"A rare look into the world of those women who put flowers
in your hands at the airport." --Feminist Bookstore News


Feminist Bookstore News
Nov./Dec. 1996 Vol. 19, No. 4

    I can only say, wow! It's this kind of book that I find not only interesting but an off-beat and quirky, though worthy, addition to the memoirs or spirituality section of any women's bookstore. In Betrayal of the spirit: My Life Behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement, Nori Muster recounts the story of her life in the Hare Krishna movement since 1977. For more than ten years, she worked as a public relations secretary and editor of the organization's newspaper. It's an insider's view of drug dealing, weapons stockpiling, deceptive fundraising, child abuse and murder. Though she has formally left the movement, she is still a believer. It may not be feminist but it does offer a rare look into the world of those women dressed in orange who put flowers in your hands at the airport in search of spare change.

"An important testimony that might be instructive to those involved
in the leadership of any religious movement." --Publisher's Weekly


Publisher's Weekly
October 14, 1996

    Perhaps the most colorful and aggressive of the Asian spiritual communities to take root on the American shores was that of the Hare Krishnas, more formally known as the International society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Who has not witnessed their American converts' dancing in the streets in their orange robes, confidently baring their shaven heads, or endured their fundraising efforts in airports? Against those finger cymbal-clanging memories of the 1970s, Muster's narrative of her insider's experience of ISKCON is nothing less than mesmerizing. That the American adventure into the worship of the noble Krishna would come to grief after the death of ISKCON's charismatic Guru Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in a scandal of murder, greed and corruption was perhaps not surprising to those who saw more than the Hare Krishna's superficial celebration of Krishna's love. For Muster, who worked for ten years as a public relations secretary and editor of the organization's newspaper, the ISKCON World Review, the humiliation of ISKCON meant the loss of an admirable spiritual vision. Her narrative of that scandal confronts the ways in which traditional patriarchy and philosophical rigidity regularly defeated spiritual vitality. Muster's book is an important testimony that might be instructive to those involved in the leadership of any religious movement.

"A cautionary tale showing how a religious institution can warp
reality for its members." --Yoga Journal


Yoga Journal
June 1997
Briefly Noted Books, Spirituality
by Holly Hammond & Todd Jones

    In 1977, at the age of 22, Nori Muster joined the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKON)--better known as the Hare Krishnas. Swami Prabhupada, the organization's spiritual leader, had just died. Over the next decade, as scandals and political infighting almost destroyed ISKON, Muster worked as a public relations secretary and editor of the organization's newspaper. Now, having left ISKCON, Muster has used her insider's knowledge to describe that time. Her story is a cautionary tale showing how a religious institution can warp reality for its members. Muster's continued faith in the value of a life of devotion and service--despite her disillusionment--testifies to the powerful appeal of the ideals that led her to the Krishna movement.

"If it's controversial swamis you want, Betrayal of the Spirit,
by former Hare Krishna flack Nori Muster, offers an insider's account."
--New York Post


New York Post
Dec. 14, 1996
Book Report by Mark Marvel

    With the holidays in full schwing, soul-searching books that dare to bare it all are giving this season's reading a certain joyful Scrooginess. . . . If it's controversial swamis you want, "Betrayal of the Spirit: My Life Behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement (University of Illinois Press), by former Hare Krishna flack Nori Muster, offers an insider's account of gun-running, drug dealing, and, yes, fornicating among bald-headed, airport canvassing, toga-wearers during the struggle for power following Swami Prabhupada's death in 1988.

"This is a highly significant work for scholars and students of new
religious movements." --Choice Magazine


Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries
A Publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries
June 1997 Vol. 34, No. 10
by L.H. Mamiya,Vassar College

    This is a highly significant work for scholars and students of new religious movements. Not only was Muster a devoted member but she also worked for a decade in the hierarchy of the Western world headquarters in Los Angeles of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as a public relations secretary and editor of the organization's newspaper, the ISKCON World Review. Her book recounts her initial joy and excitement at being at the nexus of communications with the outside world, finding a fulfilling spiritual path as an undergraduate at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and also her growing disenchantment with the Hare Krishna movement as media tales spread of drug dealing, weapons stockpiling, deceptive fund-raising, child abuse, competition among American gurus, and murder. But it was over the movement's rigid patriarchal hierarchy and paternalistic treatment of women that Muster ultimately resigned. Her story proves an insight into the decline of a movement that has lost 95 percent of its original members. In contrast to other works on the Hare Krishna movement like The Dark Lord, by Larry Shinn (CH, Jan. '88), who also writes an excellent foreword for Muster's book, the strength of Betrayal is its purely personal narrative and lack of academic theory and jargon. Photographs of movement leaders; extensive bibliography drawn from ISKCON sources. Highly recommended. General; undergraduate through professional.

"Betrayal offers a fascinating glimpse at how even the most spiritual
groups can fall prey to human failings." --The Boston Herald


The Boston Herald
Hard times with the Krishnas
by Bill Peschel

cheap hotel in Oslo    The 1980s were not a good decade for the Hare Krishna movement. Long mocked for their robes, bald heads and airport fund-raising,the cult was racked by more serious troubles involving murder, drug trafficking and child abuse. "Betrayal of the Spirit" describes those times from one of its members. Nori Muster was a publicist for the group in Los Angeles, and she coolly describes her 10 years as a member and how her faith was tested by the sins of her leaders.
    The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was started in 1965 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. After his death in 1977, ISKCON fell into an extended power struggle that nearly destroyed the movement. The leaders' refusal to openly discuss its problems and to suppress dissent made the problem worse.
    Muster initially supported the group's public relations policy. She printed "happy news" in ISKCON's newspaper about its leaders even as they were being indicted on various crimes. She also ignored the group's latent and blatant chauvinism that forbidded her from holding higher office and to continually defer to men. As time went on, she began to question both attitudes, and her attempts to introduce journalism into the newspaper led to conflicts, with her superiors and her resignation.
"Betrayal" offers a fascinating glimpse at how even the most spiritual groups can fall prey to human failings.

