Hi all,
Happy New Year to you. My apologies for not getting back on-line here sooner. I was just distracted with the "holidaze" and just having fun living life with my friends and family.
If at any time you want to get my attention sooner, my email is
bcfreeman@optonline.net.
Anyway, I'm not your typical person who went through the MKP experience. So, I'm not sure that I can be of any help that you may be looping for. I don't know anything about LGAT or Landmark or Sterling or EST or TM or mantras or any of that stuff.
But, I'm willing to share my personal experiences and opinions (for what it's worth) and answer questions.
Now:
1. There is a comment about "abuse, lies & scams perpetrated by MKP". Is there anything in specific?
2. There was a request for "training manuals". I see in the thread that there are postings of the "protocols" for the men's weekend
retreat called "The New Warrior Training Adventure (NWTA)". So, I am assuming you are looking for more information. Yes?
3. My name is Crittenden and people usually call me Crit, for short (or sometimes nicknames like Critter-lol).
Some history.
I entered MKP when is was known as "The New Warrior Network (NWN)". I believe then the only "Centers" or chapters as I like to say, were: Milwaukee, Chicago, Houston, Rochester, San Diego & Washington, DC. Meaning that there were the only places where the men's weekend retreats were held. Of course now, it's global with chapters in Australia, New Zealand, Germany & South Africa.
I atteneded the NWTA in Houston, TX in Jan. 1993. I then attended their Leadership Trainings and in Jan. 1994, I staffed my 1st NWTA.
In 1995, I took a 4 year break from staffing NWTAs & then and rejoined in 1999. Somewhere in between those years, the NWN became The ManKind Project, and later around 2004 became MKP-I. ManKind Project International. The intent here was was rename itself as something that sounded less "cult-like" (then New Warrior Network) and perhaps more business like and International was simply to have a global vision as opposed to just a North American vision.
Being very much an individual and one to march to the beat of my own drummer, yes, there were a lot of "speed-bumps" along the way for me (lol).
However, that is going to happen if one does not, well, be a crowd follower and if one tends to question "authority. So, I learned to expect the speed bumps.
In 2003-4 I was a "Center Director" or chapter president (as I like to say) of the NY chapter of MKP, but previously, I also assisted, in small ways, of helping 3 chapters become organized to host the NWTAs. Those 3 places being the Philly chapter, the NY chapter and the NJ chapter. In very small ways, I move (so to speak) which helps out in big ways.
And I also had a lot of opinions along the way. (LOL) As many did in the organization. And of course a lot of details not yet mentioned.
I left the organization in 2006 because of 3 national (meaning basically just occuring in North America) conflicts surrounding issues in which I was not happy with how those issues were "worked through" and because I felt that the friendships I had were not the types of friendships I wanted, and lastly because I was making personal changes in my life that were leading me to new friends and new situations (and also a declining health, at that time).
So, a request has been made to me, here, to supply information from the organization. I've read threads here were people posted things from that organization, but have done it, uh, "on the sly", so to speak.
I will simply say, please do NOT make any requests to me that are dishonest, unlawful or just downright sneaky. I am certainly not (and far from) a perfect person. HOWEVER, I do maintain a very high standard of honesty, integrity and accountability. This standard I had for myself WAY BEFORE I knew anything about the MKP organization and it comes from my Mother.
But, certainly in general, I can answer questions you may have. My question to the ginah is "for what purpose?". Why would you need or want any additional protocols? Again, I am not educated on LGAT or any cult-awareness tips. And I do not have a perception of MKP as a cult. But, I am open to hearing diferring points of views.
Why do so many things seem secretive? And why do so many members not say much about what happens on an NWTA (weekend retreat)?
The concept is that, historically, male initiations were always secret. And the organization chose to model how earlier cultures would do their male initiations. Iniation? That is, man-training. Moving from boy to man. I believe that the concepts of say, Aboriginal or North & South American native,
and African & Aboriginal male initiations (Boy to Man) are what was an inspiration.
As I write these words, I can't remember anyone ever saying "No, I choose not to agree to this request or requirement of confidentiality." But, I'm sure there must have been.
But, if you share something specific that you know of, I think I can give better answers.
My personal perception of MKP? I sit in a place of disappointment. For me, the organization was NOT able to "walk its talk" of its standard of integrity.
But, keep in mind that my standards are very high and very few meet those standards. Most jobs I've been in the corporations cannot meed my standards. And that's life.
Well, I guess that is a mouthful.
I've clicked on the "send replies to this to me via email" box so I'll now be much more quickly aware of the need for me to respond back.
Thanks for the opportunity to share with you.
Crit