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KS
Registered User
(1/7/02 8:48 pm)
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Walrus Newsletter - January 2002
Dear Mother Center Monitor,

I know you have a lot to go through with all these messages. The bad ladies probably expect frequent updates and it has to be time consuming for you with the daily meetings with the SRF lawyers to plan the Walrus destruction and all. So let me save you some time and summarize some recent things.

The polling is getting mixed success as most people are still afraid to vote out of fear of your lawyers. (one point for you all) However, the biggest issue question is still coming out your mistreatment of people. If you handle that one issue maybe you can save the time and money of the Walrus lawsuit?
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwalrusfrm29

Bilbo has added some humorous notes on how you all relate to the Lord of the Rings movies, so that can be a little change of pace from your usual reporting.
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=67.topic

Vulcan is adding some really good stuff on Projective Identification which is getting a lot of discussion. This is hard to summarize for the bad ladies, but you might enjoy it yourself.
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=62.topic

AumBoy has kicked some butt with a message about Organizational Credibility. I think you should pass some of these quotes on to the ladies in your report. This message is of course under Core Issues and speaks to the way you all are perceived by many of us here.
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=68.topic

The thread below is fairly critical of the direction SRF has taken and the manipulation of it’s members. Your lawyers probably want to scan it for slander and stuff. A quote: We listened to taped classes, where Mrinalini Mata blurs the line between leaving the ashram and leaving the guru, and that this "leaving" incurs a several incarnation detour. This kind of thing makes a pretty bad impression so I suggest in the next SRF magazine you include a note saying that when monastics leave they are still good devotees who might someday find God. That should prove “In Recovery” wrong about you all. Exhibit A is below.
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=61.topic

The Treatment of Members/Monastics section has, as usual, gotten a lot of attention in the last few weeks. In the message thread below the contributors took some shots at our president and the way SRF treats non-celebrities. It seems this year’s New Years letter was not such a big hit with the Walrus people.
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...=102.topic

The general consensus is that the Yogananda-father stuff is bunk, but you ladies can’t P/R your way out of a paper bag. Even when people WANT to support you all in the worst way you screw things up. Could you put this one to rest please?
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=20.topic

I imagine you all are dying to know who the Walrus is and it seems someone may have figured it out. “need2know”, in the thread below, has figured it is “Raja Begum” if that helps. (In case you have not read the AY that was a tiger in one of the stories) I would look for an animal lover, possibly living next to the Wild Animal Park near San Diego. Don’t say I never helped you guys!
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=51.topic

The section “Life on the Inside” has generated a lot of interest. As you have always feared, those miserable curious members are eager to collect scraps of information on what you all do… especially the weird stuff. The message thread below discusses why you all are still there as monastics, why you stay, and doesn’t paint a complementary picture. There were some questions about why so many have left recently, which lead to the discussions about life inside.
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=24.topic

This thread discusses you policy of not paying unemployment insurance for your loyal and caring member employees. This is a heads up that some of them appear to be trying to do something about it by starting a letter writing campaign. You might want to sue them and take their homes or something.
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=22.topic

In the section “Dealing with my Doubts” Vulcan has started a good discussion on how we deal with what we have found about you all. Many members and monastics are in total denial and have developed some elaborate excuses for what they see. Once our eyes really open it is a real test for otherwise loyal disciples of Yogananda’s. I imagine that some of you might even benefit from the discussion. (You are free to contribute too)
pub78.ezboard.com/fsrfwal...D=15.topic

Well… I hope this has helped.

KS

PS. Mr. Walrus… I am going to email this to you. Maybe you can send it out as a Walrus Newsletter?

Edited by: KS at: 1/9/02 7:41:02 am
Reporter
Unregistered User
(1/8/02 1:12 am)
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Newsletter
I like the idea of the newsletter! Print it and hand it out to employees as they leave the parking lot after work. Employees can leave them around the office in places to jolt management. How weird a place can someone get a walrus newsletter?

Posted on the doors of the visitor center?
Left in the publications center break room or meeting rooms?
Put a copy under the windshield wipers of Cindy's car?

That should provoke a response. Everyone put your thinking caps on!

