As for why I don't use my real name.... well, I don't use my real name in ANY message board forum. I use DayDreamer or some derivative on all message boards and other online locations as well.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Siofra - If people want to attend sexuality workshops where they are having sex while swinging from the chandelier, that's their choice. What bothers me so much about the HAI workshops is that they do not specifically state that sexual contact is likely to take place. The impression is given that the workshops DISCUSS and lecture (i.e. talk about) such topics, not that such ACTIONS
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Quotesiofra By choosing to attend a sexuality workshop I have already chosen to be in a place where sexual things of some sort will happen. See.. THIS is the part that I do not agree with at all. HAI promotes love, intimacy and sexuality workshops. To me, that meant that exercises and lecturing (for lack of a better term) regarding these aspects of interpersonal relationships would be part o
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Funny... I've heard some major complaints about Stan Dale and about Chip, specifically. Since they are so high up in the organization, it would seem rather unlikely that they would "clean things up." And given Stan Dale's health, it's even less likely. I've been to Levels 1 and 2, personally. Both of them were at Camp Ronora, HAI Midwest. I dated someone I met
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Ghost - Thank you for your input. I believe I mentioned in one of my first posts that I felt there is always coercion, even if it is subtle. At a workshop, the participants are always told they are "at choice" - but there is still the pressure to conform to what HAI believes is the "right" choice, i.e., taking clothes off, participating in whatever exercise, etc.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Holly, don't worry about suggestive PMs. You can't even get PMs until you've had significantly more posts. I'm glad that you found HAI to be something worthwhile for you. Level 1 was a very good experience for me. Level 2, however, was not - and I have no interest in participating in further levels. There have been too many people who have said/done things that I simp
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Liars and manipulators are on my short list as well. I don't want them in my life. Betrayal is NOT something I'll forgive easily, and it's something I NEVER forget. When the source is someone who is supposed to love me, it's that much worse and that much more likely to have a very quick, very negative consequence. Out of my life, completely and quickly. I seem to have a
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I try to repair things too, even when I probably shouldn't. I guess a part of that is the eternal optimist in me.... but another part is that I firmly believe, in human relationships, if BOTH parties want something to work and put effort into it, it WILL work. They just both have to want it to, and have to work at it. Nothing worth having is ever easy.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It’s funny, really. I went through life not feeling comfortable with saying no. Sure, I did it sometimes, but my mouth did not say no nearly as frequently as my mind and heart wanted me to. Going to Level 1 did change that. There was one exercise near the end that I did NOT want to do, and I said no. I finally found my voice, and since then have used it more than I ever dreamed possible. Sti
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Oooh, Diashto. It won’t be a year until early December! Yes, I’ve been experiencing near-constant pressure to “return to the fold” so to speak. This has been quite subtle from some sources, and a smack upside the head with a 2x4 from others. I actually had a phone call the other night from one person who was a participant at the Level 2 I attended, and he was very upset I wasn’t attending
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Yay, Diashto is back. I was hoping he'd weigh in on this subject again. I've actually heard that sexual intercourse DOES take place at Level 7. I am not surprised, really. What bothers me is the pervasive idea that this is supposedly acceptable. Yes, it's a workshop and an organization that deals with sexuality. But one can discuss and work through the aspects of sexual
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Ciruela, you said "This discussion board is not about boyfriends and girlfriends and love gone wrong. Thus, I feel that it is very inappropriate of siofra to be bringing up specifics involving me and my ex or in suggesting that my ex (if he chose to post) would have further details to refute me. " Ciruela, I understand your point of view there, but you made the incident "publi
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Something Diashto said a while ago made sense to me. He called HAI a hippie love-fest (or words to that effect). In a way, he's quite right. That free-love bull from the "good old days" of the 60s... if it was THAT valuable and worked THAT well, it would be mainstream by now. A little less than a year ago, I was very much involved with HAI. My first workshop was in Augus
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

