When people leave a cult, the money gets cut, the cult will crumble and the crowd will crash. This will anger the leader for sure, but will also impact others who have been benefitting from the finances. There may be added pressure for the members to give more, do more, recruit more!
For those who may have been enjoying the perks of high level cultic membership, they do not want to see this crumble! Within a cult, there are always members of the inner circle. They may have been invited by the leaders to spa days with complimentary massages, free meals at expensive restaurants, and private gatherings at the home of leadership.
These leaders like to look successful and generous, so they give gifts. There may be money given discreetly, presents for the children, clothing, jewelry - all of these gifts making someone think they really cared about them when in reality they were buying their loyalty. There may have been special vacations or adventures with them to make one feel as if they were preferred above others. Perhaps they paid for their children to go to camp or made sure their kid was the one who got the scholarship. None of this comes without a price! Devotion and extreme allegiance are expected. After all, they paid for this - they chose the inner circle, but there’s a catch!
The regular members usually don’t even know this goes on and they certainly are unaware that it’s their donation money being used to pay for these expenses. They are the ones footing the bill on those spa days, fancy meals and expensive trips! Their offerings are being used for the enjoyment of the elite members. Taking this away will surely prompt rage like that of a spoiled child with the cookie crumbling in their hand.
And then there’s the crash, when others start to question things, take a peek behind the curtain and realize it’s time for the deception to end. Once people see the truth of the trickery, it’s hard to un-see it!
Practical Tips & Tools to Move Forward Breaking free from the cult is one step, but knowing how to take hold of a fresh new life without them is another.
Be Prepared for Regret. We may feel lost because we were used to starting our day with a fellow cult member, perhaps an early morning gathering or a daily call. Our schedule will feel dismantled and awkward. We may feel like we have too much time on our hands. We may not know how to rest!
Create Creative Space. Journal the thoughts, memories and questions that come up. There may be memories that are so deeply stuffed we have not allowed them to surface let alone see them as they truly were! Allowing these things to be scrawled across pages will help get them out of the head and heart onto a safe space. Painting, drawing, and making music can also be wonderful forms of release!
We invite you to read or listen to our next blog to learn more about
Practical Tips & Tools to Move Forward in Are You Caught in a Cult? Part 6
This information has been provided to help people who have been drawn into unhealthy controlling organizations. If you wish to learn more, or care to share your story to help others, please contact us at Glue Your Life Back To Better.com
Back to Better Blog is presented in partnership with BacktoBetter.com and Brilliant Beam Media.
