Q. Is MasterPath a Cult?
A. No, MasterPath is not a cult. The meanings of this term have come to include organizations that exploit their followers, those that use devious methods to attract and control adherents, and those who encourage members to worship the personality of some teacher, or to relinquish their power and individuality to a charismatic leader. MasterPath and Sri Gary Olsen do not engage in any such practices. Sri Gary Olsen consistently emphasizes that the true Master is the Sound Current, the Divine Spirit with us all; he asks nothing of his student for himself, and he allows no worship whatsoever of himself. He teaches that the student’s devotion should be inwardly directed to the true self (soul) and the all-sustaining Spirit (Sound), as this is the time-honored method taught by all Light and Sound Masters to discover, and then realize, the Divine Spirit within. The goal on the MasterPath is to become a Master oneself, meaning the master of one’s own consciousness, living fully in the love, power, wisdom, and freedom of our inherent divinity.
MasterPath’s finances are straightforward: Students pay monthly dues of $30; the fee for a weekend seminar with Sri Gary Olsen is currently $150, and there is no fee for initiation. This relieves student of any feelings of obligation to make donations or tithe. There are three seminars a year, and there is no obligation to attend.
If any student does not perceive that he or she is experiencing the upliftment and spiritual unfoldment available on MasterPath, one need only cease participating; there is no attempt to hold or coerce anyone to remain. Sri Gary Olsen realizes that not everyone is suited for the MasterPath, and that only a sincere investigation by a seeker can reveal this.
The method of spiritual unfoldment taught by all Light and Sound Masters throughout history involves the student turning to the Inner Master, the indwelling Divine Spirit of the Sound Current, as a refuge from the destructive thoughts, feelings, and attitudes that plague and entrap all seekers. This practice has been misinterpreted by some to indicate a worship of the Living Master, but this is not the case. The Living Master gives talks, writes books, and serves as a model and a guide, constantly urging the student to turn inward to the true Master, and through the Inner Master, the true self.
MasterPath actually teaches students how to extricate themselves from the external and internal cults that all humans are unknowingly trapped within. Every individual has given one’s power and individuality to something outside of oneself (the external cult), such as prestige, money, or romantic love, and also to faculties within oneself (the internal cult), such as one’s own mind, ego, and personality. All seekers have been exploited by the false promises of these pursuits, and the goal and promise of the MasterPath is to free the soul to fully express its own, unique divine awareness.