This is interesting. I hope things go well for you and your daughter. Its actually a very complicated process to determine whether something has generated a rate of illness higher than the statistical average. They will have to do epidemiological research to determine whether there is a 'cluster' -- that is, whether the rate of diagnoses of brain malignancies among TM practitione
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quote(quote) 'If you're recovering from opium addiction, it's best to steer clear from groups of opium users who have left the den, because they're not recovered addicts, they just think they are since they've managed to pull themselves out of the den. They're still compulsively stuffing opium in their pipes, so they still have a serious problem.' You've na
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

According this this article, the former participant reported: (quote) 'Meanwhile, the whole thing was being video taped'. I would not want to be part of a videotaped event unless told about the videotaping process well before arriving, and before I'd paid or signed anything whatsoever. I hope that videotaping is not typical of a Sterling event and is no longer bein
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

In my opinion, meditation should be appreciated as a resource but should never, ever have the effect of becoming addictive, or of estranging a practitioner from friends, family or activities he or she has formerly enjoyed. At most, a meditator may choose to live a less hectic life, but if the practice is healthy, it should be apparent that the person has retained a capacity to enjoy themselve
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Have you attempted a Google search? And searched both Google and the Google listserves? Someone in a Slavic Studies Department of a major univerity might also help. But only if you have a specific question and can provide search terms.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

and be religiously committed, too. Religion itself is not the problem. It is a the social process of the group that determines whether that group is functioning as a cult, not its belief system or whether it is 'religious'. There've been non religious cults, not just religious ones. Some are non-religious/political, others are non-religious/psychotherapy/human potential cu
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

(Note: The contrast between Walsch and Bill W, founder of AA is that Bill created a protocol to keep AA non profit, and made personal anonymity part of its 12 Traditions to ensure that the principles of AA would be emphasized and not any one person's charisma or personality. The power of AA was shared by the whole group, not centered on any one person.) (
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This article gives a good checklist for persons trying to assess a psychotherapist or the behavior of a spiritual leader who has appropriated theories and techniques based on psychotherapy. The original article has diagrams that cannot transfer to message board posts--the URL is Undue Therapist Influence: A Paradigm Steve K. D. Eichel, Ph.D. Medical ethics All things being equal
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Dont kick yourself around. A group and its leader usually start out with best foot/feet? foward. Very likely your leader didnt expose you to marathon meetings the first few weeks you knew her--you'd have been scared off. People tend to join these groups (especially the small, under the radar groups) through some form of courtship; you the seeker are looking for a resource that will bri
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There's a chance you can get a 'reply' message for a thread on which there are no new topics if someone has posted to that thread and the moderators decide the post was inappropriate choose not to let through. I'll pass your query on.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If you read the article by Karla McKlaren mentioned on this thread, it may ring some bells. She's a former New Age healer and teacher who eventually left the entire profession. McKlaren is convinced that there's an entire New Age culture that stifles critical thinking, and in which you're forbidden to disapprove or have misgivings about anything or anyone. So its adherants r
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The person should be able to give you the following: Name of university he or she attends The class (or better yet) graduate program for which the person is doing the project Name (and e-address/webpage) of the instructor teaching the class for which the person is writing a paper if an undergraduate, or the faculty advisor overseeing the person's research if he or she is doing this
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Before your husband's friend goes to work on him, make a commitment with your husband that you will BOTH keep each other informed about personal development groups or spiritual endeavors that either of you considers joining. This means your husband must assure you that he will not allow his friend to talk him into going to an orientation for such a group without the other person's knowl
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The people at our local dog park have a term for the way dogs communicate with each other by peeing in carefully selected spots: 'Pee-mail' Know when you've really gone too far as a dog lover? When you look at some pit bull's tightly muscled rear end--and you wish yours looked that good (grin).
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Its more than a matter of whether someone is introspective or not. First thing is, appeal to curiosity and shame people for being skeptical. Get them into the room and then get them to pry open their check book. If you go the Large Group Awareness Trainings/Human Potential thread, scroll down until you find a cluster of posts entitled 'Manipulating the Room Environment'. Read
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Even if a person takes just one seminar and never goes to another, thats still a clear profit of a couple hundred USD, Euros, Pounds. If someone can be persuaded to return for yet more workshops--thats a steady profit stream. Dont just concentrate on the mental content of these seminars. If you scroll down on the 'Large Group Awareness Training/HP Seminars thread, you will find a very
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Published this on both the NRM and the LGATs thread. See if any of these were used on you--identifying how we've been manipulated is very important in designing a recovery program. Here is a small exerpt from the article describing effects of trance: In trance, memories, fantansies, feelings and thoughts are often experienced more vividly and intensely than they are in the norm
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

