It is ultimately impossible to know what someone's intentions are. The best use of our time and energy is to study this information compare it with what you've observed of a group or relationship that concerns you and draw your own conclusions.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

IMO cults are like Roach Motels. Once you check in, you cannot check out. In a healthy, group or relationship people are upfront about their hopes, dreams and values. In relation to such a group or relationship a decision to leave can be sad and quite painful, but you can leave without feeling damaged, not feel afraid and depart with your dignity intact. And...(very important) you can still r
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

someone told me about a parade that happens every April Fool day in their city. It is sponsored by something called The First Church of the Last Laugh. The mission is to be ridiculous in public. Anyone can join. One parade participant decided to be stupid in public by looking for Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. And there's no way, anyone can make a mistake or
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

'mdinov's advice is excellent! If you are a yoga teacher, hair stylist, physical trainer, interior decorator, real estate agent, or work on people's fingernails, you're in a position of trust. Anyone in these occupations is a high-value chess piece for someone who is recruiting on behalf of a spiritual or human potential entrepreneur. Someone who works at a nearby nai
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

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"

You mention having clients... if you're a health care professional, a teacher, an attorney or a mental health professional, it may actually be against the codes of ethics that govern your profession to invite clients to get involved with a human potential project or religion- even when you're sincerely convinced that you have benefitted. Depending on the nature of your profession
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Human minds are housed in hardware--that is, physical bodies. A speculation: Computers often crash when their physical components overheat. The adult level of mind that supports tolerance for ambiguity, humor, empathy and critical thinking can be disrupted if one is subjected to disruption of daily routine, runs short on sleep, ridiculed or sees others ridiculed in public, encounters
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

only works if they're capable of listening and respecting your concerns even if you do not share their belief system. The problems reported most frequently on the RR.com board are from partners and roomates dealing with someone who has returned 'high' and indoctrinated from mass marathon trainings, who proslytizes aggressively, becomes rude and aggressive when people refuse to j
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I urge you to read Alexander Berzin's book 'Healthy Relationships with Spiritual Teachers.' Berzin has vast experience in Tibetan Buddhism and uses the texts from different Vajrayana lineages to assist people to develop their capacity for discerning where they are at, what level of practice they need to be taught, and the different types of teachers and the different types of st
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This thread may offer some material that could be a useful framework for some who feel perplexed reconciling good and harmful experiences they have had in relation to a controversial teacher. One Framework for Recovery from Abuse If you derived real and solid benefits from A.H. and his school, , those benefits will remain real for you, no matter what others say about AH. However,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This thread may offer some material that could be a useful framework for some who feel perplexed reconciling good and harmful experiences they have had in relation to a controversial teacher. One Framework for Recovery from Abuse If you derived real and solid benefits from A.H. and his school, which you have acknowledged as possibly dangerous, those benefits will remain real for you, no
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

The best way to build your confidence is to read the material here about warning signs and indications that a group or relationship is excessively controlling. Study this, then look at this church and the way you see other members living out their lives, jobs, parenting relationships.
Forum: Destructive Churches

this board can provide information. But it appears that what you have may be something that requires professional help, which is beyond the resources of the board. For a referral to a therapist expert in working with cults, try here info@culteducation.com
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Lets keep things helpful and courteous.
Forum: Terrorist and Extremist Groups

If you have some information or are looking for information, feel free to share. But these brief, Zen like questions are rather distracting and not helpful on a message board.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This is interesting. It is commonplace for groups and individuals to demonize one particular area of human mis-behavior but indulge in other areas. There are many different ways to be 'a sensualist.' A guru may vigorously condemn sexual acting out, teaching disciples to become obsessed with sexual sin. At the same time, while the leader and disciples are fretting about sexual s
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

This sounds fascinating. Could you give us some citations to some published material to aid readers who may wish to do further library research? Quote (From above post:) 'They present themselves in the trappings of authentic "Vedic" teachings, but if we examine closely the source works we will find that to be in fact not true. The authentic Vedic or Hindu teachings are not based
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Playing this kind of practical joke treats people like objects. It is not humor, but verbal abuse, and anyone who does this routinely has a wounding effect on the community because this behavior undermines the bond of trust without which community cannot function. Genuine humor is in a context of shared respect in which we see each other as persons, never as objects to be toyed with. The
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The rules state 'The purpose of this forum is not to promote a specific religious or political viewpoint and/or to proselytize. So-called "flames," vitriolic posts that personally attack people, will not be tolerated and are grounds for banning the author from this message board.'
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

'The Awareness Page' 'Pathology as Personal Growth' (small quote from a larger article.) Many of the encounter groups of the human potential movement have been described as regressive because of their disinhibitive effects and their tendency to stress abandonment to strong emotions while disparaging reasoning and intellect (Back 1972, p 79; Schur 1976, pp48-53
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

in which many participants report bliss and peak experiences, they are exercising enormous power. Society has a double standard. If X sells happy powder and enables people to get bliss states or peak experiences without a doctor's prescription, that person risks prosecution for selling illegal drugs. And if anyone suffers bad reactions from ingesting what that person sells, the sufferer
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

contact an attorney outside your workplace who specializes in labor rights. Before you have your first interview, write out a chronology--time, places, dates. Emphasize who, what when where. Magic words are 'hostile workplace environment'. Your attorney could also consult with Mr. Ross.
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

1) If visitors feel they have genuinely benefitted from a Large Group Awareness Training and their transformation genuine, that transformation will require no social validation. Nothing can take it away from us. Genuine transformation frees us up to enjoy relationships without having to prosyletize. And a site like RR.com would not feel upsetting.. 2)There are lots of social venues where
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I can point people to articles, but am not a professional and dont want to give advice that could delay your consulting a physician. Go to someone and see if they can recommend some stress reduction techniques that can reduce anxiety. Try this first and see if it works before considering other kinds of treatment. Again, this sounds like something that deserves professional attention.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If you want to learn more, there's a terrific book by Brad Warner entitled Hardcore Zen where he makes this very clear. Buddha spoke of attaining freedom from suffering 'In this very body, in this very life.' 'In this very body'--that's the opposite of dissociation. **The way to test any group or spiritual practice is investigate whether it leads to dissocia
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

The role played by physical environment appears to be important--and it is complex, it cannot be reduced to just one variable. It appears to be a combination of many, many seemingly small interventions all in combination. Robert J. Lifton calls this 'Mileau Control'--control of the physical environment. This discussion thread has some interesting material.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

in a book entitled Science and Pseudoscience in Clinical Psychology, edited by Lilienfield, Lynn and Lohr, (Guilford Press, 2003) there's a chapter entitled 'Commercializing Mental Health Issues: Entertainment, Advertising and Psychological Advice' by Nona Wilson. Dr. Wilson expresses grave concern and states, '..when psychological expertise and services enter the mass mark
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Gestalt groups can be very helpful, but it depends on the person leading the group. Even when a group is based on an excellent methodology, it may becomem dysfunctional if the leader starts to isolate from other professionals, neglects continuing education, and only socializes with admirers. This material may help: and
Forum: Clergy and Therapy Abuse

People who get involved with very energizing groups are often passionately loyal to the bliss experiences and feel they must stay close to who ever or whatever provided them. There's a discussion on one of the Google listserves about how to make sense of these 'shaktipat' experiences. (quote) I proceed under the assumption that shakti is a natural energy, neither good o
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups