IndoctriNation

Latest Episodes:

The Chaos & Contradiction of 3HO w/ Satpavan Kaur Khalsa pt. 1 May 04, 2022

Show notes

Sat Pavan Kaur was born into the 3HO community and Sikh Religion. She spent her childhood moving around to various 3HO communities. At the age of 8, she was sent to India with 120 other children to go to boarding school leaving her family back in the US. At 16, she would be taken out of school and join Yogi Bajan's personal staff. In the last couple of years, she has left the Cult but stayed within the greater Sikh community. She is one of the many women that was abused by Yogi Bhajan. She has had to unravel her life, the good, the bad, and the horror that she experienced growing up in the 3HO community; the abuse she was subjected to, the toll it took on her and her husband, and the clear choices she made to raise her children differently from how she was raised. Sat Pavan now lives with her two children and husband of 27 years, raising her family and working hard to be a good person and do good in the world around her. She has been teaching and performing dance for the last 30 years to people of all ages and backgrounds, and is passionate about teaching and inspiring creativity, confidence, and individuality in her students, especially the younger generation which has been a hugely positive outlet for her. Satpavan is also a musician who plays Kirtan and has played Sikh religious music since she was a young girl and continues to do so. Her music, along with dance has kept her going by providing a sense of healing throughout her life. In this intimate conversation, Sat Pavan shares a full portrait of her life being born into the 3HO cult, from how her parents were pulled in to her childhood development as she was whisked away from one unsafe situation to another. Sat expertly points out the key moments of indoctrination, suffering, and, red flags she experienced throughout her decades involved with 3HO and it's monstrous guru. Throughout her story, Rachel offers insights from a psychological perspective to help explain the cult dynamics at play in her experiences and together they look forward to the healing that is to come in the future. Before You Go: Rachel explains why people who have survived intense trauma compartmentalize their emotions and often seem to downplay their suffering outwardly. She warns of the "realization trauma" that can occur as survivors uncover their own reality for the first time. For more information on Sikhism, Sat Pavan recommends these healthy organizations run by good people whose voices represent the Sikh community: Khalsa Aid, Sikh Coalition, Sikh Legal Defense Fund, Valerie Kaur, Art by Ruby, Ramblings of a Sikh, Khalra Mission You can see the documentary The Dark Empire of Yogi Bhajan | True Believers here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfr5jKauwtE Hear our episode with Jules Hartley on her 3HO experience here: https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/jules-hartley?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Hear our episodes with Phillip Deslipe and Stacie Stukin on the Olive Branch Report here: Part 1: https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/stacy-phillip-pt-1 Part 2: https://soundcloud.com/indoctrinationshow/stacy-phillip-pt-2-revised Read Stacie's groundbreaking article on YB's abuses here: https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/yogi-bhajan/ Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Amelia Brunner, Jon Butler, Ashley Moose and 4MileCircus !!! To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!
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BONUS EPISODE PREVIEW: Potential Trouble Source w/ Kernan Coleman Apr 29, 2022

Show notes

Kernan Coleman is a critical thinking activist and advocate for scientific skepticism from Santa Rosa, CA where he works as a branding and design professional. He was the designer of the famous Scientology billboard campaign of Phil and Willie Jones. Kernan has been involved in the anti-Scientology movement for decades, often working in collaboration with other "bunkerites" who are involved with Tony Ortega's Underground Bunker. In this bonus episode, Kernan returns to provide a brief history of the anti-Scientology movement as well as his own parallel journey in which he unpacks the underlying reasons for his passion for exposing Scientology. This is just a preview of our Patreon Exclusive bonus episode. You can hear the episode in it's entirety by becoming a member at: www.patreon.com/indoctrination
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From Buddhist Practice to Malpractice w/Dan Lawton Apr 27, 2022

