"Erhard always denied vehemently that est was growing into some kind of guru-centered personality cult. He insisted only that est graduates performed all the invaluable hours of free service not as a gesture of blind devotion to him but rather to carry out the principles of service to others that he maintained was a crucial part of the est culture. Undoubtedly that was true for many assistants who found themselves so caught up in the blinding light of est's appearance as a path toward human enlightenment. But Erhard and his staff also made sure that volunteers, just like the staff itself, faced constant reminders that service to est and to Erhard were synonymous."