Cultic Organizations - Master Media File - updated as of early April 2018

This file of resources was gathered over many years, but seriously updated and revised in March and April 2018.  I created this because I am sometimes asked about what are good articles, books, documentaries about cultic groups and gurus, how things can go so wrong in spiritual groups, the nature of charisma, and so on  - and it was simply simpler to put all the links together in one place. 

Also, during the last few months, there have been many examples of teachers and groups going off the rails...  a six-part documentary on Netflix about Rajneesh's group - Wild, Wild West, a podcast about the cult leader, Da Free John - called dearfranklinjones, scandals around Sogyal Rinpoche and the Shambhala Community, a huge story about the NXIUM cult in upstate New York involving sex trafficking, the death of Eido Shimano and a Tibetan lama who had to resign because of sexual misconduct and so on.  So all these links are here - as potential reading material, references, as mirrors to understand any cultic experience. As discussed earlier on this forum, when people go through an intense experience with an organization or guru, and leave, the internal / mental / spiritual processing can take years, even many years, depending on how long the person was in the group and the nature of the experience.  The processing requires a new kind of waking up, understanding, integrating - and what can be very useful is reading about other organizations, teachers, distortions, and reading the account of other leave-takers.  Just hearing these stories and insights can be revelatory.  So these are offered in that spirit.  Of course, this is "too much information."  And it could be more annotated, and I may do that one day.

MASTER FILE: CULTIC ORGANIZATIONS, ABUSIVE TEACHERS/GURUS
New Age, India-based, Yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, Zen Buddhism and Misc cultic organizations and leaders
 
Media Coverage, blogs, columns, first-person accounts, commentary, websites, resources, podcasts, documentaries, books
This file compiled over many years – Updated through April 2018
 
NEW AGE CULTS
 
NXIVM Cult, Keith Rainere sex scandal: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/is-nxivm-a-cult-what-we-know-w512261
NXIVM Cult, Women branded – New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/17/nyregion/nxivm-women-branded-albany.html
NXIVM Cult – Vanity Fair expose: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/11/bronfman-201011
NXIVM Cult – Dalai Lama connection and Tenzin Lama expelled: https://artvoice.com/2017/11/30/nxivm-cult-named-as-part-of-the-reason-dalai-lama-suspends-secretary-lama-tenzin-dhonden/
NXIVM Cult and Lama Tenzin Dhonden: https://artvoice.com/2017/11/23/the-inside-story-on-sara-bronfman-basit-igtet-and-lama-tenzin-dhonden/
NXIVM and the Bronfman sisters: https://forward.com/news/385486/bronfman-sisters-secretive-self-help-group-nxivm/
NXIVM book in the works: http://people.com/books/catherine-oxenberg-book-daughter-nxivm/
Rainere – former cult member: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/politics/albany/2018/03/08/rochester-woman-battles-nxivm-keith-raniere/360847002/
Rainere Charged and Arrested (Mar 27, 2018): https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/26/nyregion/keith-raniere-arrested-nxivm.html  (many articles ran around the arrest)
From the Indictment:  https://www.thedailybeast.com/feds-self-help-guru-kept-women-as-sex-slaves-branded-them-with-his-initials?ref=home
NY State investigates Bronfman foundation: https://artvoice.com/2018/03/26/nys-attorney-general-probes-clare-bronfmans-ethical-science-foundation/
(Note:  With the arrest of Keith Rainere in March, 2018 – there are many articles and posts, more than are cited here.  If interested, recommend search during this time period.  Likely there could be a book or documentary film or podcast in the future.  Media loves sex cults). 
 
Holy Hell Documentary – Buddhafield cult: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/holy-hell-cult-documentary_us_5744c96ae4b055bb11708e51 (available on Netflix)
Holy Hell Documentary:   https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/holy-hell-how-one-man-documented-22-years-inside-a-sadistic-cult-20160527
Buddhafield - https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/interviews/a45261/holy-hell-buddhafield-documentary-will-allen-interview/
Holy Hell – NPR Interview: https://www.npr.org/2016/05/26/479635824/cult-survivor-documents-2-decades-inside-holy-hell
 
Da Free John and His Cult: http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/Da_and_his_cult.html
Da Free John Cult: https://culteducation.com/group/802-adida/72-hypnotic-da-free-john-svengali-of-the-truth-seeking-set.html
The Strange Case of Franklin Jones: http://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=34872
Da Free John: http://www.strippingthegurus.com/stgsamplechapters/da.html
Da Free John – Today Show expose: https://youtu.be/2P0685eMp_M
Da Free John:  http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-2479-i-grew-up-in-hippie-cult-run-by-creepy-sex-guru.html
Da Free John / SF Examiner 1985:  https://culteducation.com/group/802-adida/72-hypnotic-da-free-john-svengali-of-the-truth-seeking-set.html
Podcast: Dear Franklin Jones (2018): https://www.dearfranklinjones.com/aboutshow and https://youtu.be/lOpT8NjN3P8 - podcast recommended
The Strange Case of Franklin Jones:  https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=34872
 
Andrew Cohen Cult: https://medium.com/@bescofield/integral-abuse-andrew-cohen-the-culture-of-evolutionary-enlightenment-2010-dace41c982eb
Andrew Cohen – What happens when your guru disappears: https://www.thedailybeast.com/what-happens-when-your-guru-disappears
Andrew Cohen and EnlightenNext: http://americanguru.net/news-and-reviews/a-darker-side-to-enlightennext/
How I Created a Cult – 6-part video series:  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/10/prweb13766366.htm
What Enlightenment?: http://whatenlightenment.blogspot.com/2013/06/andrew-cohen-and-fall-of-guru-in-age-of_21.html
Andrew Cohen Cult: https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/501413/life-and-death-of-a-cult/
 
Ramtha – New Age Cult:  https://www.alternet.org/belief/ramtha-new-age-cult-leader-unleashes-drunken-racist-homophobic-rants-large-following
Tony Robbins: https://okdork.com/why-i-walked-out-on-tony-robbins/
 
John de Ruiter Canadian cult:  https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/xd5eqz/inside-a-canadian-staring-cult-224
John de Ruiter Cult: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/staring-back-john-de-ruiter-alberta-spiritual-leader/article37071277/
 
Korean Shaman Cult and the Fall of the President: https://www.vox.com/world/2016/11/30/13775920/south-korea-president-park-geun-hye-impeached and https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/11/02/south-koreas-president-is-hardly-the-only-leader-to-turn-to-mystics-and-shamans/?utm_term=.82c8759a2722
 
“Zen Master” Rama: http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/20/nyregion/mentor-to-some-cult-leader-to-others.html?pagewanted=all and http://www.anandainfo.com/rama.html
Rama – and Instant Bad Karma: http://www.newsweek.com/instant-bad-karma-176904 and http://www.ex-cult.org/Groups/Rama/index.html
Zen Master Rama expose / A Current Affair: https://youtu.be/ZckF7L2fOsE
 
