Her Unexpected ESCAPE From Quiverfull Cults ft. Ashley Easter

[@ashleymeaster]

I've seen a few comments here suggesting that I am in a new cult because I follow my intuition. I take that accusation very seriously. I do not have a charismatic leader that I follow blindly. I am not experiencing the cult signs listed in the B.I.T.E. Model (Behavior Control, Information Control, Thought Control, Emotional Control). I am not a scientist and do not claim to be. I am simply sharing my understanding of scientific studies I've read or talks from researchers I have heard regarding intuition etc. Having differing opinions (even wrong opinions) doesn't fit the criteria of a Cult/High Control Group. If my work resonates with you, great; if not, one of my core values is to TRUST YOUR INTUITION, so feel free to not follow my work if it doesn't resonate with you. This is all about YOU trusting yourself, not me telling you what you have to think or believe or that you have to follow me. Lastly, this was a short video that didn't allow me to share a lot of nuances about my understanding of intuition. I literally have hours and hours of detailed information that is impossible to fit into one episode. In my opinion, freedom of choice and freedom to trust yourself is anti-cult.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

I appreciate you sharing your concerns, Ashley! A lot of times when coming out of high control groups (as you know) it can be easy to try and discredit the whole world or be afraid to follow anything at all. I think everyone who has learned from you personally has had a marvelous experience. Myself included. It won’t be for everyone and that’s ok. ♥️

[@ashleymeaster]

@@CultstoConsciousness Thank you! To each their own (as long as it doesn't hurt anyone). This was a fun conversation to have. Thank you for the amazing opportunity.

[@KmacQuinn]

Well said! ❤

[@Erin_in_Austin]

I came to this video via a KZbin rabbit hole (or maybe my intuition 😊) This concept absolutely resonates with me. Great video! Thank you!

[@shannap.lawnerd125]

Girl, forget them haters. 😌 Why would ANYONE try to bash something that has helped you- and SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE- do/become the best you can be?? THAT is oppressive af, & they can go sit down somewhere to be mad all by themselves. 🤷🏻‍♀️😉 Keep being amazing. 🤙🏽⚖️💪🏽🔮

[@HolldollMcG]

THANK YOU for pointing out that child marriage is still legal in the majority of the US!! It's horrible. People will try to justify it by saying the parents gave permission when in reality it's often parents giving their underage child to a well-off older adult in exchange for money. People also will insist that a young girl marry her adult abuser who impregnated her lest she shame the family. Lawmakers who refuse to raise the age of consent have been known to say "it's fine, I know women who got married when they were 12, and they're still married!" Like, obviously, she has no job experience, no money of her own, she had no opportunity to develop her independence or sense of self, so of course she can't leave the marriage. Staying in a bad marriage doesn't make it a good marriage. This topic needs a video all on its own.

[@LadyLeda2]

You must be from the Appalachian mountains, where child marriages still take place. I agree that it does need to be told about more often across the US. People are just not aware of this. I will ask her to cover this topic.

[@cady__]

@@LadyLeda2there are many areas where it still takes place, assuming someone must be from the Appalachian mountains because they’re bringing it up is really rude.

[@fortmacmom3122]

The stay at home daughter is also called the sacrificial daughter…the daughter caring for siblings and nieces and nephews and parents as they age. And us never allowed to leave or marry. Jana Duggar is one

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Woah…😳

[@devadii24]

This is an interesting concept because I have seen this with mainstream Italian Catholics here in Canada; they for whatever reason do not marry and then they end up never moving out and taking care of their parents, younger siblings, extended relatives…. it’s not any kind of doctrine but very common…

[@HosCreates]

@@devadii24 cultural expectations

[@devadii24]

@@HosCreates I guess it transcends religion too!

[@Debbywithy]

😢😢

[@toforgetisagem8145]

The sacrificial daughter is necessary in these over population cults because when you get into child hoards its not possible to manoeuvre all the groceries, food, laundry etc without a house slave, especially when the mother is constantly laid up giving birth. Also it's often the case that the actual girl children act as little mothers for the children below their age.

[@LadyLeda2]

I used to live next to a Catholic family. The husband was a deacon in the local catholic church. No birth control was allowed. The wife kept having baby after baby, year after year after year. They couldn't afford store bought diapers and her clothes line was always full of baby diapers. I would go over and help her fold diapers sometimes. Well, she had a nervous breakdown and left the family. Can't say I blame her. Yet the majority of people would not consider being Catholic as being in a cult. Now let's look at the Philippines. They are a country that is ruled by the catholic faith. Again no birth control allowed. Sex before marriage is ok though. The girls start having babies at the age of 11 or 12. And keep on having babies until the age of 50 or when their periods stop. They live in such horrible conditions. Fighting each day to get enough rice to feed the family. It is appalling how they have to live. Yet most people would say that being catholic is not a population cult. I believe it is.

[@toforgetisagem8145]

@@LadyLeda2 I completely agree with you. Ireland used to be hag ridden by the catholic church this way. The CC had to had to back off a bit in the west because most people ignore them and would leave the church altogether.

[@Mama2three-m3x]

@@LadyLeda2I was a part of a cult that was also catholic very similar to what this lady is talking about but I can’t tell you 100% fact the church is completely against this. Also there is never a time that the church is ok with pre-marital sex that’s in the same category as birth control that would have to be a cultural thing.

[@Haydon3]

Stop hating on the Catholic Church, your subjective view is your own opinion! People do not break down because of their faith, they break down because of disordered way of life that goes against nature. God is all good and he makes no mistakes, therefore what the second person of God established, should be respected!!! He gave each human a free will, so do what you decide, but STOP judging/hating people who decide to be Catholic, Let's NOT judge!!! ​@@LadyLeda2

[@loveycat5474]

Crying is how an infant communicates.

[@ElizabethT45]

The "Stay at home Daughter" explains Jana Duggar, who is 32 and lives with her parents and helps homeschool the five siblings still at home. She plays piano at church functions but doesn't seem to do anything else.

[@aceshigh5157]

didn't she have a garden at one point?

[@ElizabethT45]

@@aceshigh5157 Did the family ever have a garden or did they live on Aldi canned vegetables?

[@aceshigh5157]

@@ElizabethT45 they lived on tater tots.

[@ElizabethT45]

@@aceshigh5157 It's ludicrous to me that a family who values self-sufficiency and thrift wouldn't have the biggest garden they could. Lots of room and plenty of free gardeners, they could have eaten like royalty.

[@aceshigh5157]

@@ElizabethT45 they live next to the town dump, i'm not sure how healthy their garden would be.

