There may be a connection between government mind control experiments and this cult. I have suspected so for years and I'm gathering more information for corroboration of this theory. One of the Sonoma cult's members told me (when he was very drunk and probably should have kept his mouth shut) that The Group is connected to Bohemian Grove, which is just as creepy.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Yes, Anne Burridge and Anne Haas are the same person. Burridge is her original surname. Her surname changed to "Horn" when married to Alex Horn, and then to "Haas" when she married Anthony Haas. I have heard that Anne Haas has retired from leading classes. Jim Shere, a licensed marriage counselor and therapist gives secret, private classes in his office on the outskirts of
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

So, in that case, can we assume that Ann Burridge, Ann Haas and Ann Bowen (who is Michael Horn's mother and works with him at the Michael Chekov Theater Company in Manhattan) are all the same person? If she is the same person then she is not in Sonoma anymore leading that group, right? How many wives did Alex have? Where did he grow up? Does anyone know anything about his early life?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Allegedly, Alex Horn traveled to England where he met his wife, Anne Burridge who allegedly was studying with J. G. Bennett himself or with one of his study groups in the 1950s. Bennett was into Subud. Subud, a movement founded by the late Bapak Muhammad Subuh Sumohadiwidjojo (Bapak for short), first reached the West in 1956. We can thusly assume that Anne was into Subud as well. According to
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I am continually perplexed and a bit amused at the irony of a group of people falling under the autocratic sway of an individual (Gurdjieff) because they believe he has WOKEN THEM UP and they can see forces at play they never saw before because they were asleep, when in fact those very people, in their "awakened" state, are in fact in a kind of spell and could just as easily (since e
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

In the preceding diatribe I left one thought incomplete. It comes after the quote from Bill Everson. I said: "I do feel that Gurdjieff was "touched" in this sense, and furthermore, that if he hadn't had disciples to respond in the reverential way they did and affirm the truth of his delirium". I meant to say: If he hand't had disciples to respond in the reverenti
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

My first reaction to what I was told by my partner was very negative. I delved - not very thoroughly, in the sense of reading an entire book - into what she had by Ouspensky, Nicoll, and Gurdjieff himself - and the book by the de Hartmanns on their life with Mr. Gurdjieff. I can honestly say my impressions do come from the original material, but I also have to admit I haven't made a thoro
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I didn't say he was a prophet. Are you getting all these negative impressions from the original Gurdjieff/Ouspensky material?
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I hate being compelled to be contentious, but I can't accept the rendition of Gurdjieff as a "prophet" - not in my own scheme of thought. Quite apart from the movie, there is plenty of damning evidence of an unbalanced mind cynically manipulating people for egotistical reasons (and rather pathetic at that). In the spiritual vacuum of our times, it seems like just anyone who comes a
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I read the Gurdjieff books years ago. I found the ideas interesting and beneficial. Never attended a group. Unfortunately, what happens is a visionary, or prophet comes along. They teach for awhile. After their death, the philosophy immediately starts to degrade. In the following years people appear, proclaiming themselves as experts, holy men or whatever. BTW I hope you are not jud
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I have just had a letter from James Tomarelli asking if I know anything about a connection between Alex Horn and J.G. Bennett. I can confirm from my own memory that Alex Horn did come to Coombe Springs in 1960, where he ran some workshops under the title of the theatre of all possibilities. I was only eight years ald at the time, but I remember finding him creepy and the workshops sleazy. I remem
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

There is a lot of info on this forum about Gurdieff, Fourth Way, etc. Use the search option at the top of the page.
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

i can't really say much about what the groups do; i do know that their originator, George Gurdjieff, espoused some extremely strange ideas about metaphysical things, and that the basic concept is that an individual is not just one thing but rather a whole collection of different "I's", and the goal of the groups is to learn to identify and navigate among them, and thus find th
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I've just run into a group who are into the fourth way. To me it seems like needlessly tying yourself in knots. Then I went on a site which explained what p'roblem groups' following the fouth way are like. If anyone can explain more please do cos I don't know much about it but is sounds slightly 'wrong.'
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Dear H-Bob Your post brought back similar memories for me. Several years ago I was in a G group. I don't even think it was tremendously 'cultish', but my husband eventually voiced concern. He didn't understand the 'calling', and was uncomfortable about me attending the group. I brought his concern up to the teacher I had, and was advised to quit the group. I now
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I am involved with a woman who goes to Gurdjieff groups. I am going crazy, feeling like a voice crying out in the wilderness; what I see and intuit about those groups is that they are VERY twisted and damaging. Gurdjieff himself, to me, was so obviously an inflated ego interested only in wielding power and having others kowtow to him, thus feeding his image of himself and perpetuating it. I j
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

