Stephanie Brail - Critic Of Ammachi

Stephanie Brail - Critic Of Ammachi

Stephanie Brail (a feminist, writer and widely self-proclaimed reiki master, healer and teacher of various New Age concepts & beliefs) wrote a rather amusing article about Mata Amritanandamayi entitled “Is Amma The Hugging Saint For Real?”

About Ammachi, Stephanie Brail said (select excerpts):

...Alas, my friend and I, who went to see Amma last night in Los Angeles, have decided that she is not the real deal. Worse, it appears that Amma is a psychic vampire, siphoning off the energy of her devoted followers...

...It was at this point I decided to check my friend's energy to see what was going on. Amma had apparently corded both of us, and was draining our life-force energy through these cords...

...What I got intuitively was that in order for Amma to elevate herself, she drains the energy of her followers. Drinking her "blessed" water is actually a curse, as it binds you energetically to her. Hugging her I'm sure does even more damage...

...It’s also important to note what it is that Amma is selling. Amma does not sell much of anything but Amma. (And she does sell - just because the hugs are free, it does not mean they aren't selling other things, such as food, books, Amma dolls, and even Amma's old car. Let's not forget the copious donations she collects.)...

...Amma, on the other hand, seems to be all about her. That’s your first clue she’s an energy vampire. Whether you believe in such things literally or figuratively, it’s kind of your cue to stay away. (Reference)

Stephanie Brail’s arguments against Amma were essentially those made by Bronte Baxter (an Illuminati conspiracist). Amusingly, Stephanie Brail posted a number of quotes from David Icke on her website. David Icke believes in a secret society called the “Illuminati”, which is allegedly comprised of pedophilic, blood-sucking, shape-shifting, reptilian aliens from the Draco Constellation who dwell among us as George W. Bush, Queen Elizabeth II, Kris Kristofferson, Boxcar Willie, Hillary Clinton, Harold Wilson, Tony Blair and others. NOTE: Call it “concidence”, but Stephanie Brail disabled her “feel good quotes” page because she claimed someone hacked it (while apparently ignoring every other page on her domain)! Let us see if the David Icke quotes re-appear after she fixes the alleged “security hole”.


Before seeing Amma, Stephanie Brail read various critical articles about her on the “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” website, which accused the guru of being a psychic vampire. After arriving to see Amma during Devi Bhava (when large groups gather to have her darshan and get hugs), Stephanie Brail whined about the “confusing maze of people”, “sitting on uncomfortable chairs”, “worried that they would, indeed, be stuck there until 11am” and “stood in another long line for food”.

After eating some dinner, both Stephanie Brail and her male companion felt “energized”. After experiencing frustration about not finding something to drink, Brail and her friend drank a small container of water that was blessed by Amma and “not too long later” both of them felt tired, drained and spacey. Instead of rationally attributing these feeling to the disorientation of the large crowd, the frustration of standing and waiting in long lines and the typical tiredness that comes after eating a full meal, Stephanie Brail said she psychically perceived that Amma had “corded” both of them and was draining their life-force from them just as she had read on the “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” website!

Stephanie Brail took charge of the situation, sat down, relaxed, centered, did some deep breathing, invoked angelic protection and cleared the cords with her psychic powers and “immediately” both of them felt better! Usually when one feels “tired”, “drained” and “spacey”, sitting down, relaxing, centering, taking deep breaths and visualizing makes one feel better anyway.

Stephanie Brail also claimed that Amma “literally sucked a child’s hand fully into here mouth like a hungry cannibal”. Amma can often be seen kissing children’s hands but she never sticks their hands in her mouth! Maybe it appeared that way on the TV monitor that Brail and her male companion were viewing, but in reality, Amma never sticks babies’ hands in her mouth as falsely claimed by Stephanie Brail. There are literally hundreds of hours of filmed footage that can completely refute Stephanie Brail’s claim that Amma sucks babies’ hands into her mouth.

Stephanie Brail Sells Herself Big Time

Stephanie Brail believes that Amma is an “energy vampire” and a “psychic vampire” because Amma supposedly sells herself and there is a business around and about her. What is so grossly hypocritical and blatantly deceitful about Stephanie Brail’s criticism of Amma is that she (Stephanie Brail) sells herself big time and she (Stephanie Brail) is engrossed in several money-driven internet businesses focused on herself.

