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?