Skeptical, "They have gotten positive write-ups in the local press." Can you post a link showing the local writeups this group has been receiving? What state does your friend live in? This group working with homeless kids sounds alarming to me. Read about the leader of the California group--Fellowship of Friends on this site. I don't think they should be working with homel
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This does not sound at all like the Sharon Gans group: members are not allowed to associate with one another outside of "meetings" and certainly not allowed to live together.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I have had experiences with Gurdjieff cults myself. Gurdjieff's philosophy was "my cult" and although I was not in any one group for a long period of time, I did get close enough to get some damage inflicted by people who actually studied with Gurdjieff himself. (Gurdjieff was supposedly the source of Gan's teaching). However, after 30 years, I now realize how wrong a ph
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Quoteskeptical inquirerThis gal hinted that I should look into Gurdjieff, and I read one of his books and found it somewhat interesting but in the end kind of loopy as well. as a bit of conventional wisdom, I think most people reccomend reading the introductions to Gurdjieff written by other writers like Ouspensky (I don't recall his other acolytes off-hand) rather than by Gurdjieff himse
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quoteskeptical inquirerThat description fits her group, as far as I can tell. She never named it, and I think she used the term "fourth way." any Gurdjieff group would use the phrase Fourth Way. Gurdjieff detailed four spiritual paths which might appeal to different kinds of people and described his own as the fourth way.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuotecoronomanIf she's attending groups that study Gurdjieff, but it isn't really clear who are what the group is, there's no name involved, and she's secretive about it, it's most probably the cult run by Gans, her husband and/or associates. That description fits her group, as far as I can tell. She never named it, and I think she used the term "fourth way."
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If she's attending groups that study Gurdjieff, but it isn't really clear who are what the group is, there's no name involved, and she's secretive about it, it's most probably the cult run by Gans, her husband and/or associates. What's the group's website? If she has money, especially if it's from a trust fund, she will be treated fabulously for as long
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I 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 she is sharing a hou
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe fact that their next workshop is to take place in the town of Sonoma makes me suspicious. Sonoma is home to Scientology factions and a secret Gurdjieff/Ouspensky cult with no name that is headed/once headed by Anne Haas, which I am in the process of exposing. Rest assured, they have nothing to do with elron and company. My wife and I have done level 1 and level 2. I was a little
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

There was a long and fascinating history about Robert Moses in the Village Voice paper some years ago, I think. One of those interesting book-length tabloids, anyway. I have lost most of my library in moving. This is what I remember: Moses was a "mantra" name that signaled nap-time for me in classes at college, *lol*..... I read the article long after leaving school. Here is a go
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Quoteemaline Ayn Rand wrote about architecture as if it is a religion, didn't she? And have you read about Robert Moses in New York? Actually, the main character in "The Fountainhead" is based on FLW. Apparently he was not flattered by it. When Hollywood was doing the film version of the book, FLW was hired to do the architectural drawings. If memory serves me correctly,
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

QuoteKeirWhose Frank Lloyd Wright again. Famous architect. If you go to the link I posted above there is a biography.
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Often it is someone in later life who profits off the artist's reputation, because as the artist nears the end, many know that the work will increase in value afer death. I am not kidding! It can be hard for people who knew an artist as a human being, to see these opportunists flock around. I think some of them are art-groupies who are looking for someone to play the role for them. But
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Whose Frank Lloyd Wright again. My memory fades me.
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Quotebonnie Of course, if an artist has a spouse or relative who is willing to take on the role of full-time promoter, becoming a god would have its advantages; a steady supply of slaves and models, There are many "masters" in the artworld, all of them well equipped with the necessities and luxuries of life. Many of them probably engage in the guru business because they want to c
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

Genuflecting to the master is as common a pose in the art world as in any other. Few artists seem to care about being big-time gurus, perhaps because most are more interested in the art they are creating than in their own deification. It would be difficult to create anything of importance if one were distracted by the constant demands of worshipful acolytes. Of course, if an artist has a spo
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

