Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
Hope
()
Date: April 01, 2005 03:37AM
A women who writes on another forum, who has an ex that could very well be the twin of my Landmarkian doctor, linked us to Cuddle Party. Her ex is now somehow involved in this group pajama party plan.
[cuddleparty.com]
My gut told me way before I saw it in the bio - one of the owners has taken 6 months of Landmark Leadership training and has studied sexuality a la Landmark. Yuck!
[cuddleparty.com]
My gut told me way before I saw it in the bio - one of the owners has taken 6 months of Landmark Leadership training and has studied sexuality a la Landmark. Yuck!
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
star22
()
Date: April 01, 2005 05:42AM
Hi Hope,
After checking out that link, I feel like i need a shower....for some reason it completely grossed me out. Maybe its from all these years of "cuddle oppression"....are these people for real??? I find the entire thing strange. 3 and a half hours of cuddling with strangers just seems questionable....
:D Star
After checking out that link, I feel like i need a shower....for some reason it completely grossed me out. Maybe its from all these years of "cuddle oppression"....are these people for real??? I find the entire thing strange. 3 and a half hours of cuddling with strangers just seems questionable....
:D Star
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
Cosmophilospher
()
Date: April 02, 2005 04:56AM
These people are Bad News.
Its all a bunch of manipulation, and using sex to try and reel people in.
Also, the guy could have some type of sexual fetish or sexual disorder, like a type of Frotteurism, or infantile pajama fetish, and this lets him get his jollies.
[www.psychnet-uk.com]
I didn't read the entire thing, but it seems to me to be BAIT.
Get them in the tent, and then start doing your crap on them, and enrol them in seminars, etc.
Who knows, they might be Swingers as well, and this is a good way to lure people into that.
Or who knows, maybe its just some type of Infantilism.
Seeing that photo of that guy in his jammies is too much.
If you need a hug, call your lover or best friend, or momma.
On the other hand, if people want to be Swingers, that is their business.
But i do see the COVERT manipulation in even their FAQ.
But this "cuddle" thing sounds very sneaky. It reminds me of what i used to say in my 20's...
"oh c'mon baby, lets just cuddle for a while...no funny business...honest".
Yeah right!
Coz
Its all a bunch of manipulation, and using sex to try and reel people in.
Also, the guy could have some type of sexual fetish or sexual disorder, like a type of Frotteurism, or infantile pajama fetish, and this lets him get his jollies.
[www.psychnet-uk.com]
I didn't read the entire thing, but it seems to me to be BAIT.
Get them in the tent, and then start doing your crap on them, and enrol them in seminars, etc.
Who knows, they might be Swingers as well, and this is a good way to lure people into that.
Or who knows, maybe its just some type of Infantilism.
Seeing that photo of that guy in his jammies is too much.
If you need a hug, call your lover or best friend, or momma.
On the other hand, if people want to be Swingers, that is their business.
But i do see the COVERT manipulation in even their FAQ.
But this "cuddle" thing sounds very sneaky. It reminds me of what i used to say in my 20's...
"oh c'mon baby, lets just cuddle for a while...no funny business...honest".
Yeah right!
Coz
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
glam
()
Date: April 02, 2005 11:30PM
From their FAQs:
Hmmm...Lifeguards (leaders)...caddies (assistants)...welcome circles (love bombing)...exercises to "break down" your "weirdnesses" (whadayada know) ..."Integrity"..."Amazing individuals"...AND a disclaimer about Cuddle Parties NOT being therapy. Could this in any way sound more like Landmark?
Lifeguards are "highly trained?" Gee, I wonder how you "decide" you'd like to be a "lifeguard?" How many "cuddle" seminars does it take until you're fully "trained?"
Yep...sounds to me like a Landmark attendee with a PJ fetish has launched his own kinky LGAT. Eeeeeeeewwww.
Quote
Cuddle Lifeguard On Duty? What's that?
Cuddle Lifeguards are a select group of amazing individuals who are specially trained and certified in how to facilitate Cuddle Parties. They are responsible for ensuring the integrity of the room, meaning that no sex happens, that everyone feels safe, and that the sexual energy, when it shows up, is dispersed safely. They, along with the Cuddle Caddy, facilitate the Welcome Circle and make sure everyone gets taken care of.
What's the job of the Cuddle Caddy?
Cuddle Caddies assist the Cuddle Lifeguards. Their job is to help out, by checking people in, answering questions and backing up the Lifeguard. They too are trained, but their training isn't as intense or long as the certification to become a Cuddle Lifeguard. Think of Cuddle Caddies as the flannel sidekicks of the Cuddle Party Dynamic Duo.
Welcome Circle? Sounds New Age-y... This isn't some 60's encounter group thing is it?
