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Eckankar.
Eckankar.

Eckankar is a new religious movement that focuses on spiritual exercises enabling practitioners to experience what its followers call "the Light and Sound of God. A new religious movement or NRM is a term used to refer to a religious faith or an ethical spiritual or philosophical movement of recent origin that is not part "

According to the Eckankar glossary, the term Eckankar means "Co-Worker with God". [1] It is likely drawn from the Sikh term, Ik Onkar. Ik Onkar (also pa ੴ, pa ਇਕ/ਏਕ ਓਅੰਕਾਰ, Ēk Ōaṅkār, Ik Onkar, Ek Onkar and other variants means Since 1985 Eckankar is described as “The Religion of the Light and Sound of God”. Prior to 1985 Eckankar changed the descriptor following its name several times.

Eckankar headquarters are in Chanhassen, Minnesota (southwest of Minneapolis). Chanhassen is a city in Carver and Hennepin counties in the U At this site there are the Eckankar Temple, an outdoor chapel, an administrative building, and the ECK Spiritual Campus.

Contents

History

Founded by Paul Twitchell in 1965, Eckankar was carried by its spiritual leader, Darwin Gross, from 1971 until 1981. Paul Twitchell (d 1971 was an American spiritual Writer, Author and founder (or modern founder of the Teaching Eckankar. Darwin Gross (1928- 2008 was an American spiritual teacher who succeeded to the leadership of Eckankar in 1971 at the death of its founder Paul Twitchell From 1981 to 1983 the leadership of Eckankar was co-shared by both Darwin Gross and Harold Klemp. In 1983 Harold Klemp became exclusive spiritual leader of Eckankar. Harold Klemp (b 1942 Wisconsin US) is the spiritual leader of Eckankar, Religion of the Light and Sound of God. Today, Harold Klemp is revered, but not worshiped, and is considered "the Living Eck Master" by followers of Eckankar.

Teachings

One of the basic tenets is that soul (awareness or consciousness) can leave the body in full consciousness and travel freely in other planes of reality. Eckankar emphasizes personal spiritual experiences as the most natural way back to God. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. [2] These are attained via "soul travel", shifting the awareness from the body to the inner planes of existence. Soul Travel is the belief that when one Sleeps their Soul leaves its body and seeks spiritual lessons in the Soul Planes or Heaven as Christians

Certain mantras are used to facilitate spiritual growth. A mantra ( Devanāgarī मन्त्र (or mantram is a religious or mystical syllable or poem typically from the Sanskrit language One important spiritual exercise of Eckankar is the singing or chanting of hu. Hu is a name for God in Sufism. Literally He God In Sufism Hu is the pronoun used with Allah or God and is used as a name of God The Hu has been used in the Sufi and other traditions, and is viewed as a “love song to God. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف ” It is pronounced like the word “Hue” in a long drawn out breath and is sung for about 20 minutes. Eckists sing it alone or in groups for spiritual upliftment. This practice is claimed to allow the student to step back from the overwhelming input of the physical senses and emotions and regain soul’s spiritual viewpoint.

Dreams are regarded as an important teaching tool and members often keep a dream journal to facilitate study. A dream journal is a journal in which dream experiences are recorded [3] According to followers of Eckankar, dream travel often serves as the gateway to soul travel[4] or the shifting of one’s consciousness to ever-higher states of being.

Eckankar teaches that "spiritual liberation" in one’s lifetime is available to all and that it is possible to achieve self-realization (the realization of oneself as soul) and God-realization (the realization of oneself as a spark of God) in one’s lifetime. The membership card for Eckankar states: “The aim and purpose of Eckankar has always been to take soul by its own path back to its divine source. ”

The emphasis has shifted in current times away from out of body experiences to expansion of awareness through experiencing God’s love in everyday matters. The final spiritual goal of all Eckists is to become conscious co-workers with God.