[@Difficultureshock]

The final Jenga piece for me was having both my children diagnosed with incurable diseases. I just can't accept all of these people's "answers" of why "God allowed this." I've completely let go of my faith and I'm sorta floating around in agnosticism. I'm at more peace now than I think I've ever experienced in my life, which I never could've imagined while in the church. 😌

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Thank you for sharing. I’m so happy that you have found peace ❤️

[@ShellBAtoms]

👏😄👏😄👏😄👏😄👏😄👏😄👏😄 Congratulations! I salute your strength and courage to leave! I've been floating in agnosticism for decades, and I'm so fine with that! Wishing you and your children all the best in the years ahead!

[@jeanetteeast7343]

I had a friend that wasn’t allowed to cut her hair wear pants or watch TV. We would shop and get her out fits that were not allowed and she would leave them at my house and I would take them to her at school so she could change and then at the end of the day she would change back and I’d take them to my house. We also cut her hair a little bit every weekend so it wasn’t to noticeable.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Woah! That’s so awful. I’m glad she had a friend like you!

[@dramatriangle]

Aww my friend did that for me in high school. I had a lot of restrictions as well. It was nice to feel free and "normal" (although rebellious) for a few hours with her whenever we hung out.

[@mariekatherine5238]

I had a middle school friend whose mother was mentally ill. She made her daughter wear little girl party dresses and Mary Janes. This was in 1971-73. A few of us had her “normal” wardrobe at our houses. She used to change in my garage before the bus came and she’d fix her hair in the bus. Her mother put it in little girl braids. She moved in with her older sister in the summer of 1973 after her Mom had a breakdown. I attended an Independent Baptist Church for a time, but never joined it. They had all these crazy things in fine print, like not dancing, no drinking, no smoking, no drugs, no public school, women can’t go out after dark without a male escort. Wives must ask their husband’s permission to leave the house. Wives should ordinarily not drive unless absolutely necessary. No college, single women stay home until married. Women must have a man “over” them. Well, there were lots of rule breakers in that place! They didn’t know what to do with me because I didn’t have any man to be my “head.” I was told to live with my parents, a bit problematic as they were both deceased. I had no brothers, not even an older sister. I should get married, but to whom? There were no suitable men in the church. There was an 82 year old widower who had dementia, or the pastor’s 18 year old son. I was 32 and WORLDLY, having been born and raised in NYC. The church was a mission church in NYC, trying to get converts. They did have pretty good Bible studies and the best potluck dinners! There were quite a lot of college age and young adults attracted by the Bible classes. They were good so long as they stuck to the Scripture. The non-members from NY all hung together, and the members from West Virginia stuck together. I eventually got disinvited after the pastor couldn’t answer my questions about St. John, chapter six. I cornered him, “challenged his authority,” that he certainly did not have over me! So I just quit going. About half a year later I found out I had been put in some sort of banishment that people were supposed to shun me. I was in a drug store waiting for a prescription and the pastor’s wife came in with four of her 15 kids. I said hello and it was like she saw Satan. She grabbed her kids and literally ran out the door. People were looking at her like, “What’s her problem?” I didn’t have any real trauma because by age 32, I was already securely established, a job, an apartment, taking night classes at NYU, without a male over me! I’ve long since returned to my Byzantine Catholic upbringing.

[@Chantayoll85]

So nice of you to help Her more need to

[@jahbern]

Thank you for acknowledging that not all homeschoolers do it for religious reasons. My family is Christian, but that’s not why we homeschool elementary. I’m a former teacher and working on an educational psychology masters. Public school in Florida is rough - by homeschooling I can use all the best practices I learned in teacher training and my psych studies. My eldest was a pilot at 17 & is in college now, and my second will be studying music composition in a couple of years. My two littles are home with me for a few more years, but will take electives (probably music) in middle school and most likely enroll full time in high school like their big siblings did. Homeschooling is so varied. It doesn’t look like any one thing. But people THINK it does. Both of my big kids had that moment with their friends when they realized my kids had been homeschooled - and the reaction was “I had no idea. You’re so NORMAL!” I mean…yeah. Most homeschoolers are just normal people. We just believe our kids need something our local schools can’t necessarily offer at a particular stage. ❤

[@sarahthesarah2850]

I appreciate you doing what is best for your kids. Each family is different. There are some that benefit from public schools and some that do better with more individual programs. I agree that Florida is one of those places where public education needs an overhaul. I think the US education system needs an update.

[@karantha333]

This is a great interview. One of my favorite books that I recommend to everyone is called The Gift of Fear by Gavin DeBecker. It teaches how to recognize and use your intuition in daily life. It also explains the language that people use to get YOU to do what THEY want, like con men, salesmen, debt collectors, and other abusive bad people. One of my favorites is instead of thinking, "This Man Is Charming", think, "This man is Trying To Charm Me, Why?" Our intuition reacts to lots of things, but knowing the language and seeing through it really helps to understand why our intuition is screaming at us in a potentially bad situation. Knowledge is Power!

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Oooooh I love that!!! Thanks for sharing!

[@sackettfamily4685]

I loved that book too!

[@Trishmary37]

Great book!!

[@Godhelpus62]

I loved all the information she gave about intuition. I have had tons of experiences of just knowing something and not understanding how I know it. I tell my daughter that I have no idea how it works, when it will happen or how to control it - it just happens when it happens. I have never explored it more deeply or learned how to harness it. The most dramatic example was when a close friend was sick and had just come from the doctor and told to go home and rest. Every bone in my body was telling me he was incredibly ill. I asked him and his wife questions about what the doctor had said. While they were answering I heard a voice that told me “he is dying.” I paused and told my friend to take him to the hospital right away. I was so urgent about it, that she did. They were told he would have died within the hour had he gone home. It often happens around people suffering either physically or emotionally, often when it doesn’t seem apparent to others. It always freaks people out, but frankly sometimes myself as well! I do meditate a lot but other than that I don’t know how to develop it. Thank you for the validation about this experience in my life.

[@LadyLeda2]

You develop it by listening to it and following it. Just as you did with your friend. We all have it, but we all tend to ignore it. I had it really strong as a child. Not so much anymore.

[@MamaTrauma]

38:00 - the conversation about intuition is so important for recovering fundamentalism. I was thoroughly confused as to what was happening to me as well. I knew I couldn't seek answers from the church, or family. As a child I had been shamed and judged harshly until I silenced my intuition in an effort to be excepted as a part of the church. 💚

[@CS-zb7hx]

I grew up in pretty much the exact same thing and I've always had trouble being willing to call it a cult because it just seems so... common, and socially acceptable compared to most 'cults'. Watching this and seeing someone call a spade a spade so firmly was honestly very healing.

