I wonder if anyone has had a bad experience as a result of being involved with the secretive Human Awareness Institute. You may like to send me a PM rather than post publicly. Thank you, SB.

S_Byers666,

I am new to this forum and can't yet send PMs. Feel free to PM me, if you can.

I have been involved with HAI for about two years. My experiences have been exclusively thru the NorthEast office. While any organization that has more then one member will have some level of personality clashes, in general, HAI is a professional, kind and caring group of folk.

If I was forced to find fault, I'd say that the NE office is very Boston-centric. Those of us to the south have less opportunity to create community thru non-workshop events and gatherings.

Jeff / NJ

Both members must have 10 approved posts to use private messaging.

You can add email contact to your profile though.

See [board.culteducation.com]

There are quite a few serious complaints about HAI.

Serious Complaints? The vast majority of complaints I've read here have to do with perceptions about other people's lifestyles and seemingly self-imposed pressures.

I have NEVER seen or experienced (and that is all I can go by) any coercion of any kind by the staff of HAI. I have always felt at choice at all times. On the occasions I choose not to participate in an activity, a staff member would check that I was OK, then leave me alone. ZERO pressure, ever.

I hear people who state that they felt they were not at choice about exercises or the clothing optional nature of the workshop. I have never experienced anything like this. Every workshop I've been to has included people who chose to stay dressed. No outside pressure was applied, ever. My impression is that the majority of people who felt pressure felt it from within, not without.

I hear complaints about people in non-traditional relationships. Yes, ther are people like that in HAI, it's a safe place for them. There are also people in traditional relationships. It's a safe place for them, too. It's also safe for straight folk, gays, transgendered, celibate and anyone else who wants to live the way that pleases them and hurts no-one else.

OK, staff dating. There are strict rules in place about staff members entering into relationships (romantic, business or other). There are procedures in place to address transgressors. Will those rules satisfy everyone, absolutely not. They seem reasonable to me.

Are there staff members there for the wrong reason? Of course there are. There are also crooked police officers and lazy fire fighters and crooked bank tellers and perverted doctors and..... The VAST MAJORITY of all these people, including HAI staff, follow the rules and try their best to do an excellent job. No, they're not perfect, neither are you and I.

If an individual has an issue with an organization, don't condemn the whole thing. There are tens of thousands of people who have attended HAI workshops. There are bound to be some people who didn't enjoy their experience. I simply encourage every one to make their own decision and no to be unduly influenced by a small minority of vocal opponents.

Jeff / NJ

jdshevel:

OK.

You have chosen to dismiss anything that would tend to place responsibility on the program itself, rather than individuals.

However, what you call "perceptions," others consider evidence of a damaging program with potentially destructive dynamics.

See [www.culteducation.com]

This research paper by a clinical psychologist outlines the liabilities and danger signs of "mass marathon training."

HAI seems to fit within the category of such training.

Quote
rrmoderator
OK.

You have chosen to dismiss anything that would tend to place responsibility on the program itself, rather than individuals.

No, I have chosen to take responsibility for my actions and perceptions. I look with sadness upon people that seek to be victims and look for ways to become such.

I do not believe that HAI fits the descriptions in the article you quote. I further think that this forum will not entertain positive outlooks on anything to which they have attributed cult status.

Once again, I entered HAI with open eyes, I found it good, but not perfect. I continue because I found people whom I share philosophies with. I feel comfortable in HAI workshops because I know with certainty that I am ALWAYS at choice and accept nothing as gospel. I am now, and will continue to be a skeptic. Of HAI and this forum as well.

I am sure there are people that have had bad, even abusive experiences with HAI. I am also sure that they are very few and very far in between.

Don't tell me what I choose to dismiss. The only things I choose to dismiss are those that contradict my own experiences and common sense. I choose to believe, based on personal experiences, that some people will find fault in almost anything. many of these people will also tend to blame someone else for their own discomfort.

jdshevel:

You said,

Quote

I look with sadness upon people that seek to be victims and look for ways to become such.

And also,

Quote

things I choose to dismiss are those that contradict my own experiences.

See [www.culteducation.com]

One of the danger signs cited by the psychologist is...

"...true believers...sealed their doctrine off from discomforting data or disquieting results and tended to discount a poor result by, 'blaming the victim.'"

After attending some of the higher levels of HAI I am now going to have to have professional counselling due to the brain washing that goes on during the workshops. SB.

Quote
S_Byers666
After attending some of the higher levels of HAI I am now going to have to have professional counselling due to the brain washing that goes on during the workshops. SB.

SB....just checking in with you to see if you got the counseling and feel like you have overcome the bad experience at HAI? There are several other threads on this website of people who have also had bad experiences.