An encounter group might be a familiar term for those Cuddle Monsters who experienced the 60's, but "Welcome Circle" is the best term we could come up with because, well, everyone sits more or less in a circle and your Cuddle Party Lifeguard On Duty and Cuddle Caddy "welcome you."
Aside from that, the Welcome Circle is how the whole "Safe Space" thing gets created, and everyone's led through a few outrageously silly and powerful exercises that begin to break down the weirdness we have ingrained in us concerning touch, and affection, and communication (or lack thereof).
The Welcome Circle is also the space where people are encouraged, if they want to, to introduce themselves and share why they came to the Cuddle Party in the first place. This is when people begin to realize that the stranger sitting across from them in their PJ's isn't so strange after all
Are Cuddle Parties therapy?
Cuddle Parties are intended for people who are well. People who need professional care should consult trained health care professionals. Cuddle Parties are not intended as substitutes for therapy. If you're someone who is currently in therapy or seeing a mental health care professional, we recommend that you consult your doctor(s) and talk to them about attending a Cuddle Party before you do so. We'd also appreciate it if you gave us a heads up on your situation too. Any such disclosures will be held in strict confidence, but our Cuddle Lifeguards reserve the right to ask you not to attend a Cuddle Party at their discretion.
Hmmm...Lifeguards (leaders)...caddies (assistants)...welcome circles (love bombing)...exercises to "break down" your "weirdnesses" (whadayada know) ..."Integrity"..."Amazing individuals"...AND a disclaimer about Cuddle Parties NOT being therapy. Could this in any way sound more like Landmark?
Lifeguards are "highly trained?" Gee, I wonder how you "decide" you'd like to be a "lifeguard?" How many "cuddle" seminars does it take until you're fully "trained?"
Yep...sounds to me like a Landmark attendee with a PJ fetish has launched his own kinky LGAT. Eeeeeeeewwww.
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
Hope
()
Date: April 03, 2005 02:16AM
From CP's website
"What if something “comes up”? (AKA, Arousal and the Erection Phenomenon…)
Erections. Erections. ERECTIONS. There, we said it.
When men get aroused, they sometimes get erections. Arousal is an inherent part of being human. But somehow, somewhere, many of us began to believe that we must act on this arousal whenever it showed up, as if we may never have another chance to be horny again and we must strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.
Well, this attitude has caused all sorts of weirdness in our society and massive miscommunications between the sexes.
Since Cuddle Parties are safe spaces for adults to explore and practice affectionate touch without sexualizing it, and since the state of arousal is natural for us human beings, it’s no surprise that erections sometimes do occur. Our goal is not to teach men how not to get erections. Instead, we want to make normal functions and needs of human beings seem, well, “normal.”
We strive not only to free people of the awkwardness surrounding arousal, but to allow them to develop some real coordination around it. At a Cuddle Party, erections become Mother Nature’s way of giving us the thumbs-up sign. Nothing’s wrong. Nothing’s dirty. Nothing’s suspect. And as long as you’re not dry humping anyone (Rule #7), it’s completely okay."
Total Landmark. Tear down those silly societal boundaries that keep us from expressing ourselves. Those pesky erections men get with people they don't know, in unnatural situations - there completely normal! It's your story about them that makes you do strange things with erections. Got it?
"What if something “comes up”? (AKA, Arousal and the Erection Phenomenon…)
Erections. Erections. ERECTIONS. There, we said it.
When men get aroused, they sometimes get erections. Arousal is an inherent part of being human. But somehow, somewhere, many of us began to believe that we must act on this arousal whenever it showed up, as if we may never have another chance to be horny again and we must strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.
Well, this attitude has caused all sorts of weirdness in our society and massive miscommunications between the sexes.
Since Cuddle Parties are safe spaces for adults to explore and practice affectionate touch without sexualizing it, and since the state of arousal is natural for us human beings, it’s no surprise that erections sometimes do occur. Our goal is not to teach men how not to get erections. Instead, we want to make normal functions and needs of human beings seem, well, “normal.”
We strive not only to free people of the awkwardness surrounding arousal, but to allow them to develop some real coordination around it. At a Cuddle Party, erections become Mother Nature’s way of giving us the thumbs-up sign. Nothing’s wrong. Nothing’s dirty. Nothing’s suspect. And as long as you’re not dry humping anyone (Rule #7), it’s completely okay."
Total Landmark. Tear down those silly societal boundaries that keep us from expressing ourselves. Those pesky erections men get with people they don't know, in unnatural situations - there completely normal! It's your story about them that makes you do strange things with erections. Got it?
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
SarahL
()
Date: April 03, 2005 02:43AM
So that's what's going on! Trust this marvelous forum to answer all my questions. I've seen Cuddle Party signs out at our local college campus, noted that the signs stressed "No sex" and of course.....jammies. I had a mental laugh as I imagined riding the city transit bus way out to the campus in teddy bear patterned jammies, complete with slippers. Not on my agenda, no thanks.
