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Re: Humanication/ Essence Training

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Day 2, Thursday, the day of the grungies

Around 17:00 start training with 'Sprach' and the corresponding entry ritual (hands up etc.). The trainees sit together in their TC groups. There then follows a question and answer games. Who knows still remember the best thing was the motto of the organization and what the purpose of the training is. So the trainer asks the questions, and the trainees may like schoolchildren raise their hands to indicate their answer. Kindergarten Sfeertje so. After that, the TC-groups in their own groups to share about each other's experiences and emotions. Is the question of what a trainee urgent or personal, the TC has been given instructions not to go there, but to encourage the trainee at the sharings his / her hand to stabbing.

Then follows a general sharing of successes. The concept of "success" is an essential part of the Essence mantra. The following items may call you if success:

A result achieved what you want
Perform an action, as planned or if necessary after some hesitation. How this action then turns out, is not important. If it does not work, follow Part 2 of the Essence mantra: "Stop, look, right, take action '
Recognize an error (and then Part 2 of the Essence mantra)
A better understanding about something you already knew
A completely new understanding (Aha-Erlebnis)
"Successes" within the Essence pretty much the cure any ailment. Do you feel tense, write down your successes. Do you feel down, write your successes. Have setback, write your successes. Etc. etc.
Followed by one of the funniest songs of Essence training: the chair derby. You're still together in your tc-groups, and everyone should sit down as soon as possible in rank and file. You can only start when the coach gave the signal. Everyone then tumbling over and over each other to get as quickly as possible to place his / her seat (plastic bucket seat, light and easy to stack). The valid locations are indicated with dots on the floor. That's all very tightly regulated. The only good if everyone is in its place and does not move anymore.
The time is recorded, and is then compared with the fastest group in Israel ever and the fastest Dutch group ever. The joke is that it can never be verified in the absence of official registration. And a group of 100 trainees is obviously substantially different from a group of 10 or 15. Well, at it's a funny ritual.
There is probably yet still something deeper behind. Especially early in the workout does not take anyone lightly. You can then easily observe a trainer who has not eager enough to swallow all the "truths" of the Essence like hot cake. It is also an indicator of the sense of belonging to a group. Beginning each of them with its seat (in the beginning is always the case), or of co-operation results in a system in which seats very quickly be passed on to each other in order to save time as. It seems harmless, but is it really you?

Then follows an explanation of the "vissekom. You will lodge in your vissekom if you think 'his' depends 'have' (you) or do (what you do). It involves a change in your thinking. You 'are' ensures that you "have" and "doing" are in place (or similar). This is illustrated with some stories. There follows a closed eyes process / visualization with some tracks.

After a pause is an explanation of "victim" and "responsible". The first is you come up in the atmosphere of excuses, wait and hope, blame and shirking and all kinds of automatic thoughts. The second is the search for the error yourself, create solutions and implement, recognize reality and move forward. Sounds at first glance not wrong, but there is a snag. What if someone has done you really angry? Eg sexual abuse, deceit, violence, or worse? This way of thinking offers excellent opportunities to "blaming the victim" (the victim is blamed for, he or she would be provoked or have been too passive, or ...).
The Essence knows how to apply this mechanism also very proficient if you run into trouble after a workout (depression, psychosis), then that is always "your responsibility" (read: "your own fault). Then ask "love, care and cooperation" from the Essence no longer common.

After a dyad process follows the grungies process (Essence jargon, a contraction of "grudge" (complaint) and something (which actually)?). The seats go to the side. The light dims. Participants then go deep into herself, eyes closed, seeking a frustration that they have for years. The trainer encourages them to participate in it more and more contact with yourself feel cheated with yourself ostracized feel, with its suppressed, with abused, with ... The trainer stoke the case and then finally calls to express it. So then pandemonium breaks loose from trainees who express their hurt feelings. That can be very intense, people who lie rigid as a small heap on the floor. People cry, people swearing, ranting, name calling, start to lash out. It varies trainer how far that late. Sometimes it remains a short burst, sometimes the trainer let it go on long. In some cases, run some trainees with their eyes closed indeed opstoppers on whether there are pretty hard collisions. The assistants do their best to avoid all that, but they may not always be in the tangle on time everywhere.

At one point calling the trainer that's enough. Then penetrating the trainees asked what the consequences in their lives were their grungees. For most trainees, this is a very challenging time. Usually see what they have given their lives for themselves in which they others pain. To stir up feeling a piece of music is played. Everyone has to share with his buddy go about the process. At that time the hall closes. Now a "clearing" of the process assistants. This process is also determined them not to sit in the cold clothes. Here too are many emotions, and often quite violent.

After the break, the trainees are again invoked the audience with 'Sprach'. After sharing is a dyad process, metaphorically, your father and mother.
You sit down with another trainee in dyad (the light is dim in the room), and turns you pretend you against your father talk. You may all say what the man has done wrong. You exchange each other therein. Are told very personal things. And many fathers is pretty much to criticize. Then comes the surprise; The trainer instructs everyone to thank your father for everything he has sacrificed for you. His own dreams and desires that because of you he has put in the background. You first have to thank him. It ends with a piece of music (can eg "Papa" of Stef Bos). The same story tells itself, but with your mother supposedly facing you. That is also sealed with a piece of music (eg "No more child 'Karin Bloemen).
Then follows a visualization, in which participants are asked to consider what decisions they took as a child to survive in the big bad world. That is energized with music (eg "Is this later" Stef Bos).

Then, it's back into the night, everyone is sent home.

The latter process the border with therapy is clearly exceeded in an Essence training. The organization claims that it "only a training" and "no therapy". That is a lie. The limit is clearly exceeded.

Re: Humanication/ Essence Training

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Day 3, Friday, about his spontaneous and red-black

At about 16:00 the doors to the room open with the now famous "Sprach" -ritueel. The question-answer game between trainer and group on the objectives of the Essence organization and purpose of the exercise follows. Further, there are shared successes.

Then the "conflict chart" treated by the trainer. That there and close like this see:
You make an observation about the behavior of another, and you filter it through your own subjective filters. Therefore there is a colored judgment. You then take a position. You think you're right, and you put it on. There arises conflict between you and the other person. If you are the strongest party, put through and beat you the other. For a moment, it gives a good feeling. Then you realize that the relationship is broken, and you feel the loneliness.
If you are the weaker party in a conflict, then you limit your loss, and you leave. Even then broke up, also there is loneliness.
Moral of the story: if you will win or lose in a conflict, ultimately the end result is the same: loneliness. Of course there is a solution. After you have taken a stand, will you listen to each other. And after listening carefully you will come to cooperation. A whole lot better.
That in itself is nothing wrong with this story. But what if in real life you find someone who says she wants to listen, but only his or her own will want to push through? Where 'listening' represents a jump to get your pick of personal attacks and prejudices? Someone any reply from your side as "not listen" can be set aside. There they have not thought about it at the Essence. Indeed, when it comes out so they do it themselves.
This is borne out by a track (as has happened so often).