[@malorieann1150]

Yes! General Christianity fits the BITE mode of a cult, it's alarmingly common and accepted

[@vkestrel3519]

Great interview. I was horrified at the story of the 4yr old being left with the grandfather for a weekend so he could break her ‘will’…😢 How many children like this who are now adults, are doing the same thing? Awful

[@dahliacheung6020]

There’s actually a fundamentalist Christian parenting book that’s called “Breaking Their Will,” that is about essentially destroying your child’s spirit in order to turn them into a perfectly obedient little soldier and it includes recommending physical abuse to do so, of course not referring to it as such. It’s absolutely sick.

[@ellaquincy5037]

This is my favorite episode so far...I needed to hear this today. I have been ignoring my Intuition, on purpose, for months now.

[@ShellBAtoms]

Wishing you all the best as you move ahead - guided by your intuition! Trust yourself. This is going to be a pivotal year for you! You can make great things happen! Go ahead, and claim your happiness! You're beautiful! ❤

[@ane-louisestampe7939]

Your laughs! 🥰 Do you realize how fortunate you are, having been able to maintain you sense of humour in all that terror? It's one of the best "survivor's tools". Laughter sets the soul free, and brings currage with it.

[@w.k.astrolabe280]

I don't know how I feel about this "Intuitive" thing. 1.) there is the implication that bad things happen to people because they didn't follow their intuition. Don't love that. 2.) there is the implication that unconscious bias doesn't exist. You probably shouldn't always follow your gut, if your gut it racist/homophobic/etc.

[@kajielin4354]

Yes! I've read an article about a senior firefighter that just "felt wrong", called his crew back und seconds later the house exploded. His intuition had told him something was wrong even though he couldn't rationally explain this. Some people would like to see this as an "his higher self protected him", but I've seen it explained that our intuition is just made up of all our past experiences. Our brain is amazing with pattern recognition and takes in much more information than we are consciously aware of. So even though he couldn't have articulated it then and there, his brain had made the connection that the signs for a dangerous event were there. But because our intuition is made up of all that we know, it also includes all of our flawed beliefs, and we have to do rational check ins aswell.

[@migoreng7789]

100% agree. it hurts people with ocd

[@violetsnotroses3640]

Agreed. I'm a white woman with an anxiety disorder. My "intuition" is hell bent on getting me to never leave the house or try anything new, and it's also kinda racist, so I need to keep that shit in check 😝

[@kayladyeann3306]

I feel like her intuition is just a mix of coincidence and her finding that morality doesn’t have to be external. Like you can have morality without it being taught from a church

[@ashleymeaster]

This video was just a short snippet of my thoughts on intuition. If you do a deeper dive into my work, you'd find that I make a clear distinction between intuition and ego/fear. Your intuition is not racist or homophobic, but your fear/ego can be. Knowing the difference is important. Also, sometimes bad things do happen when we don't follow our intuition but sometimes things are not in our control. As a trained abuse survivor advocate I do not believe in victim blaming. Abuse is always the fault of the abuser and just because we sense in your gut something is unsafe doesn't mean we can always escape from it.

[@ashleymeaster]

Thank you for hosting this conversation! You really ask great questions, and I feel like we have so much in common. I hope that when people watch or listen that they feel empowered to leave toxic or cult-like environments.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Thank YOU Ashley! You are amazing and have come SO far in your healing journey to be able to help others find their voice and intuition! Thanks for joining me!

[@be.kind.to.animals]

Thanks for sharing! 😊

[@spiderqueen601]

I love every time Shelise expresses horror - it’s so validating and healing after years of people acting like such acts are normal.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

❤️

[@OrthodoxChristianBeliever]

Ashley is definitely not lying about the drums part. I used to be Independent Fundamental Baptist, before my days in the charismatic movement. We had a Worship Minister named Dale who would say, if there was a Worship Song, and it had a drum in it, "oh, we can't use that in Worship." then he'd go behind everybody's backs and listen to country music.

[@brammetjedejong8619]

My intuition as a young 4-5 year old girl in church was that the whole religion thing was made up by people. As children in the church we had group sessions where as kids you could play and do crafts and have a bible story read to them. I was ok with the crafts and the stories I just thought of it as fairy tales. I got older and by the time I was around 8 I was too old for the craft group and they wanted me to start in the bible study group. I hold it off for a couple of weeks but they kept pressing my parents. Then one Sunday morning my mother told me I had to go to the other group. I told my mother how religion is all made up to keep people dumb and away from science etc etc. And that I will keep telling that In bible study and that I will not participate. I do not know how as a 8 year old I got the strength and independence but we never went to church again. My mother did a last attempt to get me in a semi religious high school but upon explaining that I will never do the work in class and will tell them that it is all fiction I went to a high school of my choice. Later in my thirties I found out that my father who is an engineer does not come from religion either. He played along with my mother. End of story I never had a feeling that there must be higher power. People should think for themselves and you do not need to have a religious background to be a good person to look after your neighbor or friend. Also I dislike the very idea I often see with religious groups that if you are not part of them you cannot be friends with them or they will only help their own members. Or they will not keep in touch with their children if they leave the church. Jehova’s witness are good at those practices. Luckily my mother is not that way and being the only child that would leave her without any help in the future of course.

[@ellim1585]

Uh, you sound like me… My parents were the holiday religion types, but my grandparents, particularly my maternal grandmother, were quite religious. I remember never really getting prayer, and thinking the stories were kinda strange and couldn’t be real. I remember doing a bible camp when I was younger and going to non holiday church with my grandparents a couple times, but after being sent to Sunday school once I wouldn’t go again, and when sitting in the adult part of the sermon asked so many questions (the sermon was about Jonah and the whale and I was CONFUSED) my grandparents never brought me again, lol. I was 9. They never said a word, though, even when I stopped closing my eyes or saying amen during grace at extended family dinners, again, no one said anything. It felt respectful and so I didn’t ever feel the need to push back or refuse to participate in grace at all out of respect. Anyway, sometimes kids just figure shit out, somehow. 😂

[@keisakura9014]

I want to say thank you for explaining that homeschooling can be done in non-religious ways and done well. I homeschooled my son from 5th-12th grade because the local district isn’t great & was not meeting his needs. We also had to follow “we homeschool” with “but not like that” when people would look at us like we were the Fundie Homeschoolers.

[@Daxover9000]

As a woman who grew up in what seems to be a similar situation as Ashley, I find it very interesting that she says she was conscious of things not being right from a very young age. I had no idea till I was a teenager that I was being abused because my parents broke me from a young age. I think that has helped me realize that if I could believe what I had (patriarchy and biblical values) then I needed to be more skeptical of everything in my life. While I don't think the information Ashley is promoting is safe, I am so glad to hear from other women who have escaped abusive homes.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Hi Elizabeth! I'm sorry to hear about your upbringing. Thank you for sharing. I think listening to one's intuition can be a small part of a bigger puzzle in making decisions, rather than the sole reliant.

[@ShellBAtoms]

Wishing you great things in the year ahead! You deserve to be safe, and deserve great things!

