Reprints from Earlier Blogs on Sidi Sheik Muhammad Al-Jamal
Lest they be lost, here are some reprints of earlier blog posts. No editing of any kind has been performed.
Hi, everybody!
I was a member of the fuquara years ago, when it was only Sidi himself, not Ibrahim, that was running things. I am in a bit of a quandry as to whether or not to pursue an 'dissenter' website, as I have mostly put whatever abuses I experienced behind me, or chalked them up as 'learning experiences'.
Everybody leaving a totalistic religion, cult, or society has regrets, both for leaving and for joining. At some times I yearn for the experience of being taken care of in a certain way, having access to a direct conduit to God, that I experienced in Sidi's group.
On the other hand, I was relieved I didn't any longer have to make excuses for the inappropriate and incredible things I witnessed there, the foremost of which was a fascination with 'spiritual' marriages which linked 'beloveds' of totally different ages, temperments, and socio-economic backgrounds.
It is not for me to try and understand Sidi's psychology. Perhaps there is more wisdom than darkness there. I would not go so far as to accuse him of being a fraud. I would say that he was put in the position of being the mouthpiece of the Eternal God by his followers, at least, and in my observation, he did nothing to disenamour them of this notion.
Today, he seems happily linked to one of the most ridiculously vapid New Age Alternative Healing peddlars of expensive hokum you might ever wish NOT to find. That person now purports to be able to cure cancer and AIDS. I am NOT kidding here!
Sadly, that person's wife died of cancer and he wasn't able to heal HER!
I never had experiences with that person, if you did, please leave them here! I fail to understand the attraction to him, though I can to Sidi.
Whether you believe in God, Islam, Sufism, or nothing, I think everyone should be allowed to ask questions. Life can be brutal, maybe life IS brutal. You get a taste of that and you want comfort. Someone shows up and says, 'I can help you understand and transcend that'. You're vulnerable and you want to believe. Then the Guide marries you to someone. Now you are REALLY committed. Some, if not all, of the old pain is gone. HURRAY!
So where has Jane gone? Jane is now Jamila. A new being, made by the Guide and with a new
family of brothers and sisters. A holier, better family.
You might as well think of the Guide as God, because he as done what God did, created a new being out of nothing. It's all so easy, right?
A spiritual path and life does NOT depend on your pledging allegiance to a human teacher. In fact, I think one can in effect 'pass' on one's spiritual quest by merely following someone else instead of being ruthlessly honest about one's own drawbacks, addictions, shortcomings, etc.
Well, anyway, you can respond here, start a thread of your own. I don't want to ruin someone's party. But, on the other hand, if you don't have doubts, why are you reading this? Peace!
I was a member of the fuquara years ago, when it was only Sidi himself, not Ibrahim, that was running things. I am in a bit of a quandry as to whether or not to pursue an 'dissenter' website, as I have mostly put whatever abuses I experienced behind me, or chalked them up as 'learning experiences'.
Everybody leaving a totalistic religion, cult, or society has regrets, both for leaving and for joining. At some times I yearn for the experience of being taken care of in a certain way, having access to a direct conduit to God, that I experienced in Sidi's group.
On the other hand, I was relieved I didn't any longer have to make excuses for the inappropriate and incredible things I witnessed there, the foremost of which was a fascination with 'spiritual' marriages which linked 'beloveds' of totally different ages, temperments, and socio-economic backgrounds.
It is not for me to try and understand Sidi's psychology. Perhaps there is more wisdom than darkness there. I would not go so far as to accuse him of being a fraud. I would say that he was put in the position of being the mouthpiece of the Eternal God by his followers, at least, and in my observation, he did nothing to disenamour them of this notion.
Today, he seems happily linked to one of the most ridiculously vapid New Age Alternative Healing peddlars of expensive hokum you might ever wish NOT to find. That person now purports to be able to cure cancer and AIDS. I am NOT kidding here!
Sadly, that person's wife died of cancer and he wasn't able to heal HER!
I never had experiences with that person, if you did, please leave them here! I fail to understand the attraction to him, though I can to Sidi.
Whether you believe in God, Islam, Sufism, or nothing, I think everyone should be allowed to ask questions. Life can be brutal, maybe life IS brutal. You get a taste of that and you want comfort. Someone shows up and says, 'I can help you understand and transcend that'. You're vulnerable and you want to believe. Then the Guide marries you to someone. Now you are REALLY committed. Some, if not all, of the old pain is gone. HURRAY!
