Dear vv: Welcome. The CEI message board has been active for many years. Here is a list of older posts for Bostwick. To do additional searches, put in your search terms and select "all dates." Good luck with your project - sounds very interesting.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hello, This is my first time posting to this forum. I am an independent documentary film maker living and working in London. I am researching for a documentary about shamanic practice in London and am struggling to track down some leads I have. Some of the practitioners that I have been talking to have studied at The Berkley Psychic Institute, The Church of Divine Man and The Psychosynthesi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I studied with BPI from ~1995 thru 1997. Compared to scientology, I'd say they are 'mostly harmless' - from what I can tell they are an enthusiastic group of people entirely without any skill what-so-ever in managing a business. I can't say I'm that impressed by Susan Bostwick, I'm much more impressed by the many senior students of her husband's who left the c
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Good thread here at Rick Ross's forums. Then here is a blog entry. There are several interesting posts there on BPI besides this one. Shows parallels between Scientology and the Berkeley Psychic Institute. QuoteScientology = Berkeley Psychic Institute Almost all of the teaching at the BPI were and are based on Scientology. They were reconstituted in a format which Lewis pre
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Brainwashing is quite real and alive. It is a form of hypnosis. Slowly and deliberately, your natural ego defenses are brought down, critical thinking is stoped (or supressed if it has not developed) emotions are placed on high and your perceptions are slightly altered. The experience can be done in sequecial steps (over a period of classes) disguised as meditation techniques, but in fact you
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

This is going to take a bit but the best way to describe it is that inside my mind were placed a series of beliefs that were codified and reinforced through hypnotic sugestion and trance states. The core belief is that one is psychic and that what causes everyone elses problems are other people energy in your space, and additionally that you are responsible for all the experiences and things whi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Recently, I started taking up meditation again after throwing out techniques which I used for the longest time. I learned meditation from the Berkeley Psychic Insititute, but I have since stoped using there methodology. I found it to be quite disconcerting to constantly be needing it and finding out that I was really going into an almost imperceptible hypomanic state. Not good. Now I have tak
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Great article from "Salon" on the subject: Ellen salon.com > Media Sept. 27, 1999 URL: The return of the hidden persuaders Driven by a booming economy, a corporate obsession with brand-building and a feelgood philosophy, a motley crew of ex-grad students, starry-eyed admen and hypnosis gurus are probing the consumer unconscious to sell soap. - - - - - - - - -
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Every organization, Cult or Corporation, has it published hierarchy and non-published hierarchy. After a very interesting phone call late last night, we learned that BPI is broken down into four main circles of influence (non-published organizational hierarchy) with three purposes. The following is an attempt to describe these but anyone with more information please feel free to correct. 1)
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

anastasia_2023 and corboy, Thanks for the posts. Today was an interesting day. Someone at BPI likes us. Today, we were sent a BPI e-mail titled “Bishops Meditation” which was sent to all the BPI Bishops. Guess they are getting to many Rev’s. Anyway, the e-mail outlined the BPI weekly agenda for the Bishops. It was every interesting reading and ended
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I am positng this reply again since my first post did not show up. anastasia_2023, Thank you for your post. Yes, our research also indicated that Lewis Bostwick was a Scientologist but became unhappy because he wanted more power and money and decided to build his own religion using the same psychological methodology that L. Ron Hubbard made-up but he just changed t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

anastasia_2023, Thanks for your input. It is important that those that understand the darker side of BSI and CDM let others know. I agree that illegal activity exists. I have found what seems to be two such items and have let the authorities know. One was a volition of zoning in Pleasanton CA, where they were not filing the proper paper work and submitting t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I was a member for two years and am intimately familiar with their teachings. I am starting to understand that their teachings are Scientology based, that Lewis Bostwick had a falling out with Ron Hubbard (which is why BPI is now on Scientology's black list), and that criminality abounds: If anyone want to contact me for a phone interview I would be willing. I am also looking for
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thanks for the feedback. Here is more information that I have dug up. The Berkeley Psychic Institute’s is owned and operated by the Church of Divine Man. Both organizations were founded in 1974 by Lewis Bostwick. After his death in March of 1995, his wife, Susan Hull Bostwick, assumed spiritual leadership. Berkeley Psychic Institute offers classes in occult topics such as aura reading, Psy
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I am working with psychology academics, a therapist, and some apologetics authors in a study on New Religions Movements (NRM.) Part of this study is of an Organization Called the Church of Divine Man and Berkeley Psychic Institute. Does anyone know anything or know anyone that has information about an organization called Berkeley Psychic Institute. The Berkeley Psychic Institute’s is o
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"