kdag, I really appreciated your commentary, which I think well captures the escalating coercion you, and probably others, experienced in that organization. To me, 'artifice' and 'subterfuge' are key features of Landmark culture. What one sees on the surface is clearly NOT what one gets at the deeper levels. The persona of Werner Erhard seems very contrived to me, and
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

kdag, What you have described is a magnificent arsenal of coercive and abusive psychological techniques calculated to savage the target's self. I would assume the designation of "hard case", in fact, describes individuals who refuse to have their ego boundaries breached. I do not doubt one 'word' of what you have related here. Just to confirm, you are saying th
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

corboy, If that is the case, I am delighted to hear it. I understand Perls spent his last few years at the Esalen Institute communing with fellow cerebral narcissists. Riddle me this: How many cerebral narcissists does it take to screw up multiple generations? A few years back I found this great website that was selling action figures of famous philosophers. I have been thinking t
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Listen to the master, Fritz Perls, in action. You know, people used to make fun of this 'quackery', but that was when people had sense.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

In preparation for this holy mission, I dug deeper into NLP, its origins, and features. I thought this Skeptoid piece was good in terms of the author's linking of NLP to Fritz Perls', 'aggressive' therapeutic style. I wonder if this is what what appealed to Bandler, as he transcribed tapes of Perls' sessions, what he, Bandler, 'heard', and with his colle
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

While reviewing Walter1963's work on NLP, this caught my eye. He wrote: "It happened to me when I took a 3 day NLP seminar in 1995 and at the end of the 3 day seminar I found myself signing up for their 21 day $2500.00 "NLP practitioner certification program", ironically enough it was right next door to a EST seminar. And during the 21 day course, I was regularly bombarded
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

corboy, I have been thinking more about the sock puppet arts, and the est arts, and also about what YEAR it is, 2018, right? I find this kinda curious because in my field, things are generally in a constant state of flux, or change, with new approaches coming on-line, almost before we can come up-to-speed on the old ones. Let's see, Marshall Rosenberg produced his 'technolog
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I have no God but Werner.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

corboy, I am surprised at your impudence! Our HERO could not possibly have prostate problems. Does God even have a prostate? I highly doubt it. And, ditto for the teeth, plumbing, toilet paper and any other corporeal concerns. Our God went clear, post-corporeal on that ride cross the Golden Gate Bridge. bakkagirl
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

OK, interesting. What I have experienced in working with coaches who I now believe to have been involved with Landmark, or Landmark-style training is that our discussions rarely seemed to relate to the practice of coaching, or, rather, and to be more specific, how coaching related to specific client needs, or could be applied in a specific cultural setting, or organization. It would be too
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

kdag wrote: So the author of this article says that there is no dogma, but it felt to me as if there was, because your "possibilities " had to be approved by other Landmark people, and the "possibilities" they approved of had a tendency to fall within certain Landmark parameters. These were not necessarily things that inspired me. which speaks directly to a conversation
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

kdag, I caught that one, too. Granted, to accomplish many goals we have to find ways to enlist the help and energy of others, but I don't think this is what Werner was describing. Given the behavioral history, his, it seems more like he is describing his own unboundaried, and narcissistic ego's need to entangle others in himself. I think if you look at some of his 'allege
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I had not seen this paper posted before. I think the author nicely addresses the quasi- or not even, religious aspects of est/Landmark. Bakkagirl
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Further to this, Treating others as 'things', or circuits to be programmed has to constitute the ULTIMATE expression of VIOLENCE. bakkagirl
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

kdag wrote, "In addition to being a violation of the most basic human rights, manipulating the nervous system of another person should be the domain of neurologists, psychiatrists, and other licensed, qualified professionals who have established a doctor-patient relationship with the client, and who have specific written, informed consent to do so." I think this is the crux of the
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

In truth, I have only known one alleged practitioner of the puppet arts, and he seemed to just use this designation as part of a "sensitive male routine".
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Imagine living in a combat zone and being lectured on nonviolent communication by a Jackal and a Giraffe (TM).
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I suspect the animals are retained as a branding thingy. and, as an homage to the founder. Possibly, devotees of NVC may regard these puppets as having mystical attributes. Consider, too, that many of Marshall's millennial devotees grew up with the Chidren's Television Network, and Sesame Street puppets teaching them valuable moral lessons; all they know. "Adults of t
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

corboy, Thanks for all of this. I am thinking of what Margaret Singer observed, i.e. cults can form, be formed around just about any topic/focus, I believe she described equine worship as an example. But, best, I think, when the topic has some 'universal' resonance. We all hate violence, don't we,...Wish we could live in a world w/o violence, don't we? And, these
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Lot's of fun, yes, but less easy to do when these speech technologies are embedded in the work environment, as they are now embedded in many corporate cultures.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

corboy, and kdag, This is quite a good analogy. It has been my humble experience that When a party imposes her/his own speech rules on a conversation the result is frequently a lowered guard, and especially when these speech rules are cloaked in pious agendas related to equity and compassion. Respectful people just don't make these demands. bakkagirl
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Hi Sagegreen, Here is one: This patent is currently held by this consultancy. They claim to have been 'transformed' by the thinking of Werner Erhard. /// Erhard did have at least one shell company in the Netherlands, so who knows on the other finds....I am investigating. bakkagirl
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Has anyone seen a patent application for est, or Landmark 'technologies'? The frankreport.com has posted NXIVM patent applications. Anyone ever see anything for est? THANKS!
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

kdag, Very informative, thank you. I would also point out the Marshall Rosenberg's framework for NVC ties closely into the work of Riane Eisler. Eisler conceives of our current 'evolutionary' stage as constituting a "dominance culture", which, of course, ties into the endless quest of the left to re-order relationships such that they are not dominance or oppr
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

You said, "They are simply sick, out of balance, confused and attached to false beliefs." As a person whose childhood, young adulthood, and, professional life has been marred and scarred by cults, cultic and totalitarian thinking, I don't believe this. I think that at the top of these pyramids, and running all through them, are people who are highly calculating, and know E
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

"NVC is really a coercive method of mislabeling passionate opposition as "violent" to prevent honest passion from entering a discussion, while the attacker appears to be calm, labeling the appearance of calm, rather than truth, as the hallmark of "communication." This keeps deceitful manipulators in control of a conversation with subtle techniques of attack in wh
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I was under the impression that they already did 'take it', the psychopathic oath, that is. No doubt, at elite levels there are secret handshakes, blood oaths, and branding ;-). Love the idea of an international holiday.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

kdag, Thank you for pointing out that our master is adored the world over. Please do what you can to facilitate ALL expressions of worship. Wait a minute, S. Korea just checked in:
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"