What should I do if I am told I will suffer for leaving a spiritual center?

Do not let fear make statements such as 'You will suffer divine retribution if you leave' or 'Your whole family will lose its peace' into reasons you cannot leave. In my understanding, truly upright deities are compassionate and full of love. They do not keep people by cursing them. If you hear such statements, clarify what the person actually means. You can also check with others and seek help.

Dao Xuan shared that after feeling a former spiritual center was unsuitable and finding the courage to express thanks and say goodbye, Dao Xuan was still told that leaving would bring spiritual darkness with no way out. Dao Xuan also described groups that forbid people from worshipping elsewhere, preventing contact with different teachers and perspectives. Such words can make people afraid to leave, but you still need to use your own wisdom to judge whether the place truly supports your learning and growth.

We also discussed a news report about an entertainer seeking help. The report described two separate experiences. When the entertainer was young, a fortune-teller demanded secrecy. In adulthood, when leaving a different group, the entertainer received messages threatening divine retribution and saying that deleting the messages would bring ruin and death to the family. I had questions about some details at the time and did not accept every reported detail without reservation. Still, demands for secrecy, discouraging verification, and using fear to keep people are practices that deserve attention.

A client also sought my help, saying they had been told they must be with the teacher to keep their family safe, or something would happen to them. This is completely different from the compassion I understand the deities to have. When something is unclear or feels wrong, do not become afraid to ask simply because someone makes extraordinary claims. Speak with friends or other teachers to understand the situation and see it clearly first.