Spiritual Capitalism at SRCM (California-1997)?

And here I thought that "Spiritual Capitalism" had died with the Holy Roman Catholic Church (the Vatican), and "His Holiness", Pope Leo X, (1475-1521 ACE), of the Italian Medici Family, the last non-priest to be elected (or who "bought" the Papacy) as Pope.

Unable to get himself elected Pope, even with the support of the powerful Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, King of Italy, and Spain, his cousin Giulio di Medici, first supported Adrian VI, a Dutch who was a "compromise", and was not even present at the meeting, and who as the last non-Italian pope in 456 years, then died eighteen (18) months later at 64 (intrigue?), thus Giulio di Medici, aka Clement Vll, a Medici, and an Italian, became the Pope. He was a priest at least. A real priest? we don't know! (see photos on Wikipedia and see their "aura").

At this time, the Muslims (Turks) were invading Eastern Europe and from Belgrade, were threatening Hungary.

The religious wars, the corruption, nepotism and selling of "indulgences" precipitated the Protestant Reformation (1517 ACE), and some major violent conflicts such as the sacking of Rome by the protestants, and eventually, the schisms in "Holy Mother the Church". Of the two principal reformers, John Calvin, was French. Martin Luther was German. And of course, Henry Vlll of the English Reformation, was English.


Spiritual Capitalism and/or its mirror images, Capitalist Spiritualism, or Corporate Spiritualism, etc... etc... is alive and well in the neo-con movement of right-wing religious America, as well as in India.

That wealthy capitalists want to help the poor, or their workers, and offset the cost from their Public Relations, personnel training, and/or advertising budgets, is a good thing. Who else has the pools of money that are needed to address some of the many societal stressors and in-equalities beside the state, and the marketplace. And it can be seen as a way to "clean up the Corporation's image" and to offset some of the hidden societal costs of "doing business". Doing business, as we all know, creates many problems, some obvious, and some more hidden in TIME, or "down-the-road". Such problems as those of environment (green & social), health (physical and mental), security (internal), defense(external), social (poverty, infrastructure, human and labour rights, disasters, etc ... sometimes only appear much later, when the corporation is gone, or has changed hands or name, a common tactic so to avoid paying all the costs of doing business.)

But when Spiritual Capitalism becomes in reality "Capitalist (the Market) Spirituality" or "Socialist (the State) Spirituality" (or spiritualism) then it becomes problematic for the citizenry. We, in the west at least, can see and know the problems with "theocracies" and "divine rights of kings". When the State and Religion are one, or are "bed-fellows", then there is a loss of the balance of power between the various "estates". Religion/spirituality/spiritualism is often used to foment intolerance and/or the expansion of the religion and/or the state, to the point of societal divisions and even war. That is specifically what some Religion/spirituality claim not to do.

In Capitalist Spirituality in its many forms, if a wealthy capitalist can buy or build a church, mosque, temple, Ashram, and then be rewarded for his/her donation, by being named priest, bishop, preceptor or prefect, then that stops being "SPIRIT-uality" and it becomes "Materialism" or simply Capitalism, and the focus on Spirit becomes non-existant or diminished. It is then simply "trade" or "commerce". ... What is next? The wealthy and the powerful buying the position of POPE or MASTER, as in the 14th century ACE? Let us REFORM now, before the problem becomes a nightmare!! Not all religions are peaceful.

With a religiously obedient marketplace, where is the competition? GONE! The threat to "industrial capitalism" is from "cartel capitalism", and Capitalist or Corporate Spiritualism is one step in that slippery direction. Then we could have the capitalists using the tax-exempt status of, and incentives meant for, the "non-profit" and "charitable" sectors to further the (self-professed greedy or profit-eering) corporate agenda, selling or promoting itself as "spirituality" and yelling "religious persecution" if anyone tries to promote REFORM, and/or attempt to correct or prevent that actual or potential abuse.

We may, as a society, have to re-evaluate, and maybe even eliminate the "tax exempt" status to Charities or specifically to "religious charities", if the Capitalists mis-use these incentives to expand their commercial products or to clean their image in domestic or foreign markets around the world, and expect the tax-payers in those markets to subsidize their commercial ventures, using the percs and privileges of "freedom of religion" and/or the spirit-uality of charity ...

