ECKANKAR
(Paul Twitchell and Sri Harold Klemp)
Heralded by its founder, Paul Twitchell, to be the channel of
ancient wisdom revived, this sect made its appearance in 1965. Twitchell also
claimed to be the 971st Living ECK Master. He insisted
that he received his revelations from two former ECK Masters: Sudar Singh in
India and Rebazar Tarzs in the Himalayas, and that the terminology used in this
religion came from the Amdo dialect of the Tibetan language.
The present leader, Sri Harold Klemp, became the 973rd
ECK Master in 1981. The ECK Master is also called the Mahanta. Whoever
fills this role is said to be God in the flesh, omniscient and omnipresent, one
who abides in the highest state of God-consciousness. The ECK Master's calling
is to lead other souls into the realm of spirit which is called the Kingdom of
Heaven. The primary means by which this takes place is the leadership of the
Mahanta and an experience called "Soul Travel." Interpretation of dreams is
also an important part of one's spiritual development. To its initiates and
members, ECKANKAR is taught to be the only true path to God.
The sacred text of this religious group is the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad,
said to be twelve volumes long, most of which are viewable only in the spiritual
worlds. Paul Twitchell claimed to have transcribed the first two volumes while
visiting higher planes.
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