John Roger, the MSIA Cult and Sex charges: http://people.com/archive/cult-leader-john-roger-who-says-hes-inhabited-by-a-divine-spirit-stands-accused-of-a-campaign-of-hate-vol-30-no-13/
John-Roger Cult and Arianna Huffington: http://gawker.com/5064930/ariannas-mandatory-cult-meetings
Arianna and John Roger:  https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/1994/11/huffington-199411
 
Landmark Education and EST: https://culteducation.com/group/1020-landmark-education/12494-new-age-guru-goes-into-hidings.html
Landmark and EST: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/08/landmark-42-hours-500-65-breakdowns/
 
Synanon – how it became a cult: https://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/synanons-sober-utopia-how-a-drug-rehab-program-became-1562665776
From Miracle to Madness - http://www.paulmorantz.com/the_synanon_story/from-miracle-to-madness-true-story-of-charles-dederich-and-synanon/
Cesar Chavez and Synanon - http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-miriam-pawel-20140323-story.html
 
The Source Family and Father Yod: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/xd4wv7/source-family-rises-again
The Source Family – three part NPR series: https://www.npr.org/2008/04/07/89422387/the-birth-of-organic-polygamous-spiritualism
 
The Lyman Family Cult – from Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/the-lyman-familys-holy-siege-of-america-19711223
Victor Baranco and the Morehouse Cult: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/sgt-bilko-meets-the-new-culture-19711209
Dhan Yoga Cult – Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-yoga-cult-20100328
Fellowship of Friends – Gurdjieff cult - https://animamrecro.wordpress.com/2006/04/16/fellowship-of-friends-a-cult-for-intellectuals/
 
Bentiho Massaro Cult (2018):  https://medium.com/@bescofield/tech-bro-guru-inside-the-sedona-cult-of-bentinho-massaro-a56314f830ef
Digital Cult?  (Bentiho Massaro) Podcast:  https://www.stufftheydontwantyoutoknow.com/podcasts/a-digital-cult-the-strange-story-of-bentinho-massaro.htm
 
Cults on Campuses:  https://tolc.org/campus4
Hulu Television series – The Path (2017-2018)  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/04/18/hugh-dancy-the-cult-leader
Cults in Films and Documentaries: http://www.slashfilm.com/best-cult-movies-and-shows/
This is How Cults Work – from Vice Media: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wd49g9/uk-cult-information-centre-interview-202
The Family from Australia: https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/d757dy/a-look-inside-australias-most-notorious-cult-the-family
From Vice Media – on Cults - https://www.vice.com/en_au/topic/your-2017-guide-to-cults-and-fringe-religions   and https://www.vice.com/en_nz/article/nnkngd/visiting-the-cafe-thats-so-good-people-ignore-its-run-by-a-cult
 
Carlos Castaneda – In-Depth Expose: https://www.salon.com/2007/04/12/castaneda/ - highly recommended
Carlos Castaneda and four missing women: http://disinfo.com/2015/09/don-juan-lie-carlos-castaneda-4-missing-women/
PRI Podcast on the “Trickster” with Robert Marshall:  http://wehearus.com/podcasts/episode/26882
Castaneda’s Death:  https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/19/arts/mystery-man-s-death-can-t-end-mystery-fighting-over-carlos-castaneda-s-legacy.html
Sustained Action Website: http://sustainedaction.org/Explorations/a_critical_bibliography.htm and http://sustainedaction.org/  
To Carlos Castaneda:  https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/27/opinion/to-carlos-castaneda-wherever-you-are.html
Four Missing Women: http://disinfo.com/2015/09/don-juan-lie-carlos-castaneda-4-missing-women/
Note:  Major book by Robert Marshall being written about Castaneda – still being written and edited as of April 2018, still no publisher, so best case scenario is that it might see the light of day in late 2019.
 
Aum Shinrikyo Still Thriving: https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/jul/15/features11.g2
Aum Shinrikyo - Looking Back: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/03/14/national/history/cult-attraction-aum-shinrikyos-power-persuasion/#.WpTs_ainGUk and https://soundcloud.com/lastpodcastontheleft/episode-218-the-aum-shinrikyo-death-cult-part-i-mountain-wizards
 
Scientology – Paul Haggis:  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/02/14/the-apostate-lawrence-wright
Scientology TV “Network”:  https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/scientology-appears-poised-launch-tv-network-1093640
The Man who saves you from Yourself:  Harpers - https://harpers.org/archive/2013/11/the-man-who-saves-you-from-yourself/?single=1
Superstar Machine: https://jezebel.com/inside-superstar-machine-which-ex-members-say-is-a-cul-1775494367
How to Spot a Spiritual Sexual Predator: http://hevria.com/chaya/how-to-spot-a-sexual-preditor/
Going Clear HBO Documentary: https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/going-clear
Leah Remini series:  https://www.aetv.com/shows/leah-remini-scientology-and-the-aftermath
The Master (based on Scientology) - https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/movies/review-the-master-from-paul-thomas-anderson.html
(there has been a huge amount of attention to Scientology – too much to include here, so these are only a few examples)
 
Trump as cult leader - https://www.damemagazine.com/2017/02/28/trump-just-another-toxic-cult-leader/
Dangerous Cult of Trump:  http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-aslan-trump-cultists-20171106-story.html
Trump as Cult Leader – Salon.com - https://www.salon.com/2018/03/06/is-donald-trump-a-cult-leader-expert-says-he-fits-the-stereotypical-profile/
The Cult of Trump – from cult expert Paul Morantz - https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-cult-of-trump/
 
Reply All Podcast -- on Mormon Church, the Internet and Doubt: https://www.gimletmedia.com/reply-all/55-no-doubt
 
Falun Gong: https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-07-14/why-china-fears-falun-gong and http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-shen-yun-20160409-story.html
 
Moonie Breakaway Cult and a culture of gun worship: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-ar-15-rifle-church-ceremony-20180228-story.html and https://www.teenvogue.com/story/what-to-know-about-the-world-peace-and-unification-sanctuary-brings-guns-to-church
 
Kumare Film - http://kumaremovie.com/   and the film’s trailer - https://youtu.be/tBIIaTI8C5c and http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/movies/vikram-gandhis-kumare-the-true-story-of-a-false-prophet.html  and http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/kumare-fake-guru-exposes-real-desperate-desire/story?id=16980674
 
Teal Swan’s Cult: https://medium.com/@bescofield/the-gucci-guru-inside-teal-swans-posh-cult-36168edaf62f
Japanese Doomsday Cults Live On: http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japans-doomsday-cults-live-on
Findhorn Foundation – Myth and Reality: https://citizeninitiative.com/the_findhorn-foundation.htm
Grof Therapy – Controversy and Criticism: https://citizeninitiative.com/against_grof_therapy.htm
Goofball Cult:  https://medium.com/@bescofield/the-new-predator-spiritual-teacher-padma-aon-prakasha-accused-of-abuse-c9f14a8bd696
Skeptic Meditations:  http://skepticmeditations.com/start-here/
Cult Education Institute:  https://culteducation.com/
 
(Note:  For the most part, this file does not contain links to the coverage of Jonestown, Charles Manson, Scientology, or the Unification Church / Moonies.  There is so much on these groups and recommend you do your own research.)