So where has Jane gone? Jane is now Jamila. A new being, made by the Guide and with a new
family of brothers and sisters. A holier, better family.
You might as well think of the Guide as God, because he as done what God did, created a new being out of nothing. It's all so easy, right?
A spiritual path and life does NOT depend on your pledging allegiance to a human teacher. In fact, I think one can in effect 'pass' on one's spiritual quest by merely following someone else instead of being ruthlessly honest about one's own drawbacks, addictions, shortcomings, etc.
Well, anyway, you can respond here, start a thread of your own. I don't want to ruin someone's party. But, on the other hand, if you don't have doubts, why are you reading this? Peace!
From the outside, Ibrahim Jaffee looks like such an obvious publicity hound, accumulating titles for himself and inventing meaninnless degree programs and holistic health certifications, all of which seem to be rather pricey!
ReplyI've been told you have to pay a certain amount of money for a particular kind of fuqara HAT! GEEZ, LOUISE!
The fact that Sidi would let a charlatan like this operate with his sanction probably tells you all you need to know about Sidi himself.
Although who bothers to check the Internet for references on your New Sheik!
I was such a threat to them band they knew it. I saw right through them. They were wary becasue i am smart.H ow depraved the Talmud is and the fat Zionist capitalist pig Jaffee. how twisted they are that they will go to any lengths including faking a religion to make money by committing fraud in the name of religion. Unbelievable!
All very good comments and criticism. I'm currently a student of Sidi and Dr. Jaffee and have nothing but great things to say about these sincere men. I'm coming from a place of being a grown adult who can make my own decisions. I'm looking for help and guidence and I'm getting it. I dissagree with those who like to hand over complete controll to someone else. At the school we talk a lot about personal responsibility. Perhaps this was not always the case. I see the cultish behavior, especially in the old timers, and it seems to be coming from the bottom and not from the top of the orginization. However, as noted above, the leader should be held repsonsible for allowing this attitude to grow. Perhaps I will politely ask Sidi about what to make of people who are making an idol out of him.
Reply"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ~Plato
All I am going to state here is my federally protected freedom of speech and is my own opinion.
ReplyI left this group a while ago and this whole group is basically a fraud. A sophisticated scam and a pyramid scheme. They lie about what the "donations" are about and Sidi himself lies about the entire money issue too.
Sidi's second hand man is a man who runs a pyramid scheme for a living and one of the products he sold ended up killing people and got shut down. He activily recrouts new people to his pyramid schemes in the community.
Anyone who endorses con men who run pyramid schemes and someone who uses his MD as a way to get people to pay thousands of dollars for his fake "healings" is not a person to be trusted. I realized Sidi himself is a fraud as there is no other rational explaination for his behavior and of those he put in positions of power.
The healing school is nothing more than an indoctornation system for this cult and also the main revenue source. It is nothing but a scam also.
This group is a cult with abusive behavior. They condone the abuse when it is done by their "teachers" and "leaders" and by Sidi and is covered up like in all religious groups.
If those still in the group doubt this, all the evidence is there to see. Go search for "cults" on google and see how many of the characteristics apply.
This group lies about everything and exploits people who are hurting and desperate. Not any different than 99% of all new age healing and spiritual groups as well as most organized religion.
They condone materialism, while pushing their over priced gift where they guage people and justify it by being for "god"
They are hyprocrites and liars and it is a cult that epxloits people for money and in other ways.
The books that sidi is supposed to write that comes out every year is nothing but a sham. They say the same shit which has no meaning in different ways and not so different. The exact same phrases are repeated over and over and these $40 books are nothing but a revenue machine for the group.
All this stuff is out there in the open to see if people want to see it. Go read about cults and see how many apply to this group.
I am glad I got out before I gave them any real money or got more abuse and damage from them. Most of the members and teachers are deeply wounded people who treat others poorly and abuse other people and justify their behavior through "god"
pyramidschemealert.org
I wanted to post a more recent update in case anyone is looking to study with Ibrahim Jaffe. Please stay away. I was in the Sufi order from 2000-1. He was known to coerce women into sleeping with Sidi to get deeper into "spiritual" practice. This is plainly spiritual abuse. There was also the misappropriation of funds, coercion to give large amounts of money to receive "healings" and buy ridiculous things like "healing oil" for $100 a bottle. Then there are the coercive marriages that Sidi would say will deepen your spiritual understanding. This is a scam. I am divorced after this experience. I can't believe I fell for it and wasted a year of my life. I think the important thing I learned about being involved with these folks is understanding how to spot Narcissistic personality disorders (Ibrahim is it) and the codependent ppl that follow them. I was raised in an alcoholic family, making me vulnerable to these types of situations. Don't make him your guru, please don't.
