Ginah, again, excellent post. I related all the points you made to my situation and they fit perfectly. Thanks for expressing them so well. I am sure, down the road, they will come in useful when explaining the situation to others, and hopefully to my girlfriend when she is able and willing to look at it. Thank you.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It is interesting to see cult apologists - or their supporters - on the Amazon.com website. I have bought plenty of books from Amazon in an effort to educate myself about cults and mind control, and found that some reviewers put up dangerous and false stories about these subjects. Some, of course, claim it doesn't exist. Others, as happened when Jon Atack's book 'A Piece of Blue
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Great post, Ginah. What makes it so great is it captures the emotional pain MKP has caused. AND it is also not purely from an emotional point of view. It also comes from a point of knowledge of what the LGAT is about, what methods are used, and how they affect people. Thank you.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

The methods that MKP uses have been posted on this thread. They involve many of the more negative aspects of LGATs. Unethical is a word that comes to mind. It doesn't matter how you cut it, their methods will always be questionable. If your husband doesn't feel right about MKP then I feel he should go with that. His family member should respect that too. Enough has been written
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Rick, I have just viewed your cult DVD and found it helpful. There was a suggestion on the DVD that more would follow in the future. Considering that LGATs have the most posts on your message boards by some way, don't you think they would be a good subject to follow up on? No doubt, it is a tricky subject, especially considering how litigous some of them are.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Well said RR. Some true compassion and less self-righteousness in Twillia1's posts would be welcome. Also, it would be nice if Twillia1 took the time to properly read the material elsewhere on the website pointed out in the posts.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It's a pleasure to offer something, ConcernedSis. Please, as you have questions, ask them. There are many people on these boards that are willing to share their experiences and their knowledge. I have found that exploring what others have to say leads me on to other discoveries that are of relevance in my case. I see a phrase someone uses and, not knowing much about it, I google it, an
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Twillia1, LGATs are designed in such a way that what might appear to be spontaneous exciting results are, in fact, predictable outcomes because of the conditions established in them, including the mind control tactics. The euphoria that many people experience has been researched and it is actually something so far removed from a breakthrough. It is actually a breakdown, when people often go in
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Twillia 1, maybe YOU aren't open to seeing things. While you and your girlfriend have found MKP fine, there are plenty of people on these boards who have had less than happy experiences. See the thread Maybe now you will understand why some people are anti-MKP. Others of us are anti other LGATs after finding strangers, who used to be loving family, spouses, friends, changed and di
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

From what you have written, there are plenty of warning signs that your brother could have been manipulated through coercive persuasion, thought reform, mind control, call it whatever you will. If it not that, he was put through intense pressure that led to what some call 'snapping'. The effects of a week-long course can be pretty devastating and intense. While I know nothing of thi
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Well done! We need people like you on these boards sharing your story. I hope doing so proves to be cathartic for you. There are many dangerous groups out there and MKP is but one of many similar 'human potential' organisations that can cause severe trauma. Your trauma has lasted five years, so I rest my case in saying this. Everything of the best and thanks for sharing your st
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

From his third letter, called First Crossing: QuoteDear Adventurer, Welcome to The Master Game – The Journey has begun for you the moment you responded affirmatively: You went through The First Crossing into accessing a new resonance of Abundance and Power. You are now tapping the subtle and resolute energy of the outer band of The Master Game Holographic Insert. There are steps that you need
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

From his second letter, called First Contact: QuoteYou are invited to join me on an Adventure to Chart New Frontiers into Mastery of the Self! The possibilities offered are immense (and attainable) but the probabilities will depend on your willingness to respond to that Far Call of your Soul. Well, this man admitted he hadn't even properly prepared for this course, so how can he know wh
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I thought I would post some correspondence I received from a LGAT leader who uses a metaphysical bent to his work to highlight some of the amazing claims he makes. They relate to a course, called The Master Game, he presented in Zanzibar last year, mostly for people from South Africa. This Louis Smit is a phony and my investigation into his qualifications have proved that. See the followin
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Agreed. Castaneda could be enjoyed as fiction, but when it is preached as fact without informing the people that it is, in fact, fiction it can be really dangerous. In my case, the so-called guru who taught stuff based on Castaneda claimed to have studied the teachings of Don Juan Matus. If he had done so (which I believe he did because he quotes the books pretty easily), then why did he n
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Not quiet right, Ellen! Only one post was enough for me! The jargon was overpowering! It just goes to show how people stop thinking for themselves and adopt Landmark's loaded language and ideas. What a joy to be able to think for one's self. I just don't see how Landmark's approach of one-size-fits-all can possibly work. As individuals we all have our own unique lesso
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Rick Ross is up front and doesn't hide what he does. Unlike so many of the cults, LGATs, and similar organisations, his stuff is out in the open. He doesn't use coercive persusasion, undue influence, mind control or similar methods to get people to read the very useful and needed information he provides. He isn't selling expensive 'human potential' courses or as
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Castaneda is dangerous stuff. My girlfriend went through a number of courses where a so-called guru - armed with bogus qualifications - taught life skills based on Castaneda's books about Don Juan. Never did he mention that what he was teaching was based on fiction not fact. The website gives excellent information on Castaneda, his teachings and his life itself. He was, without doubt,
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