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Dan Lawton is a mindfulness instructor and writer, with a specific interest in the adverse effects of meditation practice. Dan is a certified instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through Brown University and spent four years teaching meditation in New Orleans. Dan spent a decade practicing meditation, primarily in the Vipassana and Western Insight traditions and completed roughly 15 silent retreats. He now mentors other meditators struggling with adverse experiences through the organization, Cheetah House. Before teaching meditation, Dan worked as a newspaper reporter in California and Louisiana. He has written about his own adverse experiences from meditation at: www.danlawton.substack.com In this second half of their two-part conversation, Dan explains the unique way western Buddhism intermingles with science, academia, and government by presenting mindfulness practices as secular and rational despite its religious claims and dogmatic history. Together Rachel and Dan break down the defensiveness of the mindfulness communities, pointing out the common reactions people have when their faith is questioned. Dan explains how he has restructured his mindfulness teachings with the more complete knowledge he has of the dangers of intense practice. Before You Go: Rachel explains the importance of not surrendering to any particular practice but rather remaining open to them while observing the risks and ensuring safeguards are in place to reduce the chances of negative impacts. More info on Dan here: https://nolamindfulness.com/ More about Dan's work with Cheetah House Here: http://www.cheetahhouse.org Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Amelia Brunner, Jon Butler, Ashley Moose and 4MileCircus !!! To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: http://www.paypal.me/indoctrination You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!
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The Messy World of Mindfulness w/ Dan Lawton Apr 20, 2022

Show notes

Dan Lawton is a mindfulness instructor and writer, with a specific interest in the adverse effects of meditation practice. Dan is a certified instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through Brown University and spent four years teaching meditation in New Orleans. Dan spent a decade practicing meditation, primarily in the Vipassana and Western Insight traditions and completed roughly 15 silent retreats. He now mentors other meditators struggling with adverse experiences through the organization, Cheetah House. Before teaching meditation, Dan worked as a newspaper reporter in California and Louisiana. He has written about his own adverse experiences from meditation at: https://danlawton.substack.com/p/when-buddhism-goes-bad?s=r In this first half of their two-part conversation, Dan provides some cultural and historical background on the Vipassana and Western Insight traditions explaining how these practices changed as they reached the west in the 1950s. Dan goes on to share with Rachel the details of experiencing what he calls non-referential terror as a result of intense meditation practice. Together they discuss the findings of Dan's deep examination of the structures that led to his previously inexplicable emotional terror. Before You Go: Rachel gives insights into the response from the meditation community that Daniel and previous guest Dr. Britton have elicited and explains the relationship between meditation and executive functioning skills in the brain. More about Dan's work with Cheetah House Here: https://www.cheetahhouse.org/care-team?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5-WRBhCKARIsAAId9Fl9oSOnXTS5HCX-5jEKUhkuo7GO7-YPXitpU6hUwCHupKVX_QaYdS8aAsZ6EALw_wcB Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Rhona Stephanidis, Samuel Huff, Miracle Galston, Blair Lyonev, Michele, Renae, Erin Avenant, Jennifer Mosier, Dana Bradley, Mette Kousgaard, Sunrise Sun and Shenandoah (Shan) Ware To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!
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PATREON BONUS EPISODE PREVIEW: An Imagined Tragic Destiny w/ Thomas Apr 15, 2022

Show notes

This is just a preview of our exclusive Patreon bonus episode. You can hear the show in its entirety by becoming a member at: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Thomas grew up in Denmark with a covert narcissist mother who kept him socially isolated, emotionally abused him, and manipulated his sense of reality. For most of his life, he didn’t realize that anything was wrong, because of the covert nature of the emotional abuse, control, and gaslighting he was exposed to. About a year and a half ago he started to get a better grasp of his own reality and slowly began to understand what had really happened. Thomas returns to the show for a third time to respond to listener feedback from his previous episodes and update us on how his healing has progressed. He details how he's been able to unpack the complex trauma he experienced growing up with a covert narcissist as a mother. He navigates this difficult path in a systematic way in order to get clarity himself as well as help others better recognize signs of covert abuse and control.
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Dormitory Predator w/ Daniel Barban Levin Pt. 2 Apr 13, 2022