This article gives a very good overview of methods used--use it as a checklist to see if you've been exposed to any of these. (Moderator warning: This information is best used to identify the warning signs of a manipulative relationship or indoctrination situation and then to stay far, far away. RR.com would strongly advise against anyone thinking they can intentionally expose themselves
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This article gives a very good overview of methods used--use it as a checklist to see if you've been exposed to any of these. (This information is best used to identify the warning signs of a manipulative relationship or indoctrination situation. We advise against anyone thinking they can intentionally expose themselves in high risk situations and escape unscathed. Even by paying money to
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I think his name is either David or Daniel Burns and Ive been hearing a lot of good reports on his books--have you used his stuff? I think he writes about CBT. My guess is a two-pronged approach is needed: First to appreciate the extent to which the power-holder abused his or her power by lying and intruding into your thought processes. Its important to recognized this was done to you, beca
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I'm not an expert on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy -- Cosmo can evaluate this--- Instead of 'kicking her out'--imagine yawning each time her image pops up. Gurus hate the idea that someone could ever be bored by them. If you have intrusive memories of her that are spooking you, try a real, physical yawn--it produces a relaxation response. I once attended a lecture by v
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

To Sylvia's list I would add yet another: Hypomanic leaders are likely to thrive on marathon meetings and seminars--they can keep the meetings going, even become energized by them----long after most disciples are dropping dead from exhaustion. I bet one reason these people so often become powerful is that in addition to their charisma, they thrive on long meetings. That means they outl
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

My hunch is this will eventually fade. If you treat this as something to get curious about 'Oh, that again', and treat it as an experiment, not something to get anxious about, maybe this will help. If you are curious about something, it loses its power over you. Usually fear and curiosity cannot co-exist. In cults and cultic relationships, play and curiosity fade away, because fear
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Stress can increase cortisol levels...and many LGAT set ups are reportedly very stressful. Jane Pauley's story is damned interesting because her case demonstrates how a person can have a predisposition to bipolar without knowing it. And if someone who unknowingly has such a predispostion attends a high stress pressure cooker LGAT, or goes to a very rugged part of the world like India
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Zoaroastrianism is not a problem. Their membership is relatively small, mostly in Western India (where they are known as 'Parsis') and another community in Iran, mostly in the city of Yazd. Some live in the West, and will most likely be found in areas with a vibrant South Indian community--eg Silicon Valley?Northern California. Zoarostrians do not do aggressive outreach--or even much
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

(Written by Toni and moved to this thread by Corboy at author's request) Views on angels, cosmology, etc do NOT a cult make. A cult uses thought reform methods to recruit people, indoctrinate them with a hidden agenda and then manipulate them to serve the selfish desires of the leader(s). the teaching are irrelevant... religious, political, psychological, business marketing... have
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

(Quote) "One of the most damning things in the entire book (The Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life With Carlos Castaneda' by Amy Wallace) Carol said to me (Amy Wallace) after Carlos Castaneda was gone. She said, "You know, you're very dangerous to us." And I said, "How could I be?" And she said, "Because you know too much. You're a time bomb.&quo
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

A therapist who was formerly a devotee describes how he found he could not reconcile therapy ethics with his loyalty to group and guru. Abuse in Cults On a Google listserve on 1998/06/06 there is an example of one group which giave workshops in which members who were psychotherapists were taught to recruit clients into the organization--a violation of professional ethics. (One wonders w
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Getting entangled in a cult can be far more than a matter of wanting to socialize and be accepted. Very often deceit and manipulation of emotion is employed. A lot of people are courted and recruited into cultic organizations and this is done quite skillfully. You're targeted when you're vulnerable A cult may represent itself as something innocuous like a self improvement w
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

go to the discussion board at www.factnet.org They have a subsection for persons to post information or request information about cult activity in businesses/corporations. See if anyone else has listed the group you're concerned about.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"