Stephanie Brail’s reiki “flushes” and “empowerments” are widely sold on eBay through various sellers emphasizing her name (Ref). Stephanie Brail is also affiliated with powerattunements.com (Ref), which is run by Victor Glanckopf - a man who claims he has “received training and empowerments from many Lamas, Yogis, Light Workers, Healers, and Energy Masters of all conceivable lineages in the physical and in Meditation and Dream State” (including Santi Deva in Mahamudra and Liu Su in ancient tantric buddhism). Stephanie Brail’s reiki services are advertised and sold on numerous websites, including The University Of Reiki, The School Of Living Reiki Therapies, Spirit Light Reiki, Tree Of Life Reiki, Masters Healing Light Academy, etc. (among numerous other reiki websites). Stephanie Brail also believes that she is so powerful, anyone can “cord” healing energy from her simply by viewing her Reiki Picture.

Stephanie Brail’s reiki “flushes” and “empowerments” cost from between $9.99 to $100.00 each (Ref) and all of the following reiki “flushes” and “empowerments” are performed by Stephanie Brail through her personal website (Ref):

• 2009 Intention Empowerment


• 5th Dimensional Chakra Attunement


• Above the Radar Reiki (Free PDF File)


• Abundance Flush Empowerments (1 & 2)


• Abundance Flush Empowerments (3 & 4)


• Abundance Flush Empowerments (5 & 6)


• Ascension Reiki


• Attraction Reiki Level I - Belief


• Attraction Reiki Level II - Intention


• Attraction Reiki Level III - Attraction


• Attraction Reiki Package - All Levels


• Aura Flush Empowerment


• Bear Reiki


• Chakra Flush Empowerment


• Cocoon Reiki Empowerment


• Colours of Angels Reiki


• DNA Healing Reiki (Free PDF File)


• Deep Healing Reiki


• Earth Energy Boost (Free PDF File)


• Eclipse Energy Empowerment (Free PDF File)


• Energy Builder Attunements


• Etheric Cord Flush


• Excalibur Reiki


• Fairy Light RayKey


• Fearless Reiki


• Flame of Universal Love (Free PDF File)


• Flower Essence Reiki


• Giving Thanks Empowerment


• Goddess Baubo Empowerment


• Goddess Lilith Empowerment


• Goddess Ostara Initiation


• Guardian Angel Reiki


• Golden Scroll Reiki for Manifesting


• Golden Triangle Reiki


• Good Sleep Empowerment


• Happy Reiki


• Hawaiian Trinity (Aloha, Kahuna, Uhane Nui)


• Healing Flush Empowerments 1 & 2 (Physical)


• Healing Flush Empowerments 3 & 4 (Emotional)


• Healing Flush Empowerments 5 & 6 (Spiritual)


• Inner Light Reiki


• Inner Strength Reiki


• Intuition Reiki


• Isis Blue Moon Master Attunement


• Ki Manna Reiki


• Kuan Yin Attunements 1-7


• Kuan Yin Blessings


• Lakshmi Empowerment for Wealth & Success


• Life Path Reiki Level I - Spiritual Alignment


• Life Path Reiki Level II - Life Path Expression


• Lightbringer Reiki


• Light of Angels Reiki


• Light of Forgiveness Reiki


• Light of the Soul Reiki


• Light of Truth Reiki


• Lighten The Load Reiki (Free PDF File)


• Lion Reiki


• Love Flush Empowerments 1 & 2


• Love Flush Empowerments 3 & 4


• Make a Wish Blessing


• Mental Flush Empowerments 1 & 2


• Meridian Flush Empowerments 1 & 2


• Meridian Flush Empowerments 3 & 4 (Past & Present)


• Meridian Flush Empowerments 5 & 6 (Yin & Yang)


• Meridian Flush Empowerments 7 & 8 (Insight & Inspiration)


• Meridian Flush Empowerments 9 & 10 (Resistance & Flow)


• Money Angel Reiki


• Money Angel Reiki


• Money Freedom Empowerment


• Money Reiki for a New Reality


• Money Reiki Level I


• Money Reiki Level II


• Money Reiki Level III


• New Life Reiki


• OM Empowerment Attunement


• Om Namah Shivaya Empowerment


• Open Heart Reiki


• Protective Rose Camouflage Empowerment


• Psychic Protection Flame (Free PDF File)


