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Kayla Marie Swanson What the Puck? The Gentle Wind Project, a Quasi-Religious New Age Alternative Healing Organization by Kayla Marie Swanson A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Religious Studies University of Alberta © Kayla Marie Swanson, 2015 ii Abstract The quasi-religious space is important for examining groups and organizations that exhibit qualities of both the sacred and the secular, particularly when groups have a vested interest in being perceived as either secular or sacred. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the Gentle Wind Project, a quasi-religious, New Age alternative healing movement, and to demonstrate how the group fit the category of quasi-religious. First I examined the category of quasi-religion, using Scientology and Transcendental Meditation as two examples of it, followed by examining the religious and secular aspects of Gentle Wind. As part of the examination of Gentle Wind as a quasi-religion, this thesis also briefly explores the role of the internet for Gentle Wind and critics, as well as examines one of the main lawsuits in which the group was involved. Gentle Wind ultimately sued former members and critics over statements made about the group online, and the results of this lawsuit have implications for a long-standing debate within the sociology of religion. This debate revolves around the reliability of former member testimony regarding groups with which they were previously affiliated. In order to conduct my analysis, I followed two research methods. First, I relied heavily on primary source material regarding the Gentle Wind Project, which required me to use an archival methodology. Second, I examined secondary sources on a range of relevant issues in Gentle Wind, including, but not limited to, quasi-religion, New Age, the power and use of scientific language, alternative health practices, and magic. Furthermore, by examining the small and relatively unknown group, this thesis not only demonstrates the value of the quasi-religious label for examining New Religious Movements (or other ambiguous movements) but also draws attention to the group itself. iii Acknowledgements I thank my supervisor Dr. Stephen Kent for his valuable advice, support, and guidance during the process of writing this thesis. I also thank the members of my committee Dr. Andrew Gow and Dr. Susan L Smith. I am grateful for the essential resources on the Gentle Wind Project, which I was able to access at the University of Alberta’s Stephen A. Kent Collection on Alternative Religions. This project was further aided by The Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship (2013, 2015) and the Government of Alberta Graduate Student Scholarship (2015). Finally, I must thank my family and close friends for providing the support necessary to complete this thesis. iv Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... iv Introduction ...................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1: The Quasi-Religious Category ..................................................................................5 Quasi-Religion .............................................................................................................................5 Transcendental Meditation ........................................................................................................10 Scientology ................................................................................................................................14 The Gentle Wind Project ...........................................................................................................18 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................22 Chapter 2: The Sacred and Gentle Wind .................................................................................24 Religion .....................................................................................................................................24 New Age ....................................................................................................................................27 Ideology .....................................................................................................................................31 Borrowing and Blending of Religion ........................................................................................39 Eastern Religions ....................................................................................................................39 Western Religions, Theosophy, and New Age ......................................................................42 Anti-Authoritarianism ...............................................................................................................47 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................49 Chapter 3: The Secular and Gentle Wind ................................................................................51 Magic, Science, and Healing ......................................................................................................51 Evolution ...................................................................................................................................66 Education ...................................................................................................................................70 The Business Side .....................................................................................................................74 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................81 Chapter 4: Gentle Wind and the Legal System .......................................................................82 The Gentle Wind Project, et al v. Jim Bergin, Judy Garvey, et al. ...........................................83 Garvey, Bergin, and the Wind of Changes ................................................................................86 Gamble and Fraser ....................................................................................................................96 The Anti-Cult Websites .............................................................................................................99 v Gentle Wind Responds ...........................................................................................................101 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................106 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................107 Work Cited ................................................................................................................................116 1 Introduction Like so many binaries, the terms “religious” and “secular" divide the world into ‘either/or’ terms: an individual is either religious or not; an organization is either secular or not. Although some might view these concepts as opposites, in many instances groups (particularly new religious movements [NRMs]) demonstrate qualities and characteristics of both ends of the spectrum. These two seemingly oppositional forces interact with, and interpenetrate each other, with particular efficiency in quasi-religions. The concept of quasi-religion influences my study of the small alternative New Age healing organization started in Maine, the Gentle Wind Project. The group remained adamant about rejecting the religious label, despite characteristics, beliefs, and ideology, with clearly religious overtones. Yet, while the organization had religious aspects, it also exhibited qualities of the secular. In this thesis I will demonstrate that the Gentle Wind Project (GWP) was an ideal example of the quasi-religious category. A secondary endeavour with this thesis is to provide an overview of the Gentle Wind Project. This thesis is divided into four chapters. In the first chapter I explore the category of a quasi-religion. I use the examples of Scientology and Transcendental Meditation to further demonstrate the way that some NRMs occupy the space between religion and the secular (often science). This space and how a group attempts to shape its categorization (as well as how others perceive it) is an important and complicated aspect of a group’s identity. The ability to label itself, or be labeled by others, as either secular or religious provides a group with clear advantages. For instance, the secular label allows an organization to operate in environments traditionally separate from religion (e.g., public schools), while the religious label may provide access to additional protections or access to potential recruits that a secular label may not. I will address some of these advantages by focusing this thesis on The Gentle Wind Project (GWP). 2 Chapters two and three further elaborate
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