Maria Papapetros

The remarks were made at a meeting of a group called the Human Freedom Foundation, which was set up here last summer by two psychics, Maria Papapetros and Jenita Cargile, after former cult members had sought them out for counseling on how to "deprogram" themselves. A recording of the meeting was made available to the New York Times.

The Wikipedia page for Maria Papapetros lists a November 21, 1978, New York Times reference, "Absolute Obedience, Bizarre Sex And Vicious Beatings Were Fundamental Tenets for People's Temple Leader." This must refer to the Robert Lindsey article of the same date, "Defectors From Sect Depict Its Rehearsals for Suicide," in which, nowhere is the alternate title found. According to that article, the Wikipedia entry is minimizing Papapetros' involvement with the freshly minted organization, the Human Freedom Foundation:

In 1978, Papapetros spoke to law-enforcement officials about the Jim Jones mass-suicide case in Guyana. Papapetros also worked with many of the defectors and survivors at the Human Freedom Foundation, which was set up to help former members of the cult deprogram themselves

Maria Papapetros also figures in an absolutely extraordinary article in the Los Angeles Times by Bella Stumbo, which can be found reprinted in the December 20, 1978, ‎Spokesman-Review. In Cult Defectors – Group disputes Jonestown 'story', Papapetros is described as a "psychic and spiritual counselor who has been working with Temple defectors for the past two years," so her involvement extends back even further than a founding role in the organization, which, not surprisingly given intervening events, is described as having run its course:

Where once 50 to 60 worried but hopeful people gathered to plan new ways to draw attention to their predictions of impending disaster within the Peoples Temple, only a handful show up at meetings now.

The Stumbo article lays out some of the wild speculative theories around the mass death event at the Peoples Temple settlement in Guyana, of a type which rarely made it into print. Also spelled out is the cognitive dissonance that arose from interpreting the "farfetched" official explanation released by the United States government, which gave rise to the conjecture.

Central to that was the increase in the body count, which had stood at 409 for several days, but which inexplicably began to rise in increments in the press---to 775, and ultimately to over 900.

Specifically, the Human Freedom Centre doesn't accept the official explanation that more than 500 bodies could have initially been overlooked because they were hidden beneath 409 bodies.

They point out that it was nearly a week before officials suddenly doubled the number of the dead---a week in which soldiers were reportedly in Jonestown removing the 409 dead bodies.

"How could they have missed 500 bodies if they were already removing the 400?" asked Joan Culpepper, a member of the Centre's board of directors. "Besides that, none of the original, serial photographs of Jonestown showed bodies stacked up. Everybody was lying face down, in rows, aligned..."

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November 21, 1978, New York Times, Defectors From Sect Depict Its Rehearsals for Suicide, by Robert Lindsey,
quotes:
Timothy Stoen
Maria Papapetros
Anna Mobley, a member for 4 years.
Wade Metlock, the owner of a Los Angeles maintenance company, who turned over two of his homes to the cult.
Deborah Layton Blakey affidavit

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November 21, 1978, Los Angeles Times, page B3, Temple Flourished for Time in L.A., It Was Beautiful Thing,' Ex-Member Says, Until Dream Went Sour, by Doyle McManus,

For five years, the Rev. Jim Jones ran a Peoples Temple branch near downtown Los Angeles that flourished briefly and attracted almost 2,000 members.

"At first," one former member told The Times Monday, "it was a beautiful thing."

But over the years, former members of the congregation said, the Peoples Temple dream went sour.

Jones turned from a preacher of interracial harmony into a domineering cult figure. Some members, angered by church demands that they turn over their homes and possessions, quit. Others followed Jones to his plantation in Guyana.

Last year, the former members said, the branch moved out of its huge Italian Renaissance style church at 1366 S. Alvarado St.

Today the building is occupied by a Seventh-Day Adventist group, and the Peoples Temple is the target of investigations by Dist. Atty. John Van de Kamp and the Los Angeles Police Department.