• Pyramid Reiki


• Reiki Level I - Distance Course


• Reiki Level IV - Advanced Reiki Master


• Sacred Earth Energy Reiki


• Sacred Flames Reiki


• Self Care Reiki


• Self Love Reiki


• So Purkh Empowerment


• Soulmate Reiki


• Stone Reiki


• Tiger Reiki


• Totem Reiki


• Transparency Reiki


• White Dove Reiki


• Worthiness Reiki


• Zodiac Reiki Package (all 12 zodiac signs)

These reiki “flushes” and “empowerments” are simply PDF files with affirmations, visualizations and instructions. Simply by focusing on Stephanie Brail, people are allegedly capable of drawing healing reiki energy from her (similar to the “cording” method used by alleged “energy vampires” or “psychic vampires”).

Furthermore, Stephanie Brail is the webmaster, registrant and/or owner for the following (current & former) domains, blogs and Yahoo Groups (so far known):

• stephaniebrail.com (Current Website: Self promoting. Looking for a literary agent to represent her. StephanieBrail on Twitter.)


• emotionalfreedomreiki.org (Current Website: Promoting and selling reiki services.)


• simplereiki.info (Current Website: Self promoting and selling reiki services.)


• happyhypnosis.com (Current Website: Promoting hypnosis. Informational. Sells hypnosis audios and mp3s from $55 - $75 and advertises numerous hypnosis downloads.)


• pranamana.com (Current Website: Focuses on mantras & chanting. Sells alternative healing practices and sells custom audios for $150. Promotes Yogi Bhajan. Also a Pranamana MySpace)


• yogareiki.com (Current Website: Promoting and selling reiki & yoga services.)


• intentionproject.com (Current Website: Accepts donations and focuses on mantras, positive affirmations and creating intentions.)


• magicmastermind.com (Current Website: Goal is revenue and networking.)


• feelgoodgirl.com (Current Website: Self promoting, informational and selling alternative healing practices from $10 - $100. FeelGoodGirl on Twitter; FeelGoodGirl Libsyn)


• elementalreiki.com (Current Website: Selling a whole line of reiki services by Stephanie Brail from $10 - $100. Accepts donations and allows people to advertise on her website for $100. ElementalReiki on Twitter)


• moneyreiki.com (Current Website: Aim is to “transform greed, selfishness and materialism to an energy of giving, sharing and sustainability”, which includes giving and sharing your money to help sustain Stephanie Brail!)


• originaldiva.com (Current Website: Self promoting. Three months coaching for $360, 1 hour private coaching for $80 and ½ hour private coaching for $40.)


• virtualfloweressences.com (Current Website: Charges $80 per phone session and $210 for three phone sessions for flower essence consultations and distance healings.)


• eftwizard.com (Current Website: Promoting EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique - and sells alternative healing services: $80 for an hour and $40 for a half-hour.)


• oncoaching.com (Current Website: Promoting various types of coaching.)


• writernia.com (Current Website: For an online community of writers.)


• herhypnosis.com (Current Website: But the domain name is currently being sold for $2,500 or best offer.)


• closetscifigeek.com (Current Website: Science fiction news and reviews for cool nerds.)


• greentechgirl.com (Current Website: Articles on the green tech aka clean tech, such as alternative fuel, green computing, and e-cycling. GreenTechGirl on Twitter)


• orbsandghosts.com (Current Website: Orbs and ghosts and creepy things that go bump in the night. OrbsAndGhosts on Twitter)


• namasteph.com (Current Website: Yoga blog - Namaste + Steph = Namasteph. Namasteph on Twitter)


• ReikiFlow Yahoo Group (Current Yahoo Group: 39 posts in the last 100 months)


• NeedFeminism.blogspot.com (Current Blog: Just three short posts: Deleted 7/11/09)
  
  


• New Leadership for the SciFi Channel Petition (Current Petition: Created by Stephanie Brail.)


• Comedy Central Petition (Current Petition: Protesting “Girls Gone Wild” commercials on the Comedy Central channel. Written by Stephanie Brail.)