I'd assumed that this all somehow came out of the Ecstasy revolution, since taking that drug tends to make people want to touch and feel up most everything. Ick.
Gotta love rule #7: "No dry humping!".
The bios of the two leaders are too too creepy. And you'all have to check out the photo of Reid trying to cuddle a slug on the bottom of [www.cuddleparty.com]
SO many aspects of this I stridently disagree with and see as a scam, one of the zillions is this bit: "With our culture of mixed signals and double standards, the intricate sexual harassment maze[/color:66fd08800c], and the echoes of our Puritan predecessors still audible, the world can be a very scary and unsafe place to voice our sensual needs." Not sure if they mean that they feel like they are in a maze when they sexually harass someone (an intricate maze at that), or what. Whatever legal and workplace etc. rules we have about stopping sexual harassment are good things!
Hope, this is too perfect. I read this and almost feel as blank as I did when swamped with the real Landmark deal. Fortunately now I can blink and laugh and push the reject button in my mind when appropriate. :)
I'd assumed that this all somehow came out of the Ecstasy revolution, since taking that drug tends to make people want to touch and feel up most everything. Ick.
Gotta love rule #7: "No dry humping!".
The bios of the two leaders are too too creepy. And you'all have to check out the photo of Reid trying to cuddle a slug on the bottom of [www.cuddleparty.com]
SO many aspects of this I stridently disagree with and see as a scam, one of the zillions is this bit: "With our culture of mixed signals and double standards, the intricate sexual harassment maze[/color:66fd08800c], and the echoes of our Puritan predecessors still audible, the world can be a very scary and unsafe place to voice our sensual needs." Not sure if they mean that they feel like they are in a maze when they sexually harass someone (an intricate maze at that), or what. Whatever legal and workplace etc. rules we have about stopping sexual harassment are good things!
Quote
Total Landmark. Tear down those silly societal boundaries that keep us from expressing ourselves. Those pesky erections men get with people they don't know, in unnatural situations - there completely normal! It's your story about them that makes you do strange things with erections. Got it?
Hope, this is too perfect. I read this and almost feel as blank as I did when swamped with the real Landmark deal. Fortunately now I can blink and laugh and push the reject button in my mind when appropriate. :)
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
Hope
()
Date: April 03, 2005 02:44AM
I suppose it's the regression into childhood that Cuddle Party uses - pajama parties, for pete's sake, and getting away with doing things commonly frowned upon. In The Forum, we experience the authoritarian principal-like leader cutting us all down for a handful of participants being late and having no integrity. Cuddlers can bring back memories of awkward feelings regarding their sexuality when they were 10 years old and now act upon them and have a "professional" tell them it's okay.
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
Toni
()
Date: April 03, 2005 07:15AM
The link for the cuddle parties would be funny, if it weren't so terribly sad.
How better to place people in a vulnerable childlike impressionale state than to replicate a pajama party?
:roll:
How better to place people in a vulnerable childlike impressionale state than to replicate a pajama party?
:roll:
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
glam
()
Date: April 03, 2005 07:38AM
I wonder how far you have to get into the Cuddle Party "training" before it DOES become a series of orgies? It sounds to me like their "for the public" PR story about it being "just cuddling" is simply a reassuring way to get people to attend their first "safe" cuddle party, and then they slowly erode your normal barriers until the people who keep coming back are boinking like bunnies, all for the voyeuristic enjoyment of the founders. Just a guess.
I've seen stories in the news about cuddle parties, and those made it sound even more innocent than their website does.
Also, since women are usually the ones putting on the brakes and saying "no," how wonderful for the sick leaders of this group to be able to convince women that it's their "weirdnesses" (there must be something wrong with you, honey) that keeps them from receiving "stroking, touching, massage, etc.," from the sorts of men they would normally avoid having any physical contact with.
As if it isn't bad enough that "regular" Landmark "training" seems to lead to hypersexuality and the breakup of marriages. Ugh.
I've seen stories in the news about cuddle parties, and those made it sound even more innocent than their website does.
Also, since women are usually the ones putting on the brakes and saying "no," how wonderful for the sick leaders of this group to be able to convince women that it's their "weirdnesses" (there must be something wrong with you, honey) that keeps them from receiving "stroking, touching, massage, etc.," from the sorts of men they would normally avoid having any physical contact with.
As if it isn't bad enough that "regular" Landmark "training" seems to lead to hypersexuality and the breakup of marriages. Ugh.
Landmark Grad starts CuddleParty biz
Posted by:
ULTAWARE
()
Date: April 03, 2005 09:55AM
Glam & Toni,
As usual, you are both right-on-it as usual, IMO
As usual, you are both right-on-it as usual, IMO
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