Origins

Paul Twitchell founded Eckankar in 1965, although the religion claims that the basis for the Eckankar teachings date back to the beginning of human life and that an early Eckankar teacher is Gakko from Venus. Candraprabha Bodhisattva or Gakkō Bosatsu in Japanese (Japanese 月光菩薩 is a Bodhisattva often seen with Nikkō Bosatsu (Sunlight as the two siblings serve [5]

According to Doug Marman, Paul Twitchell sourced many modern and ancient religious teachings in his creation of the Eckankar Teaching, but the main sources appear to be Sufism and a little known teaching in India called “The Parent Faith. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف ” (This is where other light and sound teachings such as Sant Mat also derived their roots. Sant Mat was a loosely associated group of teachers that became prominent in the northern part of the Indian sub-continent from about the 13th century )[6]

Eckankar headquarters were originally in Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally Under the leadership of Darwin Gross, the organization was moved to Menlo Park, California in 1971. Menlo Park is an affluent City in San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California In 1986 Harold Klemp moved the base of operations to Minnesota where it remains today. [7]

Eckankar was founded in 1965 as a business; however, the Panel of Administrators urged Twitchell to conform to usual standards, and the teaching was later registered as a non-profit organization. Eighteen years later, in 1983, Harold Klemp changed it to a recognized religious institution. Currently Eckankar is accepted as a religion by the US Army, Boy Scouts, and many other public institutions.

Beliefs

Primary to the teaching is the belief that human consciousness can leave the body at will (soul travel) and explore the inner planes of creation. Also, the doctrines of karma and reincarnation are strongly supported. Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action"

Soul is seen as the true self, and it wears a mind, emotions and the physical body in the same way as we might put on layers of clothes. The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living Soul can thus leave the body and return at will, once it learns how. Dreams are seen as very important, with books such as The Art of Spiritual Dreaming forming part of the essential reading for all Eckankar students (Chelas).

The beliefs that individuals are responsible for their own destiny and that their decisions determine their future are core principles of the religion. Eckankar students meet in satsang ("spiritual meeting") to discuss books and discourses. Satsang ( Sanskrit sat = true sanga = company describes in Indian philosophy (1 the company of the "highest truth" (2 the company of a Guru, and (3 Questioning of the stated beliefs is not opposed, and indeed is recommended for new students. In this respect Eckankar is quite different from other teachings.

Many people report that they are drawn to this belief because it confirms to them the validity of experiences they had prior to even hearing about the group. These experiences are generally with either the light or sound, or some of the Eck Masters. A common example is when an adult recalls meeting one of the Eckankar teachers as a child and recalls this when finding a picture of that Master on the wall of an Eckankar center, or at friend's home, or in one of the group's publications. Many of these stories are recorded in the numerous books and magazines published by the organization.

Eckankar does not proselytize, and it seems to attract membership from those who find confirmation of personal experiences and understandings after reading the books, meeting with a member, or seeing one of the many videos available to the public.

After membership, adherents claim that the techniques given in the discourses and books of Eckankar provide individuals with the means by which to have direct and clear inner and outer experiences of the Light and Sound and with the Eck Masters. Members commonly speak of how a dream of inner experience has helped them resolve some issue in their life. Some claim to have learned the art of reading their own past lives and garnering healing or understanding from this. Most report a gradual growth in consciousness that they have experienced through the teachings and initiations. There is a 20-25 year program of discourses provided by the group to members.

According to the US Department of State (International Religious Freedom Report for Cote d'Ivoire 2008), the current Nigerian branch of Eckankar describes their beliefs as "a syncretistic religion founded in 1965 in Nigeria that sees human passion as an obstacle to uniting a person's divine qualities". [8]

Current status

Eckankar claims an active membership base in over one hundred countries throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Africa. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page [9][10] 26,000 American Eckists were estimated in 2001 and 36,700 in 2004. [11] Estimates from varying authors [12] varies from 500,000, in 1972[13] to 50,000 or less in more recent years. Eckankar does not publish membership figures.

