Thanksgiving is winding down and I thought I'd type a few notes about what I like about Landmark. Patrick asked and others must be wondering.

Mainly I like being in a community of people who are willing to be open, take risks, try new ideas and focus on making differences in their lives and in the world. And specifically I like what I have seen in the people who come to Landmark. Granted, they were that way before they showed up at LM, but no matter--they are the sort of people I like to have as peers. Maybe I'll learn different over time, but for now that's the main reason.

Second, I find Landmark and its teachings fascinating in themselves. The "Transformation" and "The Way the Landmark Forum Works" pieces that we studied in the Advanced Course amaze me--just jewel-like language that says so much and so little. Makes me shiver and laugh at the same time! Just brilliant. I wish I had written them...

Third, I did come out of the Forum and the AC stronger than I went in. Now maybe that's spelled P-L-A-C-E-B-O, but I've been more confident and having more fun since the courses. Like when I first did est, I feel a grand permission to be myself and not to take things so seriously. I'm curious to see if I can make this crazy Landmark stuff I learned work in my real life.

That's enough for now. Happy Thanksgivging, everyone!

So it's about "belonging" for you.

"Mainly I like being in a community of people..."

Easy to understand with the kind of alienation many feel in society.

It's a common hook for cults to use.

Like I said before, if you want the real thing, go out into your real community, your neighborhood, meet them, know them, interact with them. Feel joy and pain over successes and losses with them. Some will respond immediately and others after they figure out if you're safe or not.

There's no cheese down the LEC tunnel.

If you want to be with "people who are willing to be open, take risks, try new ideas and focus on making differences in their lives and in the world", join the Peace Corps. They actually do stuff and not just abstract about it.
And when you're done, you can go home without all that mind goop.

I think you like the mind goop though.
Probably another hook for you, huh?
All those swirly phrases and words tickles your fancy.

They're akin to puzzles.

Intrigues your intellect.

That's how we get the smarties.
You know what they say about cats?

happy thanksgiving

Guy -- I have other communities, friends and neighbors. I wouldn't mind having more. Plus I do have a few friends in Landmark and I respect them, which is why I did the Forum in spite of my concerns.

And yes, I'm also a curious fellow who likes to learn things. It's gotten me into trouble now and then, but my instincts are generally pretty good. I found my way out of est and the Catholic Church. If I need to extricate myself from Landmark, I know that I can. Just reading and posting on this board is part of how I'm protecting myself. And if what I write is useful to others, so much the better.

I'm finding Landmark to be an adventure. I might not recommend it to others on that basis, but it works for me.

jack

one of the reasons so many people call
landmark a cult is because of one of your statements.

it works for me.


we can have a discussion on just that if u want.

laters.

Hi Jack.

What Patrick said is right.

Snakeoil "works" for lots of people.

That's why their are so many snakeoil salesmen.


Cults/snakeoil salesmen tell people what they want to hear:

"There is a cure for what ails/is troubling/piques you. [WE have it.]"


Most of us are creeped out by the jargon. I predict that when you realize how duplicitous it is; i.e., a way of saying something without really saying anything, you will get sick of it as well. (Unless, of course, you want to indulge a predatory instinct of control and domination over other people using language and various other tricks.)





Ellen

I remember "doing what works" from est, but not "it works for me." My most vivid memory of that phrase was Mel Gibson's semi-psycho performance in "Lethal Weapon".

As far as I know "it works for me" is not Landmark jargon but a common American expression. If anyone can demonstrate otherwise, let me know. Check the web--it's everywhere.

This is amusing from the longer view. Today I'm pretty much being run out of the Landmark group for being stubborn about Landmark as a cult (they of course would express that differently) and here I'm on the run for saying anything positive about Landmark.

I continue to find all of this fascinating. Mr. Spock said that.

Jack

Your posts allude to some benign or harmless quality that LEC might have.

The only usefullness that might have would be to Harry and Joan's retirement fund. "So much the better".

But you know better than I do since you "did the Forum in spite of ...concerns." and
"...It's gotten me into trouble now and then, but my instincts are generally pretty good."

If your instincts are so good why did you get duped twice or did you just do it "spite of my concerns".

Don't worry Jack, I already know the answer to that question.
Everyone, including myself, does LEC in spite of their concerns. Our whole enrollment and registration process is designed to handle concerns.
Your instincts were turned against you.
Artfull isn't it. Fascinating.
The bast part is that they can have you think there is all this "satisfaction and fulfillment" available but you have to come back for more.
More, more, more,....equals never enough.

"I wouldn't mind having more."

This shows that what you already have is not enough, not fulfilling, not satisfying.
Satisfaction and fulfillment infer completion.
Of course, Jack, you're not alone in this. Our culture has been at this crossroads since we stopped worrying about food on our table.
LEC uses that carrot as a draw.

You have had your humanity used on you.

Guy -- Call me naive, but I have the idea that human beings and human institutions are neither all good nor all bad. Much of life, as I experience it, is learning to distinguish the two and do one's best with what's there.

I haven't reached a conclusion about how Landmark's pluses and minuses balance. I find it an interesting question.

We probably disagree about many things. I like hearing what you say about Landmark, but I'm not interested in your personal advice to me.

u might try to listen to somebody if
u are at the time of your life where
u are attempting to balace or to
find the pluses and minus of landmark.

landmark is a cult. landmark uses
mind control techniques on people.
u have had mind control techniques
used on u and because they were
effective u are spouting the landmark
line to take what u want throw away
the rest.

because there are so many people from
so many backgrounds it seems that
landmark has something for just about
everybody including u.

get it.