• SoulSurferSteph On MySpace


• elementenergy.com (Former Website: Solicited by Stephanie Brail on prleap.com as her own domain)


• herspace.com (Former Website: Unsuccessful venture. Stephanie used the name “SpiderWoman”.)


• amazoncityradio.com (Former Website: Unsuccessful venture.)


• amazoncity.com (Former Website: Unsuccessful venture. Stephanie used the name “SpiderWoman”.)


• spiderwoman.org (Former Website: Unsuccessful venture. Stephanie used the name “SpiderWoman”.)


• funetic.com (Former Website: Unsuccessful venture. Self-promoting. Solicited energy work and coaching with charges ranging from $150 - $750.)


• southbay-network.ryze.com (Former Group: Unsuccessful networking venture for the South Bay in California.)


• groups.yahoo.com/group/lovefreeway (Former Yahoo Group: Unsuccessful newsletter venture.)


• groups.yahoo.com/group/laughcoaching (Former Yahoo Group: Unsuccessful newsletter venture.)

Not only does Stephanie Brail widely sell herself and her services, she is what Anti-Cult Activists would call “brainwashed” and a “true believer” in spirits, angels, St Michael, psychic vampires, gods & goddesses, Yogi Bhajan, ghosts, Shiva, Lakshmi, kundalini, Ostara, Lilith, Baubo, Kuan Yin, Isis, auras, chakras, pyramids, angels, devas, animal totems, astrology, psychics, channelers, mantras, yoga, reiki, psychic healing, psychic protection, distance healing, fairies, telepathy, prana, Hinduism, Buddhism and other New Age concepts and beliefs.

As a matter of fact, a person using the pseudonym “corboy” on the Anti-Cult Rick Ross forum cited Stephanie Brail’s article against Ammachi yet added the following disclaimer:

DISCLAIMER

(Note: the person who runs the feelgood site offers various other services. That I quote from an article posted on the site does NOT mean that I necessarily endorse or recommend such services.

Corboy’s standing advice in all such matters is to get assistance from a person who is trained and licensed to practice in their area of expertise. This may not guarantee competablity or even competance,but at least means the person has accepted legal accountablity for his or her work.)
Reference

Funny enough, “Corboy” (just like Stephanie Brail) is a big fan of the self-realized, psychedelic-drug-glorifying Kali devotee Guruphiliac Jody Radzik (who actually believes he is a sex slave to the goddess). It is peculiar how Anti-Cult Activists are quick to cite people like Stephanie Brail and Jody Radzik to support their Anti-Cult agendas yet are unwilling to personally endorse them because their spiritual beliefs and alleged paranormal abilities make them non-credible!

Stephanie Brail - In Conclusion

It doesn’t matter that Stephanie Brail gives free reiki “flushes” (which appear to be lures to get paid services). There is a business around Stephanie Brail where the focus is on her person, her face, her energy, her reiki, her name, her writings, her spiritual credentials and her beliefs. Since Stephanie Brail advertises, solicits and promotes herself as a notable public figure in the arena of reiki, life coaching, hypnosis and alternative healing therapies...public scrutiny is inevitable.

Millions of people have experienced what they believe to be genuine love, compassion and spiritual elevation from Amma. Although there always seem to be a handful of disgruntled ex-devotees hissing in the background, it is a fact that people claim they are elevated, energized, inspired and humbled in Amma’s presence. Yes, the crowds around Amma can be frustrating and disorienting (perhaps even “draining”), but none of her critics (even the Reiki Masters) can demonstrate Amma’s indefatigable energy, compassion and love for all those who come to see her and get a hug.

And yet, who is Stephanie Brail? She is practically unknown to the general public, unable to draw any crowd to herself despite her widely alleged healing abilities (which all come with a price tag). As a matter of fact, on Stephanie Brail’s testimonials page, only 7 people are listed (4 of which are anonymous). It would seem that Stephanie Brail’s attacks against Amma are rooted in jealousy since her aspirations to become a Guru (as evidenced by her pervasive internet solicitations) have thus far proven ineffective.

How better to draw internet traffic to one’s website than by trashing & bashing an internationally renowned humanitarian and well respected Saint from India, all the while harping about one’s psychic abilities with side-menu links that promote & promise all kinds of healings from a distance?

