Trance techniques can easily be concealed within the satsang/darshan setting. Authority centered persuasion -- very old techniques Satsang setting has its own set of rules Some gurus appropriated powerful trance technology used by Werner Erhard (est, Landmark) and concealed this behind Hindu trappings. Sparkly Eyes (Look at your own eyes in a mirror. Then compare with
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Here is an analogy. Imagine the Four Questions as a daisy flower. Put a daisy in a gold and diamond studded vase, with expert lighting. Photographs of that daisy, enhanced by all the props, will make that flower seem special. Photograph at that same flower at noon blooming among thousands like it in some vacant lot, with a few crumpled beer cans alongside. Photos of a daisy in
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The sparkly eyes many gurus and 'teachers' the seemingly magical gaze -- this is mere technique. It can be learned. In an interview, Shayam Dodge, who was trained to be a guru and then renounced the role, told the interview exactly this. The following is quoted a bit out of order. Shayam told an interviewer at Elephant Journal that after he had renounced being a guru, he was dism
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Anticult mentioned an important trick of theirs: Telling stories of healing. How someone chanted his or her bum off and got a windfall, or the dream job, etc. What The Anticult has shown us is how often these seemingly sincere stories are, in this context, well honed, well crafted sales pitches. We rarely imagine the need to question whether that story, the story that is tickling and
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Sparkly Eyes Technique Discussed here Friends, an interesting task is to take a photo of a guru or New Age mega star, and try with the aid of a mirror, to mimic the expression and even position of his or her hands. In most cases, you will discover that you cannot maintain that facial expression for very long--unless, perhaps you have had training in performing arts. Some New A
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

hen running searches select "all dates" this message board is almost 10 years old (!) The Anticult's analyses of trance inducing stories using the nested loop technique. The Anticult has superb essays scattered throughout the message board. Plug in The Anticult and all dates in an author search and you'll get a continuing education right there. Walter1963 observed th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I think this is a very useful website. Whenever I hear of some new spiritual group one of my friends mentions I have done quick search here to see what is up with them. I think I have used this site to get ammo against IMPACT, Abraham-Hicks and The Secret. I never really need such info for myself as I am able to get a sense pretty quick who is legit, but often my friends will not just take my wo
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Run a search with 'all dates' on this message board. Type sparkly eyes into the search slot. Others have used this kind of eye gazing method. April 29, 2010 07:40PM QuoteFound this on a discussion elsewhere of Oscar Ichazo's work. Ichazo's group Arica has had a messy history. A LOT of discussion of brilliant eyes technique here. QuoteQuote: 'D
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

"Meanwhile, row by row, she methodically meets the gaze of every single person in the room with those "sparkly eyes." I don't know if she jumps right in with hypnotizing the already tranced-out audience, or if she is simply assessing to see who's vulnerable." This quote has stuck in my mind while I am pouring over the mountain of information here. This is the exac
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quoteasonmy mother(she is approaching 60, I am in my late twenties) is planning on flying to a BK 9day school in a few days and i am uncertain of what to do. She is into BK since almost 1.5 years now doing worksheets and so on every now and then. After seeing the book more than a year ago I did not think it was a big deal. Just some new age stuff with a way to simplified view. And I thought s
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If you type 'sparkly eyes technique' into the ordinary google search bar, look whatcha get: And in a different search, here is an article on eye make up. QuoteI am a model and I have bright blue eyes that I need to make stand out more in pictures. Any tips on how to do so? (You can learn almost anything at RR.com if you hang out with us long enough) The article abov
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There is a book and a satirical movie coming out called "Men Who Stare At Goats". There was an interview with the writer of the book, British journalist Jon Ronson, where he said some special forces in the military experimented with using various New Age techniques in psy-ops, which were taken from various hippy-dippy cults of the 1960's. Amazingly, he mentioned a technique cal
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

'Janaki's conversion to Byron Katie, hypnosis' Something that struck me, reading about Stephen Mitchell and his being dazzled by BK's sparkly eyes on the first meeting--where have we heard that before?--- and later something I read on BK's blog when she was talking about her cancer. "Anyway, my husband and my sons cannot be upset, my daughter cannot be upset,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"