Eckankar’s 50,000-square-foot main "Temple of ECK"[14] was dedicated in Chanhassen, Minnesota on October 22, 1990. Chanhassen is a city in Carver and Hennepin counties in the U Minnesota ( Native Americans demonstrated the name to early settlers Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) As of late 2007, the largest capacity Eckankar Temple was in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, Africa, with a total capacity of 10,000. Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal

Eckankar has produced dozens of books, videos, CDs, and tapes on a variety of spiritual topics. Members receive discourses, and they are invited to study at home or in the company of other members in Eckankar Satsang classes. Eckankar does not attempt to convert individuals. They do, however, advertise their presence and distribute literature to interested persons.

The Eckankar “EK” symbol appears on the list of Available Emblems of Belief for Placement on Government Headstones and Markers by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. [15]

Ceremonies and Rites

There are few personal requirements to be an Eckist; however, certain spiritual practices are recommended. Chief among these is daily practice of the "spiritual exercises" of ECK for 15-20 minutes a day. The most basic ECK spiritual exercise is singing the word hu, an ancient name for God (also known and practiced in Sufism), for upliftment and spiritual experiences. A wide variety of spiritual exercises are offered, and members are encouraged to create their own. There are no dietary requirements, sexual taboos, or enforced ascetic practices. Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. Eckankar does not require potential members to leave their current faith to join.

There are a number of rituals an Eckist can experience as part of the teaching:

Eckists celebrate a spiritual new year on October 22. Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus There is no celebration of personal anniversaries such as birthdays of the leaders.

ECK masters

Main article: ECK master

ECKists believe contact with Divine Spirit, which they call the ECK, [16] can be made via the spiritual exercises of ECK and the guidance of the living ECK master. ECK Masters, or the Order of Vairagi Adepts, are spiritual figures who assume spiritual leadership of the ECKANKAR Religion, according to Eckankar It is held that the ECK masters are here to serve all life irrespective of religious belief.

The following masters are among the better known:[17]

Related groups

Some groups, such as ATOM, started by a former Living ECK Master, Darwin Gross (now deceased) and John Roger’s Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, appear to have split from the main body of the Eckankar. The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness (or MSIA, sometimes pronounced " Messiah " is a 501(c(3 Non-profit religious Corporation Gross made this public, while Roger denies any connection to Eckankar beyond having once been a student of Paul Twitchell.

More recently, former Eckist Ford Johnson formed a spiritual organization based on the idea that one does not need a master or spiritual guru to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Ford Johnson (1942-) is an American writer speaker on spiritual and Esoteric topics and president of a service organization working with adolescents [18] [19] Other groups created by former Eckists, like Michael Owens’ The Way of Truth[20] and Gary Olsen’s MasterPath[21] recruit members to apparently Eckankar-like organizations. Surat Shabd Yoga or Surat Shabda Yoga is a form of spiritual practice that is followed in the Sant Mat and many other related spiritual traditions

The current leader of Eckankar has stated that members should feel free to leave Eckankar unbounded by guilt or fear. But critics contend that, while Eckankar promotes itself as a path to ending karma and reincarnation, Eckankar writings also speak of karma and reincarnation returning to members who leave Eckankar. Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" [22]

Legal Disputes

In 1983 Sri Darwin Gross was asked to completely step down from all leadership roles and association with Eckankar by Sri Harold Klemp under controversial circumstances involving charges against Gross of misappropriation of Eckankar corporate funds. [23] As Klemp took an exclusive leadership role, the corporate structure of Eckankar changed in California giving Klemp much more authority as the only voting member of the corporation. [24][25] This change, considered by Gross as a "hostile takeover" of the corporation, was formally filed in the State of California on June 20, 1985. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) The policies giving Klemp exclusive powers were changed in a similar vein in Eckankar's Minnesota corporate papers on January 30, 1987 and were also changed in the Eckankar Nevada corporate papers on December 21, 1987. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) [26]

