CultNEWS101 Articles: 2/12/2026
Patrick Ryan
"With jarring regularity, the gates of an Indian high-security prison swing open for a prominent guru jailed for life for murder, freeing him to preach virtue to the millions of followers he holds in his thrall.
A flashy preacher with rock-star taste, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was first jailed in 2017 on rape charges and convicted of murder two years later. Yet, he has been freed 15 times on parole, and so far has spent more than 400 days outside prison.
Indian history is filled with charismatic – and often controversial – figures who commanded huge devotion. But Singh’s recurring freedom is seen by many as a grim testament to the enduring power of spiritual influence in the world’s most populous country – a place where, critics say, the scales of justice can be tipped by the vast political reach and capital of these so-called godmen.
The Federal: Who is Indian-American Deepak Chopra? Why is he in the Epstein files?
"...The recently released records contain emails and calendar entries between Epstein and Chopra dating mainly from 2016 to 2018, years after Epstein had already been a convicted sex offender. In those communications, the two men discussed a variety of topics, including political figures such as Donald Trump and requests for information about public personalities.
In one of his email exchanges with Epstein in 2016, Chopra reflected on his personal life, noting that his "biological needs" were only occasionally met and no longer held much appeal. He mentioned having three more books to complete before stepping back, and shared plans to spend a week in silence with a small group for greater clarity.
Chopra also added that he enjoys the company of younger, intellectually sharp, and self-aware women, engaging with them to inspire and stimulate."
"In 1968, aged 23, Canadian Paul Saltzman travelled to India with a cheap Pentax camera and no idea how to use it. He'd never studied photography. He couldn't work out exposures. His only guide was the folded instruction sheet inside a box of Kodak film showing little sun symbols next to f-stops.
Yet the pictures he took that February—of John, Paul, George and Ringo, whom he'd unexpectedly encountered at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in Rishikesh—are now considered some of the most iconic shots of The Beatles ever taken.
Having since made 343 films and won two Emmy Awards, the president of Sunrise Films Limited, Toronto has plenty to teach creatives today."
"...The most profound moment in Paul's career came during that week at the ashram in 1968, which is beautifully documented in his 2020 film, Meeting the Beatles in India. The four Liverpool lads had accepted him into their group, teasing and laughing together at a dinner table. During their conversations, George Harrison said something that shaped everything Paul's done since: "Like we're The Beatles, after all, aren't we? We have all the money you could ever dream of. We have all the fame you could ever wish for. But it isn't love. It isn't health. It isn't peace inside, is it?"
That realisation—that external success doesn't equal internal fulfilment—became Paul's north star. A Toronto lawyer who started 32 media companies told him years later: "When you get up in the morning, do that which gives you joy, and you'll always be successful."
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