Hey Funnyguy Like Elena, I can't wait to hear how you deprogrammed yourself and about your experiences. Please don't make us wait too long. It sounds as if what you have to say could hold real value for others. This kind of stuff is helpful, supportive, and valuable for those of us trying to get a better understanding of what happened. Within your words may lie the key to
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I watched the youtube video. To me, it is sad. The first guy from Landmark comes across as so know-it-all, and talk about being judgmental! He's busy saying what Jon will get out of the course, and how lacking he is in some aspects. Anyway, seeing as Jon has done so many courses before, and seeing as he is so lacking, where have they got him? The answer, it seems, is to do another
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I have huge respect and admiration for your reasons behind publishing your story. It's people like you that make a difference in fighting this epidemic. I would like to support you by buying the book, but being based in South Africa I will have to go through the Internet. Where can I order it from?
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

If LGATs like HAI are so honorable why does it - like so many other LGATs mentioned on these boards - need to have these weekends away where so many, if not all, of the conditions are met for thought reform or coercive persuasion. The conditions are met and the methods used. People aren't informed about the methods to be used beforehand. How would they feel if they were informed?
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

If it's one in a hundred thousand out of a million, as Nutrino points out, that means only 10 people have experienced psychological problems as a result of Landmark. Well, these boards are littered with complaints from people about Landmark - far exceeding 10 people. Landmark is also the organisation that is most often written about on these boards. So, even that unscientific and
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

Thanks, nccg_concern. I changed the link to Dick Sutphen's own page at - it was just a little easier to read. On another thread - - I wrote about Sutphen and a bit follows about him, including input by the moderator. You might wish to take a look at that. Anyone who believes mind control/thought reform/brainwashing doesn't exist is fooling him/herself. As I quoted Sutphen on
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

I wrote something similar elsewhere on the forum boards, but I will post this here too. This is for people like optronix and anyone who believes they haven't been affected by LGATS. Dick Sutphen, a man who trains others in hypnotic techniques, wrote this in an article warning people of unethical influence: IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF MAN, NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN BRAINWASHED AND REALIZED, OR
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I understand that one should not be making a diagnosis when one is not a professional in these matters. However, when 90+% of the symptoms apply, as in the case of my girlfriend, I have to look at this seriously, especially as they were not there before the first course she attended. Also, the fact that PTSD has been linked to LGATs, to me, suggests I am on the right track. To see how my
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

If you don't think you have been brainwashed, maybe you need to consider that thought again. Dick Sutphen, a man who trains others in hypnotic techniques, wrote this in an article warning people of unethical influence: IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF MAN, NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN BRAINWASHED AND REALIZED, OR BELIEVED, THAT HE HAD BEEN BRAINWASHED. He also wrote: If you think you can attend s
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

A great post by the moderator. It should be compulsary reading for anyone thinking of attending a LGAT. Thank you for your well constructed and helpful input.
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

I think this warning is as good as the more regular warnings one gets about investigating LGATs before doing any work with them: "When you meet the friendliest people you have ever known, who introduce you to the most loving group of people you've ever encountered, and you find the leader to be the most inspired, caring, compassionate and understanding person you've ever met, an
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"

It never ceases to amaze me how similar all these mind-control LGATs are in the programs they present. It is also amazing how successful they are at messing up people's lives. As Wiser Aussie contends, the promises they make are seldom realized. The problems these programs create, though, appear to be far more in evidence. Education about this sort of thing would help so