If we separate the teachings from the teacher, some of Adi Da's spiritual writings and ideas or beliefs could legitimately be described as brilliant, or at least far superior to those penned by the typical cult leader. This is particularly true of his earlier works. However, there are problematic areas in his dharma that often stem from his own neurotic need to assert his superiority over all other teachers and all other teachings that are similar to his own, including his own sources. His use of the seven stages of practice model to pigeon-hole other teachers needs to be examined in this light.
Regardless, many critics have noted that profound insights and creative presentation skills, in and of themselves, are not sufficient evidence to validate an author's claim to be highly evolved spiritually. Adi Da's detractors also point out that his life and the lives of his followers in many ways came to epitomize much of what he criticized about gurus and spiritual seekers in the early days. Adi Da's life and his actual (i.e., non-mythologized) relationship to devotees has very little to do with his written teachings that criticize cultism or the ones that assert that "there is Only God."
It is for readers themselves to decide if there is value in separating the wheat from the chaff in Adi Da's written teachings, and making use of what is good, or if it is better to just abstain from drinking at the poisoned well of Daism altogether.
Adi Da himself IS the Daist dharma
Adi Da's seven stages of spiritual development model
Adi Da's teaching on the ego as "contraction" of Narcissus perverts Advaita
Adi Da’s Attempt to Pigeon-hole Ramana Maharshi