I just rented a documentary about legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright that was made by Ken Burns in 1998. It was a very interesting story. One thing I did not know was that his last wife, Olga, was a follower of Gurdjieff. She used her knowledge of the inner workings of that cult to set up a cult around FLW. She basically helped FLW set up a school/apprenticeship program for architectu
Forum: Celebrities associated with "cult-like" groups

your posts are very interesting, very informative... were you a part of alex horns group? i was as was child. seems many still feel in awe of him even though they admit how dangerous he is/was.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Thank you cber7 for your response. Although I am not responding to your request to address your previous posts I hope you consider what I am about to post. For all the injured and children of injured students of Alex Horn and Sharon Gans I going to state what I believe. We were all people looking for something more. We were introduced to Alex and Sharon through plays, people we met, frien
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuotewasthereSo cher7 you have avoided my question: were you a student of Alex Horn or not? You have danced around it but have not stated directly. So........ Also a dialogue might be interesting but the ground rules are simple. No attacking, no insults. I refuse to get into these. I did attack, and I did insult, in reply. But that has to be the end of it. If you don't agree, fine, but I
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

So cher7 you have avoided my question: were you a student of Alex Horn or not? You have danced around it but have not stated directly. So........ Also a dialogue might be interesting but the ground rules are simple. No attacking, no insults. I refuse to get into these. I did attack, and I did insult, in reply. But that has to be the end of it. If you don't agree, fine, but I will end it h
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

was there: I took the time and effort to examine and your initial post, offering several points along the way which you chose not to respond to. Your initial response was a dismissive "whatever." Then you thought better of it and now you apparently want to lecture me instead of responding directly to the points I raised. Instead of a dialogue you are asking me to talk back "at&q
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Cher7: I surely could be wrong, but you don't seem to have stated your relationship to Alex Horn. Are you an ex-student, or just someone on a messaniac mission to slay the infidels who don't follow your agenda? In my world nothing, no one, no circumstance is black and white. I consider it immature, and lacking depth not to try to see all sides of an issue. Yes, Alex Horn
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Whatever. I was there.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteI was a member of Alex Horn's group from the Red Mountain Ranch to the Everyman Theatre. I paid $200 per month to be a member, and paid it in cash. Robert Klien and Fred Mindel were my friends and co students. Sharon Gans joined Alex and together started the Theatre. I found Alex's Gym at 24th and Mission, which was turned into the Everyman Theatre. I was there when theatre was bui
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I was a member of Alex Horn's group from the Red Mountain Ranch to the Everyman Theatre. I paid $200 per month to be a member, and paid it in cash. Robert Klien and Fred Mindel were my friends and co students. Sharon Gans joined Alex and together started the Theatre. I found Alex's Gym at 24th and Mission, which was turned into the Everyman Theatre. I was there when theatre was built. I
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Corboy states in one of his posts: Quote After skepticism has become housebroken to serve the group and never question the group there are fewer things you can talk about--and you experience this constriction as normal. It may be balanced by intense experiences, by the delights of group gossip and intrigue. All this pseudo intensity distracts from what you've given up as the price of stayin
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thank you cber7. That was helpful. I suspect that Moishe has some reason other than "I simply enjoy writing" for these posts. In any case, another ex-member of the cult once told me that there is a certain category of people (meshugenah's?) whose lives are so pathetic that being a patsy for Gans, Klein, Horn & Co. is actually not such a bad thing, and probably no d
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Persons who are trying to make sense of their time in a Fourth Way group may be interested in a new book by Gary Lachman entitled 'In Search of PD Ouspensky' Lachman spent some time studying Fourth Way, then decided to leave. He was 'inside' just long enough to get exposure, but left before becoming trapped and converted into psychic property of the Fourth Way and its
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Moishe, To some extent I can understand your feeling that Alex and Sharon had a positive impact on your life. I certainly feel that I learned and experienced some positive, eye-opening things, mainly because of the ideas in the books that I read in one of Alex's group, with which I had an on-off relationship for some ten years. But for me the bottom line with regard to Alex is this: his
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"