Naropa University, Shambhala and an Update on Ex Naropa Evil Teacher "Katsura Kan"

NAROPA UNIVERSITY, SHAMBHALA AND AN UPDATE ON THE EX NAROPA EVIL TEACHER “KATSURA KAN”:

As a follow-up to our previous expose series, we would like to bring some new information to your attention about the wicked cult leader Katsura Kan, and also about Naropa University in Boulder, CO and the international organization known as Shambhala International.

Unfortunately, many organizations and venues are still allowing Katsura Kan to perform and teach Butoh to vulnerable students, even after being presented with the overwhelming evidence proving how he exploited students mentally, sexually and financially, and also with evidence showing him as a Nazi sympathizer.

In response to our latest public awareness outreach efforts, we received this communication from a festival director located in Chiangmai, Thailand: 

“I am festival director of Chiangmai International Butoh festival.

I would like to tell you to STOP all your action to my festival.

Please keep your personal revenge with you.

You are not allowed to do something like this to my festival.  

Personally I would like to talk to you long time ago since I know this news.

And I feel your daughter in my meditation. I am meditation dance teacher and butoh dancer.

I am witness when Sharoni in Thailand. I am really sure she doesn't like the way you did.

Dear Tibor, I have daughter also. And I know how it is painful you lost your beautiful daughter.

But I am surely to revenge someone for 5 years. You didn't feel any better at all.

And it brings more suffering to your daughter spirit.

I wish we can sit and talk. I have been in Israel many times.                   And I like your country very much.

 Peace and love,

[Name removed]

Here was the response from Tibor Stern, the founder of FACT:

“Hello Sonoko, this is not revenge. This is about stopping Katsura Kan’s evil sexual and mental exploitation of innocent young beautiful women, for which you are a willing participant by providing him platform to continue the destruction of innocent lives and families. Shame on you. I shall never stop up until he stops this abuse, for his sexual and controlling fulfillment. We at FACT will expose those institutions and entities that facilitate Katsura Kan’s evil doing. He promotes destruction of body and mind. He teaches to lose self-identity and authenticity, is this an art you promote? I have a long list of young women that he destroyed their lives. Those who don’t confront evil will empower him. - Tibor Stern”

Unfortunately it seems that Katsura Kan still has control of many followers who continue to support and employ him, including in the U.S., for example, the Vangeline Theater in New York City, NY (a business that is receiving funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs). It is interesting to note that all of Katsura Kan’s employers / supporters tend to respond in the same way to our awareness campaign, without ever mentioning anything about the evidence sent to them, as if to avoid a discussion regarding those facts. We welcome any opportunity for such a discussion, and ask those who are supporting Katsura to speak openly with us on the matter.

We recently published an informative video online about Katsura Kan, detailing his corrupt methodology, philosophy and abuses, which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVJnjADK8rs

For those unaware, Katsura Kan was employed by Naropa University (we believe without the proper teaching credentials, he is a construction worker from Japan), where the now deceased Sharon Stern first met this corrupt teacher. Katsura Kan taught in the classroom of Naropa an accredited University, he was allowed to teach philosophy and psychology and the destruction of body mind and ego. He taught an upper division, master degree program class to lose their identity and authenticity. As stated in our previous exposes, this school has a long and dark history of student abuses from faculty, starting with its founder, Trungpa Rinpoche. According to recent communications received by our organization, it seems that the faculty at Naropa is still misbehaving, to put it mildly, with claims being made that an ex-Naropa faculty member started their own destructive cult under the guise of a Buddhist temple. The complaint states that this ex-faculty member “has a troubling criminal history for physically, mentally, and financially abusing women and younger members of his organization...” Another complaint we received stated the following, “I too feel the same way you do about Naropa. I am fortunate that I did not end up homeless, on the streets, in a gutter somewhere after graduating. I was fortunate that my family picked me up and helped me put together the shattered pieces of myself, my mind, and my ego. There is an evil there, and a silence. They are a cult.”

Most recent comment received regarding Naropa University. 

