QuotePlease read the book and you will se how stupid is this man. Someone needs a refresher course in basic grammar--and in good manners.
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

This is quoted from a discussion of Carlos Castaneda. But it may well apply to those who spent years of their lives working hard, for no pay, in hope of becoming an FL--said efforts being subtracted from day jobs which, unlike most LGATs, at least offer a chance to pay into a 401(K)--and are subject to labor laws. Quote Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 02:39:26 -080 From: Kevin Langdon Dear Mr. Do
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi Sane and Real: I looked in on this thread precisely because it had the word 'introvert' in it. The HSP concept seems a useful extension of the older concept of introvertism. I think it could be helpful, but I just hope whoever came up with HSP does some clinical testing and doesnt make the common mistake of turning the idea into a marketing hype device. Get it tested and find p
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Dear H, your mail box is full. Get the Drano. C
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

duplicate post removedC
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

For clarification E-Sangha by its terms of use does NOT permit discussion or links to the following groups: Quote"Members may not post, attach, use or send any posts, Personal Messages, links, images or files that promote a religion, belief, faith or doctrine other than "Buddhism." Promotion is defined as encouragement of the progress, growth, or acceptance of something includin
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Thanks for the clarifying info, Pema. For clarification, Mr Ross is the moderator, I am not currently a moderator, just a member of the message board community. If anyone wants to discuss technical points in Buddha Dharma there is a fine message board called e-sangha One must register and once one has done so, there may be information about groups one has been concerned about. H
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Just to clarify: I did not want it to seem I was contending that emptiness practice (Dzogchen) is the equivalent of self administered Valium. If a person has the right intention and proper foundations, he or she will not use anything to as an intoxicant ('darkening mind of self and other'). Even the best practice methods can be misunderstood and applied in such a way as to dark
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Problems when Nonduality is Used to Tranquillize Oneself. Equanimity is one of the brahmaviharas--Foundations of Enlightenment. But all the bramhaviharas are supposed to be in balance and always in support of wisdom and compassion. If one has excessive equanimity, one can become smilingly callous and indifferent when someone in your sangha tries to tell the truth about a pattern of actua
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If the mail box keeps errononeously given a full message, go down to the bottom of the RR.com message board menu and find the Tech Support thread. Leave a message for Zenon, the IT person and describe whats going on. C
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

PS I have had articles vanish when I was timed out. If its a long article, save it to a Word document as a precaution. Though....(groan) losing a long article due to a time out is an opportunity to study the kleshas. Not that one has to like it, but still... And..your mail box is full.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

More Reading Material Dear Pema, I am in a tradition that is Mahayana but not Himalayan/Mongolian/Kalmuk Buddhist. The stuff I posted though slanted toward the needs of practitioners in the northern traditions. Though it appears on this particular thread its meant to be a resource for anyone assessing the health of their dharma center. I'd suggest passing it on to fellow prac
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Some cats may be natural 'FLs'. One person had a cat at her store and decided to take Pearl into her home because Pearl was getting a bit too venturesome and the lady feared Pearl would get herself lost. She took Pearl home--and P was an adolescent kitten. There were already 3 older cats in the household..but right away, Pearl, despite being youngest and the newcomer, established
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Continuing Education Module Get a copy of the Buddhist ethical precepts and assess how your dharma center functioned in relation to the precepts. All too often gossip happens and it is always at the expense of low ranking people, while powerholders are protected. This is called right speech--in a bad group, that is. The Precepts and How They are Warped in Malfunctioning Sanghas. 1) We
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The Werner/EST/Forum/Landmark legacy shows up in some very interesting and unexpected venues. Werner actually sponsored a guru, Baba Mukananda, whom he met in India and helped sponsor on one of M's earliest tour/visits to the United States. Muktananda later took up residence in the US and started Siddha/SYDA yoga, which continues to this day. The kicker is...according to a former di
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