After a pause following are stories about how you react differently to the same things in the outside world when there are several things about hear. Some numbers:

a story about American death row inmates who could only save themselves by taking in an experiment. Blindfolded and tied they are told that their arm cut off, and they will die after some time. Then, on the arm minced with no more than a block of ice. The convicts would have believed all this, have seen that it was not fake, and all died in about the time it would take to bleed to death (or the story really true ?? Is the stories of Yiftach Sagiv well more often the case, incidentally).
a story about a biology teacher who would have corrected Yiftach Sagiv on the operation of the human ear (without mental filters therefore, a purely physical process within your organs). There would then be flown a jumbo jet, and that woman would have it heard from her explanation because they are so going on in her conviction (the rest of the audience have heard it). Under the skin tone in the story: teachers are often so difficult and stubborn.
If a baby is in the car, and "supposedly" the building is surrounded by barbed wire, dogs, guards etc., is it impossible to get to the car to rescue the baby being a mother? Again as moral of the story: it's all in the filters of the situation.
A story about a friend of Yiftach Sagiv, which came more and more as a scientist, but found out that he's still people continued to arrive at his level he was only so-so. Even when he was a professor, he soon realized that he was not happy about it.
About an employee at an airport after a promotion suddenly in an expensive suit walked up. A few weeks later, when understood and had returned to his ancient garb. Moral: image is not everything, it's about your origins.
As a follow up on a story about how great someone like Mick Jagger. Total Nonconformist, in a very provocative way, not like the rest. And yet insanely rich and successful. Because he himself said Yiftach Sagiv.
After that the boy and girl process. A beautiful lady, asked interim, the group may go down pretty substantially on an imaginary bar. A boy from the group also asked the interim, may be at a distance. He might be surrounded by a bunch of assistants who ensure that he can not move out. Then follows a story of the trainer on how much you like boy that girl wants to make contact, but you feel so shy. The roar assistants than the boy in question to all sorts of doubts, and make sure he does not come out of place ("they may well be a lesbian! ',' She is already married!", That sort of thing). At the end there is the word of the trainer. You do not chase your fears away, but you just take them with you when you step off on her.
Then follows the asshole process. The seats are put to the side in two rows. One half of the group is on the side. The other half has to pass between the two rows, and should not once in the same way from one side to the other foot. In the end they walk back down behind the seats to the starting point, and then "allowed" them again from beginning to end run. Always in a different way so. Hoping, triple jumping, backward, sideways, in single file, you can invent it all, if you do it in a totally different way. The people who stand on the side, should applaud those who are full of enthusiasm and encouragement.
Then it changed. The other half may be run on the craziest possible ways from one to the other end. The half that just run may now applaud.
Musical conclusion: "Always look at the bright side of life 'Monty Python (or something).
Moral of the process: anyone can be original and spontaneous, if you do not fret to have an 'asshole' as being. So you need not care what others think of you.

Then follows the "bead game". Each trainee gets a set of stone from which he or she must try to make a four-sided pyramid (three planes to the top and one bottom surface). At each trainee is an assistant with applause indicating whether the trainee is on the right track. If the trainee something degrades said that assistant: 'Why break something what is good? ". If the trainee too long considering the assistant says: "The universe applauding action, not to think." Does the trainee a wrong step, it says the assistant: "Do you hear me clap?" A trick that is extracted here is that the assistant at a certain initial step toward the solution or applauds, and not in another, equally valid, beginning step. It is a rather complicated issue, so especially for people with less mathematical construction very difficult. The applause and the comments of the assistant also work pretty confusing. It happens that a trainee just find the solution if the assistant is not a moment in his confusing signals. Many trainees otherwise do not find the solution. Musical conclusion: "My way" by Frank Sinatra.
Moral of the process: you pull anything on the comments of others, search your own way to the solution.

The assistant that "assists" requirements must at least once have full-time assisted. It can be an assistant of the permanent team, or an individual process assistant who has ever previously assisted full time. In other processes that requirement is not imposed. There's still a trick to bind people to the Essence. You can do some things only if you are "consecrated" are, already at a certain "" level "is. Whether you get the bead game than itself really is a different story. That is certainly not always so.

After a pause followed by a sharing on the three processes earlier in the evening. People can lose their feelings, and the trainer gives explanation. Then follows a sermon with "The physical universe is your guru." A story is told about 'FRED' and George. FRED would be a little device on airplanes to keep track. FRED indicates the deviation from the course, George corrects, and the plane is in the right place of destination. It is linked to the Essence mantra of "Stop, look, right, take action." There's quite a joke used in the story: FRED would stand for "Fucking ridiculous Electronic Device". Then follows a story in which two beauties together the plane steps to go to a blissful sunny paradise (usually then reverted to the two beauties from the boy-and-girl-process). They have to see to keep their aircraft on course. After a number of course corrections decide zetoch but different planes to go home. They do not come together so nice anymore.

Then follows a visualization. The trainees have to close your eyes. Each trainee must be beach off and go visit his own garbage heap. Then he or she can say goodbye to the rubbish heap, and for what it is. This will also be ended with a song. After a break, a closes eyes dancing (dancing with closed eyes). A sort of disco so. At some point there may be dancing with eyes open.

This is followed by the red and black game.
The trainees are divided into two groups and put in separate rooms, without contact with each other. They need 10 times to make a choice between red or black. The aim of the game is to get as many points as possible. That must go through a very strict procedure: each group chooses a leader from among themselves. Who needs to check every ballot if everyone voted in the group, and every vote must be counted every round. The scoring is such that the temptation to choose those options that make large losses the other group.

Now, it is so that at the time of this process, it is already very late in the night. The explanation is not very structured. Time is short, and often quite a bit of time lost in the group discussions on what is actually intended. The temptation then saving switch is large (as was clear that checked each time must necessarily be if everyone has cast a vote, and that each round must be counted every vote). Voices that do not comply by some assistants as 'judges' performance rejected with a decidedly "no" shake. It follows moreover no explanation. In most cases it out of chaos.