For example, many "retreats" at ranches and in castles so as to "take a break from making money", really smack of "recreational", not religious or spiritual activities. One's therapist and psychologist pays taxes on his "self-help" and/or group sessions. One, specially the wealthy, and the well-to-do, should pay for those recreational services from their advertising and public relations budgets also, and not "retreat" on the tax-payers' backs. That includes, no taxpayer support or subsidies to build and then travel to, and use these recreational facilities and services. (see legal advice to city of Armadale, Autralia)

Here is the way it works and how it's presented in the Newsletter of the SRCM(California-1997), where GURU Chari, Ex-CEO of TTK Group, one of the largest consortium(s) in India, seems to hand out Spiritual "titles" to some wealthy donors. It looks like selling or trading membership to the "inner circle" in a very non-democratic and autocratic religious and SPIRITUALIST organization that controls from India, the charity dollars from every country (92) they are in. (Mafiosi Don Corleoni (Don Chari?) or many worldly "emperors" never had so overtly "material" and un-spiritual power.

P.S. Which spiritual person designed the "battleship"? Was it designed according to the suggested Sahaj Marg(tm) fiat to think "with the heart"?? Will it inspire "spirituality"?? Is it in "harmony" with the DIVINE plan? Which war will your metaphoric "battleship" wage? ;-)) Battlestar Galactica?? ;-))

In their Newsletter, Echoes India (Sept., 2010 edition, Volume 3, Issue 5) the article titled: Natrampalli, Tamilnadu, (last article in the Newsletter) begins:


The ashram at Natrampalli was gifted to the Mission in October, 2004, by Shri Om Prakash, who later became an abhyasi and a prefect too. Natrampalli serves as an ideal stopover for Master on his frequent travel by road between Chennai and Bangalore. It is located in an idyllic environment in the midst of a village surrounded by hills in the Yelagiri hills just 20 kilometers away.

The original site of one acre of land is long and narrow and the ashram building built on it lengthwise looks like a battleship from a distance. (see photo here) The ashram is perhaps one of the few that have been donated to our Mission in a built-up and ready-to-use condition. It was built in several spurts by the generous donor, as and when financial resources became available for expansion, and the built-up capacity is significant for an ashram of this size. Even at the time when it was donated, it already housed a hall that could be used for meditation for 2,000 abhyasis, dormitory for about 500 with adequate facilities for kitchen and dining. A couple of small buildings have been converted to become Master's cottage and library.

The Master and self-titled and self-appointed, un-elected (rubber-stamped) president, gets another of his many such "cottages" (luxury, material?) around the world.

Which products are sold by the directors or "trustees" of Sahaj Marg Spirituality Foundation? Blue Jeans, pharmaceuticals, IT and various technology services and products, hotels, restaurants, travel, real estate development, promotion of commercial products and services, etc... etc...

Soon will come the "succession" STRESS as the Master goes to their "Brighter World" (dies)! Will we witness nepotism and sexism in the non-profit sector, member of UNDPI which are all supposed to be "democratic". Or will we see a "DYNASTY" and the stated "DICTATORSHIP". (see original SRCM constitution (see last section re-"dictatorship")

Who will up-hold the " the cause and the standards of Spiritualism" mentionned in the Constitution and "Bye"-Laws of SRCM (California-1997) (See page 14, section 11)

or read here:

Improper and Evil Practices- Stoppage of

11. The mission will discourage and stop by legal and constitutional means (through persuations, writings, lectures, etc.) improper and evil practices or mistaken and wrongful ideas in the name of spirituality or in any way thwarting, degrading, suppressing, minimizing, or affecting the cause or standards of spiritualism of the Mission.



From our experience as the bloggers who were branded as the "enemies of Spirituality", by the self-titled "representative of GOD", Chari, "persuations" (above), get interpreted as "threats" by the obedient lunatic fringe of the "cult of a personality", who want to be noticed and recognized as "good disciples" by their all-powerful Master. Organized crime and other fundamentalist religions use the same "modus operandi" (method of operating), or work the same way. We all know of Salman Rushdie and the "fatois" system.


See Also:

Business of the Gods, on Tehelka- The People's Paper (India)

YOGA, MEDITATION, AYURVEDA, ART OF LIVING. HOLDING ON TO FAITH AND LETTING GO OF STRESS IN THESE TROUBLED TIMES COMES AT A PRICE. BUT MILLIONS ARE READY TO PAY. THE HEALERS, AMASSING FORTUNES AND BUILDING EMPIRES, SEEM TO BE THE HAPPIEST,

WRITES SHANTANU GUHA RAY
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