Part 2:

INDIA-BASED GURU GROUPS / YOGA CULTS
 
Sri Chimoy – Indian Cult Leader: https://www.forbes.com/2009/04/14/jayanti-tamm-carwheels-sari-opinions-book-reviews-cults-sri-chinmoy.html#4756dd6a72b1
Sri Chimoy and the Media:  https://www.salon.com/2014/05/09/the_medias_love_affair_with_accused_sex_criminal_sri_chinmoy/ 
Growing Up Cult – more on Sri Chinmoy:  http://religiondispatches.org/growing-up-cult-a-memoir-of-life-with-sri-chinmoy/
 
Rajneesh 6-part Documentary on Netflix (March 2018): https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/wild-wild-country-review-1078240
Wild Wild Country – article and trailer / Netflix - http://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/wild-wild-country/271333/wild-wild-country-netflix-docuseries-takes-on-rajneesh-cult
More on the Netflix series - https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/03/wild-wild-country-the-mindboggling-story-of-the-cult-next-door/555791/ and https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/16/arts/television/wild-wild-country-netflix-review-guns-sex-and-a-guru.html
On the Neflix series – good article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cult-wild-wild-country-netflix_us_5ab2b37de4b054d118df49c1
New Feature Film being planned:  http://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment/news/bollywood-news/article/osho-biopic-ranveer-singh-osho-film-acharya-rajneesh-movie/204084
Rajneesh / Osho Cult: https://thewire.in/34755/rajneesh-the-guru-who-loved-his-rolls-royces/
Rajneesh / Osho Cult: http://www.oregonlive.com/rajneesh/index.ssf/2011/04/part_one_it_was_worse_than_we.html
Rajneesh / Osho Oregon Cult: https://theplaidzebra.com/oregon-tantric-sex-cult-bioterrorism-on-us-soil/
Rajneeshpuram – 2-part New Yorker article from Frances Fitzgerald that later was part of a book, Cities on a Hill. You may need a subscription to the New Yorker to access these articles – from 1986: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1986/09/22/i-rajneeshpuram  (if you want to read this very extensive essay unedited, simpler to buy a used copy of the book on amazon)
Six Years Later – Rajneeshpuram - http://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/09/us/guru-s-city-in-desert-sits-nearly-empty.html
Escape from Rajneeshpuram: http://www.paulmorantz.com/cult/escape-from-rajeneeshpuram/
My Life in Orange:  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jan/11/india.biography
Rajneeshpuram and election stealing: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/06/a-strange-but-true-tale-of-voter-fraud-and-bioterrorism/372445/
Rajneesh – FBI Informant - https://www.thedailybeast.com/wild-wild-country-the-most-shocking-reveals-from-the-sex-cults-fbi-informant
Rajneesh and Arianna Huffington:  https://www.thedailybeast.com/arianna-huffington-denies-involvement-in-sex-cult-depicted-in-netflixs-wild-wild-country
Ma Anand Sheila - Responds to Netflix series:  https://www.thedailybeast.com/exclusive-ma-anand-sheela-the-villain-of-netflixs-wild-wild-country-tells-all?ref=home
What the Netflix Series misses:  https://newrepublic.com/article/147657/outside-limits-human-imagination - a must read – I’m quoted in this piece
What was missing in the series:  http://www.vulture.com/2018/03/wild-wild-country-bhagwan-rajneesh-questions.html
What the series left out – from an insider:  https://www.thedailybeast.com/wild-wild-country-a-rajneeshee-cult-insider-on-the-horrors-the-netflix-series-left-out
From Esquire:  https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a19623938/netflixs-wild-wild-country-sex-cult-documentary/
Weaponizing Biology (book):  http://a.co/bTGK2b3
Rajneesh and LGBT:  http://gaysifamily.com/2010/06/07/osho-i-love-you-no-more/
Former Rajneeshpuram Mayor – FBI statement (45 pages): https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/73831/02-krishna-deva-fbi-statement.pdf
(With the Netflix series of March 2018, there were many additional articles and postings regards the series and Rajneesh, more than are posted here)
 
Muktananda and Siddha Yoga: https://www.elephantjournal.com/2014/09/swami-muktananda-and-stroke-the-untold-medical-story-of-a-brilliant-gurus-tarnished-legacy/
Muktananda – Siddha Yoga – New Yorker expose – a must read: http://www.ex-cult.org/Groups/SYDA-Yoga/leave.txt
Muktananda – Leaving Siddha Yoga - http://www.leavingsiddhayoga.net/secret.htm
Siddha Yoga and Eat, Pray, Love: https://www.salon.com/2010/08/14/eat_pray_love_guru_sex_scandals/
Deferred Enlightenment (author of The Guru’s Touch)  - http://bit.ly/2Fx3iV9
 
Bikram Yoga Sex Scandal: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/11/bikram-choudhury-yoga-inc-files-bankruptcy-wake-sexual-harassment/
Bikram Yoga Sex Scandal: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/feb/18/bikram-hot-yoga-scandal-choudhury-what-he-wanted
Bikram Yoga Sex Scandal: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10498946/Yoga-guru-Bikram-Choudhury-raped-students-in-cult-like-training-camps.html
Bikram Yoga Sex Scandal: https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/news/a15245/bikram-choudhury-sex-scandals-in-yoga/
Bikram Yoga – Vanity Fair expose: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/02/bikram-yoga-founder-assault-cases
Bikram – Lawsuit:  http://yogadork.com/2013/03/21/bikram-lawsuit/
Bikram on the run: https://uproxx.com/news/bikram-yoga-sexual-harassment-lawsuit/
 
Transcendental Meditation – the dark side: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/how-a-new-book-exposes-the-dark-side-of-transcendental-meditation-20160607
Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-512747/Lennon-right-The-Giggling-Guru-shameless-old-fraud.html
Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi: http://www.suggestibility.org/whoIsMahesh.shtml
Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi: https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/maharishi-inspired-beatles-but-died-leaving-292433
Transcendental Meditation: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/trans_med/tm2.htm
TM – Transcendental Meditation and the Maharishi: https://www.npr.org/2016/06/13/481845003/a-childhood-of-transcendental-meditation-spent-in-the-shadow-of-a-guru
Transcendental Deception: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/01/prweb15120614.htm
 