This is followed by a sharing on the game. Then follows an explanation of the trainer, or rather a sermon. It is then explained that the purpose of game was to earn as many points as possible, BUT OR FOR TWO GROUPS TOGETHER. That everyone had obviously missed. Now the rest of the game looks so much like a game that almost everyone is sure to win, and thus play at the expense of the other party. So all wrong! (Although, you had it not better and more precise must explain?). And how often we do not do in everyday life or at work? Playing at the expense of another.
Then a sermon about not following the rules (which were so summarily explained that you can sit waiting for misunderstandings). This is again linked to all occasions in everyday life where we relax rules to our boot: red lights, speeding in a residential area, take a pack of A4 sheets from work etc. If people indicate that they had by what. intention was, then they get to the ears or why they did not put on understanding instead of keeping their mouths in the group. Then follows the historical parallel with all the times that people keep silent while knowing that wrong decisions are taken. In business life, in work, or going even further: from discrimination, oppression and abuse.

People are then sent home. Most of them bales than dire. Themselves, to their own mistakes and limitations. Or because they realize they are trapped by a deliberately opaque instruction designed to put them on the wrong track. Many people sleep badly that night. A night which is already short because they are sent middle of the night to go home, and the next morning are expected as early as 10:00 for the day.

Truly unique, the process is not. Just read the following hyperlink

Funny side effect is that many trainees an overly long time accurately to love all kinds of rules (traffic and so, not mobile phones in the car, that sort of thing).

Re: LGAT in Concord California

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My wife is still in contact with two others from New Era and the news around the knitting circle is that New Era is closing down. As of today, New Era's web site is a blank page.

Re: LGAT in Concord California

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Hmmm. The entity may appear under a new name, perhaps in a new location.

Let us wait and see.

What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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I've heard a handful of people I know personally say great things about Landmark. I'm considering going to the Forum. I have plans to attend one of the "intro to Landmark" evenings events.

I know its the opinion on these forums that Landmark is cult-y.

I also know that within a week of joining, my friend who just took it:
- demanded a large raise or else he'll be leaving a job he's been in for many years
- bought an expensive house
- is planning to pursue a career that's in the realm of his passion

Of course, the context to this is:
- he'd also spent many years on his passion and has actually developed the skills that mean he likely can get a "dream job" in that area (whereas for people who hadn't developed skills, this would be silly to quit a job and try and get that "dream job")
- he apparently had an insane amount of savings, so even in light of making large purchases, he can live for several years

He and I had spoken much about different types of therapy for the past few years and shared experiences. We've both made slow, steady progress, ups and downs. He says Landmark's exercises blows all of this out of the water, and his relationships to many of his family members have improved.

I found some of his behavior weird, but...he its also still in line with general weirdness of his personality, its now just...far less restrained, it seems (probably my biggest concern at this point).

He's made the point to me that he sees particular childhood memories where he decided "Oh I'm not [X positive quality]" whereas now realizes that was a decision made in the mind of a 6 year old, and apparently is now willing/able to see evidence to the contrary.

So...what's the problem? Is it the case that many people have positive experiences, but there's the small handful of people who end up going crazy? (Based on some reports I've seen online...which definitely lacked detail/clarity.)

What would you recommend doing or looking out for prior to going to the "introduction night"? (Yeah, at least I think ... I'm pretty good at not buying shit on the spot -- because even if I want it, I'll go home first and just pay for it online.)

Are the huge negatives that you guys claim, that everyone wants to volunteer and work for the organization for free? I personally, at least what I say right now, wouldn't even convince anyone to go to the Forum, until I'd gone through it, and could point back to a year's worth of changes, after the seminar, to say "Well I got this kickass job, I do X Y and Z differently now, and so forth...I found it valuable" versus "Yeah, it seems to have made me look at relationships and people differently, but I have no other tangible results." But then again, my friend is ecstatic enough about it that he says "just go, you'll see...I could take you through it, but...it'd take 3 days."

I don't trust him 1000% (but I also don't trust ANYONE fully, which is the source of many of my "issues" -- and why I decide to quit my most recent therapist, since I wasn't getting much out of "working" with her), but I did also speak to someone else who had done it a year or more ago, and seemed totally fine/well-adjusted, and mentioned similar types of benefits, and based on his experience, told me that he couldn't see "psychological breakdowns" happening for "normal, sane enough people...unless they were going to have one anyway, without the Forum."

So yeah...what's the deal? Why are Harvard, Panda Express, Lulemon, the head of Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute, and Michael Zimmerman, a philosophy professor at a top American university all OK with Landmark/EST/Werner Erhard, and there's a bunch of people here calling it a cult and/or damaging?

Re: What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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rahrahrah:

You seem to here to apologize for, support and/or promote Landmark.

Harvard has repeatedly forbidden Landmark from using its name.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Criticism about Landmark has also been reported regarding LuLulemon.

See [culteducation.com]

Landmark has a history of bad press, complaints, lawsuits and labor violations.

See [culteducation.com]

Werner Erhard also has a deeply troubled history.

See [www.culteducation.com]

And see [culteducation.com]

Werner Erhard did seem to occupy a cult-like role of "God" within EST (Erhard Seminar Training) now known as Landmark Education or Landmark Worldwide. And Erhard appears to be an example of the failure of Landmark's philosophy.

Landmark is nothing more than mass marathon training.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Much of what Landmark does in its training seems to parallel coercive persuasion techniques associated with "brainwashing."

See [www.culteducation.com]

I would not recommend Landmark training to anyone for anything under any circumstances.

There are many much safer options such as counseling from a licensed professional, group therapy led by a mental health professional, continuing education and an accreditted institution, local support groups run by credible social service agencies, nonprofit organizations or churches.

Getting advice from an old friend, mentor or family member would be preferable to attending a mass marathon training seminar with strangers run by unlicensed leaders employed by a for profit privately owned company like Landmark.

Landmark has no published peer-reviewed study that offers scientifically measurable objective results to demonstrate that its training produces anything tangible such as a lower divorce rate, higher grades, increased income less need for medication or professional counseling among its graduates. Instead Landmark offers polling results that record the subjective feelings of its graduates.

No one doubts that Landmark training influences the way people feel.

BTW--Tom Cruise and John Travolta support Scientology. Madonna and Donna Karan support the controversial Kabbalah Centre. Deepak Chopra and David Lynch are old followers of Maharishi, the guru that created TM. All of these groups have been called "cults." Celebrity endorsements don't mean much of anything. Celebrities and notable people make mistakes just like the rest of us.

Re: What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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Makes sense about Tom Cruise and Scientology not meaning Scientology isn't bad.

However, I respect academics and business leaders more so than actors, but your argument still holds. I would be shocked to hear of a CEO talking about scientology haha.

