Editing Divine Light Mission (section)

===Westernization===
Following the rift with his mother, Rawat announced that he was replacing the predominantly Indian image with a Western one and began to wear business suits instead of his all-white Indian attire.<ref name=autogenerated5 /> The Indian mahatmas were replaced with Westerners, and Indian terminology fell from use. Rawat encouraged premies to leave the ashrams.<ref name=autogenerated2 /> According to one estimate, the worldwide membership had declined from 6 million to 1.2 million by 1976,<ref name="GuruFollDown" /> and in the U.S. the 50,000 claimed initiates had dwindled to 15,000 regular contributors.<ref name="GuruStyle"/> A spokesman for the Mission explained in 1976 that the higher numbers had been inflated due to poor record-keeping.<ref>"Guru Maharaj Ji To Launch World Tour To Aid Mission" UPI, PLAYGROUND DAILY NEWS, 15 April 1976-Page 3E</ref> One estimate had from 500 to 1200 members living in ashrams in the mid-1970s.<ref>Bromley & Shupe (1981), p. 43</ref> By the end of the 1970s, the movement had lost an estimated 80% of its followers in the U.S.<ref name=autogenerated4>Lewis (1998), p. 83</ref> Bromley and Hammond attribute the decline of groups including the Divine Light Mission to internal factors, but also in part to the news media's "discrediting reports about their activities", accounts which created a "wide-spread public perception of 'mind control' and other 'cult' stereotypes."<ref name="isbn0-865-54238-4">Bromley & Hammond (1987), pp. 113-4, 227</ref>

The Divine Light Mission also attracted the attention of the [[anti-cult movement]]. Some members were violently kidnapped and [[deprogramming|deprogrammed]].<ref>"Cult Deprogrammer Patrick Sentenced to Year in Kidnaping", JACK JONES. ''Los Angeles Times'' 27 September 1980, pg. SD_A1</ref> Some former members became outspoken critics of the organization and attacked the group with what Melton calls "standard anti-cult charges of brainwashing and mind control".<ref>Melton (1986), p. 222</ref> In reference to ex-followers, DLM spokesman Joe Anctil said that "A lot of people were just on a trip in the beginning. They felt they had to be 'hyped', and some didn't stay long enough to get beyond that. But we've changed as our understanding has changed."<ref name="GuruStyle">"Guru's cult changing style" GEORGE CORNELL, AP Religion Writer</ref><ref>Melton (1986), p. 219</ref> Bob Mishler, the founding president of the DLM in the U.S., was removed by Rawat in 1977 and gave an interview in 1979, along with the former vice president, in which he said he was concerned that the DLM was becoming a "tax evasion for the guru", and said he feared a repeat of [[Jonestown]]. They also accused Rawat of engaging in inappropriate behavior.<ref name=autogenerated11 /><ref>"FIRM LOYALTY: Guru's Sect: Misgivings in Malibu" MARK FORSTER ''Los Angeles Times'' 12 January 1979; pg. A1.</ref> Mishler's charges found little support and did not affect the progress of the Mission.<ref name=autogenerated5 />

In the 1980s, Prem Rawat removed the Indian trappings from his message, and adopted a more Western style.<ref name="Hunt 2003, pp.116-7"/><ref>Lippy (2002) p. 114</ref> Melton said the mission was disbanded [when] Prem Rawat personally renounced the trappings of Indian culture and religion, to make his teachings independent of culture, beliefs and lifestyles.<ref name="EnAmRe">Melton (2003), p.2328</ref> Prem Rawat was no longer to be venerated as a god or regarded as a Perfect Master.<ref name=autogenerated4 /><ref name="EnAmRe" /><ref>Miller (1995), p. 364</ref> The ashrams were closed along with the Denver headquarters (1979). The Divine Light Mission organization was replaced by [[Elan Vital (organization)|Elan Vital]];<ref>Abgrall (2000), p. 285</ref><ref>Geaves, Ron. "From Guru Maharaj Ji to Prem Rawat: Paradigm Shifts over the Period of 40 Years as a 'Master'". In: {{Cite book | last1 = Gallagher | first1 = Eugene V. | last2 = Ashcraft | first2 = W. Michael (eds.) | title = Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America | place = Westport CT | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 2006 | volume = 4 | pages = 71–73 | isbn = 978-0-275-98712-1}}</ref> the U.S. organization's name was changed to Elan Vital in 1983, by filing an entity name change.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/ViewImage.do;jsessionid=0000x3kyxhvQmIUOPNwkHlTDN7v:10e81ru5k?masterFileId=19871234276&fileId=19871509395 |title=Colorado Secretary of State, Business Center. |access-date=2014-07-17}}</ref><ref>Elan Vital FAQs – About Elan Vital, Inc. [http://www.elanvital.org/faq/faq_EV.htm Available online] (Retrieved May, 2006)</ref> Prem Rawat asked to be referred to as "Maharaji" instead of "Guru Maharaj Ji."

According to [[Ron Geaves]], a religious scholar who has been associated with the teachings of Prem Rawat for the last thirty years:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rongeaves.com/ |title="A Statement from Dr. Ron Geaves" September 27, 2004 |access-date=2014-07-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120235856/http://rongeaves.com/ |archive-date=20 November 2007 }}</ref>
<blockquote>Maharaji has chosen a route of perpetual transformation in which organizational forms are created and utilized and then destroyed, thus providing flexibility to deal with rapidly changing social attitudes, to provide pragmatic solutions to internal problems, and above all to keep his students focused on the core message rather than the peripheral requirements of organizational forms.<ref>Geaves (2004), pp. 45-62</ref></blockquote>
Since then the Elan Vital has been "virtually invisible." Rawat stopped granting interviews and making public announcements of his visits.<ref>Melton (1986), pp. 221, 222</ref> As of 2008, he has continued to write, lecture, and tour with the support of the Elan Vital and the Prem Rawat Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://contactinfo.net/previous_events.cfm|title=Contact Info – Events|publisher=contactinfo.net|access-date=2008-04-19}}</ref>