Since Stephanie Brail sells herself big time:

“That’s your first clue she’s an energy vampire. Whether you believe in such things literally or figuratively, it’s kind of your cue to stay away.”

You said it Stephanie.

“Cult Of The Hugging Saint”: Final Thoughts

The “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” website is so desperate to smear Amma, they apparently need to reference Stephanie Brail, a widely self-proclaimed reiki master, healer and teacher of various New Age concepts & beliefs. As a matter of fact, the “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” website omitted any & all references to Stephanie Brail’s pervasive internet activity and claims to spiritual greatness. Why does the “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” website criticize Ammachi yet purposely withholds relevant information about her critics?

Jovan Jones - Critic Of Ammachi

Jovan Jones - Critic Of Ammachi

Jovan Jones was a “psycho, moody and bizarre” (Jones’ words) devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi and lived and traveled with the Guru in India and abroad from 1995 - 1997. After becoming pregnant (while devoted to the Guru), Jovan Jones had a mental breakdown and turned her life over to Jesus Christ and decided to write a fictitious autobiography that is “about 90% true” about Ammachi entitled “Chasing The Avatar”. The reason why Jovan Jones considers her book to be “90% true” is because she claimed that God spoke to her and told her that her Amma journals “did not honor him”, so she burned them. Therefore, her accounts are related by memory, ten years after the fact and the reader does not know which 10% of her book is fictitious (i.e., untrue).

On amazon.com, the following descriptions were given for Jovan Jones Anti-Amma book, “Chasing The Avatar”:

Product Description
Maya is a young woman with extraordinary prospects drowning in intense discontent. In the midst of this discontent, she meets Cha Ma, a guru. Immediately, she comes to believe that Cha Ma is an avatara human incarnationof the goddess Kali, the most malevolent, destructive of all Hindu deities. Spellbound, Maya runs off to India to live in Cha Mas ashram as a Hindu. Her choice hurls her parents, Paul and Marie, into a battle far beyond their wildest imagination for they must fight for their daughters life, and even her soul, as she teeters on the edge.

About the Author
From 1995 to 1997, Jovan Jones lived in a South Indian ashram and traveled around with a Hindu guru. She earned her MA in Political Science from Harvard in 1998. Soon thereafter, she moved to North Carolina in order to be near her parents, Ryven and Brenda, and to raise her son, Isaiah. She taught Social Studies and Language Arts in Cumberland Countys public schools, where she was chosen to be the countys Teacher of the Year and NCs Southeast Regional Teacher of the Year Runner-Up. Presently, she serves as the Mentor Facilitator in the large public school system, working with mentors and beginning teachers to increase teacher retention and efficacy.

In Jovan Jones’ book, “Chasing The Avatar”, she used the name “Maya” to describe herself and used the name “Cha Ma” to describe Amma.

Jovan Jones’ Christian Agenda Against Amma

It was quickly discovered that Jovan Jones is an Evangelical Christian with a religious agenda and a religious sales pitch against Amma the “Hugging Saint”. For example, on Jovan Jones’ website, she openly solicits her church, Covenant Love Family Church with Pastor Al And Tava Brice. What exactly does the Covenant Love Family Church believe? Let us take a look at their statement of faith:

Covenant Love Family Church - Statement Of Faith:

We believe the entire Bible is the infallible Word of God. The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, without error and the authority by which we base our faith, doctrine, and conduct.
-(2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:20-21, I Corinthians 2:13)

We believe there is one God, existing in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
-(Matthew 28:19, Colossians 2:9)

We believe man is created in the image of God and was created good and upright, but by voluntary disobedience, was separated from God.
-(Genesis 1:26-31; 3:1-7, Romans 5:12-18; 6:23)

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. As a result of man’s disobedience and sin, Jesus came to this earth as Savior of the world.
-(Luke 1:26-35, John 1:18; 3:16, Isaiah 9:6)

We believe that Jesus’ death on the cross has provided salvation, or deliverance from everlasting death, to those who choose to accept Him as Lord and Savior. By admitting that we have sinned and accepting Jesus as Lord, we can have a personal relationship with God now and spend eternity with God in Heaven. Salvation is not a result of what we do, but is a free gift from God through faith.
-(Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:11; 10:8-13, 1 John 5:10-13, Hebrews 9:15)