A man who was in quite a different group (Ancient and Mystical Order of the Rosicrucians) describes a process of self induced trance that he learned to practice by following the prescribed rituals at home. In the trance, the reading material from the group seemed much more credible and convincing. A similar process may happen if one heavily practices various and sundry Fourth Way exercise
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Looking at Another Group--See any Similarities? Just as many argue that the US doesnt use torture, because sleep deprivation and waterboarding do not resemble our stereotyped views of what constitutes torture, it can be very hard to believe that mind control can be accomplished by remote control, not via direct coercion at gunpoint or in a jungle compound. One tends to assume that mind cont
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Doesnt someone have to have a clinical license to run a residential program? Or at the very least, get fire permits? Health department permits for cooking are an interesting matter--a private residence might or might not need 'em. Wonder if there is a subsection of law entitled 'turnarounds' or how to CYA your client's LGAT? And, if someone were physically injured
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Webb's suicide does not compromise the quality of his scholarship, which was formidable. Gurdjieffians have an ugly habit of suggesting that people who question the work or leave the work, will come to a bad end. Namely that they will die like dogs, etc. A great way to scare people into remaining in work groups--eh? Dont question the work, or you will end up as Mr Webb did?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

It is best not to give personal information about oneself or even where one lives. You do not know who is reading this, or what their intentions are. For assistance in understanding how a relationship works between a genuine Tibetan teacher and qualified student, Alexander Berzin is a valuable resource. Berzin's book on this subject is highly valuable. I advise reading it and t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quotecber7 said:is there anything new under the sun? Apparently not. If you want an overview of G's sources, get and read James Webb's book, 'The Harmonious Circle.' Webb meticulously traced the origin of everything G taught. The fellow had utilized many, many sources from spiritualist and theosophical literature and it was available in quantity in late 19th century/e
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A very good way to ensure that a Roman Catholic parish or group can resist infiltration and co-option by an entity like Opus Dei is..create the kind of parish or group that will resist infiltration. QuoteGuide on Preventing Opus Dei InfiltrationThis Guide can be customized and modified in any way to suit a particular situation to which it is being applied. Permission is granted for this Gu
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThis conditioning, not the vision which it projects, is the actuality, the fact. To understand the fact is simple; but it is made difficult by our likes and dislikes, by our condemnation of the fact, by the opinions or judgments we have about the fact. To be free of these various forms of evaluation is to understand the actual, the what is. Thats what they tell the new recruits. Ve
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Meditation Upon a Vase of Flowers QuoteThe Anticult she coaches people to be like a vase of flowers, passive and accepting, and this allows Byron Katie to move into your mind. Lets look at what happens with 'a vase of flowers.' The flowers are cut off from their roots before being inserted into that vase and water. Once in the vase, the flowers can last only a certain tim
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

For the record, I met a lady who had been in a Gurdjieff group and she took the initiative in referring to G as 'the old b----d.' She'd been kicked out after 8 years because she'd asked too many questions. Luckily for her, others had been kicked out earlier and instead of shunning them, she'd stayed in touch, so she had built in support. Despite this, her marriage wen
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A Sufi author who was involved in a Gurdjieff group with what appears to be a venerable pedigree has some intriguing information. The group was reportedly not pleased when he chose to leave. The author has an entire library of topics on spiritual abuse within Sufism and..another library of essays on general Sufi topics here: 'Streams to the Ocean In the Gurdjieff ess
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yes, it is common that some cults teach that the modern world is going to the dogs. Gurus borrow ideas from all kinds of sources. But those ideas can be used to support everything from kindness to cruelty--it depends on the attitude of the person exploiting that material. No matter how decent a belief system it can be corrupted into a nightmare by any power hungry person who has unresolved
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Regarding Gurjieffs claim to teach esoteric Christianity--I dont buy it. Christianity teaches the inherant dignity of the ordinary human being. To teach as G did that people dont have souls unless they engage in special exercises to develop souls and are otherwise machines and food for the moon--that is incompatible with any belief system based in inherant dignity of the human person. Th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If interested, one can read the customer reviews for Mark Sedgwick's book Against the Modern World, here. Sedgwick's own introduction to Traditionalism is described in the prologue of Against the Modern World. A friend of Sedwicks who had converted to Islam lent him a book by Guenon. Quote 'The book looked innocent enough' Sedwick wrote. 'a Penguin paperba
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

There is an additional and extensive survey article on Gurdjieff matters here on the message board
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"