Claiming to be the channel of ancient wisdom revived, this sect made its appearance in 1965. It was founded by Paul Twitchell who claimed to be the 971^st Living ECK Master. Twitchell insisted that he received his revelations from two former ECK Masters: Sudar Singh in India and Rebazar Tarzs in the Himalayas, and that the terminology used in this religion came from the Amdo dialect of the Tibetan language.

The present leader, Sri Harold Klemp, became the 973^rdECK Master in 1981. The ECK Master is also called the Mahanta. Whoever fills this role is said to be God in the flesh, omniscient and omnipresent, one who abides in the highest state of God-consciousness. The ECK Master’s calling is to lead other souls into the realm of spirit which is called the Kingdom of Heaven. The primary means by which this takes place is the leadership of the Mahanta and an experience called “Soul Travel.” Interpretation of dreams is also an important part of one’s spiritual development. To its initiates and members, ECKANKAR is taught to be the only true path to God.

The sacred text of this religious group is the Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad, said to be 12 volumes long all of which are viewable only in the spiritual worlds. Paul Twitchell recorded the first two volumes while visiting higher spiritual planes.

Doctrinal Stance on the Seven Pillars of Wisdom

The Nature of God

ECKANKAR: The founder of this sect, Paul Twitchell, describes Ultimate Reality as a ‘cosmic current,’ existent everywhere and in all things (a pantheistic, monistic view). God is detached and unconcerned about man and the universe. Paul Twitchell’s main name for God is SUGMAD (pronounced SOOG’MAHD). The manifestation of the Absolute is called ECK-a word also used as an abbreviated form of the word ECKANKAR. The most ancient, secret name for God is HU (pronounced HYOO).

The origin and Nature of Man

ECKANKAR (Sri Harold Klemp): The present leader of this rel-igious group explains, “Soul is an individual; It retains its individuality throughout all time, beyond time, in all universes, beyond all universes.”¹ Paul Twitchell, the founder of ECKANKAR states, “We are gods of course, but gods of our own universe, and gods among other gods. Every man, woman and child is God! No one can dispute this basic fact of cosmic wisdom!”² “The individual is truth Itself.”³ Paul Twitchell also taught the eternal existence of the Soul: “We have lived for eternity whether in this universe or another, because eternity has no beginning or ending.”⁴ Man is made up of four parts: “Spirit, Soul, mind, and body.”⁵ The physical body is referred to as Nuri Sarup; the soul body that can travel through the astral plane is called Atma Sarup.

1 “Quotes,” www.eckankar.org, (September 16, 2000).

2 Paul Twitchell, The Flute of God (Minneapolis: ECKANKAR, 1969) p. 7.

3 Ibid., p. 19.

4 Ibid., p. 17.

5 Ibid., p. 20.

The Nature of Salvation, Liberation or Enlightenment

ECKANKAR: Enlightenment comes through the experience of the cosmic “Light and Sound” of God, a revelation said to be most perfectly unveiled through the teachings of this sect. Great emphasis is also placed on the interpretation of dreams and on “soul travel,” which is called “the secret path to God.” Through this experience a person can ultimately achieve omniscience. It can only be taught by a Living ECK Master.

Students of ECKANKAR are also trained to meditate on the current “Mahanta” (the ECK master) until he appears to them in a radiant form. Being in the presence of the “Mahanta” burns away negative karma and grants followers of this path a quicker entry into God-realization. What constitutes moral behavior is an individual discovery and decision, established by a person’s inner authority. Souls can never be lost, but they can forget who they are.

Paul Twitchell, the leader of this sect, taught that it is not possible to enter the Kingdom of God except through the teachings of ECKANKAR. In a book written by him, “ECK and Music,” he explains that the ECK is the Way and without this heavenly music (the WORD) no one can reach God again. Though ECKANKAR emphasizes the necessity of each seeker going through a “Mahanta,” Twitchell concedes, “…the whole truth is…that we must find our own way to God. There is no teacher, living or past, who can give us the actual understanding of truth.”¹

1 Paul Twitchell, The Flute of God (Minneapolis: ECKANKAR, 1969) p. 11.

Dimensions or Planes of Existence

ECKANKAR: Paul Twitchell, the founder, taught the Kingdom of heaven is divided into eleven different realms: the upper six are heavenly, the lower five are ruled by the devil (who is given the name Kal Niranjan). They are, from lower to higher, named: (1) The Physical Plane; (2) The Astral Plane; (3) The Causal Plane; (4) The Mental Plane; (5) The Etheric Plane; (6) Atma Lok; (7) Alakh Lok; (8) Alaya Lok; (9) Hukikat Lok; (10) Agam Lok; (11) Anami Lok. The true heaven where God dwells in called Anami Lok. The hub of the spirit world is a spiritual, capital city named Sahasra-dal-Kanwal.

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