[@loritaylor6408]

I attended a non-denominational, Fundamentalist church from the ages 12-17, until the lightbulb finally went on, and I realized I was involved in a cult! Thankfully, I listened to my intuition and left. I haven't been able to be part of a church community since, and I am now 60. It's like PTSD. I still believe in God--Source--and I would consider myself spiritual, rather than religious. I do pray, and I have learned to follow that inner voice, which I feel is my Higher Self--my connection with Source. Thank you for interviewing Ashley. I can relate to a lot of what she is sharing. She is such an eloquent speaker! I just discovered your channel, Shelice, and I am really enjoying you and your guests. Thank you so much ❤.

[@NancyCronk]

Ashley asked how the different religions can simultaneously all follow the Quiverfull movement (whether they call it that or not) despite the fact these groups isolate themselves. The answer is easy -- it's extreme patriarchy, first rooted in the Bible, and continuing on til this day. Not a recent movement -- just archaic, barbaric, damaging, extreme patriarchy.

[@d6mafia13]

Exactly. Its all in the bible or torah as the jews call it and all the abrahamic religions use it as a holy text so of course all three of the religions would have similar movements.

[@rebornfurnituredesigns2492]

I love that you referenced Liberty University and the Fallwells because it was Liberty University (I did online courses) that made me realize many aspects of my religion were very cult like and it opened my eyes so much. That was a huge turning point in my life

[@aceshigh5157]

the conversation on intuition was exactly what i needed to hear. i found your channel a few days ago and am binging your videos. terrific content!

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Thank you for your support! I’m so happy you’re enjoying it!❤️ welcome to C2C

[@ShellBAtoms]

The fact that the conversation on intuition resonated with you is such a great sign! I'm sure you've been practicing, as you should! Keep it up! No doubt, great things are ahead for you this year!

[@R0291-l1l]

I really like guests like Ashley because it seems like for the most part in the deconversion, deconstruction, etc. spaces, the only acceptable direction to go after leaving your high demand/high control religion is into atheism. And that's a valid direction to go in , don't get me wrong, but some of us are spiritual people, we have that innate urge and way of seeing things that is inherent to us and not implanted by anyone else (which can be exploited by cults, esp. when we're young.) So it's good to hear from people who have rejected the cult beliefs they were indoctrinated into, but have found a more fulfilling and open-minded spiritual path instead of feeling like they have to completely shut off that side of themselves.

[@LadyLeda2]

I too am one of those spiritual people. It's so freeing!!!

[@EncoreMama]

I knew a Catholic woman who told me she was practicing the quiverfull movement. She also was telling me about this great book called To Train Up a Child. Those were her words calling it. Great, not mine. I was pretty horrified when I heard what it contained. She was very much into the traditional housewife role. But she did outgrow that and now she’s a banker.

[@AZensibleOption]

Secular (humanist) homeschool mom here!!!! My kids are now adults and are thriving @ 23yo & 21yo. We homeschooled bc of a move we made when Kid#1 was in 2nd grade & Kid#2 was in kindergarten in the middle of the year. Starting the next school year, in 2008, we began homeschooling bc our new school district was unable to give our kids the accommodations they needed that their prior school had already established them in.

[@ShellBAtoms]

Way to be a great Mom. All the best!

[@chloegerrits9913]

I love Ashley’s explanation on intuition! It was so helpful for me and now I know what is actually intuition and what might be just my ego and anxiety trying to get the best of me. Great video!

[@CultstoConsciousness]

❤️❤️❤️

[@lindseystein9676]

I’m glad you two are able to have a sense of humor about some of the awful things you’ve experienced. I think that’s important for healing. Also, from what I understand, more fundamentalist/Hasidic sects of Judaism have a sort of “quiverful” mindset not to influence society via children, but to make up for how many people were lost in the holocaust.

[@amberinthemist7912]

I was raised with the stay at home daughter ideas within the mormon church. The expectation was that maybe I go to college to find an rm to marry....maybe. However if I could grab one right out of high school that'd be even better. Thank god I got the hell out of there at 14.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Oh wow! I didn't know mormonism had the stay at home daughter movement too. Wild! Glad you got out!

[@ShellBAtoms]

CONGRATULATIONS! You were wise beyond your years, and you LISTENED to your heart! Such impressive strength and courage! Wishing you a fabulous year ahead!

[@kiterafrey]

My intuition typically is the "tell me a time your gut feeling saved your life" type. I get this feeling deep inside of me that says, "do" "don't" "run." It has yet to be wrong. When I was in the church they called in a prophetic spirit, but I think it's just me being really in touch with my animal instincts. So far it has saved me from 1. a fire that started by robbers who then got arrested for multiple unalives and fires 2. an attack along the green river killer's road path at rest station where there were only 3 cars that night and one of the other cars was the victims but I cried until my aunt was willing to leave instead of sleep there 3. A mass shooting in PDX 4. Going on a blind date that the person ended up assaulting the other one of my friends who went out with him instead.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

oh wow! great job at listening to your gut!

[@Kaltag2278]

My partner was the grandchild of the leader of an apostolic cult. The stories I've heard are unimaginable and tragic.

[@pinkpig8091]

Loving this so far, I’m about 40 minutes in and the intuition part is giving me red flags…consciousness scientists don’t even agree if there is a “subconscious” or not, so I don’t know how I feel about all of that.

[@nyxithenax]

I'm definitely feeling that too, I appreciate the idea of intuition, but it feels like marking coincidences as a fated thing.

[@nyxithenax]

@Kitschy Heart if you're gonna be in a cult tho, I'd choose tarot and "intuition" over evangelical Christianity any day

[@miglek9613]

Confirmation bias is really coming through here. I bet she's forgotten a bunch of times when she followed her intuition and nothing happened or when she heard some bit of information and payed no mind to it but later remembered it in the form of "intuition*

[@topher2113]

@@miglek9613 I had the same thought. Seems like she was looking for things to confirm her feelings since she was never able express them. She wants the validation of thought she was not able to have growing up

[@Lara-mx4cd]

I would feel a lot less weird about it, if she was just telling people how it helped her. But she is telling people it like it's "THE SOLUTION" instead of something that worked for her and as if everyone should use it

[@unicorntamer2207]

I needed this. I'm an ex-mo and I now understand how Mormonism is a cult. I have memories of "feeling the spirit" and I full heartedly believed it. Now I'm wondering how can I trust my own feelings. It's not that I miss trust God, it's that I miss trust me. Ashley's insight was helpful. Thank you both.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

I very much understand this feeling. What I realized is that I WAS having spiritual experiences and elevated emotions that were giving me whatever lesson I needed at the time, but they were not a "testimony" of the church itself. The church was simply a container for these experiences to manifest themselves. The same way a mother creates a safe and quiet place for baby to sleep. The mother isn't magic, she just made it possible for baby to feel safe and relax enough to slip into dreamland. You are fully capable of having spiritual experiences. Now that you know YOU are the magic and in-tune one, you can interpret your experiences differently from now on :)

[@davidjanbaz7728]

@@CultstoConsciousness leaving Mormonism or the IFB and moving into New Age thinking and practices is still being in Spiritual blindness. Even if you feel free of organized religion.