Show notes

CONTENT WARNING: SEXUAL ASSAULT Daniel Levin is an award-winning writer living in Los Angeles. He holds an MFA in poetry from the University of California, Irvine, where he taught creative writing and rhetoric. His writing has appeared in Provincetown Arts, The Sarah Lawrence Review, The Westchester Review, and The Bennington Review. During his time at Sarah Lawrence College Dan, as a 19-year-old sophomore got involved with Larry Ray the leader of what turned out to be a dangerous cult. Dan has written about these harrowing experiences in his new memoir SLONIM WOODS 9 A stunning firsthand account of the creation of a modern cult and the costs paid by its young victims. In this second half of their two-part conversation, Daniel continues telling Rachel his story of terror and survival detailing the physical, sexual and mental abuse he and his friends suffered at the hands of Larry Ray. Throughout his difficult retelling, Rachel offers Daniel her insights pointing out the manipulative tactics Larry used and the similarities found in other abusive cults. Together they discuss the red flags people should be aware of and offer hope to those survivors on a similarly long road to healing. Before you go: Rachel examines instances where manipulative leaders flip causal relationships to increase their power and control over their unsuspecting followers. More info on the case against Larry Ray: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/nyregion/sarah-lawrence-cult-lawrence-ray-trial.html Find Dan's book Slonim Woods 9 here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634501/slonim-woods-9-by-daniel-barban-levin/ Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: https://www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel-Bernstein/dp/1620867893 Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Paul Gonzales, Leslie Eaves, David Kavanagh, Alina, Candace Sayour, Kathy Higham, Heather Mills, Desdamona Ross, Tessi, and Serena!! To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!
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A Master Class in Manipulation w/ Daniel Barban Levin Pt. 1 Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

Daniel Levin is an award-winning writer living in Los Angeles. He holds an MFA in poetry from the University of California, Irvine, where he taught creative writing and rhetoric. His writing has appeared in Provincetown Arts, The Sarah Lawrence Review, The Westchester Review, and The Bennington Review. During his time at Sarah Lawrence College Dan, as a 19-year-old sophomore got involved with Larry Ray the leader of what turned out to be a dangerous cult. Dan has written about these harrowing experiences in his new memoir SLONIM WOODS 9 A stunning firsthand account of the creation of a modern cult and the costs paid by its young victims. In the first half of their two-part conversation, Daniel shares with Rachel how he first came into contact with Larry Ray the dangerous cult leader, currently on federal trial for sex trafficking, extortion, conspiracy, and a string of other crimes. He discusses how Larry was able to evade detection on campus even while living in dormitories. Together Rachel and Daniel examine what he was feeling as he fell under the control of this manipulative and dangerous man, pointing out the red flags and explaining what prevented him from seeing them at the time. Before you go: Rachel addresses the most asked question cult survivors get; "why did you stay"? with regard to Daniel but also in general pointing out the commonalities of those who linger in abusive situations. More info on the ongoing trial against Larry Ray: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/04/04/larry-ray-sex-cult-sarah-lawrence/ Find Dan's book Slonim Woods 9 here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634501/slonim-woods-9-by-daniel-barban-levin/ Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel…ein/dp/1620867893 Thanks to all of our newest Patreon supporters: Sarah, Joel H. Dinolt, Heidi Turner, Carla Gates, Emily Peoples, Eila, Stephanie Rogers, Ash Odish, Lauren Hoffman, Jessica, Viele Wege, DTarpley, Susanna Stromberg, Amanda M, Ann Deslandes, Christina Pearl, Sharon Stasney,Jennifer Dixon, Katharine Allen and nikkita08!! To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!
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BONUS EPISODE SAMPLE- Laying Down the Armor w/ Chris Buckley Apr 01, 2022

Show notes

This is just a preview of this week's Patreon exclusive bonus episode. You can hear the episode in full by becoming a member at: https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination In this Patreon exclusive bonus episode, Rachel welcomes back friend of the show Chris Buckley. Chris is an Afghanistan and Iraqi war veteran, and reformed member of the KKK. Today, he works with the anti-extremism non-profit Parents for Peace and has created a deradicalization program designed specifically with veterans in mind, but is geared to work with all manners of hate and extremist ideology. Chris updates Rachel on his journey of healing as he sets out to become a certified peer support counselor in hopes of ultimately becoming a therapist. He provides insight from his studies with renowned trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk. Hear Chris's previous episodes here: podcasts.apple.com/cz/podcast/extr…i=1000524771356 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cogn…0527354668&l=id Find out where you can see "Refuge" the documentary on Chris's story here: www.refugemovie.com/ You can also see Chris in the PBS documentary Love Wins Over Hate here: www.pbs.org/video/love-wins-over-hate-vzi4a6/ More info on Parents for Peace here: www.parents4peace.org/
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Sugar Coated Panacea w/ Dr. Willoughby Britton Mar 30, 2022

