User:Andries/De misssie van het goddelijk licht

^ Haan, Wim (Dutch language) De missie van het Goddelijk licht van goeroe Maharaj Ji: een subjektieve duiding from the series Religieuze bewegingen in Nederland: Feiten en Visies nr. 3, autumn 1981 (Article is based on the Dutch branch of the Divine Light Mission) ISBN 90-242-2341-5. Note: Haan was part of a critical movement within the catholic church.


 * From Talk:Criticism_of_Prem_Rawat/archive8
 * paragraphs by Haan page 40
 * "4. The Initiation and the ascetic life of the premies
 * If the aspirant has been found fit and found "ripe" for the Knowledge, then a "Knowledge session" is organized, during which the aspirant is initiated in the four meditation techniques. That what happens during these initiation ritual is kept completely secret. The premies promise during the event not to talk with people from outside about the meditation techniques that they were taught.
 * The reason for the secrecy is probably the conviction that the meditation techniques and the initiation without the intention to live a life a devotion to Maharaj Ji does not make any sense. Apart from that, knowledge of the fact that the techniques are also used by other groups will probably not help to increase the interest in the DLM. The relationship that will be started between the disciple and guru is of central importance. Literally it is said that the meditation without this relationship is of "no value"."

Thhe DLM hardly had a philosophical background and its central items of faith were summarized in the song associated with the Hindu devotional ritual called aarti. 5 text of the song. Haan further wrote in that article that the DLM in India was involved in charity and social work but dropped this when it came to the West.

Comments not belonging to the article

 * Here is some of what Pompel/Wim Haan wrote on Forum8:
 * "Let me introduce myself first. I had some experiences with DLM/Maharaj Ji some 25 years ago (!!!) I did attend satsang for two years and attended a 'festival' in Paris, France. And I even wrote a long article about DLM in a dutch periodical about new religious movements. During the years that followed i did some research on new religious movements. "
 * "Thank you for your comment on my posting. No i didn't get the knowledge, probably because the combination of doing a meditation technique and worshipping a perfect master wasn't my thing at that time. It never was my thing in fact. My experiences with the movement and the guru weren't at all 'full of bliss' in fact. So my article was full of doubts and critical questions. Still i have met some very nice people during the few years i was in contact with the DLM, and some of them are still good friends this moment. My opinion is that a movement can be a 'cult' for one person, and have some positive effect on another. The reason i surfed the web for some actual info was that i discovered a fascinating website on The Peoples Temple a short time ago (http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/), reading some of the articles made me wonder whether the groups i had contact with (Hare Krishna for example, the Moonies, Children of God, 'Osho') are still alive and well. "
 * "Unfortunately i haven't written much in English, but this article: http://www.bezinningscentrum.nl/teksten/wim_eng/oracle.htm makes my own view more clear i think. It is the only article which is translated in English. "
 * "Thank you for your friendly words. Many things that happen in life happen 'by coincidence'. My two years with DLM were in fact the result of me falling in love with a premie i met in the village where i have been born. The article about the Ifa oracle was a result of the fact that i had a close friendship with one of the 'deprogrammers' who were engaged in that case. In fact all my 'academic' interests are the result of a personal interest and commitment that existed before i started to write about my experiences. "


 * It is a good additional reference.. This reference comes from CESNUR affiliated scholar Reender Kranenborg. It is, I think, the best available in Dutch language. The author happened to write in the ex-forum recently under the name Pompel. The reference comes from an almost impeccable source. Eileen Barker refers to this book series in the Dutch version of "Introduction to NRMs".Win Haan worked and works for the Bezinningscentrum/contemplation centre at the Free University of Amsterdam. http://www.bezinningscentrum.nl/english/english.shtml You can email him at  wtgDOThaanATdienstDOTvuDOTnl He writes that he came from a Catholic background but was part of a critical community within the Catholic church.  He fell in love with a premie and that is how he got involved in the DLM.