Hello All,
ReplyI stumbled upon this page only to check out this Sidi person because he is holding a national conference here in Florida in just 2 months. If he is a fraud, or you just "suspect" he is a fraud. please do not be afraid to notify the local F.B.I. who are always looking out for Islamic scams and also start a blog or group on the Internet to warn people about this person. I dont know anything about him. I was hoping to find out about sufism as I love when people bond with singing and dancing who are strangers. But please, if you know something, do not keep silent. Do you want that on your conscious? If he is truly a messenger of God, then we cannot get him in trouble can we? God bless all tellers of the truth.
Please report this group to FBI. they have the potential to kill people with false claims of curing cancer, etc. clinical malpractice should not be allowed. Any thorough investigation will unearth all their scams and people who have died from their 'healing clinics' but do not know that the real cause of death was not seeking appropriate medical attention and being encouraged to use spurious treatment instead.
Why don't you report?
I went to someone's commitment ceremony in Texas under this religion. I think it was done by Sidi Jamal - he was really old and didn't seem in good health. Anyway, I tend to pick up on energy and be intuitive and I did not want to be in this room with all of these people. I had a bad feeling and felt anxious. When the couple went to be committed by him I was more uncomfortable because they wanted all of us to sit in a circle around the ceremony. I was about 4 feet from who I think was Sidi. As it went on I got more and more uncomfortable and things started to get weird for me. Sounds and voices faded away and my vision dulled and I saw a slow swirling of black smoke around this guy that was just hovering around. I couldn't figure out what I was seeing but felt the hair on my neck start to stand up and began telling myself to calm down and tried to think positive things about my space and 'protect' it from this energy. I looked over at my boyfriend and he looked terrorized. He was white and just looked scared. I held his hand and when it was over,we ran out of there before his sister could even turn around. We literally ran to the car and got out of there as quick as we could. Later, his sister asked what we thought and we didn't know what to say. Shed just gotten committed by this mystical guy she believes in and wants an honest opinion but we couldn't tell her we thought he was a cult leader or worse, a truly evil being....it was scary and I don't know what the black smoke meant but a couple Indian friends said it was very bad and to see it means to get away from a bad spirit. Like I say, I'm not sure what this was all about but I do get feelings or see colors around people sometimes and this was the most negative thing I'd ever experienced.
ReplyI was with this cult from the beginning child to adult. I knew his wife very well and was a close friend of the children. I can see why people get wrapped up in this cult at first your lost they tell they can give your life true meaning ect. Plus there is strong energy that comes off jaffe and sidi that is intense and draws you in but remember not nessearyly good. Jaffe is a scammed and mostly just cares about power and mobey. He makes everybody else give there job up and hand over there life savings tells god wants you to give up everything. Meanwhile he drives a brand new BMW sports car role. And nice house. Him and his wife did not get along and were no longer I. Love she wanted to leave back to Germany to her family and made her stY she was very depressed. After she passed away from can er a few months later he married a 20 yearold, got her pregnant and sent his kids off to live with there grandparents because his new wife couldn't get along with them. This man is selfish and shallow. There is so much more maby another day .
ReplyI was in the first class with Sidi and Jaffe and could see the scam from day one. Sidi was only interested in money and talked about opening the heart, but I didn't see any heart in him. I left and never looked back.
hi
ReplyThe leaders of this group are masters at energetic manipulation and they know what makes people tick. They take advantage of people who are suffering. They profess to be muslims though many have no interest in knowing or following the sharia/sunna. The leaders do not discourage being idolized by their students, and many seem to feed off it. Many, many followers end up financially broke after paying exhorbinate prices for Sidi's remedies, donations, and 'healings'. Sadly, they are peddling islamic novelties.
ReplyI have followed Sidi's teachings for 9 years now. Sidi's teachings are only about the love, peace, mercy, and justice for all and my experience is that he only wants to give to people. His teachings have helped me in many ways. Sadly, the people who have written on this site don't understand him, but he has helped many, many people all around the world. Sidi's remedies work and are much less expensive than allopathic medicines. I have found that Ibrahim Jaffe cares deeply for people and he has also helped to heal many people of many different illnesses. I have seen many people's lives greatly improved by following Sidi's teachings. If you are reading this blog and are interested, I suggest you find out for yourself what this is about and not blindly believe what is written on this blog.