“ Hello, my name is XXXX. I’ve engaged with some of your past posts as I think the content is fascinating. In 2017 I enrolled briefly in Naropa University, and I can say 100% without a doubt that there is now a culture of fear there. Phenomenon began occurring where people in the community or enrolled in the schools work study were afraid to speak their minds against the zeitgeist of the group which is highly influenced by radical leftism. I can’t speak to any sexual abuse because I didn’t see any of that, but what I did see was an environment that played games with the perceptions of its attendees during the summer writing program in 2017 (hosted by Kerouac School which is the artistic and academic hub of Naropa a greater social circle). People began talking about knowledge of oppression hierarchies and calling it enlightenment, while the actual Buddhists like me were baffled at the inability for participants to ground themselves in any understanding outside of their politically tinged view. I am not saying being leftist is bad, I am saying that there is another layer to what is going on at Naropa and it involves students being indoctrinated into a totalitarian mindset, apologizing for Mao, Stalin, Lenin, Castro, etc, in the name of anti-capitalism. 

Since my experience I’ve become interested in high demand groups and cults including material that you have published, because I was able to see what I would deem cultish influence up front and personal. Just wanted to share my information/experience and say I am here if you have questions.”

Tibor Stern, the father of the deceased Sharoni Stern, who was victimized by the evil Katsura Kan had this to say regarding Naropa.

 ”With my blessing I sent my perfectly happy beloved daughter to continue her education for her M.F.A. at Naropa University Boulder CO. Sharoni was a brilliantly talented, intelligent, vibrant, life loving compassionate soul who shared her love with her friends and family. Sharoni wanted to excel in her career of acting, producing and directing plays so she worked hard, and studied harder. While studying for her Maters degree at Naropa she was instructed to lose her identity, authenticity and ego by her teacher, Katsura Kan, a self called, dance teacher of Butoh (known as the dance of darkness, pain and suffering). In my opinion Naropa provided a platform for Kan to teach his wicked flawed evil philosophy and abuse that resulted in my beloved daughters death. How can an accredited University such as Naropa employ a construction worker from Japan without any documented credentials? Kan, instructed my daughter to steal for him and told her she is “stupid to follow kan into dangerous places in 2011.” Kan took her to a drug infested area in Copenhagen where she mentally collapsed. Kan exploited my daughter, sexually, financially, physically and when he realized he drove my daughter crazy he clearly instructed her “how to die.” Why would Naropa hire this kind of “teacher”? The answer is “crazy wisdom.” I do not believe this type of University should be accredited at all. I believe, Naropa has contributed to the death of my daughter and to the destruction of young students lives by providing a platform for unqualified wicked “so called teachers” to teach flawed dark and destructive subjects. One should not be surprised about Naropa, the current leaders of Naropa were once the past enablers of the “crazy wisdom,” sexual abuser, drug addict “guru” known as Trungpa. In my opinion, these enablers continue to worship the sick culture of silence, and exploitation of students that the University was founded on. Even after multiple attempts of contact with the former president Stuart Lord of Naropa University to intervene with Kan to help assist with the safe return of my daughter the University and the former President  ignored my communications all together. So typical for Naropa and Shambhala. I believe with their help my daughter would still be alive today.”

-Tibor Stern on behalf of Sharoni Stern Estate

End of part 1 Shambhala and Naropa University Expose. 

Stay tuned for part 2 of 4 coming tomorrow!

Thank you,
The FACT Team
Families Against Cult Teachings, Inc 

Missing Mother and 5 year old child - Twelve Tribes Cult

If you or anyone you know has experience or knowledge of the Twelve Tribes and their various communities around the world we are asking for your help in locating a mother and her missing 5 year old child who have been missing for 2 years now. 

Here is a plea from the father of the son who is desperate to locate his wife and little boy:

"My son and his mother (my common-law wife) have been missing for over 2 years, with no contact. Our child is now 5 years old. They are living in one of the 12 Tribes communities, but not the one where I last saw them. I am unsure if she was taken against her will or not. Although the courts have granted me full custody of our child, no efforts have been made to retrieve my son or discover his current whereabouts.

Mother and child were last seen in Tennessee. Authorities indicate they were moved to Colorado. We now have reason to believe they may be in Mexico.