AumBoy
Registered User
(1/8/02 9:48 am)
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Re: Newsletter
Years ago there was a company where a group of people produced an underground newsletter discussing some management issues. I'll see if I can find it. Instead of management dealing with the items the newsletter brought to the surface, management tried their best to find the people responsible and fire them but could not figure out how the newsletter was distributed. So in the very next issue of the newsletter, the writers described exactly how the newsletter was distributed (much to the dismay of management).

premdas
Registered User
(1/8/02 5:48 pm)
Reply
Newsletter experience
Great idea! You may recall that at the last Convocation, Ananda devotees were handing out the newsletter "Yogananda Rediscovered". Walrus could have a similar effect on BOD/monastics/students/members/public at large. The only way these discussions could get into the system and reach those either making decisions or affecting them, is by going public. They don't want this to happen! Why? Because then they can't plead ignorance, nor can they manipulate the discussion/communications. See, so far, they have predominately been setting the agenda re: their own reputation and Yogananda's mission. Take the initiative! If done dharmically with integrity and honesty, and without rancor, I guarantee results, at least reactions. And all over the newsletter, plaster this site. Anyone not wanting to be seen with the newsletter, will be able to find the website in privacy. This is the biggest threat to the BOD. And isn't this the only way, now that they ignore or declare that none of these important issues on Walrus exist? After years of trying to weather direct or hidden BOD attacks on Ananda, individual devotees who've given their lives to serving Master's work at Ananda decided that the silence had to be broken. Many individuals with their own monies and efforts chose to go public with what SRF was doing to works and disciples of Master; believe me, the decision was not easy and was not taken lightly. We did not want to hurt Master's name or work, or dissuade new and vulnerable devotees from their path in SRF towards Master -- we did not want to show this dirty laundry outside the family! But we reasoned that ultimately for the sake of Yoganada's mission and for Ananda's existence, we had no other choice. Sounds like we here at Walrus, SRF/Ananda/others -- all gurubais -- are united in our attempts to change this SRF org.'s behavior. Didn't we all first try to go within the system? I was and still am considered part of SRF student/members. Didn't we all try to tell our stories to those whom we trusted as gurubais and leaders in SRF? But to no avail! So here we are, on the same wave length, same electrons, standing up for decency and for Master's legacy. For shame, BOD. I'm sorry, but you have it coming....

chuckle
Unregistered User
(1/8/02 10:12 pm)
Reply
To Premdas or other ananda members
How effective did you find your Convo campaign? I thought the whole thing was carried out quite civily, both by Ananda and by SRF. Do you guys have any idea of whether it helped you achieve the goals you had set for the campaign?

I'm not sure a Convo campaign would be a good idea for the Walrus. That would be terribly upsetting for a large number of people, but the effectiveness of your past campaign might help the Walrus decide how any other newsletter campaign might be effective.

pschuppe
Registered User
(1/9/02 12:02 am)
Reply
Convo campaign
Dear Chuckle,

In my experience of it (I was there on Monday and Tuesday of Convo week, though I followed the action the rest of the week by phone and e-mail), it was effective, primarily because it opened the dialogue/debate and put a human face on a number of issues SRF would rather ignore or avoid.

Has anything therefore changed drastically between org.'s because of it? Not really. Or at least not yet that I can tell. So if we were measuring effectiveness on that basis only, and in the short term especially, then we'd have come away disappointed. But we weren't--even from before we decided to go. Individuals often change in significant ways at a glacially slow pace. Organizations are probably about the same, though I haven't ever studied that topic. Certainly SRF seems to change, if at all, at a glacially slow pace.

But individuals have definitely taken notice and asked SRF some inconvenient and uncomfortable questions about lawsuits, changing Master's teachings, etc.. SRF is terribly concerned with their public image. Questions were raised and, from what I can gather, not answered very much or at all. It didn't look good to SRF. From that standpoint the campaign was a good start, because it put pressure on them to deal with some of these things.

But I agree with you that it could be terribly upsetting to people if Walrus had a newsletter campaign, etc., at Convo. I've generally thought that the "15 years" rule of thumb is a good one for determining who to share this site with. People who haven't had very much time on this path could be devastated by it. That would be an unfortunate thing to have happen at Convo.

But maybe the campaign could happen in smaller, more targeted ways? Sometimes there are individuals who are ready to hear a particular idea at a particular time, or in a particular way. It could be appropriate in that way.

ps

Reporter
Unregistered User
(1/10/02 10:12 pm)
Reply
Newsletter
I loved the newsletter! Thanks! A great way to keep in touch with the messages here.

How about an insert into the next SRF magazine? Maybe VL appeal? That would sure open some eyes. Would the bad ladies freak or what?

We have members in the editorial department (I believe) and in the departments which setup and print the magazine and appeals. We can slip a reference to the Walrus in print, or get it inserted into the mailing as it goes out.

(We can dream)

premdas
Registered User
(1/10/02 10:48 pm)
Reply
Fear no evil
Why not just old-fashion snail mail 'em. Everyone download and print, mail and pray. Notice will have been served. You can even cover yourself by saying "this has come to my attention....". and vaguely asking "What are you doing about them?" ("We're litigating" they'll say to themselves). In fun, Premdas



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