A few days ago, I was sent an online survey about HAI, particularly our region. It asked a bunch of questions about age, gender, income, etc. but the main questions were about our experiences with HAI. They had to do with reasons why we joined, what levels we'd participated in, etc. Some had to do with specific sexual situations that may have occurred, etc. I am not going to break the
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuoteiamtoochQuoteDayDreamerOnce he found out that I was NOT thrilled with HAI, he tried to talk me around to his way of thinking. That didn't work - and I haven't heard from him since. Apparently those who leave the fold are no longer "worthy." DayDreamer, isn't it a simpler theory that, having determined you were no longer interested in HAI or its principles, he res
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I'm one of those who don't think there IS a "responsible" form of polyamory. To me, by definition, polyamory is irresponsible. Playing with the lives and emotions of others. I know some people involved in it (well, actually, I know many, since I'm involved in science fiction fandom somewhat), and it seems like a bunch of overgrown adolescents trying to get laid by mult
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Well, blaming the woman for her part in it does make sense. However, I'd have more of a problem with your BF in that situation. After all, HE is the one who was involved in that relationship with you - not her. Of course, if you knew that he was of a polyamorous mindset, you had to know that this type of a situation was not only possible, but likely. Did he make a commitment to monogam
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

No problem, email sent :) I have noticed something else interesting. Now that my dissatisfaction with HAI is a bit more well known, the intern I used to talk to regularly no longer calls. He used to call to find out how I was doing, listen to my concerns and try to help, etc. He hasn't called in weeks. Coincidence? I don't think so :)
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Honestly, I don't think that just women need to be wary of HAI. I think men get sucked into it just as much. Right now, the midwest group is putting together a Level 3 for July. I've been receiving a lot of emails asking for women to attend for gender balance. That shows me that a lot of MEN are signed up. In all honesty, I sorta wonder if at the higher levels, people are act
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Has anyone heard of Fire Seed Workshops? I've been invited to an "informal gathering" of people involved in this. The person who invited me is someone from HAI (Human Awareness Institute). Apparently this is being led in the home of the woman who is supposedly an "expert" in this. From what he said, he attended a workshop last month and the participants wanted to &quo
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I’ve been to nudist camps several times in the past, and the one I visited was a family resort – infants to old people. It’s true that in such an environment, you tend to forget that people are naked, simply because just about everyone is. It’s not about sex at all. And nudity doesn’t have to BE about sex, either. We all know that. I have been the woman who has seen a penis used as a wea
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Now, the clothing optional element of Level 1 was disclosed beforehand by more than one source. It's something we were expecting, and I don't think that ANYONE at our Level 1 was surprised by it. Of course, nudity was not required... but it was definitely encouraged. At L2, people were nude SOONER (Friday, rather than Saturday afternoon). I chose to remain clothed, and was definitel
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Your paragraph about Level 2 really hit home for me. I hadn’t thought about it in those terms before, but your words made sense. I write when I have things that I need to work out, particularly emotional things. But Level 2 was so completely overwhelming for me that I couldn’t write about them, couldn’t talk about them, couldn’t even THINK about them. It was so much sensory overload that it t
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

In many ways I agree with you. I am no longer participating in HAI because of some of those very issues. I was not involved in a relationship with anyone when I attended L1 and L2, and I'm glad I wasn't. Many of the people there are into poly relationships (both straight and bisexual), and I am simply not comfortable participating in that. Although they SAY that my choice is to
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The interns and assistants were never represented as professional counselors in any way. Their presence in our small-group sessions was more as a leader and volunteer to start things going, initiate discussion, etc. as people who had been in the setting before. In my small groups, the intern who led it also experienced breakthroughs during the small group shares. I don't think we were eve
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

QuotekathQuotedbvanhornKath, Karenb, what happened? There was some discussion going on, then you dissapeared. Daydreamer said everything I was going to say:) It's a swinger's club, or a dating agency for those into 'alternative lifestyles.' Love Kath Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say that. It is NOT a swingers' club. A swingers club actively encourage
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Okay.. I’m the person to whom diashto and dbvanhorn are referring in their posts. Level 1 did make a huge difference in me. It affected a change in my perception of myself and my own value, and it empowered me to give voice to things I needed. My self-esteem skyrocketed, and I actually started to feel GOOD about who and what I am. I also stopped fighting the truths about myself that I'd b
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"