We are taking responsiblity for our lives and we are doing so by seeking to educate ourselves about these manipulative techniques. And by publishing URL links to such material so that others who wish to take this same responsiblity for themselves can come here and educate themselves as well.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Going For the Gold Current price of gold today: QuoteGold Bullion 969.00 US$ per ounce up $26.00 from yesterday $961.00 (opening price) $971.00 (low) $961.00 (high) Public Service Annoucement--How Not to Lose Your Gold To prove that RR.com is a full service continuing education website-- not only is it wise to leave jewelry, checkbooks and credit cards at home, if enter
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

We need to quiz a CPA about this. If you might want to donate your family jewels (watch, rings--not testicles, ha, ha, ha!)...and later see if its a tax write off, First, get those goodies appraised by a professional. That way, if your CPA tells you that the jewels you adoringly give to a guru are tax deductible, you can then state, with precision, what they're worth----cuz you
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

More thoughts about tapering caffiene: Its a major commitment to taper off of caffiene even when you have a week in advance to do it. I ditched it cold turkey a couple of times to prepare for fasts during my peace movement days, and it sucked. The headaches are vile. But even doing a taper means you're focusing your mental energy on why you're tapering in the first place--the L
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Good. Thank GOD people know ahead of time about the caffiene issue. Those headaches are no joke.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Additional thoughts regarding the list: QuoteQuote: caffeine (coffee, black or green tea, chocolate, soda) • sugar, other than what is served at meals • food between meals (unless doctor prescribed) • vitamins or food supplements (unless doctor prescribed) • non-prescription drugs (unless doctor prescribed) • perfume, aftershave • makeup • promotion or sales of any kind*** • Ja
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quotecaffeine (coffee, black or green tea, chocolate, soda) • sugar, other than what is served at meals • food between meals (unless doctor prescribed) • vitamins or food supplements (unless doctor prescribed) • non-prescription drugs (unless doctor prescribed) • perfume, aftershave • makeup • promotion or sales of any kind • Jacuzzi, pool, gym (unless doctor prescribed) Subje
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Just going by the BK photos on her books and PR materials... I always thought her eye make up was excessive. I was reminded of an old Joan Rivers comedy routine? She tells how she tried to be sexy by wearing false eyelashes to bed, only to wake up because the eyelashes had slipped off into the bedclothes. Her husband is yelling, 'Bugs! Bugs!"
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

One can find ways to discuss the internal affairs of a troubled organization, even if one is an outsider. But discussions of enlightenment are, in that context a distraction. One can discuss enlightenment forever and never reach a conclusion, and this will serve to distract from any searching examination of the troubled organization. For continuing education, here is an article is by a
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If I ever wanted to slip in and research one of these gigs, I'd slip in some of my own food, even if it was just a pack of M&M's stashed in my skivvies. And I'd go to the bathroom and palm an M&M just to remind myself a portion of my life was still under my control. And if they tried to take that away from me, I'd start a shit fit in public.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I can tell you that if my routine is disrupted in the slightest, I cant crap. My stepmom had a male coworker who could not travel away from home for more than a week because he was unable to take a dump outside of his own bathroom at home. The old Drill Instructor saying was, 'Your soul belongs to God, but your ass belongs to me.' Will tell you, that's not really true.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

And also too, if you're staying at a pre-designated hotel as part of the deal, you're in a controlled environment where you can be observed and monitored even outside of the indoctrination chamber. This is radical. For according to our other correspondants, when doing Landmark Education, people at least could go to their own homes at night. They often ran short on sleep, due to t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Another thought: What Garden mentioned...giving roses to each arriving participant a "After signing in (and getting our 'goodie-bags', argh..hate that word) and settlling in our rooms, the school begins with a rose cerimony. All participants recieves a red rose with a note on saying "Welcome to The School of Wonderful, Wonderful You. -kt" (initial love-bomb?) We we
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Based on what I read on the Craigslist.org parenting forum and stray copies of Working Mother* magazine that turn up in my dentists' office, 'goodie bags' are what are given out to young children when they arrive at kid's parties. IMO, it all sounds very infantalizing--tying in with Anticults remarks about 'come into my parlour'--the children's rhyme. Is
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Earlier on this thread Dave showed up suggesting that a Dharma Debate be conducted to evaluate DW. February 06, 2009 01:43AM QuoteQuote: Hi Anti and Corboy Thanks for your post. I thought , what is needed is a Dharma Debate contention in the internet . Instead of complaining about a person/teacher, we can take the content of both teachings taught in Diamondway and Kagdyu sc
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It is Mr Ross's job as moderator, to instruct all us, (including myself) to stay on topic. I still think even legitimate Vajrayana inculcates blind spots that protect the teacher and teacher role from insightful scrutiny. This protects abusive teachers like Ole from accountability they owe as powerholders and automatically deflects onus for trouble onto the students. Even if a Vajr
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Having an idol is incompatible with Buddhist practice, because idols are exempt from insight and scrutiny. In relation to an idol about whom nothing negative must ever be said, and whose bad behavior must never be subjected to seaching scrutiny, Dharma practice comes to a halt. If any area is made exempt from penetrating insight ones entire Dharma practice becomes compromised. Nothing can
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Its like the Magritte painting 'This is Not a Pipe'--it has a picture of a pipe, with the words, in French, 'This is Not a Pipe.' You say your work isnt for medical problems and yet you rent a room at a hospital???
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Problem is, its easy to rent a room at a reputable setting and get this kind of implicit credibility. In an economic crunch, where money is tight, cash strapped schools, churches, hospitals, even reputable retreat centers are going to be very tempted to rent facilities to anyone who has liquid cash on hand. Its tempting to take the dough and not run a Google search. Anyone attending an
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear Garden and all: We have had some disruptive visitors to this thread. And, any time someone provides now information, the likelihood of a new set of disruptive visitors increases. Garden, you identified yourself as a former BK participant. You may risk being targeted by persons who know what kinds of triggers were installed during the training. So please be careful. A very good strat
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Based on the performance pattern of the disruptive people who have appeared on the Ole thread, I offer this guess: Going by the performance of these visitors, my guess is that the Buddhist training they recieved from whoever their DW teacher/s were is deficient. My take is that their DW training had the effect of making an important cluster of topics exempt from and even off limits from the
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

suenam wrote: "but i do think it is important to be accurate. in writing on this forum, i'm finding it quite difficult to put my finger on exactly what is wrong with DWB. " The role of the teacher and lineage is so exalted by both etiquette and possibly by internalization of idealized images of the teacher if prescribed by meditation, that that would ensure that practitioners
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It is also easy to 'punk' Craiglist.org All one has to do is advertise or post free ads on Community Discussion for discussion groups or meditation classes relating to some guru or spiritual entrepreneur/euse. Anyone who posts warnings or describes bad experiences with this same group will get their contribution flagged down, because personality cults can so easily organize a rapi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dave, have you done guru yoga in DW?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

(All of what follows in this entry is based on an unproven hypothesis that some kind of guru yoga is being done in DW with Ole N as the focus) -------------------------------------------------- Dave, from what you state, it sounds like youve encountered some bad treatment yourself: QuoteI can imaging that some DW people to intimidate members and engage into harassments against a rebel.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Suenam mentioned: QuoteQuote: I'm sure Ole knows that he's no saint and that he's just messing with our heads but the situation here reminds me of the scene with Brian, the messiah, when he says, "You've got to think for yourselves, you're all individuals" and they slavishly look up at him with glazed eyes and reply, "yes, were all individuals"
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The bench mark standard for RR.com is the First Amendment and terms of use for RR.com. We are far more than a place for people to 'endlessly complain.' This thread has required exceptional amount of protection from the moderator, Mr Ross, because it has become something of a destination for DW fans(note discussion on February 1st) Mr Ross has had to post about 20 plus messa
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

An additional reason why Dharma Debate would be best on another venue than RR.com is that it requires time and much study to attain the qualifications needed for Dharma Debate. Theres the risk that Dharma Debate serves to Re-Affirm Rank and Perserve Power Hierarchy, rather reforming it. If this is so, Dharma Debate will preserve DW in its present form, and re-affirm the primacy of the teacher
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

RR.com is not a Buddhist venue. So to do a Dharma Debate, another place on the internet is best. Its precisely because facing the behavior of a teacher is not mere complaining but actually is made almost impossible in Buddhist settings that so very many Buddhists have had to seek refuge here at RR.com, a non Buddhist venue, in order to apply the full resources of insight to teachers. RR.com
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear blujayne: Use this board but dont let various and sundry types mess with your head. Here is a post from a recent discussion. You've disclosed some information about yourself that is potentially sensitive. Most of the visitors we have here are great. But some have not been so nice. So dont let anyone like that toy with you. You have dignity as a human being. You are not
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"