ReplyI am not surprised at the previous comments and I was skeptical and suspicious when I first met both of these people over a decade ago.Not because of what I heard but my fear of being taken advantage of or being manipulated by my so called "teachers" or those in authority or know more as I had been in the past and I believed strongly in not idolizing people before God. However, over time I was proved wrong. While Ibrahim Jaffe did have issues in the past and I saw him in more of his ego in the late 90's and early 2000's, he changed so dramatically much over time because of the Sufi teaching given by Sidi al-Jamal, he became a completely different person! I bet if any of the people who commented from 2005 on met him now, they would not recognize him or think he was the same person! Sidi always tell people not to thank him or praise him but thank Allah/God and puts God first. I also saw many others change deeply or heal serious illnesses because of Sufi healing. People can not fake/ pretend to heal from serious emotional problems or serious illness like cancer. And if you do not believe in the power of God to heal anyone, there is nothing anyone can say as proof. However, one person above so wisely suggested, check out these Sidi al Jamal or Ibrahim Jaffe now for yourself and YOU decide. Many young children have a great sense of knowing the good and the bad intuitively. I was shocked when my shy 4 year old who does not even run up to hug his known relatives ( except parents & grandparents) or want to say hello to close relatives at times and especially strangers, ran up to Sidi before I even introduced them and he hugged this complete stranger. My older son at age 8 who never met or heard about Sidi, saw a photo of Sidi on a back of a book I had and he said "Mommy who is this man? He has so much love!!!" Children can recognize truth and goodness and have less past experiences and fears to cover up the truth. God knows if we are telling the truth or we believing illusion or are writing slander. And it is always between us and God.
ReplySidi Muhammad al-Jamal, Ibrahim Jaffe, and the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism comments
ReplyRegarding the previous two commentors, the fact that you are reading and commenting here is an indication you must be having doubts about Sidi al Jamal or Ibrahim Jaffe. Do you always choose your spiritual leaders based on intuition or did you thoroughly research their backgrounds before you made any commitment? Were you aware of adultery allegations? Do not ignore these or other stories you may have heard. A leader having sexual relations with beloveds is never ok, even if you're told it will make you closer to, or be in unity with God, and is an exception from him. Did you ever speak to anyone who is no longer a follower? If not, why? There are many.....who are alive and well.
In order to gain a better perspective, do a search on the BITE model, Singer's Conditions for Thought Reform, or Lifton's Criteria for Thought Reform and see for yourself how they can apply to this group. You should also search cult warning signs and characteristics of cult leaders. Unfortunately, you've been a victim of very sophisticated mind control techniques. I share the opinion as previously stated above, that the "University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism" is part of a cleverly disguised indoctrination system, also including the "Path of Love" and all the other retreats, etc.. Cults routinely use weekend workshops in order to get people into an unfamiliar environment (often remote) where they can control things such as diet, sleep, privacy, etc., and use various trance induction techniques so that they can subtly take control of a person's mind. Love-bombing is also commonly used. A new name, a new identity, and a new belief system is created. Sadly, most of us are unaware of these covert techniques until it is too late and we are already victims. No one under mind control ever knows they're under mind control!!!! Therefore it can happen to ANYONE, no matter how educated they are. Other good, idealistic and well-intentioned people are also unwittingly deceptively recruited and help fuel the indoctrination machine.
Leaders who are almost always very charismatic are central in cults. It is very easy for us to be taken advantage of by people like Sidi and Jaffe who have mastered all the tricks of the trade.
Don't give them another dime and see just how much love, peace, mercy, and justice you receive. You'll most likely discover that the "Love" is conditional---based on your financial contributions. Ask about where the donations to SIDI really go and to see evidence. See if you get a straight answer. Authentic teachers and healthy spiritual groups welcome inquiry and show accountability. They encourage questions and give direct answers. Keep searching and keep questioning. There are many of us out there who have been deeply damaged and victimized. We need to speak up and speak out. Remember, you are not alone.
I agree! in fact my mental health has gotten worse since following this path. This I have personally observed: "A spiritual path and life does NOT depend on your pledging allegiance to a human teacher. In fact, I think one can in effect 'pass' on one's spiritual quest by merely following someone else instead of being ruthlessly honest about one's own drawbacks, addictions, shortcomings, etc".
I live in Austin and their is an alternative Sufi group here called Love dogs which are a loving group of people asking for no "sacrifices."