We believe water baptism, as taught and demonstrated by Jesus, is symbolic of the cleansing power of the blood of Christ and a testimony to our faith in Jesus.
-(Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:11-12)

We believe the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues is a gift from God. The Holy Spirit empowers the believer to develop the character of Christ and live every day in God’s will.
-(John14:26-27; 16:8, Acts 2:1-4; 2:38; 8:14; 10:44-46, Romans 8:26-27)

We believe in the regular taking of Communion as an act of remembering the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
-(1 Corinthians11:23-32)

We believe every believer should grow in their relationship with God through obedience to God’s Word, following the example of Jesus, and an active prayer life.
-(Ephesians 5:8, 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1)

We believe that divine physical, emotional, and mental healing and restoration is active today through the power of Jesus, our Healer.
-(Acts 4:30; Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 12:9; James 5:14; Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24; Mark 16:17-20)

We believe Jesus will return and take all who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior to Heaven for eternity. We believe in the existence and personality of Satan. The Bible describes Hell as a real place of suffering and permanent separation from God for unbelievers. God sent Jesus to redeem us so that no one would have to endure this punishment.
-(Job 1:7, 2 Corinthians 11:14, Ephesians 4:27, James 4:7, Mark 9:43-58; 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Revelation 20:10-15, John 3:18)

Jovan Jones’ book “Chasing The Avatar” was published by Destiny Image Publishers, Inc, whose motto is: “Speaking to the Purposes of God for This Generation and for the Generations to Come”. Jovan Jones dedicated her book to her “Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” whom she called her “Knight in Shining Armor”. The forward to the book was written by Dr. James A Brice Jr, the senior pastor at the Covenant Love Family Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In the first chapter of “Chasing The Avatar”, Jovan Jones said she wrote her Anti-Amma book for Jesus Christ, gave various assurances that Jesus Christ was watching over us and hoped that her God-Inspired book would set others on the road to freedom through Jesus Christ (PDF Ref - First Chapter To “Chasing The Avatar”).

What exactly did Jovan Jones hope her readers would get out of “Chasing The Avatar”?

Jovan Jones: “The way I know Him is marvelous and crazy! Wild and passionate! Intense and utterly male! He’s not always soft and sweet with me. The Christ I know isn’t the ‘beatific, harmless guy holding a little lamb.’ No, my Christ is altogether different. I pray that everyone who reads this book gets a revelation of Him in all His greatness, even if it’s just an inkling! Not the namby-pamby Jesus that we often want to make him out to be; but the dedicated, focused, assured and powerful God of the Universe who can reach into anyone’s world, anywhere at any time and snatch them out of their chaos and madness, their sin and despair. That is what He is to me.” (Reference)

Although Jovan Jones has a religious agenda against Amma, Amma does not have any type of agenda against Christians or Christianity. Amma has numerous devotees who are Christians who feel they have become better Christians by following her example of unconditional love, selfless service and constant remembrance of God through devotional singing, prayer and spiritual disciplines. Amma has said “My Religion is Love” and she does not discriminate against anyone because of his/her religious beliefs.

Jovan Jones - Coming To & Leaving Amma

While working for her doctorate at Harvard, Jovan Jones said she suffered a spiritual crisis and was “insanely discontented and a crazy risk-taker to boot”. As a result, she began experimenting with different religions by first exploring African religions and their off-shoots (Santeria, Voodoo, Candomble, Obeah, etc.). Jovan Jones gave up on these tribal religions because she “never really wanted to worship anything that was moodier and meaner” than herself [1]. Jovan Jones then claimed she had a vision of a blue sphere of light that exploded and suffused her in a “tremendous warmth and peace”. As a result of this experience, Jovan Jones began looking into Hinduism and Buddhism and then began looking for a Guru, which eventually led to Mata Amritanandamayi [2].

Ammachi never instructed or implied that Jovan Jones should give up her life and follow her. Rather, Jovan Jones said she was “so greedy for spiritual experiences” that in two days time she “absolutely HAD to go to India” and that is when she left everything behind and traveled to India to be with Amma. Admittedly, Jovan Jones claimed that as she became more involved with ashram life, the “crazier and more unstable” she became. Jovan Jones claimed that while she was at the ashram, she was “psycho”, suicidal on almost a daily basis and that her moods “swung around pendulously from soaring mountaintop happiness to abject despondency and despair” [1]. Jovan Jones said that she loved all the people at the ashram because they were just as “psycho and bizarre and on the edge” as herself. Jovan Jones said “The guru had gathered a group of crazies around her, no doubt.” Of course, one those “crazies” was herself! For reasons yet undisclosed (you have to wait for her second book) Jovan Jones was forced to leave India and return to the USA [1].

