Continued from the previous post:

The ovarian reading ended up being the last treatment I had from Serge. I was feeling better, partly due to the treatment and also because I’d taken long overdue holidays.

Serge asked if I wanted the ovarian reading and even when he explained what it was I struggled to see the point of it. Serge explained he would put his hands on my lower abdomen and (psychically) ‘read’ my ovaries. I couldn't understand why it was necessary, I was feeling good, I hadn’t gone to his clinic for sexual problems and I don’t have gyne issues – not that any of that is his or anyone’s business! Still he thought it would be a good idea and I found myself persuaded.

He told me that during the reading, I was welcome to comment, but also said I didn’t have to if I didn’t want to. Unfortunately, I’m no stranger to healers using sexual manipulation, so I’d already suspected this might have been the aim of the exercise and decided I wouldn’t comment. Not that I told him that. I will freely admit I was interested to see what he would try. I was certain by then he had guru aspirations and was not only actively trying to recruit me, but attempting to establish a hold on me as well.

With his hands on my belly, he then began to talk about my history with men beginning at age four or so, suggesting how men had behaved toward me at certain ages. According to Serge, at five years old, a significant man in my life had let me down, at seven a man had presented himself not as he seemed, at twelve a man had not been there for me, at seventeen a man in my life had wounded me etc. etc. The statements were, without exception, vague, general, highly interpretable and in spite of their breadth still inaccurate. If he’d been on to something he wouldn’t have made some glaring omissions.

I endured the ‘reading’ with a blank expression and did not comment. As it wore on Serge became frustrated with my lack of response and asked me, ‘so, am I right?’

I shrugged and said. ‘Uh, no, not really.’ So much for respecting my privacy and my right to confidentiality.

I’d like to make some comments here on the ethics of that therapy. I believe its sole purpose was to prompt me to make disclosures to Serge about my sexual history. Seriously, when you’re fishing for a woman to disclose her experiences with men from childhood through puberty into adulthood, what else are you looking for? Somehow I doubt he uses a similar technique for deducing women’s relationships with other women.

His fishing is bound to get results seeing one in three women have experienced sexual assault or abuse, and one in five men. I don't know, but I imagine he has some similar method for getting disclosures out of his male patients too.

The other thing I know, is that it’s not necessary for any therapist under any circumstances to scrutinize anyone’s sexual history, or the history of a woman’s relationships with men. A therapist doesn’t need to know every minutiae of someone’s life in order to help them. It is well known the disclosure of sexual matters or the revisiting of trauma can render a patient emotionally and psychologically vulnerable, which unethical practitioners may attempt to exploit. Without knowing the formal guidelines for counsellors and psychologists, I have it on good authority an ethical therapist will never pressure a patient into making personal disclosures. Many therapists discourage patients from making disclosures unless the patient feels it’s absolutely necessary to their healing process and then only when the patient is ready, once a trusting relationship is established, and only in the context of the therapist helping the patient to come to terms with their experiences. This is not a job for untrained or self styled healers.

However, Serge doesn’t belong to any professional association, nor does he come under any of the registered therapeutic modalities. So where the ovarian reading could be grounds for a complaint in any registered profession, there is nowhere for patients to go if they feel their privacy has been invaded. Or worse. If he actually molested them, in the setting of a private treatment room without witnesses, it would be their word against his. Practitioners like him are the reason there are therapeutic guidelines to protect patients.

Another consideration, which chills me, is if I hadn’t been savvy to that kind of manipulation, and if I'd taken his suggested leads and told him details of my past, what would he have done with that knowledge? For instance, if I'd told him of some bad sexual experience, would he have offered me a sexual purification/healing that involved endowing me with his divine essence? Unfortunately, this is one of the oldest guru tricks in the book, and I wouldn’t put it past him. I have no evidence he does that, but I'm also very glad I disclosed nothing.

Ok, I must leave this here for now. Ran out of time. Tomorrow I’ll finish with an account of the healing workshop weekend in Lennox Head. The guru in full flight, full sales pitch, full fast talking mode, and forty plus people in catharsis in a darkened room.

Quote
shimwah
Hi Herbert, I have known Serge Benhayon (founder) Universal Medicine for many years.

The worst things you will have to deal with will be to following,

1)Change of Diet,
This can include some or all of the following depending on the individuals,
Elimination of Caffene, Gluten, Dairy, overeating, especially carbs and sugary foods or desserts. (Creates all kinds of problems with family/friends, eating out etc..)