Hare Krishna Cult: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/10/27/after-50-years-hare-krishna-believers-are-no-longer-berobed-white-hippies-who-drum-up-donations-in-airports/?utm_term=.a8f2ef13fbb4
Hare Krishna: https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/murder-sex-and-free-food/Content?oid=24810
Hare Krishna – NY Times Book Review: http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/20/books/not-what-krishna-had-in-mind.html
Hare Krishna – Bad Karma: https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/895/bad-karma
Congresswoman and her Guru: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/16/tulsi-gabbard-krishna-cult-rumors_n_6879588.html and https://www.meanwhileinhawaii.org/home/butlersweb and https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/11/06/what-does-tulsi-gabbard-believe
 
John Friend – Anusara Yoga Sex Scandal: http://nymag.com/news/features/john-friend-yoga-2012-4/
John Friend – Anusara Yoga Sex Scandal: https://www.thedailybeast.com/john-friend-anusara-scandal-inside-the-wiccan-sex-coven
 
Scandals in America Yoga / New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/health/nutrition/yoga-fans-sexual-flames-and-predictably-plenty-of-scandal.html
More Yoga Sex Scandals: http://www.thinkbodyelectric.com/2012/02/kripalus-reincarnation-and-anusara.html
Amrit Desai and Kripalu: https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/international/story/19941215-indian-spiritual-leaders-come-under-fire-for-sexual-escapades-in-us-809985-1994-12-15
Diksha Oneness Movement:  http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/deeksha_oneness.html and https://jonathanevatt.com/the-dark-side-of-the-oneness-movement-1773/
Brahma Kumaris: http://brahmakumaris.info/
Divine Light Mission – Prem Rawat - The Maharaji - http://www.prem-rawat-bio.org/
 
Swami Satchidanda Sex Scandal: https://culteducation.com/group/1243-yogaville/26480-swami-satchidananda-integral-yoga-institute-yogaville-a-survivor-s-story.html
Indian Guru – the Hugging Saint – Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/topic/the-hugging-saint
Self-Realization Fellowship, Ananda Ashram and the sex allegations against Kriyananda:  https://swamikriyanandatruth.wordpress.com/srf-yogananda/expulsion-from-srf/  and https://swamikriyanandatruth.wordpress.com/sexual-abuse/  and http://www.anandauncovered.com/IndexENG.htm
 
Jivamukti Sex Scandal: http://www.decolonizingyoga.com/jivamukti-dark-and-light-remski/
Jivamutki – Workplace or Cult? http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2016/04/jivamukti_sexual_harassment_lawsuit_says_the_yoga_studio_is_a_cult.html
Jivamukti – Abuse of Power?  http://yogadork.com/2016/04/05/jivamukti-sexual-harassment-suit-revisits-questions-of-guru-worship-and-abuse-of-power/
 
Sai Baba – India’s God Man: http://www.saiguru.net/english/media/001028divine.htm
Sai Baba – Molesting boys:  https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20001204-allegations-of-sexual-molestation-continue-to-dog-sai-baba-778528-2000-12-04 and http://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/sai-baba-holy-man-sex-abuser-both 
Sai Baba, Pedophile: https://www.salon.com/2001/07/26/baba_2/ and https://robertpriddy.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/testimony-about-sai-baba-and-his-hostels-for-boys/ and http://www.exbaba.com/articles/oily.html
Sai Baba’s death: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8471134/Sathya-Sai-Babas-death-triggers-fight-for-his-5.5-billion-empire.html and http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/guru-sai-babas-legacy-death-threats-and-scandal-2304038.html
Learning from Sai Baba: https://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/04/10-things-we-can-learn-from-the-bizarre-case-of-sai-baba-a-manifesto-on-reality-based-spiritual-empowerment/
Behind the Mask of the Clown:  http://www.saibaba-x.org.uk/31/Clown'sMask.htm 
 
Ma Jaya Sati and the Kashi Cult in Florida: http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/kashi-ashram-claims-of-rape-child-abuse-and-kidnapping-6392115
Kashi Cult – from ex-members:  https://culteducation.com/group/827-kashi-ashram/449-ex-members-rip-enclave-.html
 
Yogi Bhajan, 3HO: http://www.wackoworldofyogibhajan.net/in-the-magical-soup/
Swami Nithyananda Sex Charges: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/sexual-crimes-committed-name-god-look-back-swami-nithyanandas-sex-contract-67511
Rapist Indian Guru: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4832592/Rapist-Indian-guru-branded-wild-beast-judge.html
Yoga Predators: http://yogapredators.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/kw0003.pdf
Matthew Remski Blog: http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/guru-may-actually-hate-may-actually-hate/
Horny Gurus:  http://www.shaktiyogacentre.com/horny-gurus-and-gullible-devotees/
Pattabhi Jois sexual misconduct: https://www.elephantjournal.com/2018/01/sexual-misconduct-pattabhi-jois-ashtanga-yoga-me/ and http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/but-hes-not-erect-rationalizing-videos-and-lies/#more-5780
Yogananda:  http://oaks.nvg.org/ind-3.html#d5
 
 
TIBETAN BUDDHISM
 
Sogyal – Inside the Dark World: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/sexual-assaults-violent-rages-inside-dark-world-buddhist-teacher/
Sogyal – Letter from current and ex-members: https://www.lionsroar.com/letter-to-sogyal-rinpoche-from-current-and-ex-rigpa-members-details-abuse-allegations/
Sogyal – statement from Matthieu Ricard:  http://www.matthieuricard.org/en/blog/posts/a-point-of-view--2
Sogyal – Harvey Weinstein and Sogyal Rinpoche – a comparison of abuse in 3 parts:  https://medium.com/@tahlianewland/harvey-weinstein-and-sogyal-rinpoche-a-study-of-responses-part-1-management-f7413d904c0b
Sogyal – Comparison Part 2: https://medium.com/@tahlianewland/harvey-weinstein-sogyal-rinpoche-a-comparison-part-2-culture-1fcc5bfc7599
Sogyal – Comparison – Part 3: https://medium.com/@tahlianewland/harvey-weinstein-sogyal-rinpoche-comparison-part-3-reactions-f0c793df3a1d
Sogyal – article from 2011:  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2011/jul/01/lama-sex-abuse-sogyal-rinpoche-buddhist
 
Lama Norhla – Tibetan Buddhist Leader:  https://www.lionsroar.com/kagyu-thubten-choling-addresses-sangha-about-lama-norhla-rinpoches-sexual-misconduct-with-students/
Lama Norhla dies:  https://www.lionsroar.com/lama-norlha-rinpoche-founding-abbot-of-kagyu-thubten-choling-dies-at-age-79/
 
Diamond Mountain death and dysfunction: https://www.npr.org/2015/03/18/392629261/how-self-improvement-became-self-destruction-on-diamond-mountain
Diamond Mountain – New York Times expose: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/06/us/mysterious-yoga-retreat-ends-in-a-grisly-death.html
Diamond Mountain – Rolling Stone expose: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/sex-and-death-on-the-road-to-nirvana-20130606
Matthew Remski Commentary: http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/spiritualized-narcissism-as-trauma-response-a-review-of-and-meditation-on-a-death-on-diamond-mountain-by-scott-carney/
 
