Recognizing religious trauma

Religious trauma syndrome is defined as follows (link here):

Religious trauma syndrome (RTS) is classified as a set of symptoms, ranging in severity, experienced by those who have participated in or left behind authoritarian, dogmatic, and controlling religious groups and belief systems.

Religious trauma syndrome has parallels with the better known PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) that is particularly observed in war-time. As the wikipedia article explains, there are two stages:

first the prolonged abuse of indoctrination by a controlling religious community, and second the act of leaving the controlling religious community

When does RTS arise

RTS can arise in the following scenarios:

1. A group demands conformity. As an example, a member may raise a question about the accuracy of a teaching. Instead of engaging with the question, leaders might deflect and reply with an interrogation of the following type:

• Who put this question in your head?
• Why are you asking this question?
• I will answer this question after ‘ten years’.
• You are not advanced enough to ask such a question.

Likewise, if someone reads a book not approved by the group, they may be reprimanded or excluded.

2. Fear-based teachings dominate. An example of this is emotional manipulation of the following type:

“If you leave us, you are an offender and will lose all spiritual progress. You will fall down. You will never be able to practice bhakti again. “

3. The group equates loyalty to the institution or leader with loyalty to God. Members may be asked to sign pledges of never leaving the institution. Members are continually reminded that the institution’s leaders are equal to God.

4. Members are isolated from outside perspectives, making leaving feel like losing one’s whole world. This is particularly devastating for young recruits who join temples and become steadily isolated from their parents and family. Such young persons lose their moorings to family, and may also lose prospects for finding employment since they may quit school or college. They are particularly vulnerable to coercion.

Healing from RTS

The key to healing from RTS is to regain autonomy. Years of indoctrination in restrictive sects by controlling individuals causes a loss of trust in one’s own judgment. Trusting one’s own judgment is key to regaining autonomy. This is difficult to do in isolation. Thus, building a network of companions and advisors who respect our autonomy and do not demand conformity is critical in the healing process.

It is crucially important to recognize the difference between the mind-controlling teachings and tactics of individuals and Bhagavān’s teachings and approach. Bhagavān believes in autonomy as He explains to Arjuna toward the end of the Gītā in 18.63 – yathecchasi tathā kuru : Act as you wish.

Another aspect of healing from RTS is to engage with śāstra with fresh eyes. One can gradually develop some familiarity with Sanskrit, even at a basic level, and learn from scholars who actually know the Sanskrit language, and who exclusively focus on the commentaries of our great ācāryas like Śrī Sanātana and Śrī Rūpa Goswami, Śrī Jīva Goswami and Śrī Viśvanātha. This study can restore the ability to think independently, and help one overcome the effects of indoctrination.

Every Gauḍiya Vaiṣṇava has the right to engage deeply with the writings of these teachers. After all, Gauḍiya Vaiṣṇavism was established and defined by these founders of the tradition. Becoming their student is the only way out of the confusion and uncertainty surrounding Gauḍiya Vaiṣṇavism today. This can absorb our mind into Bhagavān like never before, and let us finally begin our journey on the bhakti-mārga.

Ultimately, this alone is the solution for religious trauma. The Goswamis’ writings are designed to help us reconnect with our authentic selves. This can help us regain our autonomy, and commit to bhakti again, but this time through genuine desire and fearless understanding as opposed to coercion and fear-based ignorance.

Summary

To those burnt by traumatic experiences in their search for authentic bhakti, rest assured that there is hope. The solution for all trauma is the treasure of bhakti alone. That treasure can be found in the writings of the Goswamis alone, and nowhere else.