2) Sleeping habits,
The most desirable/benificial hours of sleep will be between 9pm and 3am. (This alone upsets most people!)

3) Scaling down or elimination of alcohol, pornography, Drugs (excluding most modern medicines, if not abused ex: used to hide mask or numb the core issues),

4)Scaling down or the ceasation of competitive sports, hobbies (any practice that gives glory to one person or group at the expense of another human or group).

5) A focus on being gentle at all times.

6) A focus on being present and consciously with yourself at all times.

7) A letting go of any previous religious ideals and belief systems.

8) Regular visits to practitioners within the organization that are accredited by the founder. (Can be costly)

9) Regular attendance to workshops, lectures, studies, healings. (More money)

10) Purchasing of books, healing symbols, tea, ointments, vitamin supplements, incense, etc. ($)

11) Reluctance or refusal to see most healing practitioners or modalities that are not esoteric.

12) Reluctance or refusal to have sex (or be touched) if it is not loving and gentle.

13) The possibility of Reincarnation becomes a integral part of ones choices and understanding.

Given the above, (understand the degree of adherence varies with each individual) you are bound to find her thought patterns/beliefs are changing beyond recognition.

In most part none of these things are evil or cause harm. In fact the whole concept is to live in Harmony, joy and love. But when you first marry or be with someone you don't expect them change to such a degree that they no longer are the same person you first knew. Especially if that person had no problem with drinking alcohol, eating pizza, enjoying competitive sport, and having rough sex (not saying they or you do). It kind of leaves you with a feeling of isolation or a need to adapt.

Its a hard and would probably help if you went along to one of the presentations to judge for yourself. I think the drop out rate is pretty high. We are beginning to see the backlash from those who have looked into it walked away and are expressing their opinions. I would expect there to be a huge amount of negative feedback in the future as the organization grows out of obscurity.

The teachings will probably be offensive, confronting or utterly ridiculous to 95% of humanity. Which I find interesting considering the fact that over one third of the people on the planet have no problem believing in eternal hell or heaven, talking snakes, virgin birth and a man that walks on water.

I just wanted to make a statement to this. What happens to many of this students that took part of some courses from Universal Medicine, where they got "treatments" or have special "singing courses" hold by Chris James, who is a very important person to Serge Benhayon, the leader of UniMed, is, that they get brainwashed. I lost some friends and my boyfriend there. Or let´s say, they lost themseleves there. 'There ´s nothing left of the warmth they once had. They seem to be numb to their social enviroment except for members of Universal medicine.

Hello VenusDarkly and welcome.

Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights into UM. The bizarre physical reactions you experienced were apparently not uncommon years ago. I know of people vomiting while recording healing techniques at UM workshops. This is not so common now for some reason and I didn't experience it at the workshops I attended, though I did witness people sobbing or crying out vocally due to 'their spirit resisting the healing' they were receiving.

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Quote
VenusDarkly
Continued from the previous post:

The ovarian reading ended up being the last treatment I had from Serge. I was feeling better, partly due to the treatment and also because I’d taken long overdue holidays.

Serge asked if I wanted the ovarian reading and even when he explained what it was I struggled to see the point of it. Serge explained he would put his hands on my lower abdomen and (psychically) ‘read’ my ovaries. I couldn't understand why it was necessary, I was feeling good, I hadn’t gone to his clinic for sexual problems and I don’t have gyne issues – not that any of that is his or anyone’s business! Still he thought it would be a good idea and I found myself persuaded.

He told me that during the reading, I was welcome to comment, but also said I didn’t have to if I didn’t want to. Unfortunately, I’m no stranger to healers using sexual manipulation, so I’d already suspected this might have been the aim of the exercise and decided I wouldn’t comment. Not that I told him that. I will freely admit I was interested to see what he would try. I was certain by then he had guru aspirations and was not only actively trying to recruit me, but attempting to establish a hold on me as well.

With his hands on my belly, he then began to talk about my history with men beginning at age four or so, suggesting how men had behaved toward me at certain ages. According to Serge, at five years old, a significant man in my life had let me down, at seven a man had presented himself not as he seemed, at twelve a man had not been there for me, at seventeen a man in my life had wounded me etc. etc. The statements were, without exception, vague, general, highly interpretable and in spite of their breadth still inaccurate. If he’d been on to something he wouldn’t have made some glaring omissions.

