“Plus a change, plus se la mem chose" The more things change the more they stay the same. In the 4th century B.C. Athens was infested with Sophists. The Sophists were a close analog to the Cultistas of today's world. The problem was, for Plato, who wrote the Socratic dialoges, that the Athenians LOVED this garbage. Talking in deliberately confusing kinda-sorta truthiness was the poli
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteInterestingly enough, they also said that eventually "once the program is off the ground" they no longer want to charge tuition, that at this point they are trying to build the program. Weird...do the math $500/session multiplied by 200 people = $100,000k per session??? Reaaaalllly ? They told you that ? Once the program is off the ground ? Once the program is off the ground
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This discussion is absolutely critical to the development of children, the child's mind, BECAUSE the core ideas about what constitutes wisdom, knowing the world, how one discovers a sense of self within the world, are part and parcel of early childhood development... if young kids start to internalize the crackpot idea that everything comes from Source, they will, as a consequence, lose the
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Let me pause a moment to barf. Today I was reading a blurb on EST-Landmark thinking... what struck me is that is appears to regress to the great bifurcation of Faith and Reason that happened during the Enlightenment... although it positions itself, or frames itself, as a quantum leap in thought, the image that comes to mind is that reasoning and rational understanding constitute ordinary three
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It always comes down to this basic question. What are their qualifications for making their claims ? How do they know that what they are teaching is the truth ? How did they test their ideas ? How hard did they try to refute their ideas ? My impression of them is that they are low quality philosophers doing bad impressions of low quality psychologists. They justify playing with people's m
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

What would be useful to know: what percentage of Landmark's staff, whether trainers, administrative, or senior management, have ANY formal training in CLINICAL pyychology???... not just a bachelor's degree with a psych minor.... but at least a master's degree in psychology ? I'd also like to know the topic of their master's theses and, if they exists, doctoral dissertatio
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

"You are responsible for your health and well-being at all times during the Program" Translation: don't come whining to us if you have a crack up. "You may not know what might happen to you when you come in to this training, but whatever happens, you did it to yourself." Next question.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Right. Got it. No contradictions here. "It is not therapeutic in design, intent, or methodology and is not a substitute for medical treatment, psychotherapy, or any health program, regardless of what you may have heard from anyone. The Program will not address issues which are best dealt with by physicians, psychotherapists, or other health professionals" Then they want to e
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The sooner we all ditch this smokescreen about what is or what isn't a cult the better. "Cult" is an elusive concept. An organization may wish to make a great show about whether they could, or could not be defined as a cult. Then make a greater show about how they are not, strictly speaking, a cult... leaving you holding the bag of trying to put a firm definition on what exactly is
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quote They don't want people mistaking LF for therapy The crucial distinction here is ARE THEY or ARE THEY NOT practicing phycology ??? In the framework of the law, it makes no difference what you label a substance or a practice. The law does not look to how they purveyor defines their substance or practice. The law takes a functionalist perspective. That means the law concerns int
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I'd second that opinion. You want to be as agressive as possible in locating the source of the REAL motivation(s) for introducing LGAT trainings, in their original or modified forms into the workplace. Managers and owners have historically had different agendas from workers. It would be naive to assume that the introduction of an LGAT means that everyone is suddenly on the same page. T
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Oh, and this is simply a Schriberian gem: "The lawsuit was not about stifling freedom of speech; we stand for people's self-expression. The lawsuit was about holding Mr. Ross accountable for having repeatedly made or published false statements on his website that damaged the reputations of Landmark Education and the people who choose to take our programs, solely for the purpose of hi
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteKeep in mind Landmark is very aggressive using lawsuits to intimidate into silence anyone who says boo about Landmark. Only those with deep pockets or understanding and devoted pro bono lawyers can fight back. Any documentation on this ? I mean supressive actions taken by LEC against newspapers, magazines, televised or radio media that have said critical things about Landmark, EST, or Erh
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The Matrix was written by the Wachowski brothers, Andy and Larry. Larry was deeply into the S&M scene which accounts for the fascination with tight leather clothing in the matrix series. Larry was an afficionado of ritual torture administered by his favorite dominatrix, Karin Winslow, to the extent that he left his wife and took up with Karin, and supports Karin in style, you could say.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuotePerpetrators are okay if they come clean, but victims can't be tolerated because people choose suffering When I did the training, and I have heard that this question arises in almost every training, someone invariably asks if the Jews were responsible for the Holocaust. Their boilerplate reply is that "this question always comes up" then they move on without answering th
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quote even actions are useless I meant for your own sanity. You have to be very careful about "enmeshment"... you can easily be enmeshed in a psychodrama that you don't agree with... all you need is strong emotional charge, positive or negative to be sucked in on some level.... I come from people who take their Christianity ever so seriously, there are those who Get It (refer
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quote she'll just tell me that she doesn't have the time to do any of it, and that she isn't interested in anything I'm doing anyways. She'll tell me that before she even really knows what I'm suggesting sometimes. Well, for God's sake, don't get caught up in a rescue drama/savior complex... there are men who go to strip clubs and try and "save"
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quote Dear Diary, I am quite excited about it and really looking forward to working so closely with a Forum leader. Now doesn't this sound just like a teenage crush ? I think in psychoanalysis this is called "transference"... happens a lot when you age regress somebody. Since your probably dealing with a partner who has been hypnotically age regressed, your task will be, as th
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It sure looks like Weener The Magnificent was suffering from a dual condition, Narcissistic Personality Disorder (in spades) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (also in spades).... anyone who wants a mighty fine handbook to review these conditions should get a copy of: Emotional Vampires : Dealing With People Who Drain You Dry by Albert J. Bernstein. EV has the advantage of being EASILY underst
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteEvery week you have a form which you have to tick off all the things on the list as to whether you have kept your word or not and then if you haven't you make an agreement with your coach to make it up. Heloooooooo.... this IS obsessive-complusive disordered behavior ! I mean, right of the pages of DSM-IV... These courses should be titled :"How To Rewire Your Mind To Think Like
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I would submit that aliveness is one of the most fundamental qualities of life that we all seek... it is a near cellular celebration of being. I have a theory that true aliveness happens when one is both allowed the autonomous uniqueness of the self AND has the healthy inter-dependency of a supportive community. When the self image and the community as a whole are free of neurotic distortions (or
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quote It was called "reframing". We studied Reframing extensively in NLP. It is a powerful, valuable tool when used appropriately. The essence of good reframing is to give experiences a new "frame" or meaning... the real art of good NLP was providing the client with wonderful new frames to contain their life experiences, such as a particularly difficult life experience mig
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Which would explain why they go about rattling off these intellectual abstractions and weird science... it has been postulated that the obsessive-compulsive style may have an emotional source, the obssessions and compulsions act as a defense against overwhelming or unacceptable feelings. Perhaps this organization teaches people how to be obsessive compulsives to cope with their frustrations, inad
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

