Valerie Georgeson was a very successful writer and actress, always interested in religion and spirituality. She was on the original writing team of EastEnders and appeared in Coronation Street and other drama series before writing adult novels (The Shadow of the Elephant quartet) and well-loved childrens' TV (Jonny Briggs, Simon & the Witch, Animals of Farthing Wood). But her spiritual journey was cut short after she unwittingly fell under the influence of a group whose charismatic leader wielded god-like power and control over her followers. In "God, the Devil and Me" Valerie explains how she got caught up with the Sahaja Yoga movement and how it affected her career and inflicted long term psychological trauma. She began writing God, the Devil and Me to raise money for a court case against the cult, but when they backed off, she realised that the book could in fact be what God had always meant her to write: a guide to help others in a similar crisis.
In the aftermath of their escape and disappearance, it was the shared experience of the reality of God's presence which encouraged her and her husband to move on. This experience involved progressive changes, from fright to reassurance thanks to the intervention of the Holy Virgin; from psychic harassment to spiritual deliverance thanks to a gifted and experienced exorcist; from scary encounters with hidden forces to an ongoing relationship with the Lord – the ultimate 'other' who wipes away all darkness, while allowing us to take our own time and make our own decisions.
Coming out of a cult is always difficult. But neither religious nor secular organisations set up to help victims of cults seem to recognize the all encompassing nature of the spiritual battles faced by true seekers. This is a chronicle of that seeking, showing the pitfalls and the helpful indicators on that stony path while discovering the power of the spirit to learn and evolve through trial and error, and the vital importance of forgiveness. Writing God, the Devil and Me turned out to be an important part of the battle it describes. This is a deeply researched piece of investigative journalism, a grown-up enquiry into the collective psyche.
Hi Valerie, I am half way through reading your book and whilst a little difficult for me to read because of the pain it brings up for me, I am enjoying it and relate to a lot of your spiritual experiences. I was once an attendee of SY but thankfully had been baptised when I was young and had known God beforehand so was able to eventually realise Mataji is nothing like God. After I left I spiralled into a very dark place and had forgotten God until one day I got on my knees and confessed all my sins to God and he sent Jesus to me save me and he told me what to do. I have been attacked and thwarted and have similar sensitivity to you and have had the call to write myself only to be attacked from every angle. I never thought I would become a Catholic, however, I have felt more and more drawn to it over the last couple of years. I am hoping reading your entire book will help me be free of my struggles (teetering on homelessness) and find my path. Lots of love to you and thank you for writing your book / testimony. Love, Theresa
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