One of the Universal Medicine clinics in New South Wales, Australia. Image: Screengrab from Universal Medicine official website
A daughter allegedly “let go” of her mother who joined a “socially harmful cult” that taught her bizarre practices. The said cult promotes alternative medicine methods such as burping to release bad spirits, and subjects members to methods such as breast massages to cure breast cancer.
Kasha, daughter of the alternative medicine cult member, opened up in the BBC One TV show “Inside Out West” on March 11 about how her mother changed upon discovering the group.
Universal Medicine is an Australia-based organization founded by former tennis coach Serge Benhayon, who claims to be the reincarnation of Leonardo Da Vinci, Saint Peter and Pythagoras among others, according to Sydney Morning Herald.
The self-proclaimed Da Vinci incarnate started practices such as esoteric breast massages and “ovarian readings,” supposedly to cure breast cancer. He also taught his followers that drinking liquor causes invasion of supernatural entities into one’s body and burping releases these bad spirits.
“I remember I was about 13 and she started burping ridiculously,” Kasha said in the interview. “I said ‘what are you doing?’ and she said she was ‘burping out bad spirits.’”
Kasha was 12 years old when her mother joined the alleged cult. She then realized that her mother is no longer the same after being a believer of the group for 11 years.
“I think Serge is a cruel man with cruel intentions. I genuinely think he’s a monster,” she added.
Among Benhayon teachings include that of sexual assault stemming from one’s wrongdoings in the past life, and that people with autism were dictators in these past lives, as per BBC.
The cult member’s daughter explained in the interview that while she still loves her mother, it is already hard to deal with the person her mother has become.
“I kind of realized that she wasn’t mom anymore, so that was quite difficult. I kind of realized… I’ve just got to let her go,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, the cult leader had previously been accused of inappropriately touching a client, Esther Rockett, during an “ovarian reading.” Rockett made the accusations in a series of blog posts and tweets on November 2014, as per Sydney Morning Herald.
Benhayon sued Rockett for defamation in 2015. He lost the case in December 2018. In its acquittal of the accused, the court called Benhayon a “charlatan” who indeed leads a “socially harmful cult.” Casey Eridio/JB
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