All I can say about this is that I liked it. It is nothing but a medidation and visualization of negative energy leaving your body which releases emotions and I wasnt stalked or hounded. It was quite bland. But I still use it like second nature

So I've done a few rounds with the Sedona Method home study course over the passed year or so. I think maybe 4 runs through in total, and every time I've found a reason to stop.

I should also preface this with the fact that I am an atheist, and while I have had brief experience with various other "new age" techniques, I remain a very healthy skeptic. [likelihood of future diabetes and balding aside ;) ]

The reasons I've stopped tend to vary in specifics, but in general I get to a point where I go I think to myself that if I'm going to invest anymore time in this, I want to make sure it's worth it. Te result is I inevitably start researching for real not word-of-mouth success stories and generally come up short.
Or the various little "dog-bones" and dropped hints about miraculous changes etc perk my curiosity and I go searching for information on what Lester Levenson actually achieved... According to Hale Dwoskin, Levensen was a physicist and at one point working at a news station and owned over 100 properties around New York before giving them away. Logic tells me that there should be some sort of unbiased - or at least contradictory - information out there about his life. What I've actually managed to find is scarcely little and seems to be the exact same key points reiterated again and again and nothing about him as a man. Was he married? Lovers? Quarrels? Etc. I've found nil thus far, which troubles me as a very scarce few people can fly under the wiki radar like that without it happening intentionally.
Then there are the miracles detailed and the more recent youtube videos of Lester which are most telling of all... (youtube his Lester Levenson!)

All of it leads to me inevitably feeling physically nauseous. I ask "can I let this go?" and every time I reach that point and that pivotal question, I find I've had enough of the method for a while.

I guess indoctrination is not in my blood.

The fact that I've returned to the method a few times is quite telling though.

I think the Sedona Method has some good points and some good notions which overlap with current psychological and therapeutic models such as CBT and the newer "ACT". (acceptance and commitment therapy).

> It reminds or shows you that you have a choice. Feelings don't necessitate specific action. Feeling anger doesn't mean you have to hit something/someone. Feeling upset doesn't necessitate someone cutting themselves.

> It asks you to confront, in an accepting and non-threatening manner, many of your fears, dreams etc.
This is something I find useful because I tend to be quite introverted about how I feel but instead of dealing with certain frustrations, for whatever reason - probably because I think something else is more important at the time, I tend to push them aside or suppress. So being prompted to sit for a time with the various things that may be floating around my subconscious helps me realise all the things I never got around to dealing with.

> It seems to promote the division of the ego into three parts, versus the typical two of body+mind. ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) has introduced observing mind and the Sedona method seems to riff on and idealize this a lot. Basically, (in ACT) there is your thoughts, be the visual or verbal, but they are not your entire mind. It is also possible and quite natural to be aware of the body and those thoughts as an observer.

> Wanting something doesn't equal having. Wanting something a LOT still doesn't equal having. Sometimes I tend to get caught thinking about how much I want something rather than the more constructive approach of "how can I get it". It encourages action over passive speculation.

> It encourages you to trust and accept yourself. Well.... Kind of. It's weird. I think the Sedona Method encourages you to trust only a part of yourself... Whichever part is left after you've removed all of your attachments, feelings, beliefs etc. What is left, I'm not really sure. :-/

OVERVIEW:
So to be as brutally honest as I can be with myself, I think this is therapeutic lolly water. It tastes nice if you're in the mood, or (to continue the analogy) if you are a diabetic about to pass out.

This was the last time I will use it. My intentions are to find a better self-therapy, because god forbid otherwise I would have to talk to someone about my problems ;) The main reason I return to it is that it does seem to have a certain positive short term effect, but spending all day asking yourself if you could "just let it go?" is a serious distraction... The thing for me is that life is too exciting to waste it on these things when I could be spending that time having great sex, drinking coffee, reading, writing music, socialising etc.

I do dislike the garden path it tends to lead one down, and if you were vulnerable and desperate, I can see how it could become an addiction. I just wish REAL psychological self-therapies were presented in such an accessible and simple manner as this. If psychology could learn from some of the cues that makes these things so easy to interact with, it's possible that people wouldn't need fads and cults.

- okay, I'm off to amazon for some new reading material!

P.s. FYI I LOVE the Tim Minchin musical poem called "Storm", all of you skeptics will love it too, I think.... :D. It's on YouTube if you're up for a good chuckle.