I could not find the study applebaum (1976) tho I did find this psychotherapy research project online it seemed to say psychotherapy is better than psychoanalysis. I don't know whether lgat events are more similar to therapy or analysis, so I'm not sure how useful the results are, as dictated in the articles you linked. It sounded like the implication was "some people shouldn't know about their ego defenses" and that would apply to either therapy or landmark, based on what I understood...whereas I don't understand this sites stance being that therapy is also bad.

I also had trouble understanding where the 1976 hampden turner reference came from...was it the book Sane Asylum by Charles Hampden Turner?

In any case, I'm looking for a stance...what is the harm? Are the people who did est years ago and say it was great going to explode one day? Or are they "safe" and now they are just so enthusiastic about it that others go to an event w a small chance of having negative repercussions?

Is it "innocuous" to many but harmful to a few?

I understand many cults probably try to infiltrate sites like this, but...I'm just a guy considering doing the program and want to double check that it's not a horrific idea.

Thanks for any other insights...I'll add to any research here.

BTW I don't necessarily care that Werner was bad at business if his "product" ends up helping me...but I understand his being bad at business could mean he tries to be sneaky (e.g. sneak in a bunch of bad memes like "Recruit heavily for landmark" along with the good stuff like "my past really no longer affects the present").

Re: What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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I'll have to read this book: "Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism" cited in your last link, as well as "Cults in Our Midst" which is one a girl who had taken a non-Landmark LGAT (and while she had gotten some lasting "positive effects" since leaving the group, she also became so immersed in it that she only hung out with the people from the group and self-alienated herself from her group of friend) told me about.

Thanks for the links. Am still curious about the whole thing but I also still want to understand the criticisms by reading original research and books.

Re: What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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rahrahrah:

See [cultsinsideout.com]

This book has a chapter specifically on LGATs (large group awareness training) like Landmark. There is also a chapter about an intervention to get someone out of Landmark.

Many people have been hurt by LGATs.

Do the reading and research and you will find that out.

See [www.phoenixnewtimes.com]

This article ran today about the LGAT leader James Arthur Ray. Three people died at his LGAT.

Landmark has repeatedly been sued for personal injuries and has a long history of complaints about abuse.

See [www.culteducation.com]

After this news report was run in France Landmark left the country.

Re: What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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So, yeah, I definitely trust research from Irvin Yalom, who's study was put in there. His point/finding about the critical nature of a group leader versus an empathetic nature of a group leader seems to make sense to me.

In fact, I can remember a few years ago, while having 2 different therapists at the same time, one of them was extremely patient, empathetic, loving, and able to "see me" whereas the other one was, well, critical, seemingly judgmental, and would tell me "Yes I need to break down your defenses, because they're so strong." I remember leaving the latter guy's office, many times, feeling like "Yeah, this guy is right about a lot of things, but he's also such a dick." He also said stuff like "You seem to have a problem with authority" which is in line with at least ESTs commentary based on "The Book of EST" (not sure if Landmark says this stuff too).

My main takeaway is that the Rick Ross position on an LGAT such as Landmark (though its based on a wide selection of LGATs, not just Landmark) "people seem to believe Landmark has done a lot for them, based on empirical studies, it seems to not do much beyond make the participants have an increased internal locus of control for maybe a few weeks, some people do one training and walk away just fine, others get addicted to that company (dependence, basically) for a while, and a small percentage have some sort of a psychotic breakdown." I would say the sweatlodge incident is tangentially relevant but still largely irrelevant since my understanding is that the Landmark Forum takes place in a classroom or office building or something like that, not in physically dangerous situations,

I imagine my friend who just took it would say (re: "there is not that big of an effect in the long term") "Yeah, just going to the event won't do anything, if you don't do the exercises, or maintain the right habits, of course its not going to work."

Which makes sense. I also didn't realize Werner had a lot of life/family issues after he started EST, I assumed most of that was from beforehand, which is why it was easy to dismiss it. It seems like it would be relevant if "his life was't working" even after he started teaching the workshops.

Re: What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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Hi Rahrahrah;

Of course you can choose to do whatever you want. But you have chosen to post here, so here is just my own opinion for what it is worth.
Re your friend.
I'd be interested to see how it all turns out long term for him. What you describe may indeed be a great beginning. From my cynical point of view though;unless he paid cash for his new house;
He has just committed himself to a huge new mortgage payment at the same time as he is looking to change careers.

Had a friend who made similar bold money choices after a different kind of seminar. Several of us could see the writing on the wall but my friend and her husband were gung ho and thrilled. After several years it all fell through and they lost their own money and some of a family member. As you say though, perhaps for your friend it may indeed be a great thing.

Having grown up in a religious movement where it was used frequently, the "Catch 22 outcome" has always been a red flag for me.

Are you familiar with it? It goes something like this.

Person X or organization x has a philosophical /life changing suggestion for person Y.

Then one of three outcomes happen.

Something bad happens
Explanation:
Person Y caused the bad thing to happen, or the bad thing would have happened anyway and person Y is to blame because their thoughts etc were not right.

Nothing happens
Explanation:
person Y did not do it right, or did not put enough effort into it.

Something good happens
Explanation:
Person X or their philosophy is responsible and Person Y owes person X.

Or to put it another way, good things happen because of organization X. Bad things happen because of person Y. Bad things are never the responsibility of person or organization X.

Just an opinion on something I watch for in any group. Hope it might be of interest to you.

Re: What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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So here is my personal experience for you.

I took part in the Forum, the Advanced Course and 1st day of the 3 month session. After the Forum, which was a highly charged, emotional 3 day experience, I felt high, as if I was on something. And I felt very powerful. But I did not feel like me.

During the Advanced course, I felt very frightened and I wanted to leave but I was coerced into staying and also I didn't want to waste the money I'd spent, so I stayed.

I was unsure whether to do third part which was over 3 months. I was told to come along and if I didn't like it after the first day, I could get my money back. I tried to leave in the morning of that first day but was persuaded to stay but by the end of the day, I knew something wasn't right. I tried to walk out before I was assigned to a group and the course leader took me aside for word. I ended up in tears and felt very manipulated. Looking back, I realise that personal worries which I told the people who persuaded me to stay in the morning, had been fed to this leader. And rather than act concerned about me, he threw them at me as a sign of weakness. And only by completing the course, would I improve my life. I said little. But when I left, I knew I was not going back.

That night, I woke in genuine fear and phoned a UK national helpline, the Samaritans, talked with someone who spoke in normal use of English and I realised the whole experience was warped and I left. And I got my money back.

I could recount all the workshop details but that is not my point.