I endured the ‘reading’ with a blank expression and did not comment. As it wore on Serge became frustrated with my lack of response and asked me, ‘so, am I right?’

I shrugged and said. ‘Uh, no, not really.’ So much for respecting my privacy and my right to confidentiality.

I’d like to make some comments here on the ethics of that therapy. I believe its sole purpose was to prompt me to make disclosures to Serge about my sexual history. Seriously, when you’re fishing for a woman to disclose her experiences with men from childhood through puberty into adulthood, what else are you looking for? Somehow I doubt he uses a similar technique for deducing women’s relationships with other women.

His fishing is bound to get results seeing one in three women have experienced sexual assault or abuse, and one in five men. I don't know, but I imagine he has some similar method for getting disclosures out of his male patients too.

The other thing I know, is that it’s not necessary for any therapist under any circumstances to scrutinize anyone’s sexual history, or the history of a woman’s relationships with men. A therapist doesn’t need to know every minutiae of someone’s life in order to help them. It is well known the disclosure of sexual matters or the revisiting of trauma can render a patient emotionally and psychologically vulnerable, which unethical practitioners may attempt to exploit. Without knowing the formal guidelines for counsellors and psychologists, I have it on good authority an ethical therapist will never pressure a patient into making personal disclosures. Many therapists discourage patients from making disclosures unless the patient feels it’s absolutely necessary to their healing process and then only when the patient is ready, once a trusting relationship is established, and only in the context of the therapist helping the patient to come to terms with their experiences. This is not a job for untrained or self styled healers.

However, Serge doesn’t belong to any professional association, nor does he come under any of the registered therapeutic modalities. So where the ovarian reading could be grounds for a complaint in any registered profession, there is nowhere for patients to go if they feel their privacy has been invaded. Or worse. If he actually molested them, in the setting of a private treatment room without witnesses, it would be their word against his. Practitioners like him are the reason there are therapeutic guidelines to protect patients.

Another consideration, which chills me, is if I hadn’t been savvy to that kind of manipulation, and if I'd taken his suggested leads and told him details of my past, what would he have done with that knowledge? For instance, if I'd told him of some bad sexual experience, would he have offered me a sexual purification/healing that involved endowing me with his divine essence? Unfortunately, this is one of the oldest guru tricks in the book, and I wouldn’t put it past him. I have no evidence he does that, but I'm also very glad I disclosed nothing.

Ok, I must leave this here for now. Ran out of time. Tomorrow I’ll finish with an account of the healing workshop weekend in Lennox Head. The guru in full flight, full sales pitch, full fast talking mode, and forty plus people in catharsis in a darkened room.

Thanks Venus Darkly for this information and joining the conversation.
I think one can start to get an idea from what you are telling us why people ( and women in particular) end up sharing a strong bond with Serge, because they have shared something of themselves in a very trusting way with him directly or indirectly. That bond of trust is reciprocated once they have given themselves over to sharing their pain and past with Serge.
The 'disinhibition' you speak of that occurs at the retreats is a sure sign of a cult. That is sharing yourself personally to a much larger group and it builds bonds of trust and connection with other people that normally would not happen. ( eventually replacing the trust and intimacy normally shared with partners and family members)

I am sure that Serge encourages that and also I am sure he would single people out for special attention, which would give them a sense of importance to the group. ( and then at times admonish them gently or harshly in a give and take away type game that keeps people tied to group and him) But i look forward to your next istallment on that...

I also agree with you that there is some glaring professional issues which makes my mind boggle when the students harp on about 'total integrity and professionalism' ( but of course is related to the above) He crosses lines no one else would be allowed or dare to if they were a member of a regulated organisation. Furthermore, I have heard from students things they have been told which are staggeringly stupid and dangerous notions even in the mind of a sophisticated thinker and triply so in someone who is trusting and a little more niave. ( as some of these people have been. Not to say they all are of course) These students use these ideas for parenting, relationships, eating, everything....and make life decisions based on ideas given to them about past lives and future karma and incarnations which to paraphrase Serge is "utterly ridiculous"- ( this is not entirely disimiliar to sacrificing yourself because you are going to be rewarded with nine vestal virgins in the next plane of existance)

For me the problem with it all as a way of living boils down to two simple things. That not one of the students is living in the NOW where their real lives are happening, and none of them that I have observed have been EMPOWERED to expand IN THEMSELVES which would would unique and beautiful. There is nothing in Serge's doctrines or ideas that give them to the tools to do so...in fact he actively discourages self exploration ( meditation, other ideas, philosophies, your own instincts or thoughts [as they are not your own]) and instead they all become clones of each other and little mirrors of Serge using his words and ideas and deferring to him for each thought and decisions and constantly rushing to attend his every event because he presents something 'new'- dutifully recording his words like they are gospel and then sending them to each other with **AMAZING** as a footnote.