"Her narrative serves on two levels: as behind-the-scenes historical
reportage and as a very personal account of her journey into Krishna
consciousness and her search to find meaning within the confines of religious
institutionalism." --Nexus Magazine


Nexus, Colorado's Holistic Journal
June-July 1997

    Betrayal of the Spirit is a rare glimpse into the workings of the Hare Krishna movement in the US by a former insider. Author Nori Muser joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in 1977 and left in 1988, disillusioned with the way that the mechanisms of the institution interfered with her pursuit of spiritual truth.
    Nori Muster joined the group not long after the death of its founder and master, Swami Prabhupada--which ushered in an era of considerable disarray for ISKCON. In her position as public relations secretary and an editor of ISKCON World Review Muster was especially privy to the group's workings and many times had to present cover stories to soften the impact of the many scandals that rocked the movement--scandals involving membership schisms, fund-raising anomalies, child abuse, drugs, weapons stockpiling and even murder.
    Her narrative serves on two levels: as behind-the-scenes historical reportage and as a very personal account of her journey into Krishna consciousness and her search to find meaning within the confines of religious institutionalism. Despite her frustration with the inner workings and the rampant religious hypocrisy and sexism that forced her to leave her job and the group in 1988, Nori remains true to her spiritual path and even sympathetic about ISKCON and its shortcomings.
    Nori Muster's balanced critique gives many helpful insights for those seeking a better understanding of the structure and nature of religious cult groups at the fringe of society.

"Written with a devotee's ideal for truth and a raconteur's sure
command of story and syntax." --Gentle Strength Times


Gentle Strength Times, Newspaper of the Gentle Strength Co-op
January 1997
A True Story of Spiritual Intrigue
by Rose' Sullivan

    Betrayal of the Spirit, My Life behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement, by Nori J. Muster is a forthright, sympathetic account of a Hare Krishna devotee's search for spiritual awareness. She finds some answers and a good measure of peace, but all is not well nor all peaceful within the temple, or indeed with the sect. Nori Muster found not only spiritual awakening, but in due time she found individual and group corruption that some of the leaders wanted to cover up. The flow of her story is intensely personal and poignant, and at times gripping, as she recounts her part in the play of a misguided organization that crumbled and fragmented in the 1980s.
    Nori Muster's story is written with a devotee's ideal for truth, and a raconteur's sure command of story and syntax. Don't start reading this book too late in the day, or you'll stay up all night to finish it.

"Free of malice, the book reveals how a young woman, who entered
the movement filled with hope and idealism, eventually left thoroughly
disillusioned." --India West

India West
Nov. 21, 1997
Ex-ISKCON Devotee Vents In a Revealing Book
by Viji Sundaram

    In the 1970s and '80s, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness made reams and reams of press, a good part of it negative.
    After its founder Srila Prabhupada's passing, some of the 11 gurus he had named to run the organization grew power hungry. Stories one would ordinarily not link to a religious institution--of kidnappings, high-handedness, non-accountability, drug deals, illicit sex and murder--were linked to ISKCON, whose reputation steadily plummeted.
    In "Betrayal of the Spirit," Nori Muster, a 22-year-old graduate of U.C. Santa Barbara, who did a 10-year stint with the organization as secretary of public relations and editor of its newsletter, ISKCON World Review, uses her insider's knowledge in her tell-it-all book She describes what went on behind the scenes of an organization which, to the public mind, was one of white dhoti- and sari-clad hippie-types who made a nuisance of themselves at airports and bus terminals, and sang with frenzied fervor on the streets.
    Free of malice, the book reveals how the young woman, who entered the movement filled with hope and idealism, eventually left thoroughly disillusioned, thanks to the very people she had hoped would guide her on the spiritual path.
    "The ISKCON I joined was exuberant, joyful and confident," she says, in the last chapter of the book. "The ISKCON I left was scarred with scandal, enmity and disgrace. When I consider that difference, I cry."
    Acknowledging that the title of her book does indeed sound somewhat harsh, Muster in the preface says that "most Krishna followers are gentle people, who observe the principles of celibacy, sobriety and vegetarianism.
    "Millions have found peace through chanting Hare Krishna, and I believe A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada brought genuine spirit to the West. The word 'betrayal' refers to the attitudes and events that betrayed the spirit."
    That betrayal took the form of the male leaders expecting the female devotees to unquestioningly carry out their orders, uncomplainingly occupy the back rows at ISKCON conferences, and resignedly accept the fact that they were of "lesser intelligence."
    In illustration of this, Muster writes about a male-dominated ISKCON conference she and a handful of other women devotees once attended in a New Jersey temple.
    Toward the end of the conference, she writes, a woman in the back row stood up, shaking with self-consciousness and said: "I joined the New York temple in 1968," she began. " . . . I've tried to do everything my authorities asked. I'm so fed up with the way I'm treated that I could cry.
    "The women have the worst rooms in the building, and the plumbing is breaking down. When I told the temple president our shower was broken, he said to use a bucket.
    "We never have a place to chant because the men won't let us in the temple room during japa time. Sometimes I think ISKCON is only for men and I'm just in the way."
    From a literary standpoint, the book is not a page-turner and one that perhaps will never make the best-seller list. It doesn't grip like "Monkey on a Stick" --a book published in the late 1980s by a Bay Area journalist and a New York Times reporter--exposing the revolting goings-on at some of the ISKCON centers.
    Nevertheless, Muster's book provides the curious with vivid glimpses of an organization that has since made serious efforts to redeem itself.