Show notes

Willoughby Britton Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University Medical School, and the Director of Brown's Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. Her clinical neuroscience research investigates the effects of contemplative practices on the brain and body in the treatment of mood disorders, trauma, and other emotional disturbances. She is especially interested in practice-specific effects, individual differences, and moderators of treatment outcomes. She is probably best known for her research on adverse effects, and for creating best practices around harms monitoring and reporting. As a clinician, she has been trained as an instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and the Somatic Experiencing (SE) approach to trauma. She now specializes in helping meditators who are experiencing meditation-related difficulties and providing meditation safety training to providers and organizations. In this second half of their two-part conversation, Dr. Britton provides more details about the resistance she came up against in the science and meditation communities after publishing data that contradicted their narratives of meditation as an infallibly positive pursuit. Rachel provides insight into the reactive nature of those who are unable to recognize any imperfection in the spiritual practices they pursue and the cult-like devotion that follows. Before You Go: Rachel expands on Dr. Britton's idea of "positive affect requirement" in group settings explaining why there's often more behind the smiles of devoted followers. Watch Dr.Britton's TED talk on meditation and neuroscience here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR8TjCncvIw&t=0s To learn more about Cheetah House and their work helping those experiencing meditation-related distress please visit: www.cheetahhouse.org/ If you are a meditator who has suffered from adverse effects, you can book a consultation with the Cheetah House care team including Dr. Britton here: www.cheetahhouse.org/care-team?gcli…8aAsZ6EALw_wcB Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel…ein/dp/1620867893 Thanks to our newest Patreon supporters: Natalie S, RS, Jeremiah Burke, Waleska Rivera-Shon, Artful Magic, and Kim Croucher!! To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!
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Invisible Virtue w/ Willoughby Britton Ph.D. Mar 23, 2022

Show notes

Willoughby Britton Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University Medical School, and the Director of Brown's Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory. Her clinical neuroscience research investigates the effects of contemplative practices on the brain and body in the treatment of mood disorders, trauma, and other emotional disturbances. She is especially interested in practice-specific effects, individual differences, and moderators of treatment outcomes. She is probably best known for her research on adverse effects, and creating best practices around harms monitoring and reporting. As a clinician, she has been trained as an instructor in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and the Somatic Experiencing (SE) approach to trauma. She now specializes in helping meditators who are experiencing meditation-related difficulties and providing meditation safety training to providers and organizations. Throughout this first half of their two-part conversation, Rachel and Willoughby find common ground discussing where their specialties intersect and help each other fill in the gaps of knowledge in their respective fields. Dr. Britton shares about her personal relationship with meditation, how it relates to her work, and the surprising results of her comprehensive study on the adverse effects of meditation. Rachel helps Dr. Britton unpack the cult dynamics and the societal structure that may explain the panic and very unscientific response of the meditation and science communities as a result of Dr. Britton's studies. Before You Go: Rachel reflects on the problematic and dangerous issues Dr. Britton points out, relating it to her personal experience in a mindfulness and meditation course she participated in for a continuing education program. Watch Dr.Britton's TED talk on meditation and neuroscience here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR8TjCncvIw&t=0s To learn more about Cheetah House and their work helping those experiencing meditation-related distress please visit: https://www.cheetahhouse.org/ If you are a meditator who has suffered from adverse effects, you can book a consultation with the Cheetah House care team including Dr. Britton here: https://www.cheetahhouse.org/care-team?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5-WRBhCKARIsAAId9Fl9oSOnXTS5HCX-5jEKUhkuo7GO7-YPXitpU6hUwCHupKVX_QaYdS8aAsZ6EALw_wcB Find Rachel's book "Now I Know: Kids Talking To Kids About Divorce..." here: www.amazon.com/Now-I-Know-Rachel…ein/dp/1620867893 Thanks to our newest Patreon supporter Erin Boyle!! To help support the show monthly and get bonus episodes, shirts, and tote bags, please visit: www.patreon.com/indoctrination Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: www.paypal.me/indoctriNATION You can help the show for free by leaving a rating on Spotify or Apple/ iTunes. It really helps the visibility of the show!
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