Shambhala Community - Buddhists in U.S. Agonize on AIDS Issue – NYTimes - http://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/21/us/buddhists-in-us-agonize-on-aids-issue.html
Shambhala Community - Project Sunshine Final Report (Feb 2018)  http://andreamwinn.com/offerings/project_sunshine/
Shambhala – sexual abuse (Mar 2018):  https://extibetanbuddhist.com/more-sexual-abuse-revelations-at-shambhala-centers/
More on Shambhala:  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/05/buddhist-group-admits-sexual-abuse-by-teachers
ShambhalaCrime:  https://shambhalacrime.wordpress.com/2018/03/27/how-shambhalas-administrators-bury-abuse-one-survivors-experience/
Shambhala in Newsweek:  http://www.newsweek.com/buddhist-group-admits-abhorrent-sexual-behavior-teachers-830333
Blog – The Boulder Buddhist Scam - https://boulderbuddhistscam.wordpress.com/chogyam-trungpa/
Osel Tenzin Scandal:  http://www.drbachinese.org/vbs/publish/228/vbs228p018e.pdf
Trungpa – Chapter from Stripping the Gurus:  http://www.strippingthegurus.com/stgsamplechapters/trungpa.html
Bad Karma in the Dharma – Blog Post - http://blog.world-mysteries.com/ancient-writings/bad-karma-in-the-dharma/
The Trouble with Trungpa: https://simplesuttas.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/sotw-the-trouble-with-chogyam-trungpa/
Trungpa and the Poet: https://theendlessfurther.com/tag/w-s-merwin/
 
Dalai Lama on Sogyal and Abusive Teachers:  https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2017/10/10/the-dalai-lama-on-abuse-by-buddhist-teachers-or-gurus/ and https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2017/08/11/hh-dalai-lama-and-others-speak-out-about-sogyal-rinpoche-his-behaviour/
Tibetan Buddhist organization and cultic behavior: https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2015/04/21/why-kadampa-buddhism-nkt-has-all-the-characteristics-of-a-cult/
Lamas who give Tibetan Buddhism bad name:  https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2012/oct/08/tibetan-lamas-buddhism
Confessions of Kalu Rinpoche (video) - https://youtu.be/z5Ka3bEN1rs
Diifi-Cult Blog mostly on Tibetan Buddhism:  https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/
Confronting Abuse of Power in Buddhist Communities: https://www.lionsroar.com/confronting-abuse-power/
 
Sangharakshita, Triratna, and FWBO - https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2017/09/02/mark-dunlops-response-to-sangharakshitas-february-2017-memoir/
Sangharakshita - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/19/buddhist-sexual-abuse-triratna-dennis-lingwood and http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-37432719
FWBO, Sangharakshita, and “the dark side of enlightenment” - http://www.ex-cult.org/fwbo/Guardian.htm and https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2016/09/27/fwbo-triratna-sangharakshita-cases-of-sexual-abuse/
 
Buddhism and Faith-based abuse: https://www.lionsroar.com/an-expert-on-faith-based-abuse-talks-about-how-buddhists-can-address-sexual-misconduct/
 
Theravada Monks abuse:  http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-07-24/news/ct-met-monk-sex-cases-20110724_1_thai-monks-buddhist-monks-paul-numrich
 
ZEN SCANDALS
 
Joshu Sasaki Zen Teacher – Sex Scandal:  http://sweepingzen.com/everybody-knows-by-eshu-martin/
Joshu Sasaki Zen Teacher – Sex Scandal: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/us/joshu-sasaki-a-zen-master-tarnished-by-abuse-claims-dies-at-107.html
Joshu Sasaki Roshi Zen teacher – Sex scandal: https://dangerousminds.net/comments/when_gurus_go_wild_leonard_cohens_zen_teacher_wants_to_see_your_tits
Sasaki Archive of articles:  http://sasakiarchive.com/
Book – Single White Monk – about a third of the book addresses the Sasaki scandal and his death – confused personal account filled with rationalizations and willful blindness - http://a.co/8kwF9A3
Tricycle podcast with Jack Shozan Haubner about his book, Single White Monk.. some discussion about the Sasaki sex scandal – but Shozen is a confused apologist and the interviewer does not get to the heart of the matter - https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/single-white-monk-sex-scandal-goes-viral/
 
Eido Shimano Zen Teacher – Sex Scandal: https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/11/from-zen-buddhism-to-preying-on-vulnerable-women/281475/
Eido Shimano Zen Teacher – Sex Scandal: https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/12/the-zen-predator-of-the-upper-east-side/383831/
Open Letter on the Shimano Scandal: https://www.upaya.org/2011/01/open-letter-from-roshi-regarding-eido-shimano/
Eido Shimano - New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/21/us/21beliefs.html
Eido Shimano – Tricycle Obituary and Personal Reflection:  https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/death-eido-roshi-metoo/
Eido Shimano – NY Times Obituary - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/26/obituaries/eido-shimano-buddhist-leader-who-resigned-in-scandal-dies-at-85.html 
Shimano in Hawaii: http://www.staradvertiser.com/2018/02/27/hawaii-news/scandalized-zen-abbot-spent-4-years-in-hawaii/
Shimano Archive:  http://sasakiarchive.com/
 
Encountering the Shadow in Buddhist America (1990) by Katy Butler:  http://katybutler.com/site/encountering-the-shadow-in-buddhist-america/
Events are the Teacher / SF Zen Center crisis – Katy Butler: http://katybutler.com/site/events-are-the-teacher-working-through-the-crisis-at-san-francisco-zen-center/
Essay on San Francisco Zen Center Sex scandal and the role of the Zen master: http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/CriticalZen/Richard_Baker_and_the_Myth.htm
Richard Baker and SF Zen Center: https://www.sfgate.com/books/article/Meditating-on-a-20-year-old-scandal-An-2857821.php
Scandals in emerging Western Buddhism - http://dro.dur.ac.uk/3932/1/3932.pdf
 
Genpo Merzel Zen Teacher – sex scandals: https://www.lionsroar.com/open-letter-to-dennis-genpo-merzel-signed-by-sixty-six-zen-teachers/
Genpo Merzel – Another Zen Sex Scandal: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/sex-sangha-apparently-we-still-havent-had-enough/
Genpo – more:  https://clearviewblog.org/2011/02/23/the-cloud-of-knowing-not-knowing-sex-power-and-sangha/
 
ClearView Project and Guidelines:  http://www.clearviewproject.org/safeharborethics.html - free downloadable PDF - http://www.clearviewproject.org/images/Safe_Harbor001.pdf
 
