Interesting quote Jann. I think for the BKs, they have two meanings of the word Detachment. One is psychic detachment from the body, where the soul is able to exist and experience separate from the body, allegedly flying off to other realms to be with their founder medium or fly around the world sending cosmic vibes out at non-BKs. (Yes, they believe that and that there Seniors can and do so, e.g. Janki Kirpalani visiting centers invisibly as an "angel" to check up on them).
This practise of psychic detachment leads to the virag or distaste for the world and relationships with others, all its pleasures and all its issues. They aim for 100% detachment from the body, the world and a total disinterest in wordly things. (Of course, the disinterest does not go as far as disinterest in wealthy people, VIPs or nice properties ... but that is different, that is for Baba ... blah blah blah). I think the idea is taken from the Sanyasis of India but it is not the same. Whereas the Sanyasis aim for a total disinterest in any material things (in theory ... it is also a business for them), the BKs leaders keep their feet practically on the ground. Not so for the followers who are encouraged to "flying to Baba" and become "intoxicated", and hand over their time, energy and wealth to the grounded Seniors.
"Pull to be in the Avyakt" is a strange BKism. It means that they believe their god spirit is pulling them up into another world to be an angel, a being of light only, perfected and purified, to have no physical body and not to be bothered with material things any more. Paras, I cannot remember the accurate definition, how about "above" in an other world?
When I read the quote, the first thing I think is that the individual is 'giving the righty response', repeating that which is often suggested by the leaders as an ideal which will be rewarded by the leaders at an almost "good puppy" like level. But if one does not believe in the 3 World, 5,000 Years, End of the World view of the BKWSU, what does it all mean?
I think then we have to look at others experience and accept that BK experiences are not actually all that unique and this is what cult experts and observers call "floating". There is quite a good discussion of this, here:
Post-Cult After Effects: Floating.
Floating, in a psychological context, means slipping back into altered states of mind experienced in a cult or sect which emphasizes chanting or meditation in order to reach a trance-like state. If we take a non-BK quote at random;
Weeks after I left, I would suddenly feel spacy and hear the cult leader saying, 'You'll always come back. You are one with us. You can never separate.' I'd forget where I was, that I am out now; I'd feel his presence and hear his voice. I got so frightened once that I slapped my face to make it stop.
You can see how similar these groups are and work. The BKs say exactly the same thing ... once a BK, always a BK for eternity ... you will always come back ... you have to come back ... there is no where else to go. I think we under estimate the power of suggestion after coming out of the trance-like or hypnotic states that meditation puts us in. The voice of the leaders becomes the inner voice of our computers and produces language and sentiments like that which are then reinforced socially.
Becoming a BK, once also has to learn not just a whole other bizarre language but a series of 'acceptable' sentiments. Cutting off all emotions for anything else outside of the BKWSU is highly 'acceptable' by BK standards. It is the goal.
Dr Singer wrote:Degrees of anomie.
The majority reaction seen in people who leave thought reform programs, almost regardless of the time spent with the group, is a varying degree of anomie -- a sense of alienation and confusion resulting from the loss or weakening of previously valued norms, ideals, or goals. When the person leaves the group and returns to broader society, culture shock and anxiety usually result from the theories learned in the group and the need to reconcile situational demands, values, and memories in three eras -- the past prior to the group, the time in the group, and the present situation.
The person feels like an immigrant or refugee who enters a new culture. However, the person is reentering his or her former culture, bringing along a series of experiences and beliefs from the group with which he or she had affiliated that conflict with norms and expectations. Unlike the immigrant confronting merely novel situations, the returnee is confronting a rejected society.
Thus, most people leaving a thought reform program have a period in which they need to put together the split or doubled self they maintained while they were in the group and come to terms with their pre-group sense of self.
This split or doubled self is also very much part of the BK experience.
The only thing I have to add in fairness to the BKs is that the floating experiences one can have are very interest and are not just imagined or simple "spacing out" like day dreaming. One can feel one's self to rise up and become detached from one's body. One can feel very, very light like one's body is being suspended by a string. One can feel super-charged with energy and so it is no surprise adherents stay hooked to attempt to repeat those experiences.
What they are, what actually value they have, how they are controlled and who gives them how is a whole other discussion but as the end result is an almost total stupidity and a throwing away of one's life, I don't think they are worth much however fun they are.
02 Dec 2010