The story of the Los Angeles Peoples Temple---the church's third branch after Ukiah and San Francisco---follows the same strange pattern as the other congregations.

"At first it was a beautiful thing," said Mrs. Fannie Mobley, a 65-year-old Wilshire District grandmother who was a member from the branch's founding in 1972 until 1976. "Jim Jones was the most beautiful and loving man I had ever seen. He didn't even want to kill flies."

As in San Francisco, Jones set up social welfare programs, but also hobnobbed with political leaders. He appeared several times with Mayor Bradley, Lt. Gov. Mervyn Dymally and others.

But in late 1975, Mrs. Mobley said, "all of a sudden it changed."

Jones began to rail against the government, especially the Central Intelligence Agency, and to warn that government agencies were seeking to disrupt the temple, she said.

Security at the church became tight, with guards patrolling the grounds and officials searching members as they entered.

"They would threaten you if you didn't do what he said," she recounted. "They would scare you to death and say you were going to die, say you had cancer of the lung."

"It was bizarre," she said. "He would be so sweet one time. But when he denounced God, I had to get out. I decided the man was sick."

Mrs. Mobley said she left the Peoples Temple in 1976. Other former members and relatives of members---who asked that their names not be used---told similar stories.

The district attorney's investigation stems from a complaint by an elderly couple that Jones and two assistants coerced them into selling their homes at a low price and giving most of the proceeds to the church.

The couple, Wade B. Medlock, 72, and his 71-year-old wife, also filed a civil suit in Los Angeles Superior Court. The suit is awaiting trial.

District attorney's spokesman Tom McDonald said the investigation is still very much much alive and will continue despite Jones' reported death."

In their suit, the Medlocks charged that Jones told them, "You will either sign these papers or you will die. We are not taking your property but just protecting it." They said they sold two houses for $130,000 and signed over most of the proceeds to the Peoples Temple.

The couple said Jones had begun pressuring them in 1975 to "sell all they had, give all proceeds from such sales to Peoples Temple, and go communal."

Maria Papapetrof, a self-described "spiritual counselor" who has been working with disaffected members of the church, estimated that several hundred Los Angeles members remain faithful to Jones.

Mrs. Mobley said there may be "dozens," but other former members said they did not know how many members remain. 

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Maria Papapetros
^ Daylle Deanna Schwartz, "Interview With Maria Papapetros", Beliefnet.com, retrieved December 16, 2010
^ a b  "Sugar Land Psychic Advises Stars," Houston Chronicle, June 13, 2010
^  "Japan's Latest Import: New Age Gurus/Psychics, Healers Fill a Spiritual Emptiness," San Francisco Chronicle, July 7, 1992
^  "Absolute Obedience, Bizarre Sex And Vicious Beatings Were Fundamental Tenets for People's Temple Leader," New York Times, November 21, 1978
^ a b c "Psychic To The Stars," Houston Chronicle", July 16, 1992
^  "Finally, Hollywood Psychic Will Get Her Name on the Movie Credits," San Diego Union Tribune, August 14, 1991
^  "People" Los Angeles Daily News, August 10, 1991
^  "Speaking In The Future Perfect," Women's Wear Daily, November 17, 1998

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Beliefnet

Interview with Maria Papapetros

posted by Daylle Deanna Schwartz

I’m delighted to have an interview today with Maria Papapetros, psychic and healer, who has made great strides in the field of para-psychology. Internationally renown for her work with individual clients and group workshops, Maria is a central energy source behind the movement to legitimize the field of psychic development. Her intuitive grasp of individual para-psychological dynamics and her skill as a psychic/healer helps her expedite the growth process by which a person achieves psychic awareness to allow the person to realize the creative and human potential that is mankind’s universal birthright.

When I called her, we clicked instantly and she asked where I was. I “happened” to be practically around the corner. So I grabbed my tape recorder and laptop and headed for her place. I felt her wonderful energy as I walked in the door and knew I was blessed to be there.