[@laurieanne.]

Trust & have faith in our Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, & the Holy Ghost is who helps us! Pray to our Father & ask him for knowledge & the power of discernment. Where your Armor of God & get rid of Shame, guilt & fear! We are his children & he loves us tremendously! Stay away from the occult, New Age ideologies, & other religions. Read the New Testament, in the King James Bible, it says not to get into the occult. We are the Church of Jesus Christ & the Temple of our Father in Heaven. May our Father bless us all & wake up those, that are still asleep. Lots of love to you and everyone.

[@unicorntamer2207]

@laurieheer8782 I'm sure the church Joseph Smith started was considered "New Age" by outsiders. I'm sure early Christians were considered "New Age," too. Your truth is your truth, even if I don't agree with it. My truth is mine, even if you don't agree with it. If Mormonism works for you, great. But it doesn't work for everyone. And that doesn't work for me.

[@sportluver98]

I feel like they set you up to “feel the spirit” by getting hyped with music , stressed out & guilty with a lesson or testimony

[@professorg7387]

This is fascinating! We are a cult survivor as well, with autism and D.I.D. You have helped us put words to so many things which previously had NO LABLE! Such as the “quiverfull movement” which our bio family is still a part of to this day. 💐🌻💛✨

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Hi Ethan! That’s great to hear. Thanks for sharing. ❤️

[@ShellBAtoms]

I salute your strength and courage! You've already accomplished amazing things! Wishing you all the best in the year ahead!

[@EaglesFanMeg83]

Commenting at only 15 minutes in; living in Central PA, this is SO VERY strict Mennonite! Like you said with Baptist, there are so many different types - and one end of the spectrum is so welcoming, loving, focused on your personal relationship with Jesus… and the other end is STRAIGHT. UP. CULT. 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@achyleftistwitch]

Ooh I vibe with her so hard! Loved this and all of the talk about intuition and tools that can be used to perceive your intuition more fully 💜💜💜

[@beachgirl6305]

Wow, I didn't think about arranged marriages happening here, in the US. All of this! It's sad, but I'm glad you're talking about this! Ashley is so strong! Great interview!

[@powderandpaint14]

Yes, they happen in fundamentalist Mormonism too (groups like the FLDS) and the Hassidic and Orthodox Jewish communities.

[@katherineburford7864]

A 'Scientific American" article by Laura Kutsch on August 15, 2019 called Can We Rely on Our Intuition? indicated that many cognitive scientists argue that intuitive and analytic thinking should not be viewed as opposites. I say use many aspects of your brain to arrive at good decisions. There's a place for reasoning out a problem and using critical thinking skills. Chris Shelton, a former scientologist, has the Critical Thinker site for developing logical reasoning.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

I agree that many facets of our being and intellect should be considered when making big decisions :)

[@JoysLighthouse]

I completely resonate with the things you talked about having been in groups who were adjacent to the quiverfull and purity culture type patriarchal groups. I also relate to the 'following your intuition' because while I was following mine I was being stomped down by those kinds of people in my life. When in HS I intuited that some of my teachers had life threatening health issues, it wasn't widely accepted but when I finally convinced them to get medical help it saved their lives. It sort of brands you the 'weird kid that none of the teachers wanted to hear from'. I caught a lot of heck for that but at least they lived to tell about it. Thanks for sharing on this channel!

[@jameskennedy721]

these presentations are doing alot of good for the public . your hard work preparing them is a valuable contribution to your community .

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Thank you, James!

[@Inspiringami]

Your channel has helped me realize that I went to a rehab over 10years ago that operated like a cult. Wow! I knew it was fucked but damn dude. I left after 4months. But they didn’t just allow me to call my family and make arrangements. I live in Maine and the rehab was in North Carolina. I had to sneak out with just the clothes on my back. Once they know u want to leave, you get put on lockdown basically. In ur room until u change ur mind. I could go on and on about this place. I’ve also been to a handful of other rehabs since that one, and NONE of them were anything like that one!

[@Callmethebreeze902]

Is the quiverfull movement you describe fall under Bill Gothard and the IBLP and if not would you consider doing a deep dive into that?

[@pinkpig8091]

I think it is related to bill gothard still need a deep dive plz

[@katelynbrown98]

It is the same thing. There's a few distinctions between the full Gothard movement, but Gothard started Quiverfull.

[@the_catsmeow]

I didn't grow up in a cult, but I was a participating member of my church. I feel like my beliefs now align pretty closely with Ashley's. I call it different things, but that's probably semantics. I understand still needing to connect with something. Spirituality is very important to a lot of people, but we can do it in so many different ways, which is beautiful! I know some people are suggesting that she's essentially jumped from one cult to another, but I also think that things like intuition, your higher self, spirit, tarot, etc come with a certain connotation...a little "woo-woo'" if you will. And I can't help but think that's part of it. Maybe it's just making connections where we want to see them, but on the flip side, for me anyways, this path is largely introspective. Nothing wrong with working towards being your best self. I think it's lovely she's found something that resonates with her, that SHE chose. I respect that.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Great observation. I agree with you

[@alphastormeex9468]

My mother was also born and raised in Lynchburg, VA and her parents were deep into the Falwell's teachings. Her and Jerry Falwell Jr were the same year in school and grew up together, my mom even attending Liberty University. She told us a lot about how certain music (most music) was forbidden, and as a musician, she was often made to feel like she was a bad influence and "wasting" her talents glorifying Satan by playing or listening to rock music. She's spent her whole adult life deconstructing and trying to combat religious trauma. Now she is a secular humanist with two queer children, and she is very supportive of us. I appreciate how much she's overcome and how she tried to protect us from the religious trauma she faced as a woman in a patriarchal conservative church. She didn't always succeed (she was still in the faith when we young), but she continued to try to do right by her kids and eventually got out completely. She now considers it a cult.

[@emilyrln]

How Ashley described intuition reminds me of the book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman. Our brains rely on all kinds of information and feelings when they make assessments, but it's up to us to make sure we responsibly use what the brain tells us. Sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's not so good (often based on mistaken beliefs or assumptions that we haven't interrogated).

[@melissapotts4736]

I agree. Kahneman’s book really made me think about how I heard and viewed life. How even when we hear something, we have an immediate response usually based on experience, biases, or just not fully processing. It’s not until we take the time to break things down, can we get a full picture.