QuotejeannelucilleQuoteI was a member of Sharon Gans' group for nearly 9 years from 1988 to 1997. I would very much like the opportunity to speak with other former members of this group. Hi Richard, I was a member of the Gans group for less than a year in 1985. The main reason I left was that a fellow member of the group I'd become friends with had a breakdown in my apartment while we
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteI was a member of Sharon Gans' group for nearly 9 years from 1988 to 1997. I would very much like the opportunity to speak with other former members of this group. Hi Richard, I was a member of the Gans group for less than a year in 1985. The main reason I left was that a fellow member of the group I'd become friends with had a breakdown in my apartment while we were doing some r
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Yes, that is the same group. It is also known as the School of Philosophy in Australia, and elsewhere as the School of Economic Science. It is a religious group. The philosophy referred to in the name of the school is not philosophy general, but a very particular branch of eastern esoteric religion with ties to controversial figures such as Gurdjieff. That the school steers people into th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

ur right on the spot, with teh family history I know them, that family QuoteKeirI'm just getting the word around about the various Samael Aun Weor group as many cult watch organizations dont have info listed about him. (if you dont have it already). "Samael's" real name is Victor Manuel Gomez Rodriguez born March 3, 1917 in Colombia, South America, and moved to Mexico i
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

You may not post email addresses at this board. After ten approved posts the PM system will be available to you.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I don't know how to send you a reply.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It appears the school markets itself as a general philosophy school, whilst the students are in actual fact being channelled into a very specific stream of Eastern philosophy with ties to esotericism and to controversial figures like Gurdjieff. You do not study philosophy at the School of Philosophy -- you study a philosophy. Specific complaints about the School of Philosophy based upon
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The School of Economic Science in London founded by Leon MacLaren was based on Gurdjieffs teachings. The School of Practical Philosophy in New York is an off shoot as well as the Philosophy Foundation in Waltham, MA. The Philosophy Foundation is heavily based on Gurdjieff although they call themselves a school of Advaita as propagated by Shri Shantananda Saraswati. They have a lovely historic b
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I've been invited away for a weekend by my friend who is involved in the School of Philosophy. She is having several friends get together in an apartment in the mountains in Queensland for a birthday, I think. And it has prompted me to look again for information about the school. Diane Cilento, a former wife of Sean Connery, is involved and speaks seemingly openly about the school and
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I have been a member of Jacumba/Royal Way for many years and it is heartbreaking to read such venomous attacks on Royal Way and Michael Gottlieb, the worst being from people who never attended a Royal Way Retreat or even met Michael. They state “facts” that are outright lies and attack and misquote his papers, which they say are secret. How can they be secret when they are sent to the hundreds
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I'm not sure of the veracity of this link but for anyone else who is interested, here is a link directly connecting the School of Philosophy or the School of Practical Philosophy, to the teachings of Gurdjieff. Thanks for the tip, Betsy. This is the one.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuotebetsyYou can find it by doing a search on Gurdjieff. It will be on the second page of the results under "Cults, Sects and "New Religious Movements' I'll try. Thanks.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

You can find it by doing a search on Gurdjieff. It will be on the second page of the results under "Cults, Sects and "New Religious Movements'
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Skeptical: QuoteI saw the pages on Sharon Gans on this site, so I know there is cult use of the writings of Gurdjieff. A girlfriend of a friend of mine got heavily into Gurdjieff and began going to meetings of some group that studied him after she and my friend had a harsh breakup. I don't know if this group she's in is connected to Gans. Fast forward a couple of years and now sh
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"