New York Times on Scandals in American Zen: https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-shocking-scandal-at-the-heart-of-american-zen
More on Zen Scandals in America: http://sweepingzen.com/the-shadow-of-the-roshi-sex-scandal-and-secrecy-in-american-zen-buddhism/
Abuse of Power in American Buddhism: http://www.lionsroar.com/confronting-abuse-power/
New York Times story on Zen scandals: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/world/asia/zen-buddhists-roiled-by-accusations-against-teacher.html
 
Zen Mythology – Stuart Lachs: https://buddhism-controversy-blog.com/2017/07/16/ready-to-mine-zens-legitimating-mythology-and-cultish-behavior/
Stuart Lachs Page – multiple essays on Zen issues:  https://terebess.hu/english/lachs.html
Zen Sex scandals:  http://religiondispatches.org/zen-and-the-art-of-the-sex-scandal/
Abuse in Buddhism: https://www.lionsroar.com/openletteronabuse/
Getting a Handle on Scandal – from Buddhist Geeks conference:  https://youtu.be/HaYFgDl6Nmw
 
Zen scandals: https://tricycle.org/magazine/under-lens-american-zen-community-crisis/
Dainin Katagiri Zen Teacher sex scandal: http://sweepingzen.com/a-letter-to-nonin-chowaney-from-sojun-diane-martin-on-dainin-katagiri/
 
Chapter on Maezumi’s legacy:  http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367645.001.0001/acprof-9780195367645-chapter-9 (need to purchase the book, Zen Masters, to access to  full essay – Recommended)
Letter from Maezumi’s daughter:  http://sweepingzen.com/a-letter-from-kirsten-mitsuyo-maezumi/ and a response - http://sweepingzen.com/response-to-kirsten-mitsuyo-maezumi/
 
Dutch Buddhists and sexual abuse:  http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/05/dutch-buddhists-embroiled-in-sexual-abuse-scandal-nos/
German Zen leader admits to child sex abuse:  http://www.dw.com/en/buddhist-priest-in-augsburg-trial-admits-to-child-sex-abuse/a-39279326 and http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/child-sexual-abuse-buddhist-monk-convicted-sentenced-hans-d-augsburg-bavaria-germany-a7836436.html
International Zen Association – from France: http://www.darkzen.org/articles/azi.html
Zen at War / Zen as a Cult of Death - https://apjjf.org/2013/11/30/Brian-Victoria/3973/article.html and http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/11/books/meditating-on-war-and-guilt-zen-says-it-s-sorry.html  and http://www.darkzen.org/articles/zenholy.htm
Sexual Ethics, Zen Scandals, and Cults - http://sweepingzen.com/sexual-ethics-zen-scandals-and-cults/
 
NOTE:  Both U.S. Buddhist publications - Tricycle and Lions Roar - have published many essays on the issues related to sexual scandals and spiritual abuse in Buddhist communities, mostly Tibetan and Zen. If you are interested in numerous points of view, recommend visiting both websites and search.  www.lionsroar.com and www.tricycle.org   
 
JEWISH
 
New Age Rabbi Marc Gafni Abuse and Sex Scandals: https://forward.com/opinion/329620/i-was-13-when-marc-gafnis-abuse-began/
Marc Gafni – New York Times Story: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/26/us/marc-gafni-center-for-integral-wisdom.html
 
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and his shadows: https://www.lilith.org/articles/rabbi-shlomo-carlebachs-shadow-side/
 
Rabbi Schneerson / Chabad: https://culteducation.com/group/1035-chabad-lubavitch/12942-rabbis-biography-disturbs-followers.html
Failed Messiah Site: http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/chabad.html
Chabad and Ulta-Orthodox:  https://chafrauddepravitch.wordpress.com/
 
GENERAL AND MISC – ABUSIVE LEADERSHIP, DOCUMENTARIES, AUTHOR Q&As
 
Guru Papers:  https://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/06/the-dark-side-of-spirituality-the-guru-papers-unmasks-sacred-cows/
https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/06/us/guru-convicted-of-abusing-followers-children-fled-justice/index.html
On Charismatic Leaders: https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/beware-charismatic-guru/
Spiritual Communities Becoming Cults: https://metamoderna.org/why-spiritual-communities-turnintocults
Myth of the Totally Enlightened Guru: http://www.johnhorgan.org/the_myth_of_the_totally_enlightened_guru_15274.htm
The Anti-Gurus – from John Horgan: http://www.johnhorgan.org/the_anti_gurus_15278.htm
Narcissism and Gurus: http://ezinearticles.com/?Narcissistic-Spiritual-Gurus&id=1148136
Best Documentaries about Cults: https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-documentaries-about-cults/ranker-film?ref=collections&l=2601998&collectionId=1597
 
How Utopian Communities turn dangerous – Rolling Stone: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/cult-or-commune-how-utopian-communities-turn-dangerous-w449034
Guru Bad Behavior - http://maya-gaia.angelfire.com/guru_badbehavior.html
Sex and the Spiritual Teacher - http://sweepingzen.com/sex-and-the-spiritual-teacher-an-interview-with-scott-edelstein/
Blog and Facebook postings:  http://guruphiliac.blogspot.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/guruphiliac/
The Age of the Guru is Over: https://engagedharma.net/2018/03/01/the-age-of-the-guru-is-over/  (perhaps wishful thinking?)
Brainwashing?:  http://q13fox.com/2018/02/13/are-you-susceptible-to-brainwashing/ 
How to Survive Gaslighting:  https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/mar/16/gaslighting-manipulation-reality-coping-mechanisms-trump
Signs of Gaslighting: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201701/11-warning-signs-gaslighting 
 
BOOKS
 
Book Review – Scientology;  http://a.co/9D7Gn83’
Book – Willful Blindness: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril:  http://a.co/iW7G1iB
Book – Combating Cult Mind Control – Steve Hassan - http://a.co/8qMelvK
Book – Take Back Your Life – Janja Lalich - http://a.co/9rAPh7i
Book – Cults Inside Out – Rick Ross - http://a.co/8eNLAUW
Book – Going Clear – Lawrence Wright - http://a.co/9OxM70s
Book – American Guru – former students of Andrew Cohen - http://a.co/5BOYQQ8
Book – Holy Hell – shadows of the “hugging saint” - http://a.co/eBeXfTW
Book – The Guru Looked Good - http://a.co/3Y5gADT
Book - The Guru Papers - http://a.co/hovdnH5
Book - Behind the Mask of the Clown (Sai Baba) - http://www.saibaba-x.org.uk/31/bokrecension.htm
 
Book - Sex, Lies and Two Hindu Gurus - http://a.co/1jrOSec
Book – Without the Guru - http://a.co/baxaas3
Book - Cartwheels in a Sari - http://a.co/68L5AFH
Book – Escaping Utopia - http://a.co/7qn7sKH
Book – My Life in Orange - http://a.co/aAUFv6D
Book – The Rajneesh Chronicles - http://a.co/cUSezYJ
Book – Shoes Outside the Door - http://a.co/cAWNEcc
Book – Following Our Bliss - http://a.co/dY8jnDN
Book - Buddha from Brooklyn - http://a.co/dxSl0Md
Book – Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic (Osho) - http://a.co/4fF8XAL
Book - The Promise of Paradise (Rajneesh) - http://a.co/9XOTdKT
 