2 months later, I heard Landmark mentioned on a TV comedy show and I felt really alert and excited. But that freaked me out. So I googled Landmark, Danger, depression and I came across this forum and resource.

I spent days and days reading all the articles and accounts on here and then I discovered the smokes and mirrors that Landmark use.

I did not feel high and powerful at the end of the Forum because of the amazing therapy or family conversations. I felt high because they had stressed me out, both physically and emotionally to such and extent, that they had tripped my body's dopamine levels to a high. And that is why I felt amazing.

Through out the 3 day weekend, the course Leader kept saying, "you're all gonna pop. It will around 4pm on Monday and you'll pop." At the time I thought it was nonsense but sure enough on Monday, I did start to feel fantastic. And that is because of my dopamine levels.

There is a thread on this forum about how they do it. Search for it and read it.

And they use waking hypnosis to instil fear in you. I read about that on here too. And I had written down exactly what happened to me and it all made sense.

This was all 5 years ago and looking back, one reason I got so affected by the experience was that I was in a very low place. And I would try anything (except drugs/alcohol) to get out of that place. But my natural scepticism saved me.

During all their courses, they divert your attention from this in other ways.

1) You to have difficult, emotional conversations with family members you have issues with. That takes over much of your thoughts, so you have little space to notice much else.

2) They assign new meanings to words you know well and if you're open minded, it sounds plausible and you get sucked in. And before you know it, you start believing that black is really white and white in fact means black and now the world makes much more sense. This is reinforced by others around you.

This last point is of course total nonsense but it sounded clever at the time and it binds you too them because only other Landmarkers will understand what you are talking about. Anyone else can see it is meaningless.


Of course there is some good basic psychology on human relationships in there. And many people who simply attend the Forum and their lives are okay when they go quite enjoy the experience. Its time out of their busy lives to take stock and other people they meet are often interesting. The good psychology stays with them but they forget the slightly weirdness of the experience. And so many people will doubt the naysayers.

But I see this group as dangerous for anyone in a vulnerable state. The only aim of Landmark is to get people to sign up for their courses and to get others to work for free. So if you go hoping for new insight into life which will sustain you, you will not find it unless you give over your life to Landmark. But then you are trapped.

Once you are in their group, the friendliness goes and they start telling you how to behave when you either volunteer or train. I didn't do this but I know people who have.

I did witness group humiliation by participants and the course Leader when anyone challenged anything that disagreed with the Landmark way.

There are better ways to spend your money and I suggest that you don't need Landmark to make the most out of your life.

Re: What are these "negative effects" of Landmark Forum?

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Stay away from Landmark, rahrahrah. If you are a well-adjusted person in a good place it will be a waste of time and money. If you are in a weak place in your life (money, job, family, love life) they will exploit it by filling you with "empowerment" and other feel-good mumbo-jumbo. I went through the training with a different LGAT called "New Era" in Corcord, CA, which I documented in another thread on this forum and had a very bad experience which involved my wife.

Paradoxically, I agreed with the lessons the trainers were giving, but they don't tell you anything that can't be found in any self-help book, or licensed therapist, or some beginning philosophy classes. Their authoritarian tactics of not allowing discussion during training lectures, or to question the trainers, and the trainers never give their credentials or full names raises too many credibility questions.

Trainees are expected to contribute experiences, but these people often lack self-esteem and/or confidence and relate sob stories of abusive spouses, loneliness in lacking friends or family, or not having goals and lament that their lives are stuck in neutral while life passes them by. I wasn't in a bad place and announced it to the class and was soundly dog piled by the trainers for admitting such.

Read the fine print in the refund policy very carefully. If you quit you lose the money. If you cross them they may threaten to call the cops to have you escorted off the premises.

LGATs are listed in this Cult Awareness Forum for a good reason. I don't think spending about $1600, missing time from work, being pushed around by strangers in a windowless room while the thermostat is fluctuated from too warm to too cold to make everyone uncomfortable, and putting my marriage through a serious stress test is time well spent.

What might happen to a drug/alcohol addict that gets involved?

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If somebody who is a drug or alcohol addict becomes enamored by one of these groups, what do you think is the likely outcome?

If they do drop the drugs and alcohol, but end up obsessed with Landmark, along with all the typical bizarre behavior, isn't it just trading one addiction for the other?

So, is it a good thing if they found ANYTHING that would keep them away from drugs, or is Landmark going to cause them to implode regardless? Or will it likely be a temporary fix for their drug addiction?

Hope that made sense.

No such thing as 'positive addiction'

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Dear Concerned and Sad:

I'd recommend getting and reading Cults: Inside and Out by Rick Ross.

And Mr Ross is always available by email and you can PM him here.

Meanwhile, your priority is to keep yourself healthy and balanced. The important thing is to learn what is within your direct control and what is not. That is where
Cults: Inside and Out is very helpful.

I am not a professional. It would be great if we could have an addiction counselor contribute to this thread.

I can offer some guesses but they are only speculations, layman's hunches.

One area where cults and addiction may be similar is that both entail mood
management, getting high. They both create social venues that normalize behavior that is considered annoying or downright harmful by the rest of society.

One thing that may differ between cults and addictions is cult recruitment always begins with deceit.

By contrast, addictions don't seem to begin with lies. Most who become addicted are well aware of the dangers presented by drugs and alcohol - we get drug education in school, many of us know or have heard of addiction related tragedies.

Most addicts started out unaware of having a physical predisposition to addiction. Or they knew they were at risk but underestimated the staggering
undertow that is unleased when physical predisposition to addiction is exposed to enough doses of a triggering agent.

But chemical addicts often lie to themselves*after* their addiction takes hold and becomes unmanageable. Addicts tell themselves they're not actually addicted. They may feel shame ridden and conceal their addiction and its consequences.

But these are private people in a private struggle, going from crisis to crisis, one day at a time.

This is not the same as a long term public relations campaign a cult devises to freshen up its public image!

Cult recruitment, however, begins with lies. Many lies. Often intentional and strategic.

A big part of cult deceit is to present an appearance of love and
respect, while concealing that most of the nice behavior directed at you
is from a training manual.

Addicts self select into addict venues. By contrast, cults often
seek to control your social behavior and friendship patterns by orchestrating ways to cut you off from friends and families who disapprove of the cult.

That is why education (lie busting) is THE key ingredient of cult exit counseling. The core of the exit counseling process is to give - not - impose but give a cult member exactly the information the cult hides. To give
exactly the information that would have kept the person from ever joining
the cult.