As in: "For those not so overwhelmed by the experience, we suspect that it creates circumstances in which the easiest way to reconstitute the self and obtain a new equilibrium is to "identify with the aggressor" and accept the ideology of the authority figure who has reduced the person to a state of profound confusion. In effect, the new ideology (psychological theory, spiritual
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Every organization has its lifers. Even family systems. Have you ever seen a real balls to the wall dysfunctional family ? The "bought in" family members will acknowledge that, yes, there might be problems, but they are basically decent and normal people ? When all the information available to an outsider is screaming "everybody here should be in intensive therapy as of twenty year
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I cannot vouch for this book as I have not personally read it. It was recommended to me, so I'll pass it along... Who's Pulling Your Strings?: How to Break the Cycle of Manipulation and Regain Control of Your Life by Harriet Braiker their blurb: "explains how depression, low self-esteem, chronic anger, and feelings of helplessness are often the result of being caught in rela
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteAre there kernels of truth in what they teach? Sure. It would be foolish to argue against that. But it is bait. And once you bite they take it much further than common sense. The question you need to ask yourself is: Am I open to the possibility I have been manipulated? As long as you maintain a set of healthy filters you can be dragged through almost any form of brainwashing and surv
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteI think there is something great about the work, the insights, the breakthroughs that people have, it is very moving, BUT on the other hand it is dominating, and there are queries that I never had answered. I was concerned about the money thing too seeing as so many people volunteer their time. I think there is a spectrum of possible responses. If you are blessed with a stable personali
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteIt's still so hard to cope with... that I was seduced by a pod person...a drone...a siren for Werner. Par for the course... the Scientologists tried that one on me too. Hey, you shoulda been there for Sex Nite on the Six Day Course... would anyone here be interested in knowing more about the porn movies and suchlike ? During my passage through the EST reality tunnel there were a fe
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

True. You have to understand one of Landmark's cardinal tactics. They thrive on conflict and drama. Psychologists out there may note that this is the way that some dysfunctional family systems operate too, Landmark didn't invent this dysfunctional style, they just put the finishing touches on it. Ooooo... all the "making wrong !", and "having to be right !"... sure b
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"