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EspañolECKANKAR
Eckankar.
:''"ECK" (note capitals) redirects here. "Eck" was also a nickname for former pitcher Dennis Eckersley.''
'Eckankar, Religion of the Light and Sound of God', is a teaching founded by Paul Twitchell in 1965. It exists in multiple countries throughout the world, and is run largely on a volunteer basis through "ECK Centers." The Eckankar headquarters are in Chanhassen, Minnesota (southwest of Minneapolis), and are home to the Temple of ECK, an outdoor Chapel, an administrative building, and the ECK "Spiritual Campus." Sri Harold Klemp has been the spiritual leader of Eckankar since October 1981.
The word Eckankar translates roughly to "Co-Worker with God". [1] Eckankar was first called the "Ancient Science of Soul Travel," but later became known as "A Way of Life". Today it is called "The Religion of the Light and Sound of God."
Teachings
Eckankar emphasizes love as an experience that will improve the individual and emphasizes the value of personal spiritual exercises and experiences as the most natural way back to God. [2] The term "Soul Travel" is used to describe one of the basic tenets of the teaching: Soul (awareness or consciousness) can leave the body in full consciousness and travel freely in other planes of reality.
Eckankar teaches that "spiritual liberation" in one's lifetime is available to all who are ready and willing to work toward it, stressing that an individual's true home is in eternity, beyond the limitations of hte lower, material universe. The membership card for Eckankar states: "The aim and purpose of Eckankar has always been to take Soul by Its own path back to Its divine source."
The teaching states that Eckists (students of Eckankar; also called ''Chelas'') must prove the veracity of the path for themselves. Eckists believe it is possible to achieve self-realization (the realization of oneself as soul) and God-realization (the realization of oneself as a spark of God) in one's lifetime. The emphasis has shifted in current times away from out of body experiences to Expansion of Awareness through experiencing God's Love in everyday matters. The final spiritual goal of all ECKists is to become conscious co-workers with God.
One important spiritual exercise of Eckankar is the singing or chanting of HU. The HU has been used in the Sufi traditions and other paths, and is seen to be a "love song to God". It is pronounced "hyu" and is sung softly or forcibly as desired, again and again for about 20 minutes. ECKists sing it alone or in groups during worship services, seminars, and Satsang (classes)[3] for spiritual uplift.
Another aspect of Eckankar is using a variety of Sacred Words (or Mantras) to experience Soul Travel. This practice is claimed to allow the student to step back from the overwhelming input of the physical senses and emotions and regain Soul's spiritual viewpoint.
Dreams are regarded as an important teaching tool. Members often keep a dream journal to facilitate study.[4] According to followers of Eckankar, Dream Travel often serves as the gateway to soul travel[5] or the shifting of one's consciousness to an ever-higher states of Being.
Origins
Eckankar re-emerged from centuries of secrecy to become a public teaching circa 1965. Sri Paul Twitchell founded the modern-day form of Eckankar as a business, changing it soon after to a Not-For-Profit Organization. His version of the ancient teachings was a revamping of presentation and practice to render them palatable to the harried people of the fast-moving, pragmatic modern technological age. What he also did was to carefully re-combine the truest aspects of the purer ancient teachings found in fragmented form in the various world religions in existence today. Eckankar Headquarters was based in Las Vegas, Nevada and then Menlo Park, California for about a decade each until the present Living Eck Master, Sri Harold Klemp, moved the basis of operation to Minnesota. He also changed the Non-Profit status of the teaching to that of a religion under the laws of the United States. The headquarters and main Temple[6] as well as the spiritual campus are in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Current status
Eckankar claims an active membership base[7] in over one hundred countries throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Africa.[8] 26,000 American Eckists were estimated in 2001 (data from interviews with 50,000 Americans) and 36,700 in 2004.[9] Estimates from varying authors [10] varies from 50,000 to 500,000 [11]. Eckankar does not publish their own membership figures.
Seminars are held worldwide throughout the year, with attendance ranging up to 10,000 participants.
Eckankar's 50,000 square foot main "Temple of ECK"[12] was dedicated in Chanhassen, Minnesota on October 22, 1990. As of mid-2007, the largest capacity Eckankar Temple was in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, Africa, with a total capacity of 10,000.
Eckankar has produced dozens of books, videos, CDs, and tapes on a variety of spiritual topics. Membership is based on a suggested donation: members receive discourses, and they are invited to study at home or in the company of other members in Eckankar Satsang classes. Eckankar does not attempt to convert individuals to their religion. They do, however, advertise their presence and distribute literature to interested persons.
There is no practice of a uniform dress code, but Eckists strive neither to smoke nor drink, and these teachings appear to have attracted individuals from all levels of society.
Recently, there has been an increase of membership in Africa, and a large temple houses some 10,000 members at their yearly gathering. Eckankar centers are located in almost every capital city in the world, and are staffed by volunteer workers.