Here are some pictures of the missing mother and son. 

Please, please, if you know of my family's whereabouts let me know. I am torn in two from this heartbreak and extremely worried for my small boy's fate.

You can contact my liaison, Christina, at savviesound@hotmail.com. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and the depths of my soul."

Or you may also email us here at FACT at Support@FamiliesAgainstCultTeachings.org with any information you think will help the father locate his son and wife. 

Thank you!

Sincerely, 
The FACT Team  

The Sham of Shambhala and Naropa University

The truth is out! 

Further into the crumbling of the Naropa/Shambhala evil empire

We are in a time where we are witnessing an influx of sexual accusations against the present leader of the Shambhala organization Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche his deceased father ChogynamTrungpa Rinpoche(CTR) the founder of Naropa University and Shambhala organization and some of the past and current leaders. The accusations are providing a clear picture of what we believe is a destructive cult, Naropa University and the Shambhala organization. Ever since the problematic and sick teachings of CTR have been referred to as “crazy wisdom,” sexual abuse, exploitation, and misuse of power and authority have been the norm for Shambhala and Naropa. We believe the Kalapa council of Shambhala and the board of trustees for Naropa have been silencing the victims, which creates a platform for this type of abuse to be acceptable. The Shambhala organization has requested the leader, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche(SKM) to step down from his position as the Sakyong(king) and Naropa has removed him from their board of trustees. Read the article here, link  A report published last week by project sunshine helped make this possible, the report includes multiple allegations of sexual assault against Mipham Rinpoche. Read this Report here, Link  The Kalapa council of the Shambhala organization also sent out this recent letter  stating they will all step down from their posts. Prior to this letter, Mipham Rinpoche sent out an apology letter where he openly admits to, causing harm to women who he had sexual relationships with. In addition to all of this within the Naropa/Shambhala community, we must not forget the past of enablers who allowed this to happen.The enablers contributed to the silencing, and covering up, they too worshiped the manipulative, abusive, alcoholic, drug addict, Guru, CTR, known as the founder of both Naropa and Shambhala. Unfortunately, some of the enablers are still in leadership positions within Naropa and Shambhala. Referring to this mans, behavior as “crazy wisdom” paved the way for all of this abuse, misconduct, sexual exploitation and silence. Many knew of the abusive relationships CTR had and the entire Kalapa council knew that the now deceased Vajra Regent Osel Tendzin(Thomas Frederick Rich, Jr.)was having unprotected sex with students and minors while knowing he had HIV and AIDS illness. Here is a link to the letters confirming the council knew of the situation and did not remove the regent from his position. We believe the Kalapa council and Dr. Mitchell Levy, who we believe was the personal physician of CTR, knew about the illness had a responsibility to stop him, but failed to do so. We believe some of these members of the Kalapa council that knew of the situation are still on the board of trustees for Naropa University. In next upcoming weeks we will run our grand expose which will bring clarity and understanding of this systematic abuse and how students are the most vulnerable. Sharoni Stern, Tibor’s daughter is dead due to this type of abuse. Upon her death, Tibor and his lawyer approached Naropa University for much needed changes and Naropa replied, “We have heard enough from Tibor Stern.” Tibor’s message back, is that they did not hear enough from him and he wants to make sure no other person dies due to the dangerous and evil practices that founded Naropa and the Shambhala organization. Unfortunately, we believe Naropa and Shambhala’s manipulative and abusive practices are still around today contributing to more deaths, suicides, and trauma. This is a result of believing that an alcoholic with unacceptable abusive behavior, and sexual misconduct had “crazy wisdom.” 

This time it will Stop! 

Stay tuned for our grand expose where we go more in to detail of the above tragic events.

With hopes of change, 

The FACT Team

Emotional Trauma - Can We Ever Recover?

An essential part of our work here at FACT is being a support system for those in need. Emotional and or Mental trauma is very difficult, there are any number of situations that can cause emotional trauma, here are a few that we hear about on a regular basis:

1. Loss of loved ones due to involvement in a cult - parental alienation and or shunning are common practice in these high control groups/cults.

2. Loss of an entire community, lifelong friendships and careers due to leaving a high control group/cult or being labeled an "apostate" by the group/cult.

