I've just stumbled upon this site as I'm doing some research on Landmark. I've had a couple of friends do it and was planning on doing the forum, except that $500 is a lot to me- I had no idea how many people worked for free there until now!

Anyway, after a really bad year last year, I'm coming off anti-depressants and thought the forum might help me get some clarity, motivation for my goals, and sort out what I want from life and how I'm going to achieve it and improve self esteem and empowerment etc.

After reading many of these threads, I'm now thinking it could make me depressed again, just as my life is improving.

I have no plans on quitting my job, and pushing people to join- I'm not into the whole sales thing. Is it possible to just do the weekend thing and get some benefits without getting obsessed with it? or is the whole thing just a dangerous con? Has anyone here had good experiences?

Thanks for the advice! :)

I wouldn't recommend Landmark to anyone under any circumstances.

See [www.culteducation.com]

I am not a health professional. It is definitely emotionally very stressfull ... it could worsen your depression. You won't have any long-term improvement, only some short-term hype. Maybe think of finding some help in a professional setting ... some good and stable friendships etc.

Quote
elysium
I've just stumbled upon this site as I'm doing some research on Landmark. I've had a couple of friends do it and was planning on doing the forum, except that $500 is a lot to me- I had no idea how many people worked for free there until now!

Anyway, after a really bad year last year, I'm coming off anti-depressants and thought the forum might help me get some clarity, motivation for my goals, and sort out what I want from life and how I'm going to achieve it and improve self esteem and empowerment etc.

After reading many of these threads, I'm now thinking it could make me depressed again, just as my life is improving.

I have no plans on quitting my job, and pushing people to join- I'm not into the whole sales thing. Is it possible to just do the weekend thing and get some benefits without getting obsessed with it? or is the whole thing just a dangerous con? Has anyone here had good experiences?

Thanks for the advice! :)

Run like hell. Landmark is designed to exaggerate depression (and more so manic/depressive cycles) so that members will become increasingly dependent on the group. Seriously, it's the last thing anyone with a history of depression should get involved in. If they follow their own proscriptions, they won't allow you to "enroll" anyway. They advertise themselves as being for mentally "well" people only. (Of course they won't admit that they target the slightly depressed because they are the easiest "marks" and make great slave-labor.)


Ellen

Quote
elysium
I've just stumbled upon this site as I'm doing some research on Landmark. I've had a couple of friends do it and was planning on doing the forum, except that $500 is a lot to me- I had no idea how many people worked for free there until now!

Consider yourself very lucky to have found this site. I wish I had found out about the true face of Landmark before I joined. I missed a documentary that ran on TV just before I took the first course.

Quote
elysium
Anyway, after a really bad year last year, I'm coming off anti-depressants and thought the forum might help me get some clarity, motivation for my goals, and sort out what I want from life and how I'm going to achieve it and improve self esteem and empowerment etc.


After reading many of these threads, I'm now thinking it could make me depressed again, just as my life is improving.

I became manic for months after doing the forum and the advanced course. I loved the "high" - I tried to get it back by taking more courses but never got that first kick back.
After quitting Landmark I started taking an anti-depressant and stayed on those for years. I simply couldn't cope without having the support system Landmark Education to keep my depression at bay. I had been depressed before Landmark and while I was involved I kept it pretty much under control by applying Landmark "technology" (I hate that word in the landmark context) and constantly working myself to exhaustion. It really didn't work. But you train yourself not to listen to your feelings. When I quit Landmark I had to train myself to start listening to my feelings again.

Quote
elysium
I have no plans on quitting my job, and pushing people to join- I'm not into the whole sales thing.

I would have said the same but they are very good at turning people like that into salespersons for Landmark. You would be amazed! I hate selling things - but after the course I was constantly trying to sell the Forum - simply because I thougt it was the "best thing that ever happened to me" (implanted Forum talk). In truth it is the worst thing that ever happened to me. Well - let's say that it was the most devastating of all the new age stuff I have tried...

Quote
elysium
Is it possible to just do the weekend thing and get some benefits without getting obsessed with it? or is the whole thing just a dangerous con? Has anyone here had good experiences?

You will get obsessed - it doesn't work unless you get obsessed - it is design to make participants take the bait, swallow it and belong to the Landmark Education for a long time - some belong for the rest of their life. Even if you only do the first course you will have been subjected to mind control techniques that can damage your health. Some people become psychotic. It is not worth the risk to your health. There are people that report only having good results and my question to them is; "would you want these results if you knew the cost for the ones that are harmed?".

Also with Landmark everyone at the higher levels are trained to present their results in an "enrolling" way. I have done that. I used to talk about my positive results to enroll people. Some of these positive results were in the area of getting material stuff - like cars etc. Later I think of these positive results as something that was positive when thinking out of the mindset of a landmark person. Now in retrospect - I think I spent to much money on these things - I simply spent money like there was no tomorrow.

So - even positive results may have more to it than your friends tell you (the ones that are trying to get you to do the course)

I would say my advice is;
- don't get involved with the Forum
- show this to your friends. It might help them from spending time in Landmark

PS I was high up in the local Landmark leadership. Look at my other postings on this site

Quote
elysium
Is it possible to just do the weekend thing and get some benefits without getting obsessed with it? or is the whole thing just a dangerous con? Has anyone here had good experiences?

Theoretically I suppose it might be possible, but you would have to be the type of person with a very strong personality and sense of boundaries. Are you good at resisting pressure? Because from what I understand, once you do the weekend intro, they pressure you constantly to sign up for more classes. From what you have told us about yourself, it sounds like you're just now getting over a very unstable period in your life, so you may not be strong enough to resist their sales pitch and manipulation.

I've never done Landmark (or the Forum) but I do know a lot of people who have done it who all rave about how great it was. From observing these people, it does tend to make people very pushy and self-centered when they come out of it. My good friend had a business partner who did the Forum (the old name for Landmark) and this woman's personality completely changed. She ended up conning my friend out of her half of their business holdings and money. Is that the type of person you want to be?

If you do decide to do the weekend, give them a fake name and fake phone numbers, because they'll be calling you constantly to take more classes, recruit all your friends, etc.

Frankly, if you want what Lankmark offers; you can get it for free in many other places. I would not think being placed in that kind of environment for any length of time would help with any mental condition. Smoking cigarettes would probably be more beneficial than being deprived of sleep, food and bathroom breaks for a day or two.

In other words, I doubt anyone actually benefits from Landmark other than the guys at the top.

Quote
Gulab Jamon

Quote
elysium
Is it possible to just do the weekend thing and get some benefits without getting obsessed with it? or is the whole thing just a dangerous con? Has anyone here had good experiences?

Theoretically I suppose it might be possible, but you would have to be the type of person with a very strong personality and sense of boundaries.

I'm sorry Gulab - that doesn't do the trick I think. There exists a lot of people in Landmark that have a very strong personality and sense of boundaries.
When they start.
It gets effectively dismantled by the Forum leader. Their personality will be discarded as their WINNING FORMULA - boundaries as being RUNNING YOUR RACKET - or some other Forum term...

Whatever you are before the Forum will be changed into the robotlike forum personality. If you want to "really get the results" you have to go all the way. It is simply an equation that doesn't work. Of course I could be wrong - but this is my opinion. I am OPINIONATED (landmark talk)

nettie

Quote

I'm sorry Gulab - that doesn't do the trick I think. There exists a lot of people in Landmark that have a very strong personality and sense of boundaries.
When they start.
It gets effectively dismantled by the Forum leader. Their personality will be discarded as their WINNING FORMULA - boundaries as being RUNNING YOUR RACKET - or some other Forum term...

Whatever you are before the Forum will be changed into the robotlike forum personality. If you want to "really get the results" you have to go all the way. It is simply an equation that doesn't work. Of course I could be wrong - but this is my opinion. I am OPINIONATED (landmark talk)

Nettie has hit it on the head, landmark effectively dismantles a person and then uses that against them, everything you do that is the "old" you is a racket or not living in possibility or what ever other jargon they want to use to get you to be or do what they want

Landmark breaks you down only to build you up -- how they want you built.

I started work in Landmark when I was 13. I quit when I was 18. I was depressed when I started and it hasn't stopped. I'm 28 now.

Stay away...this isn't effective therapy.