Book - The Mother of God - http://a.co/7XqdLk1
Book – Zen Masters - http://a.co/ixbsecX
Book – Seeing Through Zen - http://a.co/66Hx75w
 
Book – Buddhist Modernism - http://a.co/dLnccOj
Book – Buddhism Without Beliefs - http://a.co/cuoyoU6
Book – Secular Buddhism - http://a.co/bZUTZWb
Book – The Double Mirror - http://a.co/dPhp5hy
Book – Traveller in Space - http://a.co/2l64eAt
Book – The Great Naropa Poetry Wars - http://a.co/3W5cleR
Book – Sex and the Spiritual Teacher – http://a.co/dtysKaB
Book – Greetings from Utopia Park - http://a.co/1uTJvAB
Book -  Halfway up the Mountain - http://a.co/ghjsVb2
Book - Transcendental Deception - http://a.co/a7rEEOY
Book – Monkey on a Stick: http://a.co/2CZCjCY
Book – Betrayal of the Spirit - http://a.co/d41gWGh
Book - Take me for a Ride - http://a.co/1c5eT1y - http://www.ex-cult.org/Groups/Rama/index.html
Book – The Allure of Toxic Leaders - http://a.co/4Eoxifb
Book – Facing the Dragon - http://a.co/a8RzqLz
Book – Spiritual Bypassing - http://a.co/9hjOjRn
Book – Traumatic Narcissism - http://a.co/ctGOZYZ
 
Book – Sorcerer’s Apprentice - http://a.co/eNumgyA
Book – Cities on a Hill - http://a.co/h0DnQMb  (major piece on Rajneeshpuram – highly recommended)
Book – Destroying the World to Save It - http://a.co/3Xn6IrG
Book - Escape - My Lifelong War against Cults - http://a.co/htCSKTu
Book - From Miracle to Madness - http://a.co/8qwTlws
Book - Recovery from Cults - http://a.co/iEe34T3
 
Book - Hellbent for Enlightenment - http://a.co/aUQikj6
Book - Don’t Kill Him - http://a.co/1NOpfNx
Book – Bhagwan – The God that Failed - http://a.co/aDWFcrw
Book – Confessions of an American Sikh - http://a.co/6bDcGeC
Book - Feet of Clay - http://a.co/gJsrbAZ
Book - Terror, Love and Brainwashing - http://a.co/emxYxTs
Book - The Wrong Way Home - http://a.co/42yEwNJ
 
Book - The Dan Juan Papers - http://a.co/9kjIdQM
Book – The J. R. Controversy - http://a.co/1aBvoA7
Book - Zen at War - http://a.co/duXruzJ 
Book – Zen War Stories - http://a.co/4PkMcNs
Book - Buddhist Warfare - http://a.co/eV7Z4WT
Book - The Taming of Demons - http://a.co/0KCDxtY
Book – Prisoners of Shangri la - http://a.co/hOdsWsI
Book - Imagining Tibet - http://a.co/4R12YSx
Book - Lambs to Slaughter - http://a.co/bSc9vXy
Book - Prophet’s Daughter - http://a.co/20uJXv9
Book - My Father’s Guru - http://a.co/fPRlFAO
Book - Cults in our Midst - http://a.co/fEWAXq1
Book - Madame Blavatsky’s Baboon - http://a.co/dFdl6Lh
 
Book - The Rise and Fall of Synanon - http://a.co/gn7sPKO
Book – The Light on Synanon - http://a.co/gh7GpCQ
Book – Synanon Kid - http://a.co/gYrQDKJ  
Book - The Crusades of Cesar Chavez - http://a.co/eBzSppX
Book – The Fellowship (Frank Lloyd Wright) - http://a.co/7liKfs5
Book - Outrageous Betrayal - http://a.co/gfAPgrA
Book - The Rebbe - http://a.co/bv6FFVK
Book - The Guru’s Touch (Novel) - http://a.co/3SEkFd3
 
Book – The Gaslight Effect - http://a.co/2LtunJn
Book - Psychopath Free - http://a.co/e3kZSkV
Book - Healing from Hidden Abuse - http://a.co/cu26o7z
Book - Sacred Wounds - http://a.co/0FaSSXi
Book - The Weaponizing of Biology (Rajneesh-related):  http://a.co/bTGK2b3
 
NOTES ON THIS LIST:
 
This list is a sampling and was gathered over some decades, actually.  I update this collection from time to time and this was last updated at the end of February 2018.  This collection of links is hardly exhaustive. There are many additional essays, articles, blogs, videos, podcasts, books, films, documentaries..  out there.
 
This collection primarily focused on Buddhism, India-based and yoga groups, New Age cults, general pieces on abuse of power and gurus, and a little bit on other kinds of groups.  For the most part, this list does not include too much about Scientology (too many article, books, documentaries), Rev. Moon and the Unification Church, Mormon cults, various odd Christian cults, some of the more evangelical Korean cults, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jonestown, the more bizarre UFO and New Age cults, doomsday / prepper cults, Charles Manson, etc.  Just too much to include on this list.
 
Also, there are some books are referenced here, but there are many more books from former members of cultic organizations, as well as books about narcissistic and toxic leaders, toxic organization, psychological manipulation / mind control, and so on.
 
Also, beyond spiritual and religious organizations, you can see examples of cultic behavior in a wide variety of situations – from nations, corporations, celebrities, athletes, politicians, multi-level marketing, sports teams, the military, extreme to even moderate political movements, hedge funds – any place where leaders become toxic tyrants and organizations shut down critical thinking.  You can see this with Steve Jobs, Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, Jerry Sandusky, Lance Armstrong, and so many others.
 
When leaving cultic organizations and/or abusive teachers, many people discover that the dynamics of the teacher and the organization were not all that spiritual or special, but rather common issues of leadership and organizations.  That’s why it can be so valuable to do some homework, some self-education, in order to digest the experience, to understand how things can go so wrong, to break through the enchantment and wishful thinking.  So reading accounts about a wide range of organizations and teachers, from leave-takers and critics, can be quite eye-opening.  It is an important aspect of taking back one’s life and one’s spiritual adulthood, to becoming free of group mind and the dominance of a person or ideology. 
 
