Additional info on Michael Little

First topic message reminder :

Hello everyone. After discussion in the admin bullpen, the decision was made to raise this topic on the forum. The intent is not to pour kerosene on the embers of an old discussion simply for entertainment. If there are forum members & viewers out there who had this happen to them, they should know they are not the only ones.

In June of this year at a sangha meeting at Shasta Abbey, Meian disclosed further information about Michael Little's inappropriate behaviour with women. (I was not at the meeting.) I'm told she said that, during phone calls with some female disciples, the former Abbott would engage in self-stimulation resulting in sexual climax. How often this occurred, or with how many disciples, I don't know, but my understanding is that this was not an uncommon occurrence. How long this behaviour went on, I also do not know. If anyone has additional details, feel free to post them in this thread.

It's unfortunate that this information was made available only to those who were able to personally attend a meeting at the Abbey. Conceivably, many more could have been affected by Little's behaviour, and how would they know they weren't the only ones? If they cannot attend meetings in Mt. Shasta or aren't comfortable doing so, they are effectively cut off from receiving information to which they're entitled. I hope those in charge at the Abbey will reconsider their approach to rectifying harm, and find better, more inclusive ways to publicise information that should be available to all and not just a few.

If anyone needs help in regard to this issue and wishes to discuss it privately, you're welcome to send me a PM.

best,
Lise

A bit of a sorrowful thread to come back to. Not much to add as much as bow.

Sorrowful for Mr Little to have the details of his koan so publicly splashed about. I presume that the karmic wave now dogging Michaels heels has never felt so thunderously close.

Sorrowful for his disciples to hear how far their master/ abbot's descent had gone at Shasta. What wouldn't a disciple question of that master/disciple relationship at this point?

Sorrowful for those phone recipients and the general Shasta Sangha who have been subjected to such conflicting teachings.



Blessings for Mr Little, blessings for his former disciples and blessings for the Shasta Sangha at large.

And blessings to the rest of us who (let us pray) do not have the most embarrassing things about us or our meanest acts turned into general public knowledge.



Sorry Howard, not like your text was improvable...

HOWARD.

"Blessings for Mr.Little, Blessings for his former disciples and Blessings for the
Shasta Sangha at large."

Words from the heart. Thank you. May we all be blessed.

Stan.

Howard, Stan and D.Dolmar, thank you. The Sandokai came to mind, "within all light is darkness, yet explained it cannot be by darkness that one sided is alone."..Right along the light lives that darkness of our human nature and who knows by what strange occurance,
sequence of events, darkness gains the upper hand in ones life in one form or another from which even an Abbot has no immunity.

Bows to all the Sangha

Brigitte

I cant join in in all this blessing/Koan stuff , and find these last few postings disturbing , and dont want to be part of it , but am holding on to something that goes on here .

Thank you to all for your comments and the compassion expressed within them. Since this thread's original purpose of notification has been achieved, it will be closed, although anyone is free to continue in a new thread if they wish.

Edited to add, we hope that some of the many questions raised by this issue will be clarified by the FaithTrust Assessment soon to be released.