Interesting.
The Emin and Leo, its original prime mover.
I began Emin in '74 / '75 ish, and I was a thug whose mere presence frightened people. This is what I was told but not by those of the Emin. Over the year and some that I was in the Emin, I was transformed into a sophisticated young man. Beyond the Emin I was soon mingling with wealthy intellectuals and similar, travelling the world. My original burning ambition was to know the truth of myself, the world and beyond. Naively, also, I had wanted to help the world.
As I understood the Emin from Leo: "It is the beginning of great learning." Beginning being the operative word. The Emin was never designed to save anyone. With the basic teachings or beginning, you are supposed to save yourself.
We all baulked at the money charged for meetings. I will give you my retrospective reasoning on that issue. Leo had worked extremely hard to know what he knew, and whatever it was the early Emin had; the force, fizz or whatever you want to call it, had also acknowledged that Leo had worked hard, and he did what the force directed. None-the-less, the force was not exclusive to the Emin, but a Jehova's Witness who turned up at my door once, in the late 70s, had the force. A Venezuelan mystic I knew, also had it. However, in the Emin, during the time I was there - the force was many times multiplied, to the point where once, leaving a meeting, led by Leo, I wandered around like a drunk; a stoner. Beautiful, inspiring and I could think fast, clearly and understand things I never could before. Leo did say, regarding the force, and people leaving the Emin, that they would be like sparks, from a fire, soon to die - in the sense, the force would soon desert them.
The force did not desert me. I worked like a dog. I fought, struggled and crawled for the truth and have not ceased. My original aim has not faltered. I was first, grateful to be changed from what I had been, now capable of thinking; perceiving and reasoning clearly. I don't let myself forget my appreciation. The world says that people cannot change. Indeed, the world says many things.
The money, well, my conclusion is that Leo's desired reward for his work was cash; the more the better. Who was giving it him? Deadbeats like myself, who may or may not succeed. Where could money be better spent than on him, Leo. A cold appraisal, true. It had not pleased me to think of Leo in that way, but I don't know his whole story. Unlike Leo, I had no desire for cash, but then, our upbringings differed. My upbringing was deserts, jungles and the exotic, his, the mean streets of London. I like rain, coolness and the honesty of poverty, but Leo liked wealth and warmth. I will not fault him.
I returned to the Emin for a short time but there was no force anymore. In my opinion, the Emin had become like other religions; just people and notions. Again, in my opinion, the task of the force had been achieved, even like stories of the religions of old. However the force is still around, for anyone keen, and the force has many names. The Christ said something like: knock and the door shall be opened unto you. Jordan Peterson had the force, plain to me at least - the reason latterly for his tears and emotion. His basic tenet for getting people on the right track, was: clean your room. And an old Emin tenet: wake up and live. Were you, an Emin person, ripped off? Probably, I don't know, I'm not you. The world is full of pretenders, liars and cheats. But truth, goodness and most of the amazing things Hollywood portrays, exist. Oh yes, really. Too easy? Well yes, too. If you want to know, don't expect medals and praise, expect the agonies of many trials that will beat you until you're bloody. Usually metaphorically, but then, I'm just another nobody with opinions, so take care, wherever you choose to tread.