The Eckankar "EK" symbol appears on the list of Available Emblems of Belief for Placement on Government Headstones and Markers by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.[13]
Ceremonies and Rites
There are few personal requirements to be an ECKist, however certain spiritual practices are recommended for spiritual growth. Chief among these is daily practice of the Spiritual Exercises of ECK for 15-20 minutes a day. The most basic ECK Spiritual Exercise is singing the word HU (pronounced like the "hue".) There are no dietary requirements, sexual taboos, or enforced ascetic practices.
Eckankar does not require potential members to leave their current faith to join.
In addition to frequent gatherings in which members sing or chant HU, which they use as a 'love song to God' the following are also experienced during an Eckists life:
'ECK Consecration Ceremony': Celebrating the entrance of the young and infant into Eckankar, and new life in the Light and Sound of God.
'ECK Rite of Passage': Celebrating the passage from youth into adulthood, usually around thirteen.
'ECK Wedding Ceremony': Celebrating the marriage bond as two Eckists commit their lives to one another before God.
'ECK Memorial Service': Honors the journey of Soul and welcomes It into the worlds beyond the physical.
Eckists celebrate a spiritual new year on October 22nd, as well as "Founder's Day" on September 17th.
ECK masters
Main articles: ECK master
ECKists believe contact with Divine Spirit, which they call the ECK [14], can be made via the Spiritual Exercises of ECK and the guidance of the living ECK master. It is held that the ECK masters are Universalists who are here to serve all life irrespective of religious belief. However, it is claimed by the teaching that ECK masters will not interfere in the sacred state of consciousness of another being without their permission.
In the teachings of Eckankar the following Masters are among the better known:
'Kata Daki:' An ECK Master in the Ancient Order of Vairagi Adepts. She helps people get back on their feet during hardship.
'Gopal Das:' The Mahanta, the Living ECK Master in Egypt, 3000 B.C., who founded the mystery cults of Osiris and Isis; the guardian of the fourth section of the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad on the Astral Plane; he teaches at the Temple of Golden Wisdom there. Gopal Das is said to be youthful but mature in appearance, fair-skinned, clean-shaven and with longish light-colored hair.
'Rebazar Tarzs:' The officially-designated "torchbearer" (for continuity) of Eckankar in the lower worlds; the spiritual teacher of many ECK Masters including Peddar Zaskq, or Paul Twitchell, to whom he handed the Rod of ECK Power in 1965. Said to be over five hundred years old, Rebazar Tarzs was Tibetan by birth and lives in a hut in the Hindu Kush mountains. He is said to be about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an athletic physique, dark skin, closely-cropped black hair and beard and piercing black eyes.
'Rami Nuri:' The ECK Master who is the guardian of the holy book, the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, on the Pinda Lok, the physical world, at the House of Moksha, Temple of Golden Wisdom in the spiritual city of Retz on the planet Venus. The letter M appears on his forehead. He also once served as the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master.
Splinter groups
Some splinter groups, such as ATOM, and John Roger's MSIA, have separated from the main body of the Eckankar. MSIA became known during the 1970s by distributing free "Smiley" stickers and cards with happy messages to people on the street. Roger's teaching is certainly similar, and while he acknowledges he was a student of Paul Twitchell, he denies any further connection.
More recently, former Eckist Ford Johnson broke away from Eckankar and formed a spiritual organization based on the central idea that one does not need a master or spiritual guru to achieve spiritual enlightenment.http://www.thetruth-seeker.com/openletter.asp [15] Other splinter groups created by former Eckists, like Michael Owens' "The Way of Truth"[16] and Gary Olsen's "MasterPath," [17] actively recruit members to their own version of Eckankar.
The current leader of Eckankar has stated that members should feel free to leave Eckankar unbounded by guilt or fear. But critics contend that while Eckankar promotes itself as a path to ending karma and reincarnation, Eckankar writings also speak of karma and reincarnation returning to members who leave Eckankar.[18]
Accusations of plagiarism
After Twitchell's death in 1971, David C. Lane, then a member of the Sant Mat derivative RadhaSoami Satsang Beas, charged that Eckankar itself was a derivative of Sant Mat, and that almost all of Twitchell books used passages of other groups' books without crediting their authors. Of these, Twitchell's "The Far Country" was said to be the greatest example of Twitchell's plagiarism of Julian Johnson's "Path of the Masters."[19] (Note: The Far Country is no longer published by Eckankar.)
Discussions about plagiarism including the views for and against have been outlined by long standing member, Doug Marman.[20] in his new book "The Whole Truth". It is commonly accepted among New Age spiritual adherents that spiritually evolved authors, perhaps by sharing inner sources, do sometimes produce similar writings. Eckankar notes "Paul had taken it [the ECKANKAR teachings] and built upon it from many different areas, and he then moved it more than a step further." (''The Writing of Paul Twitchell'' [21] )
Criticism
Eckankar has been labeled a cult by some critics. [22] In the introductory level Eckankar states that spiritual truth is not the possession of a single person or group, and that the many paths all lead to the same goal. However, Eckankar states it is the most direct path to the highest heaven. The Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, Eckankar's "Bible" unambiguously states that Eckankar is the only direct path to God.