Cults and addictions get power from mood management - they get you high, get you hopeful. But unlike addiction, cults operate through intentional information control. They operate by hiding information during the recruitment process and hide a lot of information from current members.

Many members leave the cult when they learn how exploitative it actually is
and that so much of the behavior was not spontaneous love, but came from a script or training manual. But this discovery can take years. Tragedies can take place.

The recruit is given only information favorable to the group. Incomplete information is presented as though it is full disclosure.

The distinguishing feature of a cult is that by intention of the leadership
the potential recruit is not given full disclosure about the leader or the group.

(Exit counseling offers this very same educative process to a recruit but gives unmasking information about the cult in just a few hours and in a safe venue. The recruit now has perspective on the cult and on his or her future prospects .within just a few hours, instead of having to lose years and opportunities to make that same discovery. )

The potential recruit is not told about the finances of the group - such as the leader's family being enriched while those lower on the food chain are encouraged to max out their credit cards.

The potential recruit is not told whether the group once had other names and changed names due to bad publicity.

Potential recruits are not told that once they are involved, there is no exit point, no final graduation. There is always more to do, always new courses to pay for.

The potential recruit is not told about the leader's past history or in some cases is not told who the actual leader is.

Potential recruits are not told what will be done to them during the retreat or seminar. They will NOT be told that they will be deprived of sleep, will be
subjected to verbal abuse, trance induction, stimulus overload.

Potential recruits are not told that pressure will be put on them if they attempt to leave. They will not be told that they will be pressured to give up
their mobile phones, laptops.

Recruits are not told that the leader's methods are not at all original but
have all be borrowed from earlier sources, some known to be harmful. told what will be done to her during the retreat or seminar. Rec

I am not a professional, so this is just guesswork.

Cults and addictions may not be the same. But from my layman's
perspective, I see some interesting similarities, which I listed below.

It would be terrific if a professional addiction specialist or two
could come here and give further information.

Some time ago, I posted something here. Maybe it will be helpful.


[forum.culteducation.com]

What I think is the important observation is the Ullman's observation that
an addiction diminishes up, whether it is addiction to a substance or a process (eg, gambling, religion), because use of an addictive trigger does not create maturity or lead to the development of character.

Instead, we get mood relief from this external 'prosthesis', making us more and yet more dependent on this artificial aid.

Many recovering addicts report that their emotional and social development
slowed, and even stopped right at the time their habit became addictive.

Again, I am not a professional, and want to emphasize that these hunches are speculative.

As a layperson, all I can suggest is that there do seem to be some
similarities between how chemical addicts behave and how people behave after indoctrinated ('processed') into LGATs and other cults.)

Addict Behavior/ Cult Recruit Behavior -Comparisons

Let us look at what people do when they're addicted to drugs or alcohol.

are recruited into cultic relationships with a human potential program, a guru, or group.

** Addiction makes your world smaller and yet smaller. You get fragile
inside as your mood regulation becomes yet more dependent on the chemical
which happens because your neurotransmitters become depleted. You avoid
more and more situations in which you feel uncomfortable. You hang out more and more with other addicts or by yourself.

**(People in cults lose ability to enjoy relationships with people who
do not share their beliefs or who disagree.)

* Denial that one is dependent on ETOH or drugs.

(Denial that one is being lied to, exploited, by the cult - such as hiding
how much money you are spending, hiding pictures of your guru, hiding that you are coming to believe that those who do not share your beliefs are evil.)

* Pestering others to join one in one's use of the chemical. Addicts
feel comfortable around other addicts, and get nervous around non addicts.

(Pestering others to join the LGAT.)

* Living life in a constant busy scramble to get money for one's drug of choice, find a dealer for one's drug of choice, lying to one's boss
and one's friends to conceal one's habit.

(The constant hustle working for an LGAT to meet its recruitment goals)

* Lying and stealing to support one's habit

(LGAT converts become part of an institutionalized lie - that is what LGATs
are about. Examples of this are pretending to be friends, but only to recruit
you for the LGAT, lying to friends and relatives to join them for an event
without telling them the event is an LGAT recruitment seminar.)

* Abandoning relationships with non addicted friends and socializing mostly or
only with other 'users'.

( Abandoning relationships with those who don't share your beliefs and refuse to be recruited.)

* Glamorizing one's use of drugs or alcohol as being 'empowering' 'hip'
and that refusing to use drugs means one is close minded.

(Believing that one's membership in an LGAT means one is on the cutting edge of all humanity and has found 'It"

* Confining oneself more and yet to social groups defined by drug intake and its terminology.(Ecstasy/clubbing, extreme potheads, extreme users of "entheogens' such as ayahuasca)

Again, these are hunches on my part. I am not a professional. Here is to hoping that a licensed addiction counselor could offer some insights.

Re: Gratitude Training - Beware

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Thank you Gratitude I am grateful for all that I have created as a result of the trainings, and being part of this amazing community. Two years ago I walked into Part 1, surviving in life, yet unfulfilled. I paid my bills on time, had friends and family that loved me, and what most people would call a pretty good life. I didn't need fixing, I had what I thought I wanted in life. But I had always felt like something was missing. I yearned for more, I knew I had a purpose, something bigger, but I wasn't sure what it was yet. It seems that some people are born with a purpose a vision, and I didn't have one. I was wondering through life, until one day a friend invited me to go to Gratitude Training. I walked into that room not having felt my heart in over 20 years, you see I learned that life hurts, and it's easier to shut down than to feel all that this amazing world has to offer. I was numb. By the time I completed Part 1, I felt again, I experienced love for another and from another. During Part 2, I realized that I didn't have it all figured out, and that was ok. I was on this journey of life, and I was ready to dig in and learn as much as I could about myself, about how I contribute to the world. As a fitness coach I thought I was doing my part, helping people live better lives, but after Part 2 I saw a possibility for so much more. I hadn't yet scratched the surface of what I was capable in life. By the time I completed the Part 3 Masterful Living course, I had a new family of people to turn to for support in my downs and with whom I could celebrate in the best of times. I discover that I have the ability, no the duty to be all that I can be for others, and for myself. I learned to experience joy, I learned to overcome my fears, I learned that I can live a lasting legacy on the world simply by being me, by being who I have always been deep down. So what have a created as tangible results from the Gratitude Trainings? I decided to see the greatest in my partner even in the darkest of times, to honor our commitment to having a loving, trusting, and honest relationship, no matter what, and this year we got married! I made a choice to breakthrough my fear of failure, and trust myself, to choose to follow my heart even when the situation wasn't working. The tangible result of learning to trust again, was that I bought out my business partners this year, and turned a failing business into a thriving one. I am now the proud owner of my own fitness center, I employ a full staff, and have made the dream I had a decade ago become a reality. I shifted my conversation around money, and stopped living in resistance to my own success. I stopped sabotaging myself because I didn't believe in myself, and now I have the truck I always wanted, I have investments that will provide my family financial security and freedom, and I don't worry about money because I created the career of my dreams. I have everything I need and enough to be currently buying our first house together. So if you're looking for tangible results, proof of what the Gratitude Training is, or is not, here it is. The Gratitude Training is the method through which I discovered my purpose, my vision. The Gratitude Trainings gave me the tools to create financial freedom, to create the career I always dreamed of, to have the relationship I always wanted with the woman of my dreams. The Gratitude Training is the single most valuable and profound thing I have ever done in my life, and the best gift someone could give them self!

