Hey Katydid! Glad you returned and Happy New Year. Call ME dense, but I don't see where you see that I got a lot out of the Forum. Hope
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Good article. What I find interesting is that the people who post on another website devoted to those who have lived with verbal and emotional abuse find that therapists, if they are not specifically trained in this, also have a hard time treating clients. In fact, many of the posters have stated that the therapy was as damaging as the abuse. Most of these abusers are narcissists, some soci
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Wow!!! Thanks for posting about your experience. I replied to a posting by EModels for a talent scout position listed on a major job search web site back in September. All their replies were auto-replies and computer-generated phone messages. They made it clear the interview would take all day, but they were not forthcoming with info about the job, compensation, etc. I did a little researc
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

Two articles came to my mailbox from Sam Vaknin's Narcissist Abuse website. The first talks about the way the elderly are being recruited. The link does not work on this one so I've included the synapsis. I've email Dr. V. to see if he can send me a different link for the actual article. [204.181.30.45] New Age Beliefs and Narcissism I read an interesting articl
Forum: Destructive Churches

Hey, Happy Holidays to you too, Boz. Hope
Forum: Destructive Churches

The author of this article wishes to remain anonymous. I've corresponded with Paul Lee, PT, whose web site this appears on. He was adamant about the author remaining nameless. It brings up some good points, not exactly what you are looking for, but headed in the right direction???
Forum: Destructive Churches

Boz, My experience growing up in a Christian Reformed denomination was an abusive one, as was my Mom's. Leo Booth's book, When God Becomes an Addiction, put to words exactly what our experience was. Mom was beaten while by her father while he spouted out Bible verses. Mom didn't beat us, but the same messages were there. The church, as well, was full of families with simila
Forum: Destructive Churches

Katydid, I'm sorry to hear you live with pain. If I find anything in my travels that might be of help, I'll be sure to pass it on. Your Landmark friend's comments about your pain are just an example of LE arrogance. While I've heard that LE is based on Zen concepts, the basis of Zen is love and compassion, not personal gain, be it financial or egotistical. My other
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Katydid, I totally can understand looking at a persistent complaint from a different angle, and even being able to reconcile a conflict with a person who has passed on. From your posts, however, my issue with LE concerns THEIR attitude that they have THE answer. For the most part, I spoke many times with a particular rep who was adamant in distinguishing insight from breakthrough, going s
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Katydid, Excellent analogy with the camera. A big part of my letdown was the fact there was nothing new and what was offered was information I had discussed with the representative several times before I attended the Forum. Much of what the Forum offered, I learned in yoga. But the other thing the reps had no business doing was playing doctor. With several people, they labeled illness a &
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Thanks for posting a reply so quickly. But if I may ask, what did you say that was so different from other approaches you took with your sister? Was the breakthrough really different from insight? Was this the first time you acknowledged your responsibility in the estrangement? I get the feeling you know the underlying themes in your relationship with your sister that led to estrangement. D
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

When I was having second thoughts about attending the Forum, the Landmark representatives guaranteed "breakthroughs." They were very clear when they distinguished these breakthroughs from mere insight. I told them I wasn't going to waste my time and $ with the Forum if their definition of breakthrough was the same as my definition of insight. They insisted the breakthroughs woul
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

A good overview of the techniques that spiritual abusers employ and the reasons people get sucked in, by Ron Henzel. All info applies equally well to Landmark Forum. Hope
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

A good overview of the techniques that spiritual abusers employ and the reasons people get sucked in, by Ron Henzel. All info applies equally well to Landmark Forum. Hope
Forum: Destructive Churches

That kind of stare is not appropriate if done to a stranger. From your description it appears to have been an exercise in power/domination Here's something from If that link doesn't take you there immediately, type psychopath after the last back slash. "There are also physical characteristics and mannerisms which you may be able to pick up on. As someone who knows these peo
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Yes - Landmark is about Landmark and getting more people to go to more of Landmark's expensive programs. What it seems they do is cause people to further stuff emotions and make decisions based on this just-do-it-don't-think-about-it attititude. I had a couple in my Forum, they were probably about 50 years old, who just quit their jobs and moved to Colorado to build a dream house, yet
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