3. Being harassed, intimidated, threatened (by the cult and or "friends" within the cult) and otherwise living in fear for speaking up about abuses that have occurred, disagreements and or about wanting to leave a group.

4. Loss of a loved one or friend due to suicide from involvement in a cult or abusive relationship. 

There are many factors for emotional trauma and loss, those are just a few that we hear about regularly in our work with victims and survivors. As a result of emotional trauma, one may begin to feel numb, disconnected and possibly lose trust in others and even ourselves, our own intuition. It can take a lot of time for this pain to go away, and for us to feel safe again and comfortable in our own skin. If the trauma we’ve experienced is psychological, we may suffer from troubling memories, anxiety and emotions. Trauma causes a shock to our minds, bodies and souls, which can lead to emotional problems in the future. There are cognitive, behavioral, physical, and psychological reactions to emotional trauma.

There is a natural process of grieving that occurs after any type of loss, whether we are aware of that process or not.

According to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross there are five stages of grieving:

1. Denial and Isolation: “This can't be happening, this isn't real, I don't believe it". Denial is a common defense mechanism and is a normal reaction to rationalize our overwhelming emotions. We can start to believe that life is meaningless, and nothing is of any use or value. For most people experiencing grief, denial and isolation is a temporary response that helps us through the initial wave of pain and shock.

2. Anger: As denial and isolation begin to wear off, reality and the pain will inevitably rise to the surface.

3. Bargaining: - The normal reaction to feelings of helplessness and vulnerability is often a need to regain control. I remember during my "bargaining" phase, one evening I was hiking through the mountains and I was still very angry of course but also feeling very helpless in re-constructing my life. I was overwhelmed with emotions and I dropped to my knees right there in the forest and screamed, yelled and cried, looking up to the sky asking anyone who was listening "why is this happening to me", "what did I do" etc.

4. Depression: Sadness is a perfectly normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but the symptoms of depression are much more than just sadness. Depression is the overwhelming feeling of sadness when everything in your life seems to be going right.  However, some depressed people don’t feel sad at all—they may feel lifeless, empty, and apathetic, or some may even feel angry, aggressive, and restless.

The final stage of grieving is:

5. Acceptance: Acceptance in human psychology is a person's assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition without attempting to change it or protest it. This might be one of the hardest stages, but it can also be the most freeing. As one accepts their situation they are then free to move on from it, the burden of the grief and all the pain, anger, sadness etc is finally been processed. It's not to say that one will never revisit that grief or loss, as it will always be with us to some degree, but the bulk of it has been processed and there is a renewed sense of life after that, from my experience anyways.

When I was grieving and struggling I had no idea there were actually stages of grieving, I thought I'd be burdened with these overwhelming feelings and helplessness forever. Which is in part, why I wanted to write about it. If you're struggles and burden are to much, to overwhelming, please reach out for help to a trusted friend or loved one or a support group. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

Stay Strong!

Best,
A Member of the FACT Team

Abuse Report Against the "King" of "Sham"bhala

"Late last month, a former Shambhala teacher released a report alleging that the Sakyong had sexually abused and exploited some of his most devoted female followers for years. Women quoted in the report wrote of drunken groping and forcefully extracted sexual favors. The report said that senior leaders at Shambhala — an organization whose motto is “Making Enlightened Society Possible” — knew of the Sakyong’s misconduct and covered it up."

Read Full Article  Here

Stay tuned for our Grand Expose on Shambhala and Naropa University to be published very soon.  

The FACT Team

Scientology Cult use Nazi Tactics to Control Members

This goes to show how much control cults Try to have over their members, the way they think, the way they act, their thoughts, their emotions and with their family and social connections. Their tactics, one of which is having a "reporting system" in place, where members report on each other,  has zero boundaries, are invasive and Nazi like.

This is a Scientology Interrogatory - a series of questions sent by the Church of Scientology of Denver to a Denver area Scientologist or more likely ex-Scientologist who is trying to stay under the radar.