At no time was Jovan Jones held against her will, intimidated or threatened for leaving Amma. Jovan Jones left Amma as freely and as easily as she joined Amma.

As late as July 1998, Jovan Jones was a devotee of Amma. Jovan Jones and her parents were even interviewed by the Washington Post:

By DeNeen L. Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 5, 1998; Page B03

As more people heard about her, her following grew. Jovan Jones, 28, of Boston, sat in line with her mother and father, Brenda and Ryven Jones, and friend Al Busbee. Jovan Jones said she met Amma four years ago in Boston.

“A friend of mine told me that I should go see a saint who gives great hugs,” she recalled. “I thought I would go for a couple of minutes, get my hug and go.” “I entered her presence, and for the first time in my life, whatever I was feeling inside . . . this was the answer,” said Jones, who left a graduate program at Harvard and moved to India for two years to volunteer with Amma.

Jones’ parents said they wanted to experience what had changed their daughter’s life. “I’m trying to find out what she has that draws so many people here,” said Ryven Jones, a military retiree. “I feel real sad,” said Brenda Jones, gazing at the crowd before Amma. “I look around here, and I see a lot of hurt and a lot of pain. I’m sad that people have to wait years for someone to give them a loving touch. Because it is right here in our hearts.”

Since Jovan Jones got her MA in Political Science from Harvard in 1998 (and was still devoted to Amma in July 1998), she apparently did not “give everything up” for the Guru as she claimed on YouTube and elsewhere.

Anti-Amma Critic’s Embarrassing Conundrum

What would author & Christian Jovan Jones think of Michelle Walsh (a self-professed psychic, witch, spell caster, clairvoyant, seller of haunted objects, devotee of Mother Kali and webmaster for the “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” domain), Bronte Baxter (a person who believes that Jesus is a psychic vampire and an astral entity from the fourth dimension who sucks our energies, an Illuminati conspiracist and a believer in shape-shifting reptilian aliens from the Draco constellation) and Jody Radzik (a self-professed realized master, a fanatic devotee & “sex slave” of Mother Kali and a promoter and endorser of illegal psychedelic drugs)?

• Jovan Jones’ Christian beliefs invalidates those of Bronte Baxter, Michelle Walsh and Jody Radzik.


• Michelle Walsh’s Wiccan beliefs invalidates those of Jovan Jones and Bronte Baxter.


• Bronte Baxter’s Illuminati beliefs invalidates those of Michelle Walsh, Jody Radzik and Jovan Jones.


• Jody Radzik’s Advaitic & Pseudo-Rationalistic beliefs invalidates those of Jovan Jones, Michelle Walsh and Bronte Baxter.

What more can one do but laugh out loud at this cadre of fools who are attempting to criticize Ammachi? These critics (who are all cited on the “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” domain) all cite each other as credible voices against Ammachi even though their personal beliefs undermine each other’s arguments against the guru!

As a matter of fact, Guruphiliac Jody Radzik was quick to pick up on Jovan Jones’ religious views and said about her:

Jody Radzik: “The fact that she ‘turned’ gives her an ideological motivation to bash Ammachi. Jesus is the only way, ya know. ;)

Her various achievements could just as easily be the result of neurosis as it is excellence.

But please fill us in if you read the book.” (Reference)

“Cult Of The Hugging Saint”: Final Thoughts

The “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” website is so desperate to smear Amma, they apparently need to reference Jovan Jones, an Evangelical Christian with a religious agenda against Hinduism and Gurus. As a matter of fact, the “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” website omitted any & all references to Jovan Jones’ religious views and associations. Why does the “Cult Of The Hugging Saint” website criticize Ammachi yet purposely withholds relevant information about her critics?

Relevant Links About Jovan Jones:
- Jovan Jones Official Website
- Jovan Jones On Twitter
- Jovan Jones On Facebook
- Jovan Jones On YouTube