Well, it's slim pickins... I've experienced bullying from neighbours as a result of having *one* anxiety attack when I recognized I'd been exposed to a year's worth of covert hypnosis from my ex. There has been some vicious slander in the tightknit community - distortions and untruths, originating from a neighbour who was actually the first to recognize my ex is in a cult,
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hi, While I can't directly relate to this, I did suffer an anxiety attack and was later traumatized by my experience. What helped in so many ways was therapy with a psychologist who specializes in cults and high-demand groups.
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

After writing this, it occurred to me that the lesson here (ironically, which I add because I used to always look for higher "meaning" in things) is for me to have faith in myself. Best,
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I take it I'm going through something many of you have. I spent most of my life with a great trust in the Universe / G-d / Dhamma; to take care of me - in fact, somehow - even as an artist - rent always got paid, etc. And when things went badly, I had Infinite Patience (read: too much), because I Trusted in the Divine. Well, I've changed thanks to my involvement with a person i
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I had such a great laugh! I'm in agreement with most of it, but have to add that I'm "off" beaded bracelet jewelery :) I would think that's more? appealing to sidewalk missionaries; a sign that the person wearing / playing with the bracelet is more likely to already be dabbling in self-hypnosis techniques.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Stoic, I'm not saying I'm afraid of people telling stories - that's ridiculous. There is a difference between stories and Ericksonian hypnosis / hypnosis; it is recognizable, and it is very unlikely that I would be subject to that kind of coercion again, because I recognize the difference and yes, ask the person to stop or leave. Paperlane, I'm glad what I've sai
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

paperlane11, many of the points your brought up are complex, and will require some thought; I'll get back to you. Please remind me, if you've already told us, what the credentials of your therapist are.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I'll add this to the mix: Self-hypnosis finally is the thing to be aware of. Self-hypnosis is pervasive as a technique in our culture - that includes the secret, landmark, nlp, religions, psychotherapy - When you start to "re-train" how you react to things, through visualization, self-talk; essentially this is self-hypnosis. Being aware of this to me is the key. I think in
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi kkok4kk, I strongly recommend you be in touch with an exit counselor; there are a number of them; do your research and you'll find someone who you feel will give you the best chance of getting through to your daughter. It is frequently very difficult to get people out of cults, because the positive feelings elicited combined with the points of view purported by the group feel like t
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi Paperlane, NLP is largely based on Ericksonian hypnosis; that's what the "quotes" were for - Erickson, from what I understand, never intended his techniques to be used outside a therapeutic context. When I was a teenager, I became the "student" of someone who had been the direct student of Richard Bandler, one of the founders. By the time I was 18, I was at a wha
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi kkok4kk and paperlane11, Hope you're well. There is very little doubt that I was more susceptible to becoming involved with someone who was in a "cult", because I'd been exposed to "Ericksonian hypnosis" through NLP twenty years earlier. I had a discussion a few months ago with a psychologist about this; he spoke about brain plasticity, and how once you&#
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Suppressed CBS News 60 Minutes on Landmark cult leader Werner Erhard, 3 Mar 1991:
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Why is NLP not on this list: ?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I will add, these groups are not all about money – they are also about power.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi Stoic, Being aware of the language of trance induction doesn't mean that one has to have experienced trance. The other point is that with an ethical psychologist hypnotherapist, trance is used in a consensual way, in specific and limited applications. Here are some articles by Dr. Steve Eichel: , who works with former members of high-demand groups : From: "Prolonged T
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Exposing yourself to Ericksonian hypnosis / NLP outside the therapeutic context makes one _more_ susceptible to its covert use. I was attracted to someone who is involved with people who use these techniques covertly; I found our metaphorical dialogue just lovely. Until a year later, when I figured out I'd been subject to covert hypnosis. My view is: steer clear. If you do get involved
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

I'd make you run if I could. The problem with cults is that they teach their members to manipulate themselves. It's not like the "guru" is brainwashing everyone constantly - from what I understand the way it works is that new ways of thinking are encouraged - that's why it's called, "Thought Reform". So why are you seeing someone who is an adherent
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi Walter, Unless you're referring to a re-issue of, "Frogs into Princes" (originally printed in 1979), my understanding is it was written before Anthony Robbins was on the radar.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Someone should really update Anthony Robbins' Wiki entry; it doesn't mention hypnosis, and barely nods to NLP: On NLP's Wiki page, Anthony Robbins is not even listed as a, "Notable Practitioner":
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi, One of the major changes for me post-cult exposure is my change in view of others. I've been incredibly earnest most of my life; truly believing that people will take the high road when push comes to shove - because that's what I am like. It's such an eye opener realizing most people function on facades - not so earnest. If I'd been less naive about people, I coul
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

Hi Mamadrama, I am not a fan of NLP - I was involved in my teens to the level of master practitioner - whatever that means. I left most of it behind by the time I was in my late teens. Now that I'm examining why I became involved with someone who was in a cult (with the help of an exit counselor), I've had to examine my attraction to NLP in the first place. It may interest you
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi All, The good news is that not everyone believed the person who was spreading the rumour; in fact, one tenant came to me and told me that this person was gossiping, and they never believed for a second I had mental illness, but immediately thought the person spreading the gossip (the neighbour who "helped" me) was unbalanced. In fact, the person spreading the gossip is on medicati
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi Raymondadam, Can you be more specific?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi Stoic, I really don't want to argue with you - you saying, "What do you know", etc.? I've explained my view of what I see as manipulative about the article on Jhana in my previous post. Regards, Q2.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi Corboy, I would add (though I take it you were implying this as well) that it is not sufficient to _ask_ a teacher / religious leader what their standard of ethics is - a person can say anything, right? I think one has to observe a teacher, their colleagues, _and_ their students and listen to _all_ of one's own responses to all three in order to make a better assessment.  Stoic,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hey Stoic, Speaking of making distinctions, I was not saying that the proper study of Zen is equivalent to NLP.  I said that amongst a number of NLP practitioners, they consider Zen a high-level version of NLP.  I mention it, as it could partly account for the infiltration of NLP techniques into Buddhism.  That said, I stand by what I said with respect to "mind training" - i
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi Corboy, The person who taught me NLP said, "Zen is pure NLP". He was a direct student of Bandler's. Here's an example of what I'm seeing in Thanissaro's work: Normalcy by Thanissaro Bhikkhu I will point out at the beginning of his treatise, Thanissaro explains how various naturally occurring trance states are undesirable - trance in general is undesirab
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Oh grumble... I made a pdf of some discussions on the subject from Facebook, before the group, "Women and the Forest Sangha" was deleted by the group moderators, and only the first page of any discussion saved. I do have this: From, Public Letter to Thanissaro Bhikkhu, a Facebook discussion in the Group, "Women & the Forest Sangha", by a member of the public, in r
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Quotecorboy Also, not enough seekers are aware that persons claiming to teach ancient methods of meditation have covertly included technology from modern methods of trance induction and Large Group Awareness Trainings (LGAT) If a guru does story telling (and many use stock stories and metaphors from the Hindu tradition) and covertly uses Ericksonian methods of conversational trance this is dan
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hi, I just went back to my co-op apartment after spending 6 months staying with a friend post-cult involvement.  My neighbour, who "helped" me when I had a massive panic attack once I realized that my ex was involved in a cult that uses Erickonian hypnosis-type techniques - on myself as well has suggested that I google, "paranoid schitzophrenic", because that's her
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families