Re: Gratitude Training - Beware

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Gratitude training appears to be yet another LGAT (large group awareness training).

Anyone considering an LGAT should investigate the deeply troubled history of such groups as EST, the Forum, Landmark Education, Lifespring, NXIVM, Mankind Project, Sterling Institute of Reltionship and others.

See [www.culteducation.com]

There have bee personal injury lawsuits, wrongful death lawsuits, ongoing complaints and bad press for such groups over the years.

LGATs typically have the same problems as what is also called "mass marathon training."

See [www.culteducation.com]

13 liabilities of encounter groups, some of which are similar to characteristics of most current mass marathon psychotherapy training sessions:

They lack adequate participant-selection criteria.

They lack reliable norms, supervision, and adequate training for leaders.
They lack clearly defined responsibility.

They sometimes foster pseudoauthenticity and pseudoreality.

They sometimes foster inappropriate patterns of relationships.

They sometimes ignore the necessity and utility of ego defenses.

They sometimes teach the covert value of total exposure instead of valuing personal differences.

They sometimes foster impulsive personality styles and behavioral strategies.
They sometimes devalue critical thinking in favor of "experiencing" without self-analysis or reflection.

They sometimes ignore stated goals, misrepresent their actual techniques, and obfuscate their real agenda.

They sometimes focus too much on structural self-awareness techniques and misplace the goal of democratic education; as a result participants may learn more about themselves and less about group process.

They pay inadequate attention to decisions regarding time limitations. This may lead to increased pressure on some participants to unconsciously "fabricate" a cure.

They fail to adequately consider the "psychonoxious" or deleterious effects of group participation (or] adverse countertransference reactions.

The groups were determined to be dangerous when:

Leaders had rigid, unbending beliefs about what participants should experience and believe, how they should behave in the group. and when they should change.

Leaders had no sense of differential diagnosis and assessment skills, valued cathartic emotional breakthroughs as the ultimate therapeutic experience, and sadistically pressed to create or force a breakthrough in every participant.

Leaders had an evangelical system of belief that was the one single pathway to salvation.

Leaders were true believers and sealed their doctrine off from discomforting data or disquieting results and tended to discount a poor result by, "blaming the victim."

Many LGATs use coercive persuasion to gain undue influence over participants.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Given the troubled history of LGATs I would not recommend an LGAT to anyone for anything under any circumstances. There are far safer and more mainstream alternatives such as continuing education, counseling from a licensed professional, community sponsored support groups and simply talking out issues with old friends, family or a trusted mentor.

There is no objective scientifically measured evidence that LGATs accomplish anything other than influence the way people subjectively feel. No LGAT has published a peer reviewed scientific study in respected credible journal that demonstrates objective results such as higher income, lower divorce rate, decreased need for medication or counseling or higher grades for students amongst its graduates.

Instead LGATs rely upon polling the subjective feelings of past participants about the training rather than measuring objective results. No doubt LGATs can influence the way people feel. And the emotional testimonials of graduates demonstrate this.

What an LGAT does is download the philosophy of its creator as a remedy for whatever problems people may have. LGATs call this "taining" or an educational seminar, but it is more like a crusade for converts.

Universal Intelligence (Ui) Daniel Rechnitzer

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Hello everyone.

Has anyone ever heard of this course conducted by Daniel Rechnitzer. I believe he is Australian. Recently my friend went for one of those courses and came back all unfriendly towards me, citing that I have "negative energy" and should stay away from me. Before that, she was well and OK, still messaging me until she was into her second or third day of the course. This course from what I understand is 5 days long. From what I understand, it is like a UFO cult mixed in with LGAT.

I am well, well aware about cults, methods, behaviour of the victims and LGATs having lost someone to LGAT a long time ago. My friend is also aware that I know what cults and brainwashing is. In fact I got a lot of my findings from this site (previously Rick Ross Institute) I of course did a lot of Googling using "cult" "scam" "brainswashing" next to Rechnitzers name and found nothing. I wonder if he has somehow purged any connection his name and organization has to words such as this on the web.

I would like to know if anyone here has any knowledge of this Universal Intelligence or they branded this as Ui (Upper U and lower i) or know anyone who has gone for it and came back with cult victim behaviour.

What really struck me was her almost secretive nature about what went on there (red flag), she only spoke of the people she met there and the type of food served there, raw food, another red flag. Reason why I mentioned the raw food was because I am quite sure it made them hungry therefore being susceptible to brainwashing. From what I understand, like LGAT, there are advanced courses that one can take and this course alone costed USD5,000! A hefty sum indeed.

Thank you in advance for any information from forum members.

Amazon com can sometimes give useful leads

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'robotman' wrote:

Recently my friend went for one of those courses and came back all unfriendly towards me, citing that I have "negative energy" and should stay away from me.

What you describe is an effective way to prompt recruits to break up with their outside friends and families.

Back in 2006, some people on this message board discussed http://forum.culteducation.com/read.php?4,13653,13674]fear installation in connection with another LGAT[/url], the earliest one -- EST (Werner Erhard) whose current iteration is Landmark Education.

It is commonplace for recruiters to tell you, "Take what you like and leave the rest."

But, with an LGAT this is problematic.

Why?

Because LGATs do not tell you what they are going to do to you.

That means when you are invited, "Take what you like and leave the rest" --

You do not know what 'the rest'" consists of!

Such as:

*Whether you are guaranteed confidentiality - will your intimate disclosures or your tears be recorded or not?

*Whether as a condition of participation, you will be required to sign away ll your citizen rights to sue or mediate for damages in case you are harmed
during the seminar.

*Whether other persons have been harmed by participation

*Whether you will be kept awake past your bedtime

*whether you will be expected to abandon use of caffiene and analgesics. Suddenly boycotting caffiene can throw a person off kilter.

*Whether you will be forbidden to use a watch, keep your phone or laptop.