1. They were not forthcoming with information to specific questions I had asked, but rather made guarantees that they could "fix" my situation 2. They consider physiological conditions to be rackets 3. They didn't want to hear why I was disappointed, became unavailable when I wanted to speak to someone, scheduled appointments but didn't keep them, and instead put a refund
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Corboy and Mavin, I was in a scary family, too, and they still are scary. My ND suggested that hypnosis was the only thing (other than a drug induced-state) that would "release" my trapped emotions. But then he would say how my control problems and trust issues would not allow me to "go under", once implying that I was a know-it-all. Months later, after not bringing up
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

I wanted to contact this ND and speak with him after I started finding out more about the lies he had told me about his background and experience. In fact, he basically lied about everything, right down to the manufacturer of his motorcycle. However, after emailing him asking why he had said this or that, I got a response back that he would call a lawyer regarding me harassing him. Much resear
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I did not know that the KKK lights crosses on the property of their victims\targets. That should be prosecuted under the laws regarding hate crimes, destruction of property, etc. However, lighting crosses on their own private property should not be banned for reasons already stated. I don't understand why we would need more laws concerning the former.
Forum: Hate Groups

Mavin, Thanks for pointing out the distinction between brainwashing and mind control. Perhaps the term brainwashing is just overused. My therapist said I had been brainwashed, but when she started giving me homework on reframing my thoughts (from negative to positive), I saw how it was possible that the naturopath had also tried successfully to get me to reframe many things also - however,
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

This may be a dumb question - is a trance state similar to being high on a psychedelic drug, like LSD, ayhuasca or Ecstasy? Supposedly, psychadelic drug researchers have come to the conclusion that spiritual ecstasy can be found in drugs (and their sincerity really cracks me up) based on their studies of indigenous groups and their use of botanicals in rituals. The effect of these botanicals i
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

I did Landmark Forum exactly a year ago, in 12/01. However, my naturopath used their "technology" as therapy for about a year, without telling me exactly what he was doing.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Mavin, Do tell. I'd be interested to read the steps you took. For me, since there was a great deterioration in my overall health, which I've just found out led to a malabsorption problem, restoring my health helped tremendously. All kinds of psychological and emotional imbalances occurred with lack of digestion of protein. The worst feeling was that I had forgotten or ref
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

I have never really studied the KKK, and have only heard what is in the media, so what I understand about the KKK is that they are racists, some members murderers, and the rest a variety of criminals. However, I'm not against their cross lightings. Banning cross lightings or any other type of public rituals will not make the groups go away. It will merely cause them to become more creativ
Forum: Hate Groups

I agree with you that these groups need to be exposed. If you read the updated Landmark website, they sound so benign. Yet the actual programs are a different story. By posting here, Jennie, you are getting the word out. Please let as many people as you can know about this site and your experience. Check out the other posts in this thread, too. Landmark can be helpful if people are
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Does anyone have any info on this group. All I can find is that it's an LA based group, very large group, however, that meets in the desert on full moons and most members take Ecstasy. Is there more to it? Thanks.
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Landmark finally upgraded their web site so there is some information about the "technology" they use. One could take each concept and do their own research and save themselves time, money and mental anguish. Though they have a section on FACULTY, there is no bio for each of the 50 seminar leaders, just photos (all look very professional - except for the guy who did mine!!).
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Regarding the visitor's comments, if a participant questioned anything, or tried to explain their situation and how Landmark "technology" could help or hinder, the participant was told they were either running a racket or not being coachable. If the participant "didn't get it" (the message of Landmark), then they were, again, running a racket, not being coachable o
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

One can research till they're blue in the face and have their questions answered with expertly fabricated lies. Finding former members is not east - people are fortunate to have stumbled across this web site. Many people who have "escaped" are generally too confused, embarassed or injured to be able to give a coherent account of what they went through. Life is about risk. Getti
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups