My story is nowhere near as harrowing as some on this board, but I'd like to tell it all the same. Apologies if it is a bit boring... It involves one of the more minor LGATs, who call themselves More to Life (previously Life training or Kairos foundation). When I say minor, I mean in terms of size, rather than the amount trouble it caused.

I met a woman, a lovely person, she was bright, intelligent and capable. She had issues with her parents and the church. Someone at a religious retreat had told her about More to Life, and how it could help, so she signed up. I guess it was because she perceived there was something missing in her life. This was before we were dating, but only just.

It started out innocuous enough. After her first course, she was repeatedly asking me if I noticed any difference in her - at the time I didn't, and told her this. Thats didn't go down too well! Of course, I got the hard sell - you life will be better if you do this course etc, the usual tricks. I told her I'd think about it - not really interested, but I was too polite to reject it outright. I didn't know anything about LGATs at the time. After a while, she started pressing me to make a decision, and I said no. In the two years I knew her, this was the only time she was angry with me. That instantly started the warning bells. However, after a couple of months of her practically begging me to goto an introductory evening, I caved in. It was awful - everything I had suspected it would be. My girl left me with a woman who I later found out to be quite high up in the organisation. I got lucky - she was either not really convinced by it all, or was having an off day. I think the it was the latter.

After that, I think I was asked, pleaded with, badgered etc to join a further 7 times. By the end, I had become wise, and thanks to a few great resources, this board especially, I was starting to read up avidly on LGATs. I can't believe that organisations such as these are even allowed to exist, such is the trail of broken marriages, friendships and lives that inevitably result.

The result of this is that my relationship ended, and we don't even talk anymore. There is not much to say to someone who has become so dulled. Few of our mutual friends talk with her, except when she contacts them to try and sell a course. It always amused me when one of them would tell her she was in a cult - that always got an interesting reaction. I got the impression sometimes that she wasn't too convinced either, but was too stubborn to admit that all the time and money spent (and it was a lot - these courses don't come cheap) has been wasted. I'm sure she has doubt in the back of her mind, nagging, gnawing, biting away, never quieted. It must be hell, but once you are brainwashed, it is hard to break away. Sad really, and I've recently found out that she has moved up a level in the organisation, and is now urging all the latest suckers to recruit as many people as possible.

Has anyone on this forum had any experience with More to Life? I'd be interested to hear your story. Not many people seem to know about them, probably because they are small in comparison to Lifespring, Landmark etc. Not that there is really much difference between them - they all come from the same cesspool....


ZR

A British friend of mine got involved with More to Life. He doesn't push it too much with me but when I was visiting with him and his then partner, I did attend the introductory class which he hosted. A few of his friends signed up. I didn't. I secretly started listening to the tapes he had purchased. It just more self-help nonsense. It's like Scientology was in it early days or Lifesprings and others. To me, it was reminiscent of Amway and other Multi-level Marketing schemes.