*Whether you will be pushed to take additional courses that, in the long run, may cost you thousands.


A few reviews of one of DR's books.

Go to Amazon.com and select 'Books'.

Put Daniel Rechnitzer into the search slot.

Look for a book that has both positive and less than positive reviews.

Go to the Amazon.com review for The ALL KNOWING Diary: The Truths You Were Never Told; How to Harness All Knowing to Make the Right Decisions Every Time by
Daniel Rechnitzer


Here are a couple.

This first review elicited some comments in response.

Quote

27 of 39 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 starsSnake oil for the Soul
ByTony E.on February 8, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition
I can't believe I fell for this! It must have been the ad that said something about getting rid of migraines...

There are a few good points that feel to make sense, but the author makes many statements that are beyond intellect and common knowledge and more close to New Age-ish philosophical or religious-like statements. For example, he writes of the cause of migraines: "I hate myself to the point that I do not believe I have any worth whatsoever, I feel hopeless". Further quotes:

"Is there a human internet? - There exists a library of sublime magnitude, available to us all. It is called Energy. Everything is energy. Energy carries information. Information is therefore everywhere! Your brain perceives energy. Turn on that powerful antenna - your brain - and 'tune in' to information everywhere!"

"What are the root causes of eating disorders? Celiac disease- The belief I am not whole within myself or I believe something is missing from my life."

"How to remove Ego: Put your hands up in front of you, approximately six to eight inches apart... Ask in your thoughts and intentions: 'Please bring pure Consciousness between my hands.' Repeat this until you feel the energy build..."

My conclusion: As I've studied Buddhist and Taoist philosophies, I cannot help getting the idea, that the author is happily taking suitable concepts and ideas from Asian philosophies and mixing them with his own New Agish DIY philosophy. If this is not snake oil, I don't know what is.

One person commented

Posted on Nov 26, 2013 11:20:59 AM PST
Keith Williams says:
Tony E,

As a psychotherapist and having studied Buddhist & Taoist philosophies in China & Japan, I have to agree with you on most of what you have said. This guy talks about the human 'ego' and how it impacts on our behavior as though it was something he had himself come up with. It truly is an amalgam of Buddhist/Taoist philosophy with his own 'New Age' spin. On further reflection, it's not even his own spin. I've heard these flights of fancy before over my 70 years on the planet.

One thing Tony E. Don't knock 'snake oil,' there's a lot of cash to be made from it. Just visit the his website...

Author of Inner Path to Happiness How to be Happy - a Guide to Overcoming Depression and Embracing Inner Happiness (Warrior Series)

Quote

Showing 1-6 of 6 reviews(critical).show all reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 starsUnfortunately Not the Real Deal
ByT. Collins Loganon July 8, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

"The All Knowing Diary" could have been a helpful introduction to a metaphysical philosophy and mystical practice that dates back several thousand years, but it fell short. For me the book became a counterproductive read - the opposite of what it could have been - and on some levels possibly even a deceptive marketing ploy.

Here are some reasons why I think this is the case:

1. The author presents his mystical instruction as new and innovative ("Take a glance at the material here. It is revolutionary, it is new in its nature, almost foreign in some ways..."). But even what seems - at least to my ear - to be accurate in the book has been written about by hundreds of mystics, gurus and teachers over thousands of years, from many different cultures around the globe. And much of that previous writing is more in-depth and thorough than what this author has written. Taking a look at the rich traditions of Neo-Platonism, hermeticism, kabbalah, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Christian mysticism, etc. and you would find the original ideas in a much purer and, IMO, more helpful form. The only thing that seems truly original in this book is how some of the core mystical concepts from these traditions are misrepresented or distorted. At one point, when the author alludes directly to a famous Einstein quote, he doesn't give him credit, and this is really on par with the whole experience of "The All Knowing Diary."

2. The visualization methods taught in the book (the "Secret Pages") are - at least from the perspective of most mystical practice - quite basic, do not offer a well-rounded description of the mystical process, and will likely only appeal to some people. Even then, I suspect they may only produce temporary benefits due to their incompleteness.

3. The inaccuracies in the book are also counterproductive. Encounters with the True Self and the attenuation (or elimination) of ego as framed by the author will not provide "cures for all illnesses," "pain-free births," "the fountain of youth," or many of the other things the author claims - at least not according to the ancient systems from which he borrows all of his concepts. And I'm not saying this just because of how incompletely the metaphysics and practices in this book are packaged. It is also because such promises are generally not the aim of mystical practice - just as the practice of spiritual alchemy was not really about turning lead into gold - and such expectations will in fact disrupt the more real and substantive benefits that a more well-rounded mystical system provides. Further, when the author makes statements like "Seek self-belief in all areas and this clarity will return you your riches" or "money reflects your clarity - become clear to become wealthy," he is either advocating an outright falsehood or distorting the essence and purpose of mystical experience as I and countless other practitioners have come to understand it.

Apart from these issues, the book also appears to be a sophisticated advertisement for a predictable money-making scheme - a scheme that, like so many others of late, is based on commoditized self-help training and fuzzy spirituality. When I did a Google search on "The All Knowing Diary," I found training promoted by the author that costs, for example, $2,960 for a 12-module course, individual on-line courses for $150 to $250 each, and $200/hour mentoring. In addition, the language included in the marketing pitches for this training use phrases like "create a limitless business!" or "make huge performance breakthroughs" and are specifically targeted at the usual consumer base for such pitches: athletes, business professionals, parents, etc. Of course I don't know what the author's true intentions are, but such evidence seems pretty disconcerting.

With all of this said, I actually found one or two things in the book that were helpful reminders - such as the difference between "knowing" and "believing." But most of the concepts seemed so oversimplified and diluted that they really do more harm than good, so I felt that this review needed to be written.

Re: Universal Intelligence (Ui) Daniel Rechnitzer

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Corboy

Thank you so much for your reply. Until now, I am unable to get any solid internet proof that it is indeed a cult. Yes, recently she gave up coffee too among other things.

Since I have experience with LGAT before, I am pretty sure that she has been brainwashed.

Actually, ever since she started the online course before she went for the course in Australia, she had been displaying intolerant, narcissistic and manipulative behaviour, like making you feel guilty for doing things differently from you i.e. she is into health food and if you happen to mention you ate potato chips she would shoot a side eye at you, to which I just didn't react to, just to irritate her, but then again, I do have a strong personality, It makes sense why she has marginalised me and another friend, after she tried to read his mind and he told her off.

My hunch is right. I hope someone out there who has had run-ins with Ui will be able to see this. Thank you again
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