QuoteThe Anticult Byron Katie is treating post-war Trauma? PTSD? Seriously, that cannot be legal, is it? Can any maniac just go out there and mess with trauma victims heads? People train for decades to deal with Trauma and PTSD. Is it not illegal to practice psychotherapy without a license? You can't give a massage or drive a taxi without a license, but can you treat War Trauma PTSD wit
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Well, I remember reading a lot of things online from Carol Skolnick after The School. No, she's not a professional... she was a comedian turned "faciliator." She has no formal education that would give credence to her practice of "soul surgery". AND... if you search for "Byron Katie cult" on Google, you will probably get this big paper written by Carol Sko
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quotejj52 One of the messages she gives over and over and with force is the message that The Work will change the world... that it is THE ONLY WAY TO GOD... and that each participant should feel responsible for getting The Work "out there" into the world. She tells you how it is THE THING that will end suffering, end all war, and bring world peace. Just in case there are those out t
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

So, I've been reading all of the mainstream self-help type books about cults, and I finally got to Steve Hassan's "Combatting Cult Mind Control." I started reading it today, and have already had several "a-ha" moments. I'm also really starting to feel the grief of my loss through my involvement with Byron Katie. Over the last week, there was a discussion her
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Shad, Thanks for clearing that up. In the context it was given, it did appear to me to be aimed at people involved with BK. I misunderstood. I'm glad to know what you really meant! -jj
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteThe Anticult The main ones to watch, are the ones based on a Deception. The blog says its about Happiness Psychology...then after a few sessions or talks...the blog owner starts to say... "you know, what might really work for you is a new technology of Happiness...its from this lady I've heard of...its called The Work...you should check it out....I happen to have a discount coup
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteThe Anticult They say its about coming out of yourself, blah blah. Utter nonsense. Isn't that statement in itself a tip-off that something is wrong with The Work? Why would anyone want to "come out of themselves"? Wouldn't "coming out of yourself" be akin to dissociation? And wouldn't that explain why so many people lose touch with reality throug
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

helpme2times, Thank you. I wonder how many people coming out of cults (of any kind) fail to get the help they need because of attitudes like the one Shadow has expressed? There's nothing like being told you're stupid for your involvement in the cult, after it's completely destroyed your sense of self! OUCH! That ought to be enough to make people go running back to their cult.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Part 2 is HILARIOUS! Thanks for sharing that. I have a friend who recently read "The Secret", and keeps wanting to discuss it with me. I'm running out of things to tell her about it to deflect her attempts to "convert" me. I think I'm going to invite her over, and show her that video.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Okay... so back to The School for The Work... I had a memory. This is a prime example of what it's like trying to have a conversation with someone engrossed in The Work. I remember sitting at one of the rare meals where we were allowed to talk. There was this woman across the table going on and on and on about the amazing feelings she was having due to The Work. She said, "It just
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

K, I checked out Guruphilliac and all the comments. I don't get the impression that he is supporting Byron Katie. He's actually said some very true and rather derogatory things about her. And, just the fact that he is critical about her is enough for me. Apparently, he's not been involved too much with The Work, so he's just giving a general opinion with the information he&
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Well, I've reading about EST/The Forum/Landmark today to see what the similarities with Byron Katie's School really are. REMARKABLE similarities. DISTURBING similarities. Enough similarities to put any doubts about BK's cult/guru status to rest. -jj
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Ugh. Anticult, I can't even go there and browse that conversation... what a mind warp. What I did read last night got me thinking... took me back. I realized something else about the BK School for The Work... it doesn't just last 9 days. We were given a "dance card" to make appointments with people for the following month after The School. The instructions were to call y
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Anticult, What a loaded conversation that was! Whoo. Where do you find this stuff? First of all, shouldn't the experience this LCSW had with his client be confidential? Why is he sharing this? Holy cow... sounds to me like his client managed to spot that her therapist was a quack, set some boundaries, and he couldn't handle that much reality. So, he breaks her confidence to do The
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteThe AnticultI wonder...does the word "ralpher" have any connection to the Byron Katie vomiting? That's hilarious! Thanks for this post! I felt my brain getting a little mushy after reading ralpher's Katie-speak. This helped me get things back into perspective. At the School for The Work, most everyone talks like ralpher by day 9. There is a whole exercise on &qu
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

