I posted on this board several years ago wondering whether or not I should actually go to the Landmark Forum that I'd signed up for. In the end, I did end up going to it. Stupid? Perhaps, but on the positive side, I ended up walking out in the middle of the third day. By that point, it just seemed so ridiculously obvious to me that they were after money and nothing else.

It was actually kind of an entertaining weekend (although I wouldn't recommend going to anyone else). I will admit that the first day and a half sucks you in. Also, I met a lot of nice people. However, somewhere toward the end of the second night, Landmark started to really lose its "appeal." Among other things, I got SO tired of their stupid terminology. The third day was just silly. People would go on stage to share their "testimonials" about making up with their long lost loved ones and after ALL of the testimonials the leader would be like, "And did you invite (loved one) to your Tuesday night?" (meaning their stupid "graduation ceremony" where they try to recruit other people) One person pointed out that her relative lived across the state, and the leader shot back, "We've had people fly in from Paris for these!"

When they dismissed us for our third break, I didn't came back. I went shopping and enjoyed a nice lunch. Eventually I ran into a group from the seminar (out on their next break). One woman convinced me to return long enough to tell my forum leader that I was leaving for good. So I decided to do this. When I went back, two of the leader's minions were all, "Where WERE you? We were so worried!" Riiight. I would soon learn that they had called my fiancee twice in my relatively short absense, to "check on me." He mentioned to them that he talked to me on the phone, and they wanted to know what we had talked about. Creepy!

Anyway, before I could leave for good, I had to listen to a 20 or 30 minute long sales pitch/lecture from a minion who tried desperately to get me to stay. But I stood my ground and left. I haven't heard from them since.

This was back in 2005, but I've been thinking about it because I recently had a falling-out with the person who originally told me about Landmark. We used to have a radio show together and for a long time I felt very highly of him, enough to fork over $400 for the seminar. My opinion of him has since changed and I now have to admit that I think he's a huge hypocrite, rather egotistical, and VERY money-hungry. (Is this typical of Landmarkians or is this just him?) I just posted a long blong about my experiences on our radio show, which includes a brief excerpt about my Landmark experience. If anyone's interested, it's <a href= "[radiopersonkaos.blogspot.com">here<];. I actually have a more detailed account that I posted online right after my weekend, but the website where it's at is often down (such is the case right now...)

In short -- don't do Landmark!

I glad to hear that you left the course, and that you weren't sucked in the way many people are. About your friend seeming money-hungry, it seems that Landmark finds out what people "want out of life" and 1. tries to make that the person's single purpose, and 2. tries to make it seem like the only way to get this thing is by devoting themselves to Landmark. Strangely, the more they devote themselves to Landmark (or PSI, or Lifespring, or whatever other group), the less they get of what they want - if their goal in life is to make money, they never achieve this goal because they end up giving most (if not all) of it away to Landmark. If they want better relationships, they don't get them and end up destroying the ones that they did have because of LE. This process might even act as a catalyst to make people more desperate and even MORE LIKELY to deepen their devotion to LE. It seems like a vicious cycle to me.