The Mel Lyman Family PT 2: “Wanted at the Big House"
Oct 27, 2021
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Guinevere Turner, a former cult member, shares her captivating journey from a dynamic Boston commune to the outside world. She reflects on the challenges of navigating life after leaving, revealing how mental ties to the cult lingered long after her physical departure. The discussion dives into the complex legacy of cult leader Mel Lyman, exposing the manipulation and abusive elements within the community. Guinevere also highlights her path to healing through creative expression, showcasing the power of reclaiming identity through art.
Guinevere's challenging transition from the cult to the outside world highlights the psychological struggle of redefining one's identity after leaving a restrictive environment.
Despite Mel Lyman's messianic influence, Guinevere grapples with the complexities of her loyalty while recognizing the abusive and isolating nature of cult life.
Deep dives
Life in the Commune
Guinevere shares her unique experiences growing up in a commune led by Mel Lyman, highlighting the tight-knit community and the strict control over children. From a young age, emotions were suppressed, and youngsters were expected to adopt adult-like behavior, such as writing in diaries that documented their daily lives and thoughts. Guinevere recalls the constant movement between various locations, including cross-country trips during the summer and winter, often traveling in vehicles that showcased their unusual lifestyle. Despite the oppressive environment, she fondly remembers fun experiences, including using a CB radio and feeling a sense of exclusivity while traveling with the leaders of the commune.
Mel Lyman's Influence
Mel Lyman, portrayed as a messianic figure by his followers, wielded significant influence within the commune, even authoring books that shaped the group's beliefs. Guinevere reflects on how his writings contained a mix of compelling ideas with a strange and confusing rhetoric, which often bordered on absurdity. While the followers viewed him as a 'savior,' Guinevere acknowledges the eccentricities and limitations of his teachings, hinting at the isolation and control exerted over the members. Despite recognizing his abusive behaviors towards young girls and the complexity of his character, she grappled with a strange sense of loyalty and affection towards him.
Crisis of Identity and Departure
As the commune's dynamics shifted with Mel's declining health, Guinevere faced a personal crisis when she was stripped of her former status and sent away, changing the trajectory of her life. The cult’s strict regulations requiring parental involvement led to her forced departure from the community, which she desperately tried to resist. After a difficult transition to the outside world, where she felt alienated and struggled with social interactions, Guinevere slowly adapted, ultimately redefining herself away from the cult's influence. This significant turning point illustrates the challenges of leaving such a tightly controlled environment and developing an independent identity.
Revisiting the Past
Years later, Guinevere's journey led her to enroll in therapy, where she began to confront and understand her past experiences in the cult through the perspective of an adult. Learning to recognize her upbringing as a part of a cult was an arduous process that involved facing uncomfortable truths about her childhood. Eventually, she sought closure by periodically returning to the commune in an attempt to reconnect with her roots but quickly realized that such a lifestyle was unhealthy and restrictive. Through her experiences and reflections, she has emerged as a survivor who uses her artistic talents and personal narrative to inspire others, embracing her identity while shedding the trauma of her past.
When you grow up in a cult, life on the outside can be rough. So rough, that one might actually prefer to stay inside the cult. When Guinevere finally experiences life on the outside, she witnesses firsthand that one can physically leave a cult, but mentally, still be in it.
And the moment of true clarity for Guinevere comes at a moment no one sees coming. Especially not herself.
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Guinevere's Instagram: @guinevereturner
Twitter: @turnerguinevere
Link to Charlie Says: https ://www.netflix.com/title/81023720
Please support Was I In A Cult? Through Patreon
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