Author: Katie Campbell
Publication:
Date: May 5, 2004
Some spout praises, but others lower
their voices and whisper, "It's a cult."
Indian River County residents have
mixed feelings about the local ashram, or spiritual community, called Kashi
that spans 80 acres along Roseland Road in Sebastian.
"When I give people directions to
my house, and I tell them they will pass Kashi, they say, `Oh you live
next to the cult,' " Kashi neighbor Lani Deauville, 63, said. "I'm frustrated
with all the misconceptions of the place."
Deauville admitted, "It is strange.
But it's strange in a wonderful way."
She's lived near the ashram for
the past three years, but she's not a member. She knows Kashi members as
her neighbors. Sometimes she visits or attends weekly public meditation
sessions.
"It's a magic place not because
of any sort of hocus pocus stuff. It's magic because of the love that's
there," Deauville said. Others say they aren't drawn in by the magic, whatever
sort it may be.
"I kind of shy away from the place,"
said Carol Boyer, 63, of Sebastian.
As an interfaith spiritual community,
people of many different types of faith including Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism
and Christianity participate as Kashi members, the ashram's public relations
director Sita Ganga said.
Not all view this in a positive
light.
"You can't mix religions like that,"
said Susan Lambert, 38, of Sebastian.
Other religious communities aren't
as liberal in views of how many different paths can be taken in finding
faith.
"Our church takes a strictly biblical
view of our relationship with Jesus Christ and God," said Tom Kempf, senior
pastor of Riverside Church Assembly of God, which is located next to Kashi.
"Theologically, we believe they
are wrong in their approach, but the other side of that is that we're also
called to love all people and we do. I'm not going to take a position that
Kashi should be ostracized. We're just praying they will see the light,"
Kempf said.
Because the U.S. Constitution allows
for religious freedom, retired Presbyterian Minister Rafael Sanchez said
the community should be tolerant of spiritual communities like Kashi even
if it doesn't agree with the ashram's belief system.
"We cannot prohibit any religion
from being practiced in any community. For anyone to try to prohibit this
is anti-American and anti-Christian," Sanchez said.
While some had qualms with the basic
religious differences of Kashi, others expressed worries that the ashram
may try to convert people.
"They're a cult," Lambert said.
"I always heard people say, `Don't
go in there,' " said 63-year-old Joyce Cuce, of Sebastian. Cuce visited
Kashi for the first time in May.
"It's a lovely place, absolutely
impressive. They don't push religion on you," Cuce said.
Dr. Harish Sadhwani also said he
felt that Kashi members didn't focus on trying to convert. As a Hindu,
Sadhwani sent his children to the River School at Kashi in hopes that Hindu-based
teachings would be included.
"But they don't do that. They preach
good manners and how to be a better person. Religion is in no way being
taught," Sadhwani said.
Sadhwani actually removed his children
from the River School because there wasn't enough of a Hindu emphasis.
For other parents, however, the
school proved to be just the place for their children.
"I saw them take every child and
try to develop whatever their talent was," said Nancy Hines, 50, who lives
near the ashram.
Kara Boulahanis, 17, of Vero Beach,
who attended the River School, called her educational experience enlightening.
"It was a great educational experience.
They taught me to be more analytical. There were no forbidden questions.
I could even question the teachers," Boulahanis said.
When Boulahanis tells people she
attended the River School at Kashi, reactions vary.
"I've gotten the whole broad range
from `You worship monkeys,' to `That's really cool.' "
While some Indian River County residents
have visited Kashi or know many of the Kashi members, most are like 48-year-old
Paul Mach of Barefoot Bay.
"I've driven by, but I've never
been in," Mach said.
Mach too has heard Kashi referred
to as a cult, but he said, "I don't know anything about that, whether they
are or they aren't."
Until he learns more about the Kashi
spiritual community, Mach said, "I'll reserve judgment."