Reading some of the comments, I feel that there are some people who are afraid of Islam commenting on here, but for the person saying he was a follower and now is not, I would like to know what is it exactly that took you out of this Sufi Order? The fact that somebody was hallucinating about black smoke shows a lot in regards to the 'evil within' themselves. When you see such manifestations, they are of your own will not that of Sidi, who is a very enlightened individual.
ReplyI am not a member of this group, but have participated in some of their meetings and gatherings. I've attended one workshop and two lectures offered by Ibrahim Jaffe. The first lecture had a positive effect on me, and brought some light into my heart, while the next two (a lecture with some healing and a day-long workshop) did not. Instead of light, I felt darkness and despair in my heart. It took a while to get rid of this state. As for Sidi, I have never met him. He appears to be charismatic and has a luminous face (in his pictures), but I don't know why I don't get a good feeling by looking at him. From a far relative who used to be a student at USHS, I have heard not very positive things about those at the head of this organization. But as for the followers, I find them very sincere, truthful and spiritual. I enjoy participating in their spiritual circles which enlightens my heart. And the fact that this organization is always trying to make as much money as possible from everything hurts me. I am writing these because I am very much concerned about the negative effects that some shaykhs may have on the minds of those Americans who in search of Truth join enthusiastically these Sufi orders and might end up hating Sufism and Islam as a whole; while they should differentiate between true and false Sufism.
ReplyI don't think anyone here is afraid of, or against Islam/Sufism in any way. They are merely attempting to warn other good people about two unethical individuals. I cannot speak for others, but what tainted my view of this particular Sufi order was validating accounts of sex between leaders/followers and knowledge or participation by some of the inner circle over the course of many years.
It is not difficult to search the internet to find which Sufi groups are reported to be cultic. It is well worth the time and effort.
I think it is jhilarious that anyone believes this group has anything to do with Islam it is run by Jews who are capitalizing off LYING and pretending to be Muslims. Jaffe is a Zionist Jew and follows the Talmud which desecrates Christians and this entire ruse is a grand charade of ritual while they siphon money form unknowing participants
it was hurtful and caused cognitive dissonance becasue i was abused as a child but i saw right through him His name is Pat and he lives i am a smart woman so of course he labeled me sheitan. Talk about abuse that stupid faggot knew I saw him for what he is!Minneapolis and has hips and a butt like a woman and is so obviously GAY even though he has an ugly wife as a beard. I was But you have to wake up in life and let me tell you, being called "sheitan" for telling a gay asshole who wanted to control and abuse women a liar This group ois NOT muslim in any way Islam is used to control the women into giving their money and time and obeying the MALE teachers. There aren't any femelae teachers for a reason. They are a Jewish Zionist hateful misogynistic cult practicing under the guise of Sufism buyt really in the most evil way makig fun of both Christainaity and Islam by using Islam as a cover fro their moneygrabbing. It is a sordid sick deal and those posting do have doubts becasuee somewhere in their messed up minds they know that having to disclose in taped converstions their inner most secrets is emotionally abusive narcissistic abuse not respecting any boundaries. Hey Pat if you are still teaching in Minnesota-I have been to more than 55 countries and am a happy fulfilled and healthy woman not that frightened traumatized young woman you called names because I SAW YOU.
An utterly worthless and anti-Semetic screed. Seek help.
I belonged to the Shadhilyya sect for many years. I took the bayat from Sidi himself.
ReplyI left because I did not find any peace, help, etc in Sidi's practices and decided to take another path.
Jaffe is a hustler and a liar. Charges ridiculous amounts of money for healings that all turn out to be bullshit.
Sidi tried to marry me to a woman I had nothing in common with. I refused. At our gatherings when Sidi comes to the US, he is constantly asking for money. Not only do you pay for the retreat, but with each teaching, Sidi needs a "sacrifice check". He is more concerned about money than his followers' souls. His expensive books are poorly written and don't explain shit! I left sufism-and islam-for good and have been much healthier and happier!
Watch out for Amina al Jamal too! She's a crafty mouthpiece for Sidi's bullshit.
I was a follower for awhile. Most of the negative comments are true. They know no more about the word of God than the casual person who merely surrenders their life to God on a daily basis. They have huge ego's, extremely self-seeking, and greedy. They'll milk you for everything you've got if you don't watch out. They play God to the fullest instead of surrendering themselves. They even cost me 10,000 in a pyramid scheme that was ultimately busted by the FBI. Sidi had sex with a number of his followers, all in the name of God. I would be very careful about trusting Jaffe. He's a con man.
