The Present and Future of Adidam

[Raymond]

A new thread along these lines seems worthwhile and perhaps even for fun if not for practical reasons and self growth.

Obviously, we are all wondering what is happening right now with Adidam and what will happen in the future (some of this has already been randomly posted in a variety of places).

Agehananda Bharati in his book called "The Light at the Centre: Context and Pretext of Modern Mysticism" offers an excellent final chapter regarding the death of certain gurus and predictions as to the survival of the organizations based on certain predictive factors: e.g, flexibility of the guru and the organization. And in this case, Adidam would fail miserably based on this criterion. Since he wrote the book in 1977, his prognostic ability could also be tested.

In any case, we have all followed a variety of organizations and dead gurus over the years; e.g., Osho, Muktananda, Yogananda, Ramana, Elizabeth Claire Prophet, etc., etc.-- And what are the criteria assuring their continued survival and what can we extrapolate from these organizations and predict about Adidam?

A long conversation but an interesting puzzle to put together. Making a good prognosis based on a good evaluation is a skill. The more you know prior to the evaluation from different sources, from appropriate interviews, from good protocols or from formal and informal testings, then the better the prognosis. Therefore, the gathering of information is crucial.

For starters, regarding a time line: -- on Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (On Death and Dying) and her 5 stages of grieving.

First stage: Denial and Isolation ---obviously the first 3 days after Franklin's death (November 27, 2008).
Second stage: Anger------?????
Third stage: Bargaining------yes at the beginning and perhaps to this day (January 2, 2009)
Fourth stage: Depression ----???--- as it set in??? --Also,I see some happier devotees these days---maybe a relief????
Fifth stage: Acceptance------not yet
After that comes: Hope-------hope for what??? hope for successfully accomplishing phase II of their missionary work??

Depression: --If depression occurs, it will be during the cold month of January and February with a wide range of variations in individuals and in the group.
Acceptance: --- (again with much variation in the group) but as a group, acceptance by the end of February-beginning of March.
Hope: ------???? hope to be saved at death and from death????

Tithe: ----Probably the same in November and early December (out of guilt and false responsibility). Decrease tithe in January and significantly a decrease in tithe in February for a variety of reasons including cost of trip to Fiji, Christmas, economic recession, etc. In March with a decrease in formal membership will come a decrease in tithe.

Membership and Growth: ----same in December; same in January; slight decrease in February but unreported;
obvious decrease in March and definitely unreported. At least they don't have to lie to Franklin anymore about the census but lying to the public to avoid further attrition will be done as it was done in the Lake County News article. However, it's easy enough to gather information from each area world wide and accumulate a census.

Factions within Adidam: ----Kanias;-- Daughters; --Board of Trustee. ---Kanias are not very smart---sorry but that's the gossip within Adidam; the daughters are too immature, naive and lack charisma; the board of Trustee are the more intelligent ones and understand money. The bottom line in any organization will always be money.

Other factions and power trips:---- breaking away from the parent organization: yes,--- a few and we have some idea who that could be?

Survival as a spiritual organization: -----yes, as a small time organization-- with a book/press distribution center;--- As a club: definitely yes but small time club also--(it's never been more than a club anyway).

Overall: ----It's a sinking ship and no way around that. Impossible to survive and grow unless with revisions and commercialization ---and Franklin would role in his grave if that would happen.

Food for thought and for fun.

Raymond

[~E~]

Good list. One thing you left out is that Frank has made sure his charisma is perpetuated by leaving behind a vast archive of videos, audio tapes, and photographs of himself. Assuming civilization doesn't destroy itself, cultists can take darshan on this material for a thousand years...

Then there is the spiritual reality of the situation, the real fire which will have its way. Where is Adi Da? Since the whole religion is built on megalomania and empty boasting, for devotees there is nothing to be earned but a handful of dust -- no Da Loka, no translation, no transformation, no liberation when they die, despite their fondest hopes and illusions.

For them, as for their guru, there is only the standard calling to account by the Universe. (Cue Twilight Zone theme)

~E

[Raymond]

Elias: You make an excellent point and that's my "concern" exactly.

And not only the volume of material out there but also the quality of the Adidam propaganda which has been well thought through and, in general, is quite good for perpetuating a myth. The catholic church over centuries has consciously marketed their image as propaganda. There is a Latin term for it which skips my mind right now but it's related to image, persona, and propaganda which has been marketed by the Vatican over centuries. And so far, Franklin (with much help) has created that image relatively well with verbal and non-verbal symbols--- in quantity and quality.

So, is it a sinking ship after all?

Then you have the following zealots:

Portion of a letter from James Steinberg and Jonathan Condit posted a couple of days after Franklin's death regarding
Adidam's Divine Mission:

-------"It is a time to gather to also begin this next new phase of Beloved Bhagavan Adi Da Samraj's Work. Beloved Bhagavan Adi Da Samraj has left an extraordinary and full body of Instruction relative to every detail of the Way of Adidam Ruchiradam and the growth of His Divine Work. His Mahasamadhi is unleashing the Divine Siddhi or Energy by which that next phase of His Work may be fulfilled, in each devotee's personal practice, in the creation of a full Adidam, and in Adidam's Divine Mission in the world."