It is actually a life of servitude to his ideas that comes at a dear cost. These 'students', now across the world, all studying his 6 volumes of derivative and twisted 'ancient wisdom', filling their heads with his lectures and notes trying to grasp something that cannot be grapsed because it only exists between Serge's ears as ideas dancing around whimsically to serve his own ego and view of himself.

I am all for people working on themselves. On their REAL issues. And for doing things that EXPAND them in to being their AUTHENTIC self, wiser, more self reflective, less needy of other people, with less constructs and ideas to hold them back from seeing the truth...which is a lot simpler than anything these guys have lost themselve in.

Thanks Venus darkly
CP
Ps- I know quite a rave but it really shits me how far off track these people are and how Serge keeps leading them further away. I am not saying I know the truth, but I recognise what isn't.

To any/all UM students following this thread;

I think you'll find the following quote not only familiar, but quite relevant to the ongoing exposure of Serge's many indiscretions and deceptions:

"The greatest truths are discovered after the assumed truths are exposed as being not true at all" - SB

To Serge; this may be the one 'revelation' of yours that you will see come to pass. Secrets do not remain hidden forever.

Welcome, VenusDarkly, and thank you for your detailed posts. I am sure we all look forward to hearing more from you.

Here's an interesting thread:

http://forum.astro.com/cgi/forum.cgi?num=1343693750/0

There is some really insightful material on there, even if you don't follow astrology. I know Serge recently spoke on numerology, I wonder what his views would be on astrology and the information presented here?

Well worth a read from start to finish.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2012 01:00PM by HerbertKane178.

Quote
HerbertKane178
Here's an interesting thread:

http://forum.astro.com/cgi/forum.cgi?num=1343693750/0

There is some really insightful material on there, even if you don't follow astrology. I know Serge recently spoke on numerology, I wonder what his views would be on astrology and the information presented here?

Well worth a read from start to finish.

Thanks Herb, this is the most pertinent line from the whole thread.
For any UM'ers doubting what is going on ( even though they would really know about the breakups) here it is from someone outside of the situation.


Thanks for all the replies, its an interesting one I think.

His website www.universalmedicine.com.au has been radically modified since I last looked on it about a year ago. Working for a lawyer here in Byron Bay I am always getting phone calls from concerned partners whose wifes (normally) have fallen under his spell.

Quote
HerbertKane178
There is some really insightful material on there, even if you don't follow astrology. I know Serge recently spoke on numerology, I wonder what his views would be on astrology and the information presented here?

Serge thought astro was astral, lol. He could see some sense in it, but his teachings had transcended that, of course.

I know a bit about astrology and will have to spend a bit longer looking at the chart. There are lots of strong Venus aspects -- pertaining to relationships with women. Venus Pluto is particularly apt, in terms of power over women.

And I have headache from thinking about that putz too much and trotting out the story.

V

Quote
COncerned Partner

Quote
HerbertKane178
Here's an interesting thread:

http://forum.astro.com/cgi/forum.cgi?num=1343693750/0

There is some really insightful material on there, even if you don't follow astrology. I know Serge recently spoke on numerology, I wonder what his views would be on astrology and the information presented here?

Well worth a read from start to finish.

Thanks Herb, this is the most pertinent line from the whole thread.
For any UM'ers doubting what is going on ( even though they would really know about the breakups) here it is from someone outside of the situation.


Thanks for all the replies, its an interesting one I think.

His website www.universalmedicine.com.au has been radically modified since I last looked on it about a year ago. Working for a lawyer here in Byron Bay I am always getting phone calls from concerned partners whose wifes (normally) have fallen under his spell.

Indeed, CP.

That says it all really, doesn't it? No doubt Serge and the UM faithful will dismiss this testimony as yet another 'mis-truth' coming from an abusive, loveless person with no integrity, who seeks to blame others rather than take responsibility for their own ill-choices.