Accusations of plagiarism

After Twitchell’s death in 1971 David C. Lane, then a member of the Sant Mat derivative Radha Soami Satsang Beas, charged Eckankar was a Sant Mat derivative, and that many Twitchell books used some passages of other groups’ books without crediting their authors. David Christopher Lane (born April 29, 1956, Burbank California) is a professor of Philosophy and Sociology at Mt Sant Mat was a loosely associated group of teachers that became prominent in the northern part of the Indian sub-continent from about the 13th century Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB was founded by Baba Jaimal Singh Ji Maharaj in 1891 at a site on the East bank of the River Beas in Beas Punjab Northern India Twitchell’s The Far Country was said to contain the most plagiarism (of Julian Johnson’s Paths of the Masters). For the seventeenth century writer nicknamed "Julian" Johnson see Samuel Johnson (pamphleteer.

Though there is overwhelming evidence that Twitchell plagiarized several authors when writing his Eck books and discourses,[27] Eckankar has never admitted that Twitchell ever used plagiarized material. The official Eckankar website goes as far to say that “Paul had taken it [the ECKANKAR teachings] and built upon it from many different areas, and he then moved it more than a step further. ” [28]

A defence for Twitchell's plagiarism was published in 2007 by a long standing Eckankar High Initiate, Doug Marman [29] in The Whole Truth, a biography of Paul Twitchell. Marman lists several books that he feels Twitchell used as uncredited sources, even of the words of "eck masters" from whom Twitchell claimed to have taken dictation. [30] In relation to this book Twitchell’s widow (Gail) has written ". . . finally, someone got the whole thing right. . . Paul's work [put in] in the proper perspective. "[31] Twitchell biographer Brad Steiger has also written and commended this work as the most researched and authoritative to date on Paul Twitchell. Go To: The Whole Truth

Professor David C. Lane has written a commentary to the Doug Marman book, reaffirming his view that Twitchell did try to cover up his past associations, did plagiarize several authors, and generally had a history of being free with the truth. David Christopher Lane (born April 29, 1956, Burbank California) is a professor of Philosophy and Sociology at Mt [32]

Criticism

Internet communities of ex-members and critics, such as the Usenet newsgroup alt. religion. eckankar, include criticisms dating back over ten years. Eckankar has been labeled a cult by some critics, including both former members and Christian writers. This article does not discuss "cult" in the original sense of "veneration" or "religious practice" for that usage see Cult (religious practice A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth [33]

In the introductory level Eckankar states that spiritual truth is not the possession of a single person or group, and that the many paths all lead to the same goal. However, Eckankar states it is the most direct path to the highest heaven. The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, Eckankar’s “Bible,” unambiguously states that Eckankar is the most direct path to God. The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, which means "Way of the Eternal" is the holy scripture of Eckankar, a modern religious movement that teaches of the light and sound of

Some outspoken ex-Eckists believe that Eckankar is unethical and less than honest in how it presents itself and its history. [34] Accordingly, some former Eckankar initiates feel an obligation to "wake up" current Eckankar initiates to what they claim they are not being told, and some critics cite former leader Twitchell's claimed plagiarism as a reason to leave Eckankar. Eckankar is a New religious movement that focuses on spiritual exercises enabling practitioners to experience what its followers call "the Light and Sound of God