Some ex-members and critics have formed various boards and forums [1], [2],[3], [4], [5], [6] and the Usenet newsgroup alt.religion.eckankar. Some of these communities have been criticizing Eckankar and its leaders for a decade or more.
Some of the people who have left Eckankar have unintentionally reformed a new faith through their religious participation in the anti-eckankar movement. One would be the after-eckankar position of Ford Johnson who published ''Confessions of a God Seeker''
Some critics cite the David C. Lane et al. references to point at plagiarism as one reason to exit the faith. Some of the most outspoken ex-eckists take the position that it is unethical or "wrong" not to wake up the current adherents of eckankar to the lies and plagerism they (the current members) are subjected to.
Alternate views
Johnson, Ford: "Confessions of a God Seeker: A Journey to Higher Consciousness" [23]
Lane, David C: "The Making of a Spiritual Movement: The Untold Story of Paul Twitchell and Eckankar"[24]
Marman, Doug: "The Whole Truth" A dialog evolved from Plagiarism claims and discussions on alt.religion.eckankar newsgroup.[20]
References
1. http://www.eckankar.com/glossary.html#eck
2. http://www.eckankar.org/SEW/
3. http://www.eckankar.com/Audio/hu.au
4. http://www.eckankar.org/dream.html
5. http://www.eckankar.org/soultravel.html
6. http://www.eckankar.org/Temple/
7. http://www.eckankar.org/ekcenters.html
8. http://www.eckankarnigeria.org/addbk.htm
9. Top Twenty Religions in the United States, 2001
10. 43,941 adherent statistic citations: membership and geography data for 4,300+ religions, churches, tribes, etc Adherents.com
11. ''Godwin, John''. 'Occult America'; Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, Inc. (1972); pg. 114. "But within the metaphysical world [Twitchell] looms large indeed. With an estimated 500,000 followers worldwide, fifteen centers in the US and four overseas, and a weekly mailbag of some 10,000 letters... "
12. http://www.eckankar.com/Temple/index.html
13. http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp
14. http://www.eckankar.org/glossary.html#eck
15. http://www.higherconsciousnesssociety.org/aboutHCS.asp
16. http://www.thewayoftruth.org/default.htm
17. http://www.masterpath.org/
18. http://www.caic.org.au/eastern/eck/subtle.htm
19. http://vclass.mtsac.edu:930/phil/center.htm
20. http://www.littleknownpubs.com
21. http://www.eckankar.org/Masters/Peddar/writings.html
22. http://www.icoc.us/view/?pageID=317591
23. http://www.thetruth-seeker.com/Excerpts.asp
24. [http://www.geocities.com/eckcult/
25. http://www.littleknownpubs.com
External links
Official
★ ECKANKAR, Religion of the Light and Sound of God ''Official Main Site''
★ Overview of Eckankar and its teachings By Eckankar (PDF)
★ The Spiritual Exercise of singing HU HU, an ancient spiritual practice and name for God
★ ECKANKAR—Ancient Wisdom for Today (Free Downloadable Book)
General reference
★ Eckankar ReligionFacts
★ The Life of Paul Twitchell - The Founder of Eckankar: The Ancient Science of Soul Travel
★ Eckankar The Religion of Light and Sound Religious Movements, University of Virginia, Nicole Beacon. Note: Many of the articles on this website were written by students and hence have unpredictable quality levels.
★ References to HU found in the literature of the world ''The HU page.''
Ex-members and alternate views
★ A Former Member Revisits the Movement 16,209-word article with interviews, 1995.
★ "Eckankar" European-American Evangelistic Crusades.
★ Eckankar, A Spiritual Hoax Webpage anonymously claiming to be that of a former Eckankar High Initiate
★ Higher Consciousness Society Ford Johnson's self-created spiritual organization.
★ Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness ''Official Website''
★ (http://www.angelfire.com/hi2/eckankarsurvivors) - Website by a former member
★ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EckankarSurvivorsAnonymous)- Discussion group for former members and questioning members.
Plagiarism discussion
★ David Lane and Doug Marman discuss plagiarism. By Lane: ''The Great ECK Debates.''
★ David Lane and Doug Marman discuss plagiarism. By Doug Marman: ''Dialogue in the Age of Criticism.''
See also
★ Sri Harold Klemp
★ ECK master
★ Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad
★ Sri Paul Twitchell
★ Sri Darwin Gross Living ECK Master 1971-1983 [7]
★ Karma
★ Surat Shabd Yoga
★ Contemporary Sant Mat movement
★ Reincarnation
★ Ek Onkar
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