
Since I did not want to further aggravate the situation, I decided not to answer that question and attempted to avoid her for the rest of the time I was at the ashram.
I have also been told by other teachers that SSRS did not want Ann at the ashram and had “suggested” that she leave. After her performance on our first meeting, I was not surprised.
From my personal point of view, I do not believe in “volunteerism.” I personally believe that, if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well and getting paid to do it. I see volunteerism as taking away a job from someone who needs it. Value for money, and money for value.
People become volunteers for a variety of reasons. Some have pure motives; however, I believe that most people become volunteers to build up their egos, although they would never admit it. A good many of these enjoy the suffering or appearance of suffering – sort of a victim-martyr complex. “Look at me, I have suffered so much for the cause (the Lord, the Guru, the company); therefore, I am a good (holy, sanctified, blessed) person (bodhisattva).”
One of the posters in this forum noted that the massive problems in the Pipelineistan war zones are the result of international politics. I suspect that these problems will only get worse now that US military teams have “just recently” discovered US$ trillion(s) in lithium deposits in Afghanistan.
Perhaps Ann thinks that her teaching the kriya while suffering can solve these problems. Or maybe turning over the lithium to the people of Afghanistan, so they could sell it on the world market at a fair price would also be a solution to poverty, ignorance, and lack of sanitary facilities, among other things.
Back in 1910, Wallace D. Wattles wrote The Science of Getting Rich, which is the basis of the movie The Secret and the Law of Attraction. Here are a couple of interesting excerpts from that book, which I post for you all to ponder, as you consider AoL and its operations:
“This is a difficult point with most people; they retain something of the old idea that poverty and self-sacrifice are pleasing to God. They look upon poverty as a part of the plan, a necessity of nature. They have the idea that God has finished His work, and made all that He can make, and that the majority of men must stay poor because there is not enough to go around. They hold to so much of this erroneous thought that they feel ashamed to ask for wealth; they try not to want more than a very modest competence, just enough to make them fairly comfortable.”
“Things are not brought into being by thinking about their opposites. Health is never to be attained by studying disease and thinking about disease; righteousness is not to be promoted by studying sin and thinking about sin; and no one ever got rich by studying poverty and thinking about poverty.
Medicine as a science of disease has increased disease; religion as a science of sin has promoted sin, and economics as a study of poverty will fill the world with wretchedness and want.
Do not talk about poverty; do not investigate it, or concern yourself with it. Never mind what its causes are; you have nothing to do with them.
What concerns you is the cure.
Do not spend your time in charitable work, or charity movements; all charity only tends to perpetuate the wretchedness it aims to eradicate.
I do not say that you should be hard hearted or unkind, and refuse to hear the cry of need; but you must not try to eradicate poverty in any of the conventional ways. Put poverty behind you, and put all that pertains to it behind you, and “make good.”
Get rich; that is the best way you can help the poor.
And you cannot hold the mental image which is to make you rich if you fill your mind with pictures of poverty. Do not read books or papers which give circumstantial accounts of the wretchedness of the tenement dwellers, of the horrors of child labor, and so on. Do not read anything which fills your mind with gloomy images of want and suffering.
You cannot help the poor in the least by knowing about these things; and the wide-spread knowledge of them does not tend at all to do away with poverty.
What tends to do away with poverty is not the getting of pictures of poverty into your mind, but getting pictures of wealth into the minds of the poor.”
Good philosophical read, would wakeup some – doing ‘seva’ to AOL masters.
What better day to rake in some cash than Guru Poornima? The stars on this day are perfectly aligned for spiritual business.
Reading these blogs has been insightful for me. Lots of questions have been answered. I quit the movement 10 years ago. But before that, gave a huge share of my life to Ravi. He was spreading “knowledge” , peace, making this a better place. Such a good cause and now my life had some meaning. So, I undertook this task of going into the interiors of the land(many times) to a small village ( not a pleasant experience). There was a large low- income group. They were supported by the Government agencies. To access them was getting into an unending bureaucratic circle. Bureaucracy in any part of the world is the same, it is slow. However, a couple of years of constant trying, making frequent trips to the place, all financed by me ,never taking NO for an answer, the permissions were given. Ravi was happy too. And said that now I should even try to get the officials to take the course. So more VIP’s on his list of devotees. More fame etc. Anyway, I asked him if the course could be give free, or at a nominal rate. After all, this could now get him to meet the Governor and Mayor, plus it would put AoL in a positive light. And needless to say, this group could really do with this sort of a course. Ravi agreed. So after a few courses, even getting a brief mention on television, imagine my surprise/ shock when a circular was sent out by the Senior Heads ( with greater access to Ravi) to the other teachers and volunteers that I was not an `”example to follow”” as no concessions of any kind were allowed. It was humiliating. I called him while he was in the Indian Ashram, ( international calls to India are expensive) and called many time before he finally came on the line. I explained the situation to him. He said he’d get back. He never did. Emails, phone calls, messages through people visiting the Ashram received no response. I quit the movement. I was giving him my life, and yet when an opportunity arose, for him to just and large hearted he maintained silence. All he had to do was tell the seniors to back off, and inform them that he was aware of the fee structure.He didn’t do that and let me deal with this humiliation on my own. I was like the butt of ridicule. I thought that he was a coward and who wants a coward for a guru. But as I read the blogs, I realize that he just wants money. He does not believe in charity. Yet these guys want everything free for themselves. Free venue, free food free printed material etc. During that time he was also told that he could “adopt” this community for a mere $ 2000. He declined saying we should raise our own funds for that, as AoL will not give that. That contribution could have made a difference in those peoples lives. Now I realize that he only wants money.
I have also traveled with him. I was shocked that he has time only for the moneyed. I had to fend for myself in a foreign land speaking in a foreign language. I could only meet him briefly on the day of my departure .