Absolutely. Amina is a whole cempendikum of the crazy...STILL publishing book after book, infinietely re-hashing Sidi's work. Why would anybody need to continuously publish book after book. ALL of them SELF-PUBLSIHED? Is there anyting new or important? Has anyone found anything of use in these books? Well, the one thing it has done is give Ms. Jamal, (who was so loyal to Sidi, she changed her own last name to his. Or perhaps did she feel she was some sort of Spiritual Consort who got to do that, despite nobody else in the fugquara doing so?
Most people with negative comments did not provide any specifics. I don't trust everything I read on the Internet. There is no way to judge this group or any such group without having personal experience. I attended one of the retreats with this group and found no objectionable behaviors. They seem to be genuine in their spiritual pursuit. Nobody was forcing anything on anybody. I have attended similar Hindu, and Christian gathering. They all feel "unfamiliar". People who are commenting here are searching for something. I suggest reading Rumi. I bet you will find the peace you are looking for. May God bless you all.
ReplyI am contemplating attending a workshop this weekend. I have often wondered based on the person's actions who introduced this to me if he hasn't been abducted if you will by a cult. On the one hand, I see the heart in his Sufi practice. On te other I see a devout, almost defensive stance against anyone or anything that questions it. I had an instinct to check the web on Jaffe. I am glad I did. I have witnessed cult behavior before; if it's there, I suspect I will recognize it pretty quickly. Stay tuned...
ReplyDid you attend the workshop? What did you make of the experience? And how is your friend doing now?
Healing Intensive Workshop or Retreat
One former member's description of an introductory weekend illustrates why such an impressive process works:
"On the surface it seems simple enough: come to a weekend workshop, learn about some new ideas, try them out; if you don't like it, leave. But a lot more than that is happening. When a person is isolated, he is not in a good position to discover that he is being deceived. Deception and isolation reinforce each other. It begins with physical or geographical isolation.
Perhaps more importantly, you are isolated from your own mind. How can that happen? If your day starts at seven a.m. and ends at midnight, and is extremely active and filled with group events, it becomes difficult to turn inward and reflect. By the end of the day when your head hits the pillow, you just do not have the energy to stay awake. In the workshops there is virtually no privacy. You are intensely pressured to identify with the group. The whole is much more important than the individual….You are put in the position of competing with the interests of the whole, which generates guilt…
The workshop lectures are an emotional rollercoaster and an intellectual barrage. To deal adequately with the concepts explored in a workshop would take months and months, if not years and years. By the end of the workshop, you have been through an intense period of no reflection, constant activity, no privacy, immense pressure toward identification with the group, suspicion of your desires to be separate from the group, roller-coaster emotions, and a barrage of ideas that have left you confused and unsure of yourself."
In addition to these overt examples, certain common and socially accepted interactions might be part of the bag of tricks used by schmoozers, con artists, and cult recruiters to manipulate, influence, control, and, in the end, get recruits to say yes, come back for more, sign up, and make a commitment. For example, a good recruiter knows that people will respond to certain buzzwords, such as love, peace, brotherhood. He might explain that these idealized goals can be attained if the recruit behaves "properly." In most cases, the desired behavioral change is accomplished in small incremental steps; conversion to the new worldview is a gradual process.
Some methods used during cult recruitment and indoctrination are similar to hypnotic techniques used in various clinical or therapeutic contexts. In a cult environment, however, this type of manipulaton has a dual purpose:to instill deep hypnotic suggestions that are meant to change behavior and patterns of thinking; and to maintain control of the individual.
Recruiters use similar tactics in their mirroring of the interests and attitudes of recruits. By striking a responsive chord, the recruiter, like the hypnotist, paces the subject from a psychological beginning point, slowly and carefully leading the person to the next stage. If successful, the recruiter will now be able to define the recruit's reality. A skilled recruiter establishes an environment in which the recruit is made to feel special, loved, among new friends, and a part of something unique. While the recruit is in a susceptible state, verbal and nonverbal messages are directly and indirectly conveyed about proper behavior and thinking patterns. "It cannot be stated strongly enough," writes Jesse Miller, a clinical psychologist, "that the process of pacing and leading recruits is not only part of the initial indoctrination but is also, along with elaborate reinforcement schedules and the merciless manipulation of guilt and humiliation, an ongoing feature of cult membership."
Cults can exert significant control over the individual, ultimately influencing his mental processes and daily activities and actions, even while he is physically away from the group.
Take Back Your Life
by Janja Lalich and Madeleine Tobias
pages 24-26