And again by a committed Adidam devotee posted on the Non-duality blog 01-02-09 (yesterday).

-------"So creating Adidam in perpetuity was a major goal of His, not only individuals’ realization. I am certainly glad Adidam has a strong foundation even after just 37 years of Adi Da founding it. Us Daists are convinced by our own participation and experience that the world needs this! And I may very well, as may many of us, have future lives here, and I sure pray the beacon of Adidam is burning very very brightly with Adi Da’s Person, Teaching, Art, Sanctuaries, Community, etc.!

-------But now the requirements to be turned to His physical Form and those kind of immediate demands are no longer the case for many of us, and we can turn outwards more than ever before.

-------I imagine (and certainly hope) that more devotees will engage in dialogs on the internet, but yeah, many of us have been fairly isolated during Adi Da’s physical lifetime - mainly serving on the foundation of Adidam, our own practice and life requirements, etc., with too little emphasis on “passing the Prasad” in my view (in general terms), and certainly my own self-confession (in specific terms). So I am as guilty of that as anyone, but what can I say other than I will do what I can now.

-------Will people respond to Adi Da in the future? I can only assume they will, given the radical nature of His Gift. Hopefully a lot more of us Daists can do this Offering more justice than we have in the past. It is obvious to me that the Reality Way of Adidam is great, and completely embodies the Truth of non-duality. Even Adi Da declaring that He is the First, Last, and Only Seventh Stage Adept Realizer can be seen as consistent with non-dual Truth from even a conceptual standpoint. What can be more non-dual than that statement? There is only Brahma or One Person or Self that can be Realized. Also, I think such a statement will bring greater strength to Adidam in the long-run, as no one else regardless of their realization (7th Stage or otherwise) can now make it as unique to themselves and go off and form some other way or revision of Adidam. What would that look like anyway? To many of us, there is no greater Teaching - and generally this is not argued by even the most critical people of Adi Da."

As much as this kind of language does not make much sense to a discriminative person, there are many gullible seekers out there.

So, the level of commitment and tenaciousness by the Adidam devotees is another factor.

Raymond,

[RandomStu]

And again by a committed Adidam devotee posted on the Non-duality blog 01-02-09 (yesterday).

-------[snip]Even Adi Da declaring that He is the First, Last, and Only Seventh Stage Adept Realizer can be seen as consistent with non-dual Truth from even a conceptual standpoint. What can be more non-dual than that statement?

What could be more self-contradictory than calling one statement "more non-dual" than others??

Stuart
http://stuart-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/

[Sophia]

They will build and erect a gold statue, dimensions...mmm...let's see the base has to be sturdy enough to hold the statue...let's say 6' x 2 maybe 3', just enough to keep it from tipping over, anyway.

This project/distraction should keep dasters busy enough to stay as deluded as they have always been.

The debate about how to portray him will take up a good amount of time, too.

Up for discussion: Frank holding an ashtray and engraved
"Do you know what this is?" or a statue of Frank with a beer mug in one hand and fat cigar in his other, or a statue of Frank taking a long pull from a Panama Red blunt.

Sophia

[etphon ehome]

;) Up for discussion: Frank holding an ashtray and engraved
"Do you know what this is?" or a statue of Frank with a beer mug in one hand and fat cigar in his other, or a statue of Frank taking a long pull from a Panama Red blunt.

Sophia

Gold member, for sure.

[Sophia]

Gold member, for sure.

Yes ofcourse, why didn't I think of this. He died at 69 y.o., he and his gold member.

I've read the epitaphs by James Steinberg and others. If anyone thinks he could replace Frank, it is him, as well as some others I can think of. There will be some real resistance concerning that from Bonnie Bevan in particular. She likely sees herself replacing Frank, due to her undying devotion.

Jonathan Condit, and others will tell leelas of how Frank visited them and guided him in his leadership of the group. Many leelas, like this, by even the most outside devotees will be told. These leelas will sustain them for awhile.

Frank and devotees needed attention. Devotees needed his attention, and he needed theirs. They fed off each other.

If anyone makes claims that Frank continued to visit him or her through visions or dreams, the group will likely, strongly reject it because they all wanted to be special to Frank.

It may not be "a scene" yet, but it will be.

Sophia

[...oneLove]

The debate about how to portray him will take up a good amount of time, too.

Up for discussion: Frank holding an ashtray and engraved
"Do you know what this is?"

I'd opt for this one..."1976: Do You Know What Anything Is?"



...oneLove

[Sophia]

Quite right, OneLove.

I have been away from The Big Him and His Big Group of followers for many years. He talked a lot. Thanks be to God I cannot remember everything The Big Him said. Oh, but how I can remember what he did.

Sophia

[Sophia]

BTW, I dreamed last night a vision of Franklin's face and hair, which was blown back by an angry wind, superimposed on a black background. His mouth was wide open and roaring. Quite a vision.

That's okay. My crazy wise, dangerous-bastard cat icon can take him.

Sophia