They started in London, as a spin off from an Ouspensky study group. The London group is called School of Economic Science. They have advertisements for philosophy classes, but what is covertly taught is derived from bogus Gurdjieff and Ouspensky material. You can be involved for years and get sucked in gradually before you really know what is going on. Strict old fashioned dress cod
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

in his or her direction--its actually draining for you, and in the long run, a trap. Cultivation of energy is very different from someone rousing your energy so as to tap it for themselves. Here is an example of someone who did it ethically. I watched a practitioner of Taoist Chi Gong heal someone. The man had a back ache and the teacher, without touching him, channelled some energy to th
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

these long term esoteric groups can really get under a person's skin. They're intimate, like family. Dont know if this is of use, but I was entangled with a Christian minister and the relationship turned cultic. The guy did all the right things, had a local reputation as a saint and a hero, taught all the right things. But only after working with a therapist who has modeled agen
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

trance--especially since you note that it wasnt the content that was significant but the emotional tone. Given that you're still painfully influenced by all this after 5 years out of the group, some counseling with an expert might be worth a try. Rick can probably recommend some exit counselors in your area--that can ensure the cult issues will be addressed first. Look for someone who has
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

If you are looking for a therapist There was a psychiatrist at UCLA school of medicine, Louis Jolyon West, who was a cult expert. He died a few years back. If you ever think you need referral to a therapist, you might phone the psychiatry department at the school of medicine, ask who on staff is continuing Dr West's work, and then say, 'I need a list of therapists who have been train
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Reading Prophetic Charisma by Len Oakes will probably help you make sense of all this and dispell a lot of the mystique. Sounds like Michael gave you all 'hits of energy' to attract even more energy from you as a group. Its interesting how you mention that the energy behind the teaching was more important than content. This very long URL will take you to an article on a Google dis
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

First, just to let you know, I am not a qualified Zen teacher and have barely managed to begin stablizing a practice. I think its a matter of discovering the difference between genuine practice vs what some have called 'Black Zen'--where the intellectual part of Zen is used to mind-fuck people. Someone at our practice center said, 'Its 1950s Zen (Alan Watts Zen) when people
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It appears you were recruited in a highly skillful manner. Thats scary. 1) Identify the issues in your life right at the time you were recruited. Recruitment usually succeeds when it coincides with a period of vulnerability. Feelings you put on hold as your involvment deepened may come back now that you no longer have the distraction of the group 2) The hardest thing to give up is that shar
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

This article may give some additional clues. See if it applies to your situation. Its long but well worth reading.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

How you were recruited Do they target people with certain characteristics? Do they recruit by hitting on psychotherapy clients? Some groups encourage disciples who are in helping professions to reel their clients into the group. This is considered an unethical 'dual relationship' according to most guidelines governing conduct for therapists, health care professionals and attorneys
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I have noticed that many cult leaders have remarkably vivid, expressive eyes. The other night, while on a Google search I found material for a mail order course on hypnosis/influence enhancement which mentioned, among other things a technique called 'soft eyes' and 'using the power of your gaze'--which immediately made me think of first-person reports I have read concerning th
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

it lingers but eventually wears off. Thats why many of these groups want you to keep coming back. The euphoria turns into something to cling to. And as the Buddhists have discovered, clinging to anything impermanent is what leads to suffering. Producing deep, changes in a person's inner landscape that is in harmony with that person's identity is not something that can be achieved
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

a person on another listserve recently complained that Rick would NOT put she'd sent on a group she was worried about in the material in the RR.com archives . 'Rick wants all info already documented and published and he wants me to get him the web links for all published facts (that which comes aside from me). ' (paraphrase) Nothing gets posted in the RR.com database archives
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

a person on another listserve recently complained that Rick would NOT post material she'd sent on a group she was worried about. 'Rick wants all info already documented and published and he wants me to get him the web links for all published facts (that which comes aside from me). ' That was her complaint! Nothing gets posted on RR.com concerning a group unless that material
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

a person on another listserve recently complained that Rick would NOT include in the RR.com database/archives material she'd sent on a group she was worried about. 'Rick wants all info already documented and published and he wants me to get him the web links for all published facts (that which comes aside from me). ' (paraphrase) Nothing goes into the RR.com database archive
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

a person on another listserve recently complained that Rick would NOT include in the database archives material she'd sent on a group she was worried about. 'Rick wants all info already documented and published and he wants me to get him the web links for all published facts (that which comes aside from me). ' (paraphrase) To re-iterate: This is a balanced website. The off
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

because there are forums and websites that represent a diversity of viewpoints. Balance exists on this site. All the archived material for each group contains the official website of that group, along with the reports by troubled participants. It is not just disgruntled people who use this site--students, journalists, social scientists and other scholars use it as a resource. They would not do
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