At the end of the Interrogatory it states "Bring in or mail to the HCO (Hubbard Communications Office) Cope Officer no later than 10 May 2018"

This person did not respond to the Interrogatory, likely out of fear of losing family, friends, business connections etc. They then were sent a "Summons" by the Church of Scientology Denver.

They state: "You are to arrive for an interview no later than 6p.m. on 8 July 2018". If this person does not respond or show up, the next level of handlings will ensue.

The Church of Scientology boasts about their never ending expansion, year after year and yet they have to interrogate their members as to why there is so much disassociation from members with Scientology. Scientologists are highly controlled - Behaviorally controlled , Information-ally controlled, Thought controlled and Emotionally controlled.

These are common Cult and mind control techniques that keep members under undue influence to stay in the cult instead of leave. When a group or person has control over another in these capacities they gain virtually all control over them.

Steve Hassan's BITE Model goes into great detail on these points.

Cult members have no idea, no education on these topics. If they are in tune with themselves, their true identity in the least, they will at least feel Cognitive Dissonance from time to time - which can be very conflicting for them.

Watch Out Cults and Predatory Personalities - you may have your current membership controlled, but society at large is being educated and more and more youth, who you primarily target, are being armed with the knowledge to walk away when you and your brainwashed members approach them.

Please share with everyone you know so more people can get the education and awareness needed about these topics. It Saves Lives!

Thank you!

The FACT Team  

How Institutions Contribute to Sexual Predation

With the endless media reports and the countless number of complaints and support emails we get from so many victims of abuse that are or were involved in one institution or another, whether it be a University or a religious organization this article is spot on!

Joe Navarro is a former FBI Counterintelligence Agent and is the author of What Every Body is Saying. Also Author of: Dangerous Personalities: An FBI Profiler Shows You How to Identify and Protect Yourself from Harmful People. He is an expert on nonverbal communications and body language.

Joe states in his article: 

"Predators, especially smart ones, go into professions where their victims will be easy to access. In other words, they count on institutions, to wit: the Catholic church or a university as in these cases, to attract and corral the victims for them—thus making predation easier and more plentiful. Yes, that is how predators think, I know, I have interviewed them. This is what institutions fail to get."

And not only will institutions protect the predator, they will do the dirty work by questioning the veracity of victims or their memory, or worse, they may decide to just silence the victims. As unctuous as that sounds, that is exactly what they do. Institutions and enablers culpably embolden predators and so predators continue to do more harm. Sexual predators are aware that people are forgiving and that there will be those that will side with them no matter what they do – no matter how ugly the facts.

So not only are they negligent, most institutions are reluctant to recognize that they may have hired or are associated with a predator. As if their institution were somehow immune from these individuals. No institution is immune. The question is, are institutions willing to acknowledge even the possibility? Most I assure you are not."

Read the full article Here

One of our downloadable FACT Sheets on our website highlights Joe's research and writings on Why Predators are Attracted to Careers in the Clergy.Download our Preventative Education Materials Here

We hope you found this information educational and please share it with others to help raise much needed awareness.

Thank you,
The FACT Team

2018 ICSA Conference - Live Video Streaming

For those unable to attend this yearly conference, there is Live Streaming of sessions at the 2018 ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) Conference - Philadelphia July 5 - 7, 2018

The 2018 ICSA conference in Philadelphia, organized with Info-Cult/Info-Secte of Montreal will be offering live streaming of two sessions via the ICSA YouTube Channel:

Thursday July 5, 2018 at 9:00 (EST): Conference Opening with Steve Eichel, PhD, ICSA President, and Carolle Tremblay, Esq.

Info-Secte/Info-Cult President and Plenary Address: We Disagree-Let’s Talk! Why Diversity and Dialogue are Necessary and How We Overcome Undermining Factors with Lorna Goldberg, LCSW. YouTube Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylowf54_mtE

Saturday July 7, 2018 at 4:30 (EST): Plenary Address: The Spectrum of Coercive Control with Rod Dubrow-Marshall, PhD. YouTube Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNEt6Z9MmKQ

Thank you to all those who provide valuable resources and information at this conference. It is very valuable and very appreciated and we are happy to support and help promote their events to assist survivors in their understanding and healing.

Sincerely,
The FACT Team