Sofia May describes how the ab*se at the Tibetan Buddhist retreat center, Tara Mandala, escalated into full psychological control after the guru reframed her suffering as a form of “spiritual advancement.” After months of isolation, humiliation, sleep deprivation, impossible work demands, and emotional manipulation, the guru finally told her she had intentionally been “triggering” her to accelerate enlightenment. Instead of recognizing the ab*se, Sofia (already deeply indoctrinated into the belief that gurus use pain to dissolve the ego) interpreted the cruelty as proof she was receiving special spiritual treatment. Watch pt 1: https://youtu.be/iCl1yqz2P0c?si=_2RRevKmkGug64i3 Website: sofiamaycomedy.com IG: https://www.instagram.com/sofiamaycomedy/ Chapter Marks 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:10 Lama Tsultrim's response to asking for help 00:08:53 CW: SA, Ab*se and hazing within the cult 00:17:21 Growing job responsibilities 00:27:35 CW: DV, Sofia's ab*sive boyfriend 00:37:16 Confronting Tara Mandala about her ab*sive ex 00:45:27 The process of leaving 00:52:31 Work after leaving Tara Mandala 00:56:41 Healing and growth through comedy 01:01:39 Supporting Tara Mandala 01:05:40 Sofia's life now 01:10:38 Final thoughts & Linda Listen Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@CultstoConsciousnessClips Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! https://cults-to-consciousness-shop.fourthwall.com/en-usd Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness https://www.instagram.com/cultstoconsciousness Host Instagram @sheliseann https://www.instagram.com/sheliseann/ Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_ https://www.instagram.com/jonathan.rosales_ TikTok @cults.to.consciousness https://www.tiktok.com/@cults.to.consciousness Twitter @cultstocon https://twitter.com/cultstocon **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. This podcast provides a platform for guests to share their personal experiences and opinions. The views expressed are solely those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or producers. Any allegations discussed are unverified and represent personal accounts only. All individuals mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. The podcast assumes no legal responsibility for statements made by guests.**