'When the evidence is in your favor argue on the basis of the evidence. That is the most powerful position When the evidence is against you, argue the law--thats the second most powerful position'. When both law and evidence is against you, yell, pound the table, and attack your adversary's personal life.' the LGAT people keep telling us to do their work for them by c
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

is time taken away from wife and family.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

If you want indoctrination, will not provide it. For one thing, RR.com cannot control the physical environment, or script the social interactions. All it does is offer reading matter, from which you pick and choose. RR.com provides the opposite of indoctrination and equip people to make their own decisions whether to expose themselves to reportedly controversial groups. You can read
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Unlike the LGATs in its database, does not prosyletize. This site does not generate 'pop' up ads or blinking ads on other websites. You will not be tiresomely hit on by friends, bosses, coworkers, and urged to log on to And, if you do, by chance decide to try it is FREE. You dont have to leave your home, go to any meetings. And there are no published reports of people suff
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

In my opinion it would be impossible to empower people by covertly manipulating them. The embezzlement of your humanity happens gradually so you do not at first understand that you're being ripped off--the initial bliss hit conceals all that. Its just like a pickpocket smootching/snogging you, getting you all horny and, while you are unaware of it, slipping your wallet out of your bac
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

There is a thread here on the message board entitled 'Looking for Sterling Wives' On page 3 of the thread 'Elena' quoted material from a former LGAT trainer who described how he found out that he was using highly sophisticated, powerful methods of trance induction in the trainings,and how he manipulated the hell out of people. He only found out because a professional
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

If 'yourself' is being given false information (deceit), manipulated by charisma, or by methods of covert indoctrination. As for the pioneer spirit, South Africa was settled by people who got their by using maps. Columbus was adventurous, but before he set out on his voyage in 1492, he had become an experienced sailor, had a compass, could navigate using the stars, and--he had maps.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A few days ago, a helpful person (not me!) posted a new-under-construction website URL on my favorite bulletin board for tracking bad yoga teachers-- Immediately, someone counterposted, attacking this person, suggesting he or she needed to 'get a life.' Well that original poster was right on. You want to check any yoga teacher or guru right at the beginning, before you become ps
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I see it as a choice between serving reality versus serving illusion. My bogus spiritual advisor said something that (sadly) he failed to live up to himself, but I found to be 100% true: 'If you cannot be honest about the things of this world, you cannot be honest about spiritual matters, either.' Excellent advice. It is a tragedy that the guy was so scared that he chose to ser
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Did you get an A? In case you're still interested in 'how they start' I found a book a few weeks ago that darn near answered your question: 'Prophetic Charisma' by Len Oakes. I discuss it on this thread This is an example of the version of Murphy's Law that plagues all scientists and scholars: as soon as you publish your work, you'll find out someon
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Intervention is delicate. Read all the material you can on intervention on this site and on freedomofmind.com If you're really concerned, talk to Rick and see if he can recommend an exit counselor in your area. Intervention can help, but it has to be done properly--and you want expert advice. Its also very, very important to have some kind of sanity producing centering practice for you
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

First, treat me as a cautionary example. A person can be anything they want through words and be totally different in person. Last year I attended lectures by some people whose material I had liked when I read their books. They were wise and helpful--on paper. In person, they were appalling. Both, in different ways, fit the profile for severe narcissistic personality disorder. And both turn
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

People who are determined to deny the Holocaust are not thinking rationally, even when they claim they are being reasonable and insist on being given convincing evidence. The evidence is miles high and they ignore it. (To say nothing of the millions of people who never came home) No amount of evidence will satisfy them because they are operating on covert emotional agendas, not reason. No o
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"