Also – this file and these links are gathered in the spirit of exploration and education.  There are many points of view expressed here and please don’t assume that I necessarily agree with them all.  Some blogs and websites can be very critical, some angry, some more nuanced…. May you find some of this helpful for your own personal clarity.    Josh Baran 

I have not gotten a post from OBC connect for many years. All of a sudden on July 6, I get a notification of this old post from JCBaran listing all cult instances of sexual harrassment. I don't know why this has come to me now, but feel I must respond. Shasta Abbey and the OBC were the places where Michael "Eko" Little, former abbot of Shasta abbey sexually abused women. I don't see the mention of this in the huge list of Buddhist and otherwise orgs suffering from sexual harassment of women. OBC and Shasta Abbey have never adequately come to terms with this and I will not support them. They need to be added to the list of orgs. I was a dedicated practitioner at Shasta Abbey for many years but refuse to go there or support them until they truly take responsibility for their actions surrounding the situation with Michael "Eko" Little.

Not sure why you got an alert about this old post.  Yes, I agree with you.  The list posted a few years back - was a resource list of books and articles that could be accessed on line.  Not aware there were any articles on the Eko scandal. I don't think I can edit these old posts to add anything.  I searched again on line for any links or articles - and there is only the official Shasta / OBC statement - that is no longer posted but can be accessed through the Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20160721004036/http://obcon.org:80/blog/2012/03/02/264/

I have not updated this list since it was poste - or added new posts.  In the last two years, there have been hundreds of various articles, essays, news reports on all kinds of cultic organizations and guru abuse and so on..... but since this site / board is not active, didn't think it was worth the time to keep updating the list.  

The big scandals were the Shambhala scandal, the NXIVM scandal, many Hindu gurus abusing their students, and so on.  For people who have left various abusive group situations, it can be very valuable to self-educate, to read about other situations and teachers so you can understand what happened, how teachers become grandiose, how groups become authoritarian and so on.  

Too bad there weren't some articles on Eko / Shasta / Kennett... the issues at Shasta and OBC go far beyond Eko... but Shasta became such an inward facing, isolated scene, very few people even in the Zen world knew much about them and the two Buddhist magazines didn't seem to care.

Thanks for responding. I agree about the articles on sexual harassment being educational. I heard about the Shambhala scandals and knew someone who changed practice centers after much angst. I wish there would have been articles written about Shasta, too. I don't know why someone involved wouldn't or couldn't write one, do a blog post, etc. Maybe it wouldn't be too late now and it would be educational and helpful. I was surprised when I moved to Ashland in 2008 and the Zen center priests here seemed to react to any news about Shasta by rolling their eyes. Shasta was almost seen as cult-like even without publicizing the Eko events. Too bad--it was my main practice place after I went to my first introductory retreat in 1980.  "Sitting still with no deliberate thought" was not enough skillful means for me to progress in my practice after 30 years, so I "jumped ship" to the "dark side" of Vajrayana practice. All puns intended.

Yes, from my experiences, Shasta's issues are systemic - a complex intersection of the reality of temple Zen practice, Zen myths, the priest system in Japan, transmission and enlightenment fantasies, and Kennett's shadows / totally unconscious psychological issues.  There was constant emotional / verbal / structural abuse going on - sexual misconduct was not the heart of the matter.  It became clear to me after five years there - I finally left after seven years - that Kennett's understanding of Zen was quite limited and actually distorted.  Her teaching was an amalgam of D.T. Suzuki's distorted Zen philosophy, what she picked up at the London Buddhist Society and Theosophy, monotheism, some strange fascination with the occult, and modern Japanese Soto Zen.  Yes, she was in Japan was 6+ years, but she was an outsider with almost no friends, never understood Japanese - more than than basic communication, couldn't read Japanese or Chinese.  She was treated badly and truly hated the big temple environment.  Her only goal was to become a priest / teacher - and get the hell out.  And Koho Zenji - her official teacher - who she had little contact with and no real relationship - also wanted to have western Soto Zen priests in the West, so also wanted her to become an official priest quickly.  In Soto Zen, everyone receives "dharma transmission" after being at a training temple for 3 years - and this transmission has absolutely nothing to do with being enlightened, or being wise or compassionate, or having had some kind of breakthrough experience - the transmission certificate is like a diploma that says you can function as a professional ritual priest in a local temple.  It also does not mean that you are accomplished at zazen.  Kennett wnt through this, and I am sure she had an "enlightenment experience" - kensho - but to me this was a simple "stream entry" experience - fairly common actually -  and absolutely did not mean that she was "enlightened" or a "master."  She had a glimpse, profound, but a glimpse none the less. Clearly, she wasn't enlightened.  Up close, everyday I saw a woman who was sad, lonely, often frightened, in over her head, emotionally abusive, at times quite delusional, paranoid frequently, envious, and so on.  I am not exaggerating any of this.  At least she wasn't physically or sexually abusive.  She created a confused toxic atmosphere and had zero self-awareness and it kept getting worse, as she rationalized and defended her turf. Which is why so many people left.  Also, she never meditated.  Literally, NEVER.  In the seven years I was there, I never, not once, saw her meditate more than 10 minutes.  She rarely came to the Zendo, when she did, she would sit in her chair and after a few minutes, ring the bell and start a service.  She never meditated in her little house either. She wasn't good at zazen and didn't like to sit.  Also, her understanding of Dogen was meager, almost Christian in how she saw his teaching and Buddhism.  Enough about her.  Just saying that the cultic dimensions of Shasta came from Kennett's shadows.  I am grateful for the basic meditation instruction I received there  and the first few years there - which were far less crazy and mean - and also grateful that i had the guts to get out, to find my own spiritual adulthood, and leave all that behind.  I am very involved with Vajrayana practices and learn from some excellent teachers - and I come and go as a spiritual adulthood and don't put up with any cultic nonsense.  The Dharma is precious - as is compassionate action and speaking truth.  End of my babble for the morning.

Very well said--thanks for the insight into the whole situation. I severed my association with Shasta after the Eko situation, but because I only went there once or twice a year for retreats (and not at all when I lived in Alaska) I never got a sense of the real situation. When I did Jukai in 1991, I was acosted by one of the guest house monks for wearing pants in front of Jiyu Kennett. This threw me into a tailspin--men were allowed to wear the lay women's dresses and some did, but women wearing pants were considered "disrespectful". A guest house monk loaned me her old laywoman skirt which I reluctantly wore the rest of the retreat. I almost left the night before my Jukai, but stuck it out with a lot of bad feelings. When I returned to the Abbey after a hiatus of living in Alaska, I decided to wear a self styled lay robe I sewed in the Japanese style to compromise the pant issue--I was not going to wear a skirt. Soon after, the skirt issue seemed to go away, so I just wore my regular clothes. I was disturbed by this experience, but never took my misgivings seriously enough, trusting the organization and putting aside my own feelings. I won't do that again. The experience at Shasta has colored my involvement with my current center--I keep myself away from all trappings of Buddhist "corporate culture". Because what happened at Shasta could happen in any Buddhist center, and has. Is it from a quest for notoriety because through notoriety comes funding? Or wanting to maintain the importance of one's own transmission line? Who knows--I still practice and keep all the Buddhist corporate culture at arms length.