Thank you The Anticult for your well thought out explanation and insight. Some general questions and thoughts in relation to what you wrote -I have not read Awaken the Giant Within or Unlimited Power but does Tony Robbins NOT share his "sources" in a bibliography? -Are there any articles or threads that discuss the META-CONTEXT he uses to sell his junk? Is the META-CONTEXT he uses
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Thanks to all who have shared experiences and information in this incredible and enlightening thread. In particular to The_Anticult. I have learned a lot and appreciate it. I have a few friends who purchased Tony Robbins PERSONAL POWER II tapes and they loved it and felt it really helped them in many ways. Yet these same friends have NOT, I repeat, NOT attended any of Tony Robbins seminars nor hi
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Here is an excellent BBC documentary on enlightement by Louis Theroux The documentary is about 55 minutes long and broken into 4 parts. It is filmed in India and very entertaining and eductional
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi......Thanks to all who have posted here....Can anyone explain why Sai Baba looks so bad now (and has been for a view years)....I mean I would understand if he felt guilt/shame for all that he is accused of doing to boys and fake tricks etc BUT from my understanding psychopaths dont feel guilt or remorse...Maybe it is just bad physical health but man he aged incredibly poorly...Maybe he has bee
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thanks to all who have posted in this thread......Especially The Anticult and corboy....has anyone here read the book MIND PROGRAMMING: from persuasion and brainwashing to self-help and metaphysics by ELDON TAYLOR?....I ask because some of the few negative reviews discuss how Mr.Taylor "hawks" his books and CDs within the book...This is sort of thing that JAR has done in his books.....I
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Anticult you make a valid point about credentials and licensing and schooling when it comes to MDs, psychiatrists, and psychologists compared to the James Ray/BK/EST seminars and sales people.....I lumped ALL psychologists etc with those that have done damage to people through misdiagnosis and prescribing medication that caused harm....Learning CBT so need to be aware of ALL-OR-NOTHING thinking..
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Kevin Hogan has written a book called the Psychology of Persuasion......Has anyone here read it?......If not, any good books on influence?......I will be reading the Cialdini book soon.......Thanks
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Here is a link about the pain/pleasure method used by Tony Robbins and associates..... www.scribd.com/doc/30556478/Anthony-Tony-Robbins-The-Power-to-Influence#open_download I believe this applicable to the methods BK uses also www.salespractice.com/forums/t-942.html There are numerous articles on sales techniques and perhaps by becoming aware of them we all become less vulnerable to buyin
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

To Anticult....Please feel free to PM me with the link to the old manual that explains how these slaesmen/women sharks manipulate people to BUY NOW....Also will the Byron katie book show how they go about to find one's pain/wound and then what they do to magnify it? (do all LGATs do the same things)....Naively, I believed that people in the "healing" profession were about helping p
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

To all who have replied a BIG THANKS (Anticult/corboy/walter1963).....I feel there is so much to learn and so little time :-)...I wish I knew about this site before I took a weekend and then week long seminar at The Option Institute years ago...I , luckily, did not spend "too much money" and did not have a nervous breakdown/psychotic episode but I could see how they can get addictive...
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dear walter1963.....Thanks for the information....I will read through the James Arthur Ray thread and read Anticults posts.....You mentioned to "heed his/her warnings as well in regards to the material" and by that do you mean that reading and listening to people like James Arthur Ray is dangerous even though one knows in advance that they are trying to upsell you to buy more expensive
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread.....I have learned so much and appreciate it....Personally my attraction to LGATs is diminshing.....What I would like to know is what are the books that reveal advanced sales techniques....And books on persuasion......Specifically the process(es) of increasing pain and then offering solutions to increase pleasure....The anticult mentioned these bo
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

First I would like to say a BIG THANKS to all who have posted in this thread in response to my opening post....A sincere thank you to help me overcome this attraction/interest in LGATs... Stoic: I have not had the best luck with professional therapists....Many just discuss the past (childhood and too much analysis)....Also, the one that I did connect with and benefit the most from actually tau
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi to all....WHAT (if anything) has helped those of you attracted to LGATS?....I have taken a weekend and week long seminar at the Option Institute (about 10 years ago) and am now considereing going to Landmark Education.....I did not stop myself from going to OI so I am vulnerable....I did not have a bad experience at OI at all.....It was quite pleasant but the courses are too expensive and they
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I will personally be reading and taking a hard look at Sai Baba and his teachings for personal reasons.....A very good friend of mine is a therapist and some of his "advice" he has given me is probably HEAVILY influneced by Sai Baba....It has to be because when I ask him who has influenced him the most he tells me Sai Baba...I have not agreed with everything he has told me but it is dee
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi everyone.....I would like to share my own personal history and then get some feedback from those who were able to end involvement in LGATS....I have always been curious about healing tools/modalities due to dealing with periods of depression, anxiety, and the ending of relationships.....The first "out of the ordinary" school I was exposed to was Scientology....I was brought to the Sc
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi, Has anyone had positive or negative experiences with the Inner Bonding workshops?.......The Dr. Margaret Paul seems to have written some books and does the weekend, 3 day, and 5 day workshops.......It sounds like good healing techniques BUT after doing research here I am not so sure........One of the facilitators is Rythea Lee Kaufman who I believe is the daughter of Bears Kaufman who runs
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"