{🎧 Cult Chronicles} Deconstructing My Cult Identity
The psychoenergetics of "Sattva"
Hey there!
After much anticipation, I’ve decided to go public with my experience in the Osho cult, starting with deconstructing the many layers of undue social influence characteristic of cults.
As part of my ongoing effort to raise cult awareness and education, my intention is to help people become more knowledgeable about cults, their indoctrination tactics, and the red flags to watch out for.
By sharing my experience, I hope to empower other cult survivors AND provide my fellow spiritual seekers with insights on how to stay cult-free on their spiritual journey.
Do you have a cult story that you’re open to sharing? I’m currently looking for survivors of cults and/or other high control groups to participate in my new IG live series called the Cult Chronicles. These episodes will take place on my Instagram Live channel where we discuss and deconstruct your experience in the cult. If you’re interested in participating in this project, please fill out this questionnaire and I’ll be in touch. 👩🏻💻
Deconstructing My Cult Identity: The Psychoenergetics of 'Sattva’
Cult identities often involve reconstructing one's own identity in the image of the leader. Having a spiritual cult identity is an ego trap that can create a false sense of belonging and purpose, which may lead individuals to reject their ‘old’ identity and replace it with a new one.
My experience as a former Osho sannyasin taught me a really important lesson on how identity can be used as a mechanism of mind control if we’re not careful.
In this audio episode, I deconstruct the psychoenergetic mechanisms of identity, how cults use identity to reinforce an ‘us v.s. them’ aspect of groupthink, and my biggest takeaway from having a cult identity—Sattva— for 4 years.
Seekers, you may want to listen to this if you relate to a part of your psyche that you call a ‘higher self.’ Often times, the ‘higher self’ can become a spiritual persona that the ego inadvertently filters our experiences through. From there, it’s a slippery slope to a cult identity.
Enjoy, and thanks for tuning in!
If there’s any topic you’d like for me to explore about cults (or my experience specifically) just drop me a note.
You can look forward to more of these short n sweet audio notes as I continue to unravel more and more aspects of my story.
Hi friend, I offer my newsletters freely and your support really matters. Most writers on Substack charge a $5 monthly membership but I’m determined to keep my writings paywall-free for as long as possible. Will you help me keep my work accessible to all by contributing with a small donation today? These funds will help me continue making quality content for you to consume, learn from, and enjoy. TY! 💜🙂
I love these insights! Thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this.
I agree with you, so much of the spiritual world seems to be replacing one identity for another in that attempt to 'get rid of' something that, so long as we're alive, we aren't ever going to get rid of.
We all have bodies, faces, personalities - characteristics of 'self' that we can't transcend. And it seems the harder we TRY to escape ourselves, the more ensnared we are apt to become - we become just as identified with not identifying as we were identified with our identities ;)
It seems that in order to truly find peace in this life, we can't exist in the poles or the extremes. We can't exist totally attached to our identities nor can we exist trying to escape them. We must exist in the middle - holding them lightly and allowing them to hold us lightly too. Not trying to get too granular about what we are, while also acknowledging that we have specificity and that's ok.
We will never fully know ourselves, and our core self is unchanging - the paradox exists at all times.
So can we make room for that, without over-analyzing ourselves into a state of blindness?
Hey Margarit! Been a long time. I finally took the time to listen to your 'Deconstructing My Cult Identity,' post. Absolutely loved it. Thank you for continuing to evolve, grow and share your wisdom. I see you.