Maria gave me a paper to fill out with basic info about me, like my address. Nothing personal. When I was finished, she looked through it and began to tell me all sorts of things about me. I was intrigued, then amazed at how much she could tell from basic impersonal info. We chatted and I hoped she couldn’t tell that I had a lot of underling stress that day. Suddenly, she told me to close my eyes and did one of her meditation exercises with me. I felt the stress melt off me.

Afterward, she acknowledged she could feel I needed it, which is why she gave me this wonderful gift. Maria has many gifts and is generous about teaching others how to use their own psychic gifts. I’m excited that on Wednesday, November 9th she’s giving a workshop form 6-9 called Psychic Development for Everyday Living in Manhattan. I plan to go so that I can learn to use my psychic gifts. Here’s what Maria had to say:

How did you recognize that you had an intuitive gift? “I went to a psychic when I was in my twenties to know if my boyfriend was going to call. Why else go to a psychic? She told me I’m very psychic. I said, yeah, right!” I was studying psychology at the time and working with film. She was a wonderful psychic and discovered me but it took me 3 years for me to start working. I didn't want to do that. When it was finally explained to me that I was really psychic, I thought wasn't everybody? Then I realized all the psychic occurrences I’d had since 12 years old but had never thought it was weird. I thought everybody was the same.”

What is para-psychology? “It’s metaphysical–something beyond the physical; beyond what the eye can see and the hand can touch; an entire dimension where we’re vibrating but are not aware of it. I pick up vibrations from another person or object at times. I may not see the person, like when I’m on television, but I tune into them. I get into the frequency and see what’s there in the past, present and future. I always give them choices. I believe that we create our reality. We have free will and choice.”

Is there a difference between being a psychic and having intuition? “Using your intuition makes you psychic. It’s vibrational, like radio tuning. I pick up people’s vibrations in detail. I do a psychic reading with predictions.”

What’s the difference between an average person’s intuition and yours? “It’s like the voice. Everybody who has a voice can sing. Depending on how talented they are, some sing on stage, some in the shower. But they do sing. It’s the same thing with being psychic. If you have a psyche–a soul–you’re psychic. Like the voice, either you use it for yourself like an amateur or you do it professionally. A professional psychic has to be objective. Dr. Jan Berlin, a clinical psychologist, did a study at UCLA and showed that a psychic must be objective about what they see. They tested my objectivity.”

Why doesn't everybody use their psychic abilities? “People are not aware. They don’t know they can do it. Once they're aware they do not block it. We have been taught that we cannot change the future. There’s a lot of desperation thinking that we're doomed. The good Lord gave us many opportunities. I teach psychic awareness. I specifically teach psychic development for every day living so one can get more mileage out of life."

Why do you think some people have skepticism about what you do? "It's because people are not aware. We are afraid of what we don’t know. People are afraid of their own intuition because nobody talks about it. It used to be a no-no. Psychics were in the closet for years. People who are scared are not open to it.”

How do you use your gift to help people achieve more? “I help them to help themselves. I help them to open up and see what they can do, especially in the workshops. Once they see that in a 3-hour evening they are able to do a cold psychic reading for somebody they don’t know, that buys them a lot of confidence. They think ‘If I can do this, I can do anything.’”

Why would someone come to see you instead of a counselor? “They get confirmation. I work very closely with Dr. Jane Greer. People who go to a psychologist will also go to a psychic and the other way around. People want to use me as a shrink but I say no and send them to a therapist. I give confirmation about their idea or something else that I see. People will come for one think and get many more things. Most definitely they begin to open up themselves.”

How does the insight you give help clients take better steps toward their desires? “Many people come for confirmation. They may come for one thing and get a lot of other things. They also open up about what they want.”

