Chasing Enlightenment
They called themselves the Students of Light. Their leader, John Hanas, claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. While some claim he had supernatural powers, others call him an abusive cult leader. Hear the group’s story on Chasing Enlightenment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
They called themselves the Students of Light. Their leader claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Some claim he had supernatural powers, while others call him an abusive cult leader. Hear the group’s story on Chasing Enlightenment, premiering October 4.
Visit http://chasingenlightenment.net for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the 1970s, a small religious sect called the Students of Light quietly moved into the core of Toronto’s rundown Junction neighbourhood. Some former members have called the group a dangerous cult, accusing its leadership of mind control, brainwashing, and abuse.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources.
Support our show at paypal.me/chasingenlightenment...
Many former Students of Light tell similar stories about why they first joined. One, a woman named Treva Olson, claims the group turned her into a mindless, brainwashed follower. That is, until her family kidnapped her and had her forcibly “deprogrammed” by a famous anti-cult activist.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources.
Support our show at pa...
John Hanas has been called everything from a spiritual master to an evil, manipulative man. Former followers claim he began as a humble religious leader, but some say he eventually exerted more and more control over their lives, sometimes with disastrous results.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources.
Support our show at paypal.me/chasingenlighte...
John Hanas delegated some power to his “core group” of followers. One was a woman who claimed to channel the voices of beings from other dimensions through her body. Another, John’s eventual wife, would become almost as revered within the group as John himself.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources.
Support our show at paypal.me/chasingenlightenment or...
Some who spent their childhoods in the Students of Light say their upbringing left lasting scars. There’s also one second-generation member whose story cast a minor spotlight on the group in recent years, after she accused John Hanas’ former right-hand man of sexually abusing her as a teenager.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources.
The Students of Light remain active in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood. Current members believe they can communicate with John Hanas from beyond the grave. Some former members now reject the group’s brand of spirituality, while others live in fear of possible spiritual retaliation from the group.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources.
In this bonus episode, we interview former Student of Light Joseph C. about what he heard on Season 1 of Chasing Enlightenment. Does he still view John Hanas as a benevolent man with supernatural powers? And does he still think that former Students of Light who speak publicly risk becoming targets of spiritual retaliation?
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources....
Eric is a Junction resident who contacted us to share his story. He wasn’t a Student of Light, but he knew several members personally as a teenager and young adult, including one woman he dated while in university. While Eric had a few slightly strange experiences with group members, he has an overall very positive view of all the people he knew in the group.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode...
The story of the Students of Light is closely tied up with the history of Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood. In this bonus episode, local historian Neil Ross helps us dig a bit deeper into the area’s colourful history.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources.
Support our show at paypal.me/chasingenlightenment or patreon.com/chasingenlightenment
Cynthia Watson was one of the most memorable former Students of Light who contributed to Season 1 of Chasing Enlightenment. In this bonus episode, we chat about her reactions to the podcast and about some parts of her story we didn't have time to cover on our regular episodes.
Visit chasingenlightenment.net for more information about this episode, including full credits and sources.
Support our show at paypal.me/chasing...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.