Exploited, abused, and cast out. A peek Inside TWIM's cult playbook

[@BeingUntangled]

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[@karrimzz]

Thank you for the interview and Humberto willingness to share openly. I have attended intensive meditation retreat, and had experience where it fell i don't know who I am anymore.When i listened to the recording, I recognize when Humberto is in such a state. It is incredible that David Johnson who had led many retreats, use that moment to be confrontational, instead of helping him restore to normal state The same with Delson, just blaming Humberto, no awareness that the erratic behavior could be the result of intensive meditation

[@kota5050]

Thanks again, having followed Delson and TWIM for a while, Couldn’t really understand the need for the new Freedom of mind organisation. Now it’s fully clear what David’s and Delson’s intentions are. I have deep gratitude for what you are doing. I sincerely hope David, Delson and the cult stop what they are doing and start being compassionate to people. What baffles me though is how they can continue doing what they’re doing when even a lay person like me who’s a beginner in this path can see how this is unwholesome .

[@chase1671]

An excellent exposition here of how some individuals parasitize the dhamma. This monk is very sincere and this story really illuminating. Thanks for doing this investigative work. I have only followed the TWIM world loosely for the past ten years or so, and the recent developments are not surprising. I had a friend go on a retreat at dhammasukha and leave totally disheartened. He was told he was bad practitioner and waste of their time because he couldn't enter jhanas within a few days. You're doing good work.

[@mariodelrisco2403]

thanks to you and to umberto for the perseverance and the strength. i did not understand your intent until now but I kept reflecting on my own experiences and, having talked to umberto before in the twim sunday talks and knowing his humble, honest and well intended character, I can see it now. a lot of people have gotten good results with twim but keeping the mind open and allways trying to reevaluate the axioms is a key to be able to integrate it in the search of the path. thank u again

[@BeingUntangled]

It is very hard for a person to see something they don't want to see, or to understand something they don't want to understand. Try telling the drug addict that the drug is bad for his long-term well-being, and you'll likely receive hatred and vitriol rather than thanks and appreciation, although you clearly mean them well. This is fundamental to how cults operate. They all offer people something, even such a little thing as the acceptance of a group. But this is only as a bait or a lure. Whatever short-term benefit there is in pursuing TWIM or any of these other forms of wrong practice is truly insignificant when compared to the benefits of pursuing the true Dhamma. And following these false paths always leads people eventually into some kind of suffering & stress, just as does drug addiction. Men and women who in the past reviled the Noble Ones suffered because of that. And just as it was then, any beings today in this cosmos with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, in this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & common folk, any & all who revile the Noble Ones and ignore their message will suffer greatly, going again and again to states of deprivation, having no knowledge, no understanding of stress, the origination of stress, the cessation of stress, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.

[@woomera8522]

@@BeingUntangled When you say "TWIM or any of these other forms of wrong practice" I have to STRONGLY disagree. Whatever problems there may be with the TWIM leadership, the procedure of TWIM itself especially the 6R process is a VERY useful tool in any meditator's toolbox. All meditation instruction needs to be given clearly by a competent and compassionate teacher. I think you would be doing a huge disservice to the community, and generating a huge amount of negative Kamma for yourself, if you confuse your issue with the leadership and their teaching style to the potential results of practicing TWIM skillfully. Without entering into any discussion over which method is the best, only a small percentage of practitioners would agree that there is no benefit at all in TWIM.

[@BeingUntangled]

@woomera8522 You haven't read what I wrote. Read it again. I did not say that there is no short term perceived benefit to be found in methods like TWIM, Kryia Yoga, Vipassana, or any of these other forms of wrong practice. If that were the case, few would persist with them for long. But just like the drug which is pleasant today, but leads inevitably to disaster with continuing use, so too can TWIM seem pleasant today and yet lead to disaster. The purpose of the Dhamma isn't to lead people into ephemeral pleasures, but to take them all the way to the total end of suffering and stress. To the the Noble One who knows and understands this fact, who has penetrated the Dhamma all the way to the end of investigation, even existence in the highest and most sublime realms is seen to be inconstant, stressful, and not self. You are arguing in favor of a drug which provides a brief distraction from suffering, while suppressing knowledge that the disease has a cure. You are acting just like those Brahmins who reviled the Noble Ones because they (the Brahmins) clung to the comfort of their fire worship and sacrifices.

[@robertg.3331]

​@@woomera8522 The problem lies in both the leadership and the method. This is not unique to TWIM, by the way, but it is more striking in this case because of the emphasis on trancing out for extended periods and more importantly, the underlying assumption that one can see the Dhamma simply by using a cheatcode, ie. following a sequence of mechanical steps; which is easy to miss because when done "right", these steps result in strong affective states and hence don't feel mechanical. In moderation and in the right environment, I'm sure this method can be beneficial on many levels, as can be any other technique, but if anyone makes a progress on the path, this is *despite* the technique and thanks to their own virtue, honesty, and renunciation, including the renunciation of lofty states of consciousness.

[@kzantal]

​@@woomera8522 I know it'll be hard for you to accept, as it was for me, but you should listen to Being Entangled. I was a follower of TWIM for many years. What he says here is absolutely true. TWIM is no dhamma. I wasted my time completely. I know it is hard to accept it. Like you, I thought the 6 R's were synonymous with the eightfold path. But it's not. It's just a method, a technique. You won't find it in the suttas. The Buddha didn't even encourage beginners to meditate. Instead, they should try to develop the right view (understand the teaching), follow the precepts and develop sense restraint. In my opinion, it is much better to put emphasis of the gradual training and abandoning unwholesome states of greed, hatred and delusion rather than following such techniques.

[@woomera8522]

I'm sorry to hear what you have gone through. Sending mettā. ~ Buddhananda.

[@aaronmichaelseckman]

a man who understands and recognizes righteousness, so refreshing

[@kylehutchings1479]

It's inspiring how his resolve to continue in his genuine practice (or what he knew of genuine practice) remained strong even when he could feel the deceit and wickedness around him

[@lemonlimelukey]

the amount of places these same kids of dynamics are happening in the modern day are probably staggering .

[@AsianburnsForlife]

Sounds like david is getting off on the fact he can control people's states of mind

[@BigDaddy-nn8kf]

Wow I met Uphekkananda! So shocking to see this. I went to a retreat this year. He was so gracious and informative. Something is happening in the dhamma, TWIM can’t get a break here. I am gracious Upekkhananda is speaking the truth and nothing else 🙏

[@supremeknowing]

So sad to see an honest and sincere seeker seeking highest bliss freedom has to go through this circumstances thanks to david and delson foolsih ego driven desires

[@supremeknowing]

Intruly love this guy i wish he attains arahant ship in this very life he is hard working and truly worthy of accomplishment. I always knew delson was a bad the way he talked and baosted about his skills just irritated me i didn't know why now i know why he is a thief far far away from stream entry let alone arhant state! Stole 60k and always after money wow just wow.

[@thisthusthat]

Dukkha is vividly experienced by people. Without proper understanding of the Path, people will go astray again and again in the loop of dukkha. Hope we all find our way to the understanding

[@VeritableVagabond]

I can't trust Delson anymore.

[@kzantal]

Much respect 🙏

[@legendofpanigale]

Very interesting story brother hope that you can find some closure with this whole ordeal and i suggest you sue these fakers so they cannot claim any other victims

[@Wordartz]

A den of thieves

[@OhhhhhhhBugger]

5 hours bro? Come on...I ain't got all day. *SIGH* In any case, I appreciate it.

[@BeingUntangled]

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