Apparently Stuart cannot even follow his own blogged info: "I didn't like The Guru Papers because it's focused entirely on criticizing the external systems, detailing at great length (370+ pages) the faults of authoritarian set-ups. All this may be of academic interest, but when it comes to practical value, all that's needed is for the individual to question in his own mind
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuotecorboyThat is interesting, given that we have had at least three discussion fora dedicated to SY--Leaving SY, Marta Szabo's blog, the Rituals of Disenchantment Blog, and the New Yorker found it worth its time to support Liz Harris in writing and then publishing her 'O Guru, Guru' article. Um, Stuart's blogroll links to Marta Szabo's and the Rituals of Disenchantment
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Stuart says, "It's misleading to talk about 'powerful methods'..." I think it's misleading to DENY the powerfulness of methods that cultists employ. Why post anti-cult links and info on your blog and other web pages if you don't buy into that sort of thing? To put it politely... y'all seem confused!
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteThe AnticultOne wonders about Andy Bernstein and Byron Katie International. There does not appear to be any corporate info at all on the Byron Katie website, of course. No list of directors, or management. No open disclosure. There is a slick Andy Bernstein who sells "Mental Yoga". Wonder if that is the same person? It sure seems to be the same Andy Bernstein: "Con
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuotecorboyThere is a rug merchant whose store has a going out of business sign. Ive seen that same sign for the past 3 years. Ha! If only she were selling rugs!
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

At Byron Katie dot com, the figurehead sez: QuoteI'm thrilled to be in Europe again this summer. This may be my last visit for a while. The body says "slow down" and mind says "keep going until everyone in the world has The Work". How megalomaniacal, to presume that everyone in the world needs the work. One can only hope it will be her last visit to Europe, or anywh
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hey, for anyone who is looking for tickets for sale on Craigslist or Ebay for Byron Katie's upcoming events in Europe (Amsterdam, Stuttgart, Bad Neuenahr)... PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING POSTS FIRST!! [Byron Katie - Strong Concerns] [Byron Katie's School and Turnaround House] [Surrendering Personal Property to Byron Katie] [Byron Katie's School - A Family Member's Pe
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteDaphneByron Katie is as advertised. I think that says a lot, Daphne stating, "Byron Katie is as advertised." Advertised. Marketed. Sold. From the L.A. Times article on Byron Katie, "How A Self-Help Guru is Born," which I highly recommend people to read: Andy Bernstein, director of Byron Katie International, is a bit more focused than his boss, who doesn't se
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Furthermore... According to the principle of the turnaround, we "should" be doing exactly as we are doing here. :-)
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Daphne is being a very poor representative of the work. She is very much "in our business". But that's probably because this new age "taking complete responsibility" b.s. is impossible to stick to. Daphne says, "You have to do the work." Is that true? Thank the gods, NO. QuoteDaphneByron Katie is as advertised. Yoiu have to do the work. She in no
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Gangaji has been mentioned a couple of times today... Here is but one mention of her and the scandal that erupted a couple of years or so ago in her community: [More on Gangaji and Eli Jaxon-Bear]
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quotesolea13Quotequestion lady solea, I would be very interested to hear more about the mindset that led you to leave your partner. It might be helpful to have that topic, and corboy's meme info in a thread of their own since the information is likely applicable to ,many 'teachers', not just Byron Katie. Hi, questionlady, I think that it was helpme2times who said that s/he(?) h
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe AnticultSo now its easy to understand how Carol Skolnick and Steven Sashen and others can write and say what they do. They have been deeply indocrinated by Byron Katie to the deepest level, and no longer even believe there is such a thing as a "lie". I think this is a very important point to keep in mind. I really do believe that folks like Skolnick and Sashen are so deeply inv
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe AnticultByron Katie is a detached Technocrat. It occurs to me that her "work" is quite disembodied. It's so friggin' mental, all about thoughts.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Carlos Santana was a Chinmoy follower. John "Mahavishnu" McLaughlin too. You may have something there.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Amen, brotha! And thanks for the Zappa interlude. "Sheik Yerbouti"!
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

You know what? I am feeling upset with myself for having been a smartass to "RandomStu". Although I believe that I was justified in feeling angry, that does not excuse my crossing the line over into nastiness, which I did at least once. Granted, I still feel wary as to Stuart's motives, conscious and/or unconscious. Rick could be right that Stuart may not have dealt with his
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Not long ago writer Steve Salerno wrote an interesting blog re his belief in determinism: [Page Proof?] I also recall Ramana Maharshi (one of the few gurus I like) talking about the "Ordainer" of the world being responsible for everything. Who knows? QuoteVera CityWhat I am understanding from your post here and the one about Carl Jung's refusal to do the grand tour of Indi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quotesolea13So this is a concern for me in terms of Elizabeth Gilbert's book. Why are relationships breaking up as a result of people reading and begining to be drawn in to her philosophy of life? This is a great question to ask and it's freaking me out a bit because I now realize that I left a great partner of 13 years mainly because of a new age mindset I developed. Fortunately I a
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quotesolea13I must say good job for all the research. Just this thread in itself has become a valuable resource. The more one is educated, the more one is prepared to fend off this stuff. Plus it actually feels good to exercise the gray matter. Just like physical exercise, it hurts at first and then you get into the habit again, and you feel much healthier mentally. I heartily concur that this th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi all, I just read an interesting article from The New York Times Magazine. It touches upon the unfortunate new agey tendency to blame people for their illnesses: [Stress Test]
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

In case y'all don't know, someone made a post about the Pathwork here several years ago: [The Cult Called The Pathwork and Religion]
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteVera CityAny one know what Marjoe's up to now? [Marjoe Gortner - Wikipedia]
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Amazingly enough, Gilbert does not mention SYDA or Gurumayi on her website: [India Ashram FAQ] Thankfully a commenter at the Oprah link you provided revealed helpful info about SYDA: Liz Gilbert studied at the Ganeshpuri ashram of Muktananda and Chidvilasananda's Siddha Yoga. *** Siddha Yoga, one of many quasi Hindu/yoga movements to come to the United States in the late 1960s a
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe Anticultoh man...came across a blog about Siddya Yoga by Marta Szabo below. What I found shocking, is that the EAT PRAY LOVE lady, Elizabeth Gilbert...is she into the current Siddha Yoga? Got-damn, I KNEW Gilbert was into SYDA when I read Eat Pray Love! She kept the guru anonymous in the book, but from the various descriptions of the group, it was so obvious it was SYDA. And it w
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Just want to vent a little bit... which btw is a valid psychological tool... I find it incredibly annoying when folks come here speaking with forked tongues and attempting to divert attention away from Byron Katie et al.'s culty techniques. I think it is absolutely appropriate to call them on it, as well as attempt to determine any affiliations they might have relevant to the topic of cul
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteRandomStuWhich makes me wonder... since I've never said a single word about BK's work being "so great"... how did that idea get in your head? Perhaps your projecting your own conflicted ideas onto me. Dude, you endorse her on your web page, My So-Called Spiritual Life, complete with links to her blog and YouTube videos: QuoteByron Katie teaches how to examine thoughts
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This stuff you've uncovered is incredible. Helps explain so much about one of our trolls. Thank you, AC!
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The chapter on Chogyam Trungpa seems particularly germane to this thread: [A Wild and Crazy Wisdom Guy (Chogyam Trungpa)]
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Here is an online book that discusses a number of gurus and the abuses they've indulged in: [Stripping The Gurus: Sex, Violence, Abuse and Enlightenment]
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"