How can people use their own intuition for their advantage? “It’s for every day living. To learn to discern what they are thinking or doing–is it them or what they picked up from their mother or father or is it conditioning from others. Is it their own thinking or what they picked up and do over and over, making the same mistakes?”

What's your best advice for how people can tap into their intuition? “Be still and listen to your inner voice in quietness, in meditation. Get quiet every day and have a pen and paper nearby. Think about a particular situation, close your eyes and answers come. I also advise that you write to yourself, addressing your intuition. Ask yourself questions like you’d be asking me and usually you will receive answers. Once you have a question, you can go within and get the answer.”

I’m very excited to be going to Maria’s workshop, Psychic Development for Everyday Living, on Wednesday, November 9th. If you’re in the NYC area, consider attending. She says the i purpose is for people to learn how to recognize their own intuitive ability and use it. I feel like this is going to enable me to find my way toward my goals even better than ever. When I asked Maria why she teaches people how to use their intuition, she said, "I wish that people would trust their intuition and use it to create their own reality, and make it a masterpiece.” I could feel the caring she has and can’t wait to see her again! I plan on making my reality a masterpiece! I’ll share some of what I learn in a future post. Check out Maria Papapetros’ websitefor more info on what she does.

Please leave comments under my posts so we can stay connected.

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http://www.mpapapetros.com/images/newyork_big_img.jpg


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psychoPEDIA: Daily News
www.psychopedia.com/dailynews/2008/02/‎

The Journey to Find a Soulmate

Two Psychics' Guidelines to Finding "The One"

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But do we idealize the definition of a soulmate without knowing what it truly means? To that end, maybe winter-induced hibernation could be the perfect time to contemplate just what exactly it is we're all looking for. To find out more about the search for that ultimate other-half, psychoPEDIA consulted two psychics. The first, Maria Papapetros, a Greek-born psychic with 35 years of experience, travels between Houston, New York, and Athens, giving private readings and conducting seminars on developing psychic abilities. Her upcoming book The Psychic Life is due out this spring, and she's planning a trip to NYC for a special seminar at the end of this month. The other, Mayumi Harada, is a Japanese, New York-based psychic who has written five best-selling books on intuition (none yet translated into English)– the first of which was even endorsed by Yoko Ono. Talking about twin souls, spirituality, and finding that "spark," here are Papapetros and Harada, in their own words:
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1996, Evangelicals Concerned (Creating Safe Places fro GLBT Christians), Trust, by Dr. Ralph Blair,
Based on an address Dr. Blair gave at the eastern and western connECtions96 in the summer of 1996.

Here are some contemporary examples of popular invitations to trust in ourselves -- something everyone is doing already. People turn to Thomas Moore, trusting they’ll "learn ways to restore paradise in all areas of life." They turn to Anthony Robbins, trusting that they’ll learn how to "create leverage to ‘Super-Charge’ and immediately accomplish any goal" by "unleashing their personal power." They turn to Marianne Williamson to learn to "accept the Christ within" by "merely a shift in self-perception." They turn to Susan Shumsky, trusting that they’ll "develop a deep spiritual connection within themselves by learning to listen to and trust the ‘still, small voice’ within, the voice that embodies the wisdom needed to set a clear direction in life and make the biggest decisions with peaceful confidence." They turn to Laura Day, trusting they’ll tap their "Sixth Sense." They trust Robert Johnson to channel them into exciting past life regression to "clear away the puzzlements and mysteries of life." They turn to Doreen Virtue, trusting this self-styled "clairvoyant psychologist" to awaken their powers through the use of "ancient Mystery School methods for rapid manifestations of [their] dreams." They trust Jean Houston to guide them into "Jump Time." They trust Wicca to "develop the psychic and healing skills we all have inside us." They trust "renowned psychic to the stars" Maria Papapetros to teach them "psychic development skills for empowerment" from deep within. On and on it goes. There are billions of dollars to be made by dishing out the mindless junk food that millions are desperate enough to swallow.
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