Swami Continues to Harm While Some Escape

By Rani

A long list of good people have left the Swami Chetanananda – AKA J. Micahel Shoemaker.

All of them left with bad feelings.

Of course, some left to jump off a bridge, walk into a river in the middle of the night, run away with nothing, after realizing they had been abused. Some came and used drugs at the Movement Center, and at least one died after getting out of rehab.

There are ex-members who joined “a good thing” and then saw it turn bad, like Nxvim, Heaven’s Gate, Jonestown, and a thousand other cults led by traumatizing narcissists like J. Michael Shoemaker.

Where are the statements from the doctors, lawyers, and scholars who were part of the Movement Center? 

What do they say to legitimize Shoemaker’s actions now?

Would Andrew Sheppard, the new Vice President of Regional Operations for Brookdale, happily disclose his long-time association with Shoemaker?

Or would he have difficulties explaining why he and Faith were long-time devotees?

In 1978, Lawrence and Mary Eyink of Cincinnati reportedly abducted their own son Dan in an attempt to deprogram him from Shoemaker. Dan Eyink had dropped out of college to follow the bogus swami.

“It seemed like his eyes were dead…He had a mechanical smile,” his father said.

Dan had cut off his family. How many other Shoemaker devotees have done the same?

What is Dan doing now? Still with Shoemaker?

Nope, Dan Eyin is now a doctor. He graduated with an MD from the University of Massachusetts in 1994. He worked as an Internist & Primary Care Physician in Newburyport until 2010 and now has a private practice.

What happened? Why did he leave Shoemaker? What does Dr. Dan Eyink think of his time with Shoemaker? What does he think of how the Movement Center has been run since he left? Has he spoken with Ruth, Jes, Jessica, Natacha, Eva, Lili, Pinky, Megan, or dozens of others who have been assaulted?

What about Drs. Bonner and Reese? Their nephew did not benefit from his time at the Movement Center. He died while a resident of Shoemaker’s institute.

Dr. Bonner’s father, John Bonner, also died at the Movement Center. How do the family members feel about having Dr. John Bonner in this house of horrors?

Are they happy this accomplished man, one of the world’s leading experts on slime mold, spent his last years in the company of people being harmed and exploited, lied to, gaslit, and scammed?

Did Dr. J. Bonner have deep conversations over wonderful vegetarian meals with Marc Gafni, the alleged resident pedophile at the Movement Center?

Where are the testimonials of happier lives, greater fulfillment, lifetime accomplishments, thriving charities, and civil society contributions that have come out of the Movement Center?

I am reading of 50 years of lives lost, families destroyed, careers put on hold, and money scammed away for drugs and prostitutes.

I am reading and seeing luxury living for Shoemaker and his inner circle (Sharon Ward, Jim Brissette, Patty, Tom, Theresa, Salman, and others). 

In contrast, rank-and-file members (Karen Sutherland, Randy Sutherland, Lilliana Lopez, Thomas Harberts, Jesse Sweeney, Megan Grable and many others) perform “seva” to keep everything in tiptop shape for their guru.

To all the “know nothings” that Keshab referred to in his/her post, “This is a group of people who do not know the truth about swami’s abusive and manipulative ways. If they did, most of this group would leave.”

Let’s make sure they and everyone else know about the lies, abuse, scams, and damage J. Michael Shoemaker has done and continues to do.

Call Frank. Let him know what you know.

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