See also

References

  1. ^ A Glossary of ECK Terms
  2. ^ [http://www.eckankar.org/SEW/ Eckankar: Spiritual Exercise of the Week
  3. ^ [http://www.eckankar.org/dream.html Dreams: A Source of Inner Truth
  4. ^ [http://www.eckankar.org/soultravel.html Soul Travel
  5. ^ (Shariyat Ki Sugmad—Illuminated Way Press)
  6. ^ (The Whole Truth—Doug Marman)
  7. ^ "Soul Travelers Move," San Jose Mercury News, 24 August 1986
  8. ^ http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:qtxc39Pk9Y8J:www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2001/5603.htm+bylaws+Eckankar+Inc.&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=21&gl=us Highlighted Google page mentioning Eckankar / US Department of State 2008
  9. ^ ECKANKAR Nigeria Website "Homepage'
  10. ^ Eckankar around the World
  11. ^ Top Twenty Religions in the United States, 2001
  12. ^ Adherents. See also Sant Mat Contemporary Sant Mat Movements are Esoteric philosophy movements active in the United States Darwin Gross (1928- 2008 was an American spiritual teacher who succeeded to the leadership of Eckankar in 1971 at the death of its founder Paul Twitchell Ik Onkar (also pa ੴ, pa ਇਕ/ਏਕ ਓਅੰਕਾਰ, Ēk Ōaṅkār, Ik Onkar, Ek Onkar and other variants means Karma ( Sanskrit: कर्म, kárman - "act action performance" Pali: kamma) is the concept of "action" Harold Klemp (b 1942 Wisconsin US) is the spiritual leader of Eckankar, Religion of the Light and Sound of God. Radha Soami "Radhasoami" (also Radhasoami Satsang and Radha Swami) is a Spiritual movement founded in 1861 by Soamiji Maharaj Sant Mat was a loosely associated group of teachers that became prominent in the northern part of the Indian sub-continent from about the 13th century The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, which means "Way of the Eternal" is the holy scripture of Eckankar, a modern religious movement that teaches of the light and sound of Surat Shabd Yoga or Surat Shabda Yoga is a form of spiritual practice that is followed in the Sant Mat and many other related spiritual traditions com. 43,941 adherent statistic citations: membership and geography data for 4,300+ religions, churches, tribes, etc.
  13. ^ Godwin, John. Occult America; Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc. (1972); pg. 114. “But within the metaphysical world [Twitchell] looms large indeed. With an estimated 500,000 followers worldwide, fifteen centers in the US and four overseas, and a weekly mailbag of some 10,000 letters. . . ”
  14. ^ [http://www.eckankar.com/Temple/index.html Eckankar: The Temple of ECK in Chanhassen, Minnesota, USA
  15. ^ Available Emblems of Belief for Placement on Government Headstones and Markers - Burial & Memorials
  16. ^ A Glossary of ECK Terms
  17. ^ Eck Masters
  18. ^ [http://www.thetruth-seeker.com/openletter.asp The Truth Seeker
  19. ^ [http://www.higherconsciousnesssociety.org/aboutHCS.asp Higher Consciousness Society
  20. ^ The Way of Truth :: Path to God Realization
  21. ^ [http://www.masterpath.org/ MasterPath: Light and Sound is the Cutting Edge of Spirituality
  22. ^ http://www.caic.org.au/eastern/eck/subtle.htm
  23. ^ United States District Court Oregon 1984 - Sri Darwin Gross vs Eckankar Corporation
  24. ^ http://law.justia.com/california/codes/corp/9220-9226.html California corporate law code 9224(a)- Selection, Removal and Resignation of Directors
  25. ^ http://www.geocities.com/bill_flavell/SriDarwinGrossHaroldKlemp10.14.89LetterPg5.jpg Darwin Gross letter Oct. 11, 1989
  26. ^ http://www.hoovers.com/free/search/simple/xmillion/index.xhtml?what=4&what=4&query_string=Eckankar+Inc.&which=company&page=1&x=59&y=19&hoovcountry=us&bcl=1&state=NV Company Search Portal - Eckankar Inc Las Vegas, NV
  27. ^ [http://vclass.mtsac.edu:930/phil/center.htm
  28. ^ The Writing of Paul Twitchell<
  29. ^ [http://www.littleknownpubs.com spiritualdialogues. com
  30. ^ [1]
  31. ^ spiritualdialogues.com
  32. ^ [2]
  33. ^ Internet Church of Christ - List of Cults and Religions N-Z
  34. ^ Why Ex-Eckists Left Eckankar

External links

Plagiarism discussion

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