Jeff And Shaleia Ayan's 'Escaping Twin Flames'

1040 Words3 Pages

Monophobia is the fear of dying alone, and it affects the way that many people around the world live their day-to-day lives. Whether it be a romantic or platonic connection, there is something so terrifying about the thought of never having a special someone. That fear often pushes people to focus on finding a lifelong partner that will cure this phobia with a sense of urgency. In extreme cases, people devote all their time and money to finding “the love of their life,” even if it destroys other aspects like losing family or friends. Examples of these extremities are easily visible in the 2023 documentary Escaping Twin Flames by Cecilia Peck. The story of Jeff and Shaleia Ayan’s online cult uncovers the pursuit shared by Keely, Marlee, and …show more content…

Jeff and Shaleia say they can connect people to their “ harmonious twin flame union” or soulmate, just like they attract each other. In 2017, the couple created a website titled Twin Flames Universe, which started what many people would call a cult. This website is where one can find ebooks, meditations, and coaching sessions created by the couple and where many of their victims first found out about their possible “twin flame.” Keely Griffin was one of the first members of the Twin Flames Universe, beginning her membership in early 2018 after she found a guy she liked at her new place of employment. She went to a meeting held by Jeff and Shaleia, asking them what she should do about this guy after seeing an ad for their services on Facebook. They told her to make a move, and she listened. Keely and this man married a year or so …show more content…

He called the police and had her arrested that night. In episode two, Elle stated, “I had been in jail for about a month after I was arrested for violating the restraining order. And I finally broke down and called my parents. They put their retirement savings on hold in order for me to not be in jail” (Elle) before sharing that she joined the cult right once she was free. Everyone thought she was either crazy or in a cult, so the only place she had to turn to was back to Jeff and Shaleia. Associations like Twin Flames Universe seek vulnerable, lonely people and take their money without any remorse. The concept is similar to how scammers call older people and manipulate them into giving up their money. They find someone weak and poke them until they have nothing left. At the moment, these acts don't seem too crazy to those who are under the manipulation of the cult leaders, but they end up causing life-altering changes to an individual's mind that they might not even realize. When people feel they have nothing to lose, they become incredibly vulnerable to being manipulated by those who say they can help

Open Document