Yes, I always got perplexed when he would bad mouth his own workers. Make fun of them behind their backs. One prominent volunteer is obese. But does a lot of work and Ravi would laugh about the obesity problem behind her back. He would make fun of old parents of his teachers . It was disgusting. And he would encourage others present there to also crack jokes of the people he was attacking. It was a ”bitchy” session. There were lot of such sessions. He can be rude to his senior followers too. Not only have I seen him do that, I have also seen how terribly rude his mother was (God bless her soul) .
What a (another) sad story!
It seems that everyone who was at all close to SSRS and part of AOL experienced at least some of these things. My puzzlement is still that some of the old-time senior teachers (whom I’ve heard SSRS badmouth, poke fun at, and lie about in the most awful ways) stay on and on with him! It’s bizarre. Is it possible that they, like Ann G. just don’t believe that he ever speaks about them that way, but only about others, as he does when they are present? I always knew that he must be doing the same mean things to me when I wasn’t in the room. But still, it took me some time to get out of there, just the same. Addiction to the vibe. Some, who are in the top positions in AOL now, he has called “criminals”, “idiots”, “fools”, people with “the worst sort of hard karmas”, “hopeless”, “blind”, when speaking to me about them. He would say things like “they’ll never understand anything. I don’t even know why they are here….” or “what huge egos. They think they have knowledge, they’ll never have knowledge…” “That one is so mentally ill it’s such a good thing they are here with me not doing too much damage to the outside world!” (that one said about numerous dedicated devotees, who are still with him, and who think they are close to him!! This floored me again and again. But I knew he must say the same things about me. He did. I found out. And I left.
Oh well, so much for “saints” and “ashrams”.
I see lot of teachers leave RS after having understood the cult and other issues. Anyone seen or faced being dumped (asked to quit)? how would RS do that, if he didn’t like someone in inner circle espeically?
Ann,
Please can you elaborate on this?
“And it has been seen that without the Teachers, the techniques do not work the same, so the knowledge has been protected to be able to ensure the quality to help people.”
Please can you be as scientific as possible in your response?
Sadly, I also heard Sri Sri bad-mouth and make fun of Anne many times. “Blue star” was the least offensive comment he’d make. All senior teachers dreaded her. He had passed on the rumor about what a pain she was and actually, I also heard say how surprised he was, how she back-fired his plans of sending her very far (to a remote, dangerous place so that she would be kept busy with an impossible work to get her off his back). Actually, people made fun of him about how he did not foresee she’d be able to do that and that he’d have to then give her some attention. And in all of this, Anne actually believes the he loves her, or that she is some important piece for him. She did provide with important publicity for him, but it was “a mistake”. This is what is sad. All these people swimming in cognitive dissonance, believing this man is a real guru who loves them and gives real knowledge and life transforming techniques. God loves fun. Yes. The only real “knowledge” he gave (did he steal this line from Osho too? I wonder …)
Dear Ann,
I’d just like you to know that I am praying really hard for you. May God bless you deeply, deeply, very deeply. As for your letter of concern, I would like to tell you that there is an Indian saying: if the seeker is true, even if his Guru is false, he would achieve the ultimate knowledge. That is all I have to say. YOU are my hero and my teacher. I rest my case.
love,
chris
In spite of all your commendable efforts, I am sadly disheartened to note that currently Bangalore Ashram is running a TTC course to produce 1000 more teachers (robots) to make more money for SSRS, his relatives and partners in crime (senior teachers). This new army of brainwashed teachers will help in expansion of his empire.
Questions:
1. Are our efforts making him work double fast on expansion?
2. Do we need to make more efforts to expose the BIG fraud?
3. Are all our efforts futile?
4. Should we keep quite and let the public suffer? Everyone has their Karma and this all is happening in a dream (???).
Two volunteers known to me have joined the TTC. They are very rough in Yoga, zero in knowledge, full of anger and ego, but suppressed behind a fake smile, they only know how to arrange courses. The teacher of last basic course held here, almost forced them to feel the form for TTC. I think teachers are given target to send volunteers for TTC. Actually, they were not so willing, but give up against the pressure and brain washing. You do the work of Ravi shankar, he will take care of your work.
We should not worry what Ravi Shankar is doing, if one Ravi Shankar is stopped, another will take his place, its fault of our mentality.
Let the Law of Karma work.
Ram,
You’re probably right, unfortunately. I once asked a wise man about this type of “guru” (big organization, big flash, lots of money, etc.) He said “as long as there are people who want these things and they are foolish enough to buy them, there will be a market for them and someone to supply them. It doesn’t concern us….” I guess supply and demand has even taken over “guru”-disciple relationship in this world.
If what is stated above is true (1000 new recruits for TTC) then I guess it’s semi-useless to post here. Still, I’ll continue to when I feel like it. Who knows? Maybe someone will read it and understand what they are actually involved in.
Did the number 1000 come from AOL website? As an insider said in an earlier comment, these numbers are always inflated, often to the tune of 10 times. AOL never reports true numbers.
@Anon – if this site can help just one person see what SSRS/AoL’s true colours are, then it is doing an amazing job.
Right now it is still early days yet. As word of this blog and Klim’s spreads, and believe me it will, more and more people will start to question the various doubts they’ve had since they got involved with AoL and will hopefully start to see the light.
In time, truth will prevail.
To Ram: I couldn’t agree more. You are also right in that when you are going up against people who are brainwashed and have invested hordes of money and personal time away from family and friends to further the “mission” of AOL, it is probably for naught. They will only interpret it as you are attacking them and not see that you are attacking the wrong being done here.
To Ann: Your situation is just one more nail in the AOL coffin; it will implode on itself before it is all said and done. United we stand, divided we fall. A kingdom divided cannot stand.