No, BK didn't tell us that. I read it somewhere, but like I said... I really didn't know. I just assumed that was what was happening. What BK told us was that the vomiting was due to The Work being so "powerful". She told us it was a sign of purging and purification... evidence that these people were really "getting it". Thanks for the information. I appreciate it
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I wanted to ignore ralpher, but I seem to have gotten stuck on trying to make any sense at all of his erratic post. I think he's saying that I was giving "Too Many Details" by quoting George K. Simon's book. I notice that he put this little accusation out there in question form. I've seen a lot of people engrossed in The Work doing this. Since everything they say is su
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Found this on a blog: "As Byron Katie says, a cult is two people agreeing." Byron Katie says that, does she? Well, now we know what her definition of a cult is. What a convenient way to disguise her own cult status. -jj
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Helpme2times, "Energy vampire" is exactly what I was thinking when I wrote it. After reading that interview, do you think she's psychotic? I had an abnormal psych class in college, and I remember learning that speech difficulties go hand in hand with psychotic mental illness. It's just plain weird the way she talks in broken sentences, not full sentences, broken ideas...
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Anticult, NEVER thought of it that way! Very good point. Why didn't the Crowne Plaza Hotel notify the health department? Very good question. Makes perfect sense... *speechless* -jj
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quotecorboy1) "But my oh my... just ask a few questions of the "guru" and people get quite prickly. "So when I pose questions about her facelift, why does this provoke answers like, "Ah leave her alone. Stop picking on her. Maybe you're the one with unresolved issues..." "Stop picking on her". Folks, there is a double standard that one
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

One of my favorite books about dealing with manipulators is "In Sheep's Clothing" by George K. Simon. There is an excerpt from it on Rick Ross here. One of the main tactics that covert aggressors use, according to Simon, is called "Villifying the Victim." It's really messed up, because The Work actually teaches how to use this tactic. As a student of The Work,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Steve Sashen: And, second, I am not interested in becoming a guru myself. It's too awkward to have brunch with your "students" -- let alone "disciples" -- when they attribute magical qualities to you (qualities your spouse may not agree you possess). And I really like having brunch with people. This is so Byron Katie-ish. BK insists that she is not a guru, just a p
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

helpme2times, That interview sounds like typical Byron Katie. At the School, while in that hyno-trance... we just sat there listening to this stuff and absorbing it like it was life's sustaining blood. It was draining for me. Felt more like I had a super-vampire sucking my life force out of me. I spent almost a whole day in the back of the room lying down, just to shut out the "noise
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Guruphiliacs blog was really disappointing. Definitely a conflict of interest going on there. I'd like to take some time to post my response to all this "voluntary" stuff. I think Anticult said it best. It's just part of the game, but it amazes me that this is the point that is repeatedly brought up to try to prove that Byron Katie's School for the Work is not an LGAT
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Who is going to contact the unenlightened health department? How would they understand the power of The Work? (sarcasm) I'd never heard anything about the erectile dysfunction, but that's pretty interesting. Hmm. -jj
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

When I read that post by the BK supporter in the other thread... I couldn't even take it in. It was like mashed potatoes for my mind. It had that same quality to it that everything coming out of that School has... blah, blah, blah... like the teacher on Charlie Brown... wah, wah, wah, wah, wah. Reading it and trying to understand it... was like trying to eat a slug. Just couldn't get
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Someone warned me earlier today that it was just a matter of time before BK's people showed up in here to refute my claims, because that's how these things work, I guess. I didn't want to believe it, but... that took hardly any time at all. If I had any doubts left about BK and The School being an LGAT... they have been dispelled! -jj
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Okay... Lots of stuff here. Still trying to integrate it and get back to reality. First of all, I want to say that I resent the implication that those of us who attended her school are "gullible, insanely stupid, mentally ill", blammo. I realize that you are talking about your family member, but you sure make it sound like everyone there is the same way. Are you trying to help, or hu
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

vlinden and skeptic, Thank you so much. Ugh... what a relief! That feels better and more healing than anything concerning The Work and BK. Sincerely, jj
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"