6,000 is alot of money. When ever I see things like the sedona method, the release technique, usually there are books selling online that teach their methods, and often used for a few dollars, which is where and how I bought Cranes book on releasing for a few bucks. I can't really say if it works, but did try to reach people who endorsed his book, and couldn't. One claimed to have made a million using his technique, so tried to local him but the trail was so illusive. I've heard some people buy one thing and then that leads to another. Statistics is something that I considered since the release technique is marketed so heavy on the internet, and once you contact them, they don't given up. For example, if I had three hundred horses on the track, and that three champions, and then those three were the only ones you heard about for the next ten years...I'd say they're results were luck rather than method. Now if besides the three big winners, my overall percentage of winners were higher and more consistent then I'd say it's worth taking a look. The trend I see is one quick win, from a race that was already in motion, which the technique seems to take credit for, over and over and over again. I do believe in faith, and prayer, and maybe the release technique is prayer, as it is very similar to the Miracle Prayer by Susan Shumsky...the nine steps to creating prayers that get results. They all seem to base their prayers on the power of positive thinking in current time, that is speak, release, and pray as if you already have what you want. this also seems to be the method Wayne Dyer talks about. I will say without a doubt that when I was studying the roots of major religions, studying the Kind James Bible, coincedence after coincedence occured, so much that it wasn't a coincedent. I think all methods point to the same method. We are all in this together, and if people don't start watching out for each other, caring what happens to each other, one day those who don't will learn the hard way. You ought to get CNN, or some newsperson on to this...If they can stand the test of truth so be it. But one more comment before I go...apparently one of the people pushing the Release technique business is marketing. That's like the hen selling their eggs. and marketing the release technique is their business. supposedly they made a 150,000. using the release technique. That's not shabby but it could be when he first started heavily marketing the Release Technique, now his well might be draining dry, because he pushes the RT hard, and if the 150,000. didn't get the ball rolling, and there are more supporters of the RT, you gotta wonder why. God Bless, and hope your husband recovers his money. You'e going through a rough time, under stress and that is when we do anything out of desperation, hoping it works. We are scared, and just take the first ray of hope we can. Don't be too hard on him, and hope things work out. I've seen people loose millions in the horse business, then recover, and then loose it again.
Take Care, and keep strong.

I bought "The Abundance Book" by Lawrence Crane that teaches the Release Technique used for around five bucks online. I also ordered one online special, and found two things right off....after I received email after email reminding me not to miss the free audo, that I would be amazed, yadda yadda yadda, it was nothing more than just talk to convince me to buy another more expensive program, and two, the online mini course, which I quicky returned offered becasue it had even less information than the book. There more to the RT than this, but the book will explain it. For now, here's a quick review of the RT so you'll at least have some idea what it is, to start, think about something that bothers you until it reaches the stress level of about five, or more on a scale of one to ten, then tilt your head down, which is supposed to disenage your focus on the problem's energy in your stomach/chestso it can be released when and as you relax, and place your hand on this energy knott, at the same time, visualize the energy draining out of your body through a drain pipe, you may need to visualize placing the drain pipe deeper and deeper, as you release again, and again, until you no longer have that knott of fear, and feel lightness instead of a knott of fear/anxiety about a problem/worry. keep on releasing things that bother you..visualize what ever works best for you--an open window, door, etc. I tried to contact some of the people who endorsed the RT in the book, to find out if they had continued success using the RT, but couldn't. ON the other hand, if I were marketing the RT as heavily as it is marketed online, I suspect I'd have continued success. Like I said, try the book. It has the same information as what is being marketed heavily online for a fraction of your hard earned money.

I keep replying to messages about the RT for one reason...I noticed someone spent around six thousand dollars on the RT. I bought the book by Lawrence Crane online used for around five bucks. Figured if it didn't work, I hadn't lost much. I tried, without success, to contact some of the people who endorsed the book/RT. Just wanting to know if they had consistent success or was their success a one time hit..so still wondering. I used the 800 help number provided in the book, but never reached anyone. finally reached those marketing RT online. This resulted in constant emails trying to get me to buy RT courses. I finally purchased a highly discounted special, which was nothing more than just a worthless sales pitch for a more expensive package, so I returned it immediately for a refund...for days I received an email notice of a free audio that would amaze me, again, it was nothing more than just a promotional audio trying to sell another package. If anyone wants to try the RT, just buy THE ABUNDANCE BOOK by Lawrence Crane, which teaches the release technique, as seen on TV for a few dollars online. TM used to be taught for two hundred dollars, now it is taught for a few thousand. It's good, but is it worth two or three thousand? TM is a form of meditation that was patented, so it's founder became wealthy. the RT is also a form of meditation....instead of focusing on a word (mantra) as one does in TM, RT method focuses on a specific fear/anxiety, then relaxes and releases that fear/aniety through visualization. Years ago, I tried TM, but didn't continue using it. After a Peace palace was built near me, where they teach and use TM, I considered using TM again. I was told they would still have me on file, so they could access my mantra, but it would cost me 1200 even though I initially paid two hundred for the entire class. I do know people who contribute their successful inventions to TM, and so, if anyone out there can review the Technique of TM with me, I'd be most grateful.

