No Links Between Shawn Mendes, Miley Cyrus, and the Modern Mystery School Cult

Be Scofield is the author of Hunting Lucifer: One Reporter's Search for Cults and Demons. Her original reporting led to the new HBO series on the Love Has Won cult. Her work is cited by the NY Times, Rolling Stone, People, Netflix, and more.

By BE SCOFIELD

December 9th, 2023

Several news reports have falsely labeled singers Shawn Mendes and Miley Cyrus as being connected with the destructive Modern Mystery School cult run by Gudni Gundason. "Two of the biggest pop stars may have joined an MLM cult. Yes, we should be concerned," reads the title of a recent article published by Mamamania. There are dozens of articles and videos garnering millions of views accusing Miley Cyrus and Shawn Mendes of being in a cult.

The Guru Magazine can exclusively report that these claims appear to be unfounded. Previous articles never sought comment from any of the people accused. They negligently accused many people of being in this cult without any evidence or confirmation.

Shawn Mendes and Miley Cyrus have attended several new age events with spiritual influencers such as Blu, Andre Duqum, Garrain Jones, and Lily Ashwell. "There are three gurus that Shawn is working with that are all connected and have ties to the Mystery church," the Deux Moi podcast said, referring to tips fans sent in. "Shawn Mendes joins mystery cult school," MEAWW recently published.

Elle Australia published an article showing Mendes with his new girlfriend Charlie Travers doing breathwork on the beach. They uncritically rehashed the false cult claims made in the podcast. Travers is friends with the same spiritual influencers which has led some to hastily connect them all to the Modern Mystery School cult.

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The confusion stems from the name of Blu and River Bear's group being Florescence Modern Mystery School for Women. And Duqum's podcast is called Know Thyself which is a phrase the cult uses. Both terms, however, are used widely in spiritual circles. "Know Thyself is in the same category as what is written at the Oracle at Delphi and has been used since then as a phrase for the journey within," River Bear told me.

"I have never even heard of the Modern Mystery School cult," Blu told me. "The term Modern Mystery School is a generic term and used by many. I am the founder of Florescence, known as a Modern Mystery School for Women."

Shawn Mendes attends a Gabor Mate talk with Andre Duqum, Garrain Jones, and Blu

Lily Ashwell was labeled in a piece by Dazed Magazine as being connected with the cult which also suggested Mily Cyrus' involvement. She told me she had seen some reports. "I’ve never replied because I have no idea what the Modern Mystery School is (or who Gudni Gudnason is)," Ashwell wrote to me. The story showed a photo of Blu, Ashwell, and Cyrus together. "I assume people have mistaken Florescence for whatever this cult is."

"I have never even heard of the Modern Mystery School cult." - Blu

Florescence co-founder River Bear told me she had never heard of it. "Blu, Andre, myself nor anyone that I know is in any way connected to this Modern Mystery School cult," she wrote. "We use that term in our sisterhood as it is a common way of sharing using ancient wisdom for modern times, but this is not a relation to ANY established groups in any way."

"What is that?" influencer Garrain Jones asked me when I asked if he was involved in the Modern Mystery School cult. "I've never heard of it." He didn't even know Blu used the phrase in her school.

I also reached out to the Modern Mystery School cult run by Gudni Gundason for comment. "There is no affiliation with us," they wrote to me. I followed up and asked if Blu or Andre had ever trained with them in any way. "There is no correlation between the work that they are doing and our lineage." They sent me a link to a list of their practitioners who are certified.

"False accusations are not only bad journalism but can impact innocent people’s lives significantly."

The Dazed article floats the unfounded idea from the TikTok influencer that "Miley met Lily Ashwell and Blu in February 2023 and they encouraged her to join the cult." They suggest that's the reason Miley has been missing in action. However, none of the people Miley Cyrus is associating with are tied to the actual Modern Mystery School cult run by Gudni Gundason.

Unfortunately, endless speculation has turned into numerous published reports claiming Shawn Mendes and Miley Cyrus are part of the Modern Mystery School cult. There are now dozens of articles and videos making this damaging allegation. None of these articles included responses from the subjects they branded as cult members such as Blu, Garrain Jones, Lily Ashwell, or Andre Duqum. "False accusations are not only bad journalism but can impact innocent people’s lives significantly," River Bear told me.

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