[@mossyhawk1312]

I highly recommend researching the origin of the word g*psy before continuing to use it

[@lindsyfish6704]

Woah, I didn't connect me hating my body fiercely with me growing up in a high-demand, high control church until right now. And I've been out of that church for almost 20 years, and out of Christianity entirely for about 8 years. We were also a no-dancing, women's bodies are sinful and bad sorta church. Thank you.

[@stadot1427]

Woah, that is crazy! I have this morbid fascination with these cult stories, probably because my fellowship of churches has been accused of being a cult and I don't want to be the blind fool who spreads perverted teachings. But we literally sing a song entitled "Dance like David danced" and I found a lot of freedom to appreciate my body in choosing to follow my mother's example of not using makeup, while not forbidding it either. Once I became a teenager, I was free to choose and just didn't need or want it.

[@PamelaDavis-j7t]

Yes Ashley I left IFB more than 45 years ago. I found a book Churches that Abuse and it how I walked away. But so much of the mind control has followed me through life and it’s been a life long healing.

[@smalls9852]

My husband and I are 13 years apart but we are both adults and there is mutual respect and independence there. So happy she found someone who makes her happy and allows her to live what sounds like a healthy life. It's beautiful

[@blackwinged9898]

Shelise🥰 Thanks so much for introducing me to such preciousness, once again🌹 My heart aches with joy, knowing that young women like you are finally uniting in love and leadership. FREEDOM from whatever "cult thinking" that made them less human then men. FREEDOM to be! This will also help men too.✌️

[@nyrumurdaja1564]

loved the first part of this video, but to be honest, it just seems like she went from one cult to another. nothing of what she said is actually scientific. intuition is definitely real, but it’s not this all knowing “entity” that you can ask questions. it’s just your own brain. the way she’s talking is a red flag and just more cult behavior.

[@ashleymeaster]

I agree, your intuition is not an entity. Sometimes it can be easier to imagine that it is in order to connect to it but I've never said it was an entity.

[@baumeister5705]

Intuition is fight flight fawn or freeze like a gut feeling survival instincts, conform or fight.

[@annepoitrineau5650]

I do not disagree with you. I just thought that she was creating her won way to access things that the cult she had escaped had succeeded in suppressing. She is sort of diving inside herselt and shutting others out, and these are the tools that she uses.

[@baumeister5705]

@@annepoitrineau5650 right I see where you’re coming from but we can’t judge people on their path to feeling “normal” in a society they did not grow up in. If those are her current tools that she is using to reintegrate, to be healthier. If you read her blog she talks about using those tools as a way to keep your mind straight.

[@hermenegildakociubinska6665]

"Quantum energy of the universe" - give me a break! I'm all for using intuition and I actively try to rely on it more in my decision-making process, but this is just woo woo bollocks.

[@be.kind.to.animals]

Great interview. You are both sharing your experience and opinions and you should never feel or be asked to apologize for that (I have read a couple comments) 😉. While I may not agree with someone's beliefs I appreciate that they trust me to share that part of themselves with myself and others. It takes a lot of courage and confidence and I appreciate anyone who has the strength to be vulnerable. Great channel, now a subscriber 😊

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Thank you, Heather! Welcome to C2C!!❤️🥳

[@TempestinBlue]

So glad to have found this video. I clearly need to learn from this woman. It would be awesome to be able to tune in to my intuition and get messages from it other than “run. Flee. This is bad. Get out of here.” Granted, those messages are super helpful and I REALLY wish I’d learned to listen to them earlier but still.

[@mamajoe7715]

Thank you for the work you're doing. I grew up in an evangelical cult. Very conservative and patriarchal. As a never mo, this episode really spoke to me. Thank you again and keep up the good work!

[@thelicemazur]

your chanel is incredible! I have cried, I have laughed, I think even understood some things, I didn´t before. She´s totally right, this is what the world needs!

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Wow, thank you!

[@ambercraighead3904]

I live less than 2 hours from Lynchburg and Liberty University. I have PTSD that began in a Baptist school in Blacksburg, VA. Glad I found this video 😊

[@laneneal3510]

Thanks for this. My intuition has been telling me to do yoga, meditate and I need to retire. I needed to hear this! 🤗

[@crystalcharee57]

I was never in a cult but the BITE model works really well for all kinds of abusive relationships, so stories of people breaking away from cults really resonate with me. I've spent a lot of time practicing not believing in anything, so I tend to roll my eyes when people start talking about "vibrations" and other woo-woo stuff, but I really enjoyed Ashley. I don't believe in God anymore but there is something MORE to being a person than body mechanics and she was really good at breaking down some of those things. I had a similar experience in foster care when I woke up one night to go to the bathroom and then just took a moment to bask in the relief of being alone. I actually made it a habit of not using the bathroom before bed so that I would wake up every night. Those moments of freedom led to me running away and pretty soon being moved to a different foster home. The new home also wasn't free of predators but at this one, I had enough room to "swing my arms" and fight back. Anyway, great interview. I bought a deck of tarot cards for the artwork, decades ago, but I was a Christian back then and felt too guilty to enjoy them properly. Now that I'm a staunch agnostic, looking at them makes me angry because they represent charlatanry -- or they did. Not only will I be able to finally be glad that I have them, but now I want to make my own "intuition cards". I love conversations that can challenge the personal dogmas that I accidentally create and then enforce on myself. I feel like my worldview has expanded to allow some magic back into it, so thank you. :)

[@jjfloyd8103]

I am catching up on all your podcasts. This one made me cry. Catholicism teaches that your intuition is God or Jesus talking to you. I always thought that was crap. Being raised in a very (what I call) strict evil roman catholic home, every single podcast speaks to me. This one especially made me cry. Hit my heart. Thank you Ashley & Shalise.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

You’re welcome Jaime! And thank you for joining us on Patreon! ❤️❤️❤️

[@jjfloyd8103]

@@CultstoConsciousness I had too. I have heard so many people talk about their patreons. But non, I thought deserved my money. I will increase as I can. You deserve it and so much more.

[@rachelcarey486]

Can I just say, I LOVE that you make costumes! Love to see some more of your creations :)

[@srav1842]

The best of these podcasts so far. Thank you.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Happy you enjoyed it!!

[@kims.1717]

Thank you for acknowledging that homeschooling can be done well. My homeschooled daughter will graduate in 2024!

[@StorytellingHeadshots]

8:00 The joke goes like this: “Why is premarital sex not allowed in the Baptist church?” Answer: “Because sex leads to dancing…”.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Oh my gosh! Haha

[@msmaryrehbein]

Thank you Ashley for sharing your story. This really shook me. I am following you now and have subscribed to your texts and podcast.

[@Qsalis]

"Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire" lol

[@kiterafrey]

Wait, Wait, Wait - I thought only my gut feeling was intuition. But my ability to just know where everything is when someone asks falls into that. I just passively remember something once I see it, but I don't even remember that I remember it until I get up and walk to whatever I was asked to find and pull it out.

[@johncaccioppo1142]

Intuition is something people assume they understand, refer openly to with confidence, but rarely fully comprehend. There is a wide range of phenomena that fall under that description, which are often conflated with each other. The sub- or unconscious mind is vastly larger than the conscious mind, because it holds the potentials of all of our memories and perceptions. But memory is more of a projection and less of a database than we tend to imagine it. It's really important to study because of problems it helps us identify and study like the problem that most people are ultimately incapable of acting on their core values, due to a multitiered layering of justifications, deceptions, motivations and addictions that they don't even know are going on. It's therefore crucial to learn how to submit to criticism, detachment and humor to get to more honest ways of perceiving oneself, in order to build productively on one's character. That includes, of course, the importance of being skeptical about one's intuition.

[@Qsalis]

You could probably have an "intuitive reading" out of Dixit cards, the images are so pretty

[@reannfrantz9102]

Please cover the Hutterite lifestyle and those who leave and why. Thanks!

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Hi ReAnn! Thanks so much for that suggestion. I will definitely look into that!

[@reannfrantz9102]

@@CultstoConsciousness Hi! Awesomeness, Thank You!!! I know quite a few who have left their colonies.

[@kimberlyhudson238]

This is amazing information!!!! You have put to words my "just knowing" stuff! This is the first time I actually heard some talk about this. My cult didnt allow musical instruments in the church at all....nor meals....on and on

[@danielleolson2521]

talk about manifestation, asking my intuition to show up whatever you want to call it :D, i was kind of down a rabbit hole listening to your podcast while cleaning the house and this was ABSOLUTELY what i needed to hear! Thank you and thank you Ashley!

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Love that!

[@dahliacheung6020]

In a way it’s kind of terrifying to me, the thought of having so utterly shut down and separated yourself from your intuition just to survive that experiencing it felt like a whole separate presence. Of course I don’t know for sure because I’m not Ashley but I think part of the reason she had to so utterly silence this whole living part of herself is because she says she recognized that something was wrong with how she was being brought up at a very young age. Most of us however are usually in our teens or older before we realize that after living in high control religious environments. But the combination of her realizing things weren’t right and having her spirit broken by her grandfather, and know thing that she had to conform to survive in this group- I think all of those things made it absolutely necessary for the intuition to be shut down completely. Then after years of that, experiencing PTSD, just the stress of it all unleashed that part of her and she was surprised at its power. Intuition truly is powerful but for those who recognize and tune it, we can forget just how intense it is to those who have been pushing it down or ignoring it.

[@katim2644]

Once the mother has popped out 20+ children, she is physically, mentally and emotionally depleted so there is a need for a single, stay-at-home daughter to carry on the level of servitude that the father has enjoyed being provided to him by his wife as well as take over the wife's duties domestically whether it is the home or remaining children. It's a win/win, deal with the women without an "umbrella of authority" as well as pick up the slack once the original wife and mother has been used up. First time I have heard of this but it isn't surprising in any way. I figured Jana was just gay or something else unacceptable, like having a feminist mind-set. The planned, stay-at-home daughter makes perfect sense now.

[@Hagar-yn8jm]

David DANCED FOR THE LORD.... I hate what man has done to God's word. I absolutely HATE IT. Now everyone is secular and lacks boundaries because it's the opposite extreme to their spiritual abuse.

[@LadyLeda2]

Jesus also drank wine. And turned water into wine for a wedding. Had a good talking to with one of those US christian fanatics here on U-tube.

[@adrianpintea9675]

Too many fantastical assumptions. Intuitions exist but she jumps to attributing it to too many vague and mystical sources. Also, where is the proof that it comes from love and towards expansion? The conservative intuition is to keep closed ranks and tradition.

[@tasha6151]

I agree. She seems like a really good person with a very difficult upbringing and I'm so happy for her that she escaped that oppressive world she was born into and is now happy. Her idea of intuition, tho, is just another way of believing in an 'other' source of power and knowledge. God with a different name. Of course it's true that following one's intuition sometimes is very valuable, as that feeling can be expressing what you know to be true or good, deep in your mind. But it is equally true that first impulse is not always the best path. And giving intuition more power than it deserves is a mistake. (I also really enjoy the podcast and the conversation and wish both of you continued happiness.)

[@Constantin9va]

This is a perfect example of the horseshoe theory.

[@kajielin4354]

Also the trend to just put "quantum" next to anything you want and then calling it "scientific" is kind of dangerous, because it borrows the feeling of validity from science without being able to deliver, making people trust actual science less aswell.

[@lj9524]

Thank you fir this interview❤️

[@djdingwall1]

As usual, I’ll be like a broken record it was wonderful. I too had a son that was on the more challenging side as I was raising my boys in the church, and it separated us. It was wonderful to hear your guest share her experiences.

[@beatricetabell2647]

Just found your channel and now I’m just watching all episodes 😍 This specific episode is really reminding me of the cult both my parents grew up in, Laestadianism (also known as Laestadian Lutheranism and Apostolic Lutheranism). This is specifically large in north of Sweden where they are from. Just to put it in perspective, dad has 11 siblings and we are 94 grandchildren on that side. They weren’t allowed to listen to music, play cards, have curtains, drink alcohol, use contraceptives etc. because everything is the devil trying to lure you. Everything you do is a sin and you are just a small sinner. Besides that, one of my childhood friends is a Jehovah’s Witness and I’ve seen so much growing up with her and I don’t know why she’s not leaving after suffering everything through that 😳 If possible, I would really like to see you talk with former cult members in different countries. 😊

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Hi Beatrice! Oh wow! I’d be super interested in interviewing your dad! Think he’d be down? 😁 I would also love to interview people from other countries. I’ve only gotten England so far. A lot of it has to do with who reaches out and who I’m able to find who is willing to chat. It’s a weird thing to google 😂

[@nataliella97]

this sent me down a rabbithole of schisms in laestadianism, a religion I'd never even heard of until reading your comment. people make a lot of drama when they can't drink, listen to music or have curtains!

[@sweingold5686]

The princess butterfly pictures were magical. Enjoyed her journey and seeing how much she is helping others.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Thank you so much! Yes, Ashley is the real deal and works SO hard to help survivors of abuse.

[@shirleywiebe2530]

I just found this and it's amazing. Intuition and energy works for me. I am now going to research Intuition. I use oracle cards.

[@kevindorland738]

Your inner voice will never lie to you.

[@BeccaH74]

I get Ashley’s texts and they are so encouraging!

[@AmaliaSings]

This was really interesting! I just wanted to note that "chassidic" is a very VERY diverse set of grounds which have different viewpoints and ideas. For example some allow BC, some don't

[@derickrae]

Thank you for acknowledging that homeschooling can be done well. I homeschooled 4-12th grade. It was for religious reasons. But my mom was "unfortunately" educated. She was a certified teacher. And my education was stellar. She would never buy in to not educating women. My parents marriage was in the process of dying. My mom thus believed I needed to go to college because there was no guarantee my future husband would take care of me and be a good patriarch. She also spent a lot of time making sure my brother and I were socially educated. I left for college and did perfectly fine at finding friends. The other one or two homeschool kids who I found at college also did ok. Academically, I have had 3 Bs, the rest of college i had all As. We were also very religious, I still am. I have friends, though, who were severely handicapped educationally. I still approve of homeschooling done well. That being said I know what is required to be done well. I am not educated as a teacher. We ended up homeschooling 2 of ours due to learning disabilities but we did it with supervision from the school district on purpose.

[@anitaboneshow]

Great discussion on the magic of intuition! When it tells you to go somewhere, go there! I've had so many amazing experiences doing this. When it tells you not to go somewhere, just don't. Tuning into synchronicity is likely related and is also tons of fun. As for genetic memory, I experienced it--and confirmed it--before I knew that it exists in the larger world and that it's being studied--it's mind-blowing.

[@Flash-pp3cr]

Would you please mind sharing me your experience? In a nutshell?

[@anitaboneshow]

@@Flash-pp3cr One morning, "something" told me to go to a town in my area that I don't visit often, buy an outfit, and go downtown. There was an amazing art and light festival going on there that day and night. I'm so glad that "little voice" told me to go there. I had so much fun!

[@Flash-pp3cr]

@@anitaboneshow that's awesome. Did you say you had a genetic memory? What did you mean by that if you don't mind me asking? I've experienced some pretty cool stuff, too, but that sounds new to me.

[@anitaboneshow]

@@Flash-pp3cr For most of my life, several times a year, I had recurring dreams of large, old hotels, even though I had never stayed in such a hotel. I visited my uncle in Ontario, Canada who had moved there from England. He was unaware that we had ancestors from four and five generations back who had settled fifty (and fewer) miles away from his house. The first time I ever visited Canada, I had him take me to the main town in that area. On the main drag downtown were old buildings on one side, and a modern shopping mall on the right. I had him stop by the mall and I paced back and forth in front of it. I felt my ancestors there very strongly. However, my uncle thought I was crazy. When I got home, further research revealed that that mall was on the site of a large, old hotel that had burned down in 1928. The old town directories online and newspaper archives said that my great-great-grandparents were working in that hotel (as a cook and a bartender) in 1885 when they married. After discovering all this, my recurring dreams of large, old hotels ceased forever.

[@katiehanson6253]

Growth is growing.... like don't depend always on intuition.... have some backing yall are awesome.

[@whitneysawyer483]

She gave great advice throughout this video :) Very therapeutic...

[@EagleRue]

Thank you so much for heling people understand that intuition is NOT fear based and no ego etc.

[@tamidurcan6804]

The ability to critically think for oneself is to me the best judgement as to determining whether one is in a cult or not. Intuition can lead one astray. Look at all sides, and think critically. 😀😀

[@heartgirl40]

I grew up in the Church of the Nazarene and was really surprised to hear that we had behavioral similarities to the IFB! no dancing, no drums, no movie theaters, no playing cards

[@Ecclectic_citcelccE]

I was helping my mom go thru Grandpa's house after he passed. We opened the medicine cabinet and we're talking about how surprised the docs were that he was on no medication. I thought to dust off the top and eighty dollars floated down. Mom turned around and gave it to me. I donated $80 in memory his memory (and Grandma's) and a week or two later $80 came back to me. I smiled and thanked them and donated again a few times with the same results.

[@kayuliosborne4110]

This is an old video an no one is gonna see this but I think its important to make the distinction that orthadox Jewish people have a lot of kids so that Judaism survives and maybe their numbers get back up to where they were before the holocaust NOT so that they will be the majority/in charge unlike most other forms of quiverfull ideology.

[@lanskandal1181]

It's also because some of them take "be fruitful and multiply" very literally

[@LGW27]

I think she would enjoy reading James Redfield's, "Celestine Prophecy." It's part of a series.

[@ashlieleavelle]

I was raised IFB. I have NEVER heard a crying baby was demon posessed. 😢 Her family was so extreme.

[@helenr4300]

I find the 'Christian University' concept very strange. Though here in the UK the oldest universities were originally only open to those who were part of the state church, but that could be token abiesence and talking centuries ago. So we had religious based university history. We have church based colleges, but their courses are church specific, ie like seminaries, but even then my ministry training MA was accredited by a secular university. There are a few unaccredited Bible college courses, that are again just Biblical or church courses. We don't have Christian colleges offering a regular range of courses.

[@CultstoConsciousness]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@More13Feen]

FIY: Teal Swan, the secret, Abraham Hicks, Infinit Waters, the chubby guy who giggels all the time (forgot his name) are all pretty culty and work with manifestation and intuition and its not sience based at all. Intuition is real, but there is slipry sloap in to esotheric gasslighting and spiritual bypassing!

[@jisezer]

It honestly sounds like Ashley went from one cult to a cult of thought after

[@kayladyeann3306]

Ya I also thought it was extreme… got me thinking about ant-man lol. While I don’t love it I think it’s also important to note that it’s much more internal than basically all other cults. she’s overcomplicating it but it’s just going with your gut and figuring out you have an internal sense of morality

[@onjulraz754]

It definitely sounds like that to me

[@ashleymeaster]

Trusting your intuition does not fall under the definition of a cult as laid out in the BITE Model.

[@squidproductions2923]

While quantum physics are extremely difficult to understand and are more of a futuristic science right now, they are still backed in science. Ashley is not wrong in her conclusion that everything is connected on a subatomic level, her wording is just off. I hate to say it but just because you don’t understand someone’s ideas doesn’t make it a cult. I don’t understand molecular chemistry but I’m not out here saying that it’s a cult

[@JeantheSecond]

Believing in something weird doesn’t mean you’re in a cult. It’s not any weirder than some of my sister’s off-beat beliefs and my sister is overall a really grounded person, aside from a few kooky ideas. You can be a healthy, adjusted person and still engage in a bit of erroneous magical thinking.

[@margaretacarter4029]

The recurring theme with these dear, free people who have left fundamentalist Christian cults is that they have often lost their connection to God entirely. As a practicing Christian it makes me realise how important it is how we represent God/Jesus to others. A lot of what is represented as intuition is how I experience God. Blessings on your journeys. ❤

[@smolexfundie6458]

I have not. But i have accepted that my relationship with God is a personal choice that I will not push on others.