Its interesting how many people have read this thread on Sedona and Release Technique.
Clearly people are confused by the Release Technique.

Its puzzling, but for some reason, many people appear to be unwilling or unable to look behind the smoke and mirrors.
The "Release Technique" is a classic nothingness scam. There is nothing there.
Its like Werner Erhard with EST who was selling "nothing".

Its exactly like the Wizard of Oz, some guy behind a curtain deluding a large group of people with some basic tricks.

Because there is nothing there, it mystifies people, and that is why they try to charge you 6 grand. And that is only the start. They have endless coachings and courses, and will take the money you have.

The beauty of the Sedona Release Technique scam, is that since there is nothing there, you cannot understand it.
And it doesn't work.
So when it doesn't work, your coach tells you its because you are not releasing hard enough, or releasing too hard...they blame you.
Solution?
More coaching!

Its the perfect product.
It doesn't exist, doesn't work, and makes infinite promises.
Its a very basic sales trick-scam, and so many people fall for buying an empty bag of nothing.
Simply amazing.


And as far as TM,TM is very similar, but even more sophisticated, TM is clearly a cult.
[www.suggestibility.org]

[www.skepdic.com]

Quote
The Anticult
The beauty of the Sedona Release Technique scam, is that since there is nothing there, you cannot understand it.
And it doesn't work.
So when it doesn't work, your coach tells you its because you are not releasing hard enough, or releasing too hard...they blame you.
Solution?
More coaching!

I don't think it's really accurate to say that it "doesn't work" and that it's smoke and mirrors. Releasing works in a limited context: for reducing the power of old emotional narratives and breaking ruminative cycles. Criticalcritiquing gave a more detailed breakdown of this a few posts back.

Where it goes off the rails is by then trying to be a therapeutic solution for all problems and a vehicle for all desires. It just doesn't seem to have much to say about how to build up new meaning in our lives and where it might be derived from. To me, that's its greatest downfall and why I was happy to put it down after reading the book.

I can't speak about the courses because I've never attended them. There are much better programs for self-development out there.

It never ceases to amaze me that State Attorney Generals all over the country would go after someone selling snake oil and making claims that their useless product can't deliver, yet put some flowery language and wrap it in mysteries and "Self Help" and they can rob you blind.

If a gypsy (jipsy) tells someone to give them money and they will drive out the evil eye bearing down on them, the gypsy goes to jail.

Why? How different is this from the stupid Release Technique? Many of the gypsy's victims will believe she/he helped them. Just like many fools think the Release Technique is the greatest thing.

How is one belief system that cannot be proved one way or another be deemed worse to another belief system (Release Technique) that also cannot be proved to work in a court of law?

Long story short, BUYER BEWARE and THROW ALL THEIR ASSES IN JAIL FOR 10 YEARS.

Thank you and happy new year.

The Sedona style Realease Technique scammers are actually quite clever.
They try to make sure not to make any specific medical claims, as that can land you in trouble.
Only the small-time dummies make that mistake.

The real professional con-artists, make sure to keep it to vague anecdotes, and that way they are classified as "entertainment".
Then they can rob you blind, and tough for you.

They can promise you perfect happiness, a release from the human condition, and the easy answer to all of life's problems.

All you have to do is "release" and all your dreams come true.
No effort required.

The perfect scam, preying on human credulity.
Lotteries prey on the same thing, a $1 ticket, and you never have to work again.

So the Sedona Release Technique is a sophisticated sales scam, cooked up over many years.
The classic sales scam is to NOT sell a product, but to sell a 'service' that in fact doesn't even exist.
That way the people cannot return it.

And this product that doesn't exist, the Sedona Release Technique, promises to solves all your problems,and make you rich.
So $6,000 is a bargain.

Its just a brazen scam, and sadly many folks just buy it hook, line and sinker.
But it mystifies people, thousands of people seem to have read this thread from Google searches.
Much more so than others.

The guys who cooked up the Sedona Release Technique scam, are quite clever salespeople, they understand human wishful thinking, and know how to exploit it.

I actually joined the forum after an invite to attend a RW event and was very surprised when I stumbled upon this thread. I appreciated posts I read regarding people's experience, both with seeing people change, and the member who posted his own experience. I am curious about the lack of recent posts, and what/how those who have participated or have had loved ones involved are at now?

Reading through the forum brought up a lot of questions and I would like to find the person who posted about there experience (pros and cons). I first heard of this technique through a friend who practices it and have had some exposure to it and never really gave it much thought beyond some of the exercises/recordings reminding me of a cognitive behavioral therapy group I attended through the college health center for a few months.

Thank you in advance