Rawat Replaces Humans with Tech
Guru Maharaj Ji's initial success among the baby-boomers had a draw-back. The drop-out rate from the haphazard method of person-to-person attraction, education and initation was very high. Rawat spent nearly 30 years lengthening and intensifying the lead up process to lessen this but a satisfactory process using human resources had not been found by the year 2000. The elephant in the room that premies could not discuss was that Maharaji was the problem and no amount of their effort could overcome this.
Maharaji believed in two things, technology and Himself and he thought that if he could just get to people directly, without his followers' interference, he would win their hearts, minds and wallets. Wherever possible he introduced new technology into the propagation process and the administration and organisation of his followers.
- 1986 - Maharaji spent much time selecting and preparing his part-time instructors from his most dedicated followers but he was never satisfied with them
- 1986 - Maharaji secretly experimented "revealing Knowledge" for the first time, solo, to small groups of 2 or 3. Statistics on the success rate were not revealed.
- 1986 - Maharaji orders his followers not to talk about the Knowledge or Himself but to refer anyone interested to instructors or His speeches
- 1987 - He rejected the use of the traditional face-to-face Initiation process though he had formerly said it was essential. He began "revealing Knowledge" from the stage with instructors throughout the audience demonstrating the techniques and correcting mistakes
- 1988 - Maharaji conducts Knowledge Sessions and Reviews himself, role of instructors to ensure aspirants are as indoctrinated as possible before the initiation
- 1990s - Elan Vital guidelines and processes were formalised
- 1997 - Two halls - "Knowledge Centers" - in Nepal and Amaroo. There were 4 Certified Knowledge Venues in the USA but none purpose built or owned by EV
- 1998 - Local communities forced to form phony unincorporated associations as Elan Vital would no longer handle liability insurance
- 1998 - Increased efficiency in organisation and administration by use of the First Class© intranet
- 1999 - Smart Cards were introduced to validate PWKs and authorise entry to Elan Vital events
- 1998 - Maharaji addressed his followers all over the world in his first ever Global Satellite Broadcast.
- 1999 - Maharaji holds "Corporate Style Trainings" for his most dedicated and wealthy followers
- 1999 - Satellite broadcasts become Maharaji's preferred speech distribution system
- 2000 - Local Satellite Broadcast Video Events replace Local Video Events
2000 - Knowledge works, look you mean, let's face it, Knowledge works. The Master when given that right environment does his thing and it's great. It all works."
- 2000 - Computer-based ("auto Knowledge") system. Maharaji instructs with videos on a Mac
- 2000 - Knowledge Venues supplied with special Knowledge Session wing chairs
- 2001 - A Knowledge Introduction Training (KIT) is synthesised from the Trainings in Atlanta and Amaroo. Registration Fee $50
- 2001 - A Maharaji stresses need for Synchronization and Materials for propagation with Public Events
- 2003 - There were eight Knowledge sessions in North America in 2003 with 297 newly "instructed." 14 million people watch Oprah.
- 2004 - Maharaji develops the KEYs, a series of custom-made videos for those wishing to learn Rawat's meditation techniques
- 2004 - 12 Knowledge Session Teams (one conductor & one operator of the Mahatma Mac) have been trained. Maharaji no longer personally required.
A Knowledge Session using 2 people and a Mahatma Mac seems quite simple and easy but it takes a team of about five people two full days to orchestrate a Knowledge session. The venue had a two-page checklist of criteria that had to be met and the Knowledge Session had a 52 page manual of detailed procedures that had to be impeccably followed; everything from a hidden security detail to Smart Card registration and every detail in between including when to dim lights and how much to dim them.
- 2004 - Newly devloped "In Touch" format includes several DVDs. These events will "give information a human face." Schedule events by email
- 2004 - Super extra large LED screens provided through donations. 2000 to 2500 premies send donations
- 2005 - The KEYs are released on 18 DVDs in 6 cases. All aspirants will have exactly the same preparation. Instructors are no longer required.
- 2005 - The Discovering More DVD and attached booklet becomes the main material for outreach and is provided free to anyonen showing interest in Knowledge
- 2005 - The character with the honorary title 'Maharaji' begins to be replaced and removed from existence.
After 20 years as 'Maharaji' and over 10 years of pressure on the Elan Vital local communities to propagate by showing videos of Himself speaking the results were in, and they were disppointing.
- 2000 - European Propagation Report - Estimation that in the year 2000, there were 5,000 in touch PWKs in Europe
- 2003 - KEYs Project Financing 560 active PWKs in Austrlaia, 100 in New Zealand
- CNA April 2004 - eight Knowledge sessions in North America in 2003 with 297 people "instructed."
- CNA June 2004 - No more than 2,500 USA premies making donations, about 5,000 people actively interested to see Maharaji speak
- Gold Coast Local Community Statistics showing how much effort was expended, how few new PWKs
- Year 2004 Update - a summary of the available documents giving statistics for that period
- December 2005 - Keys: A Happening Thing About 60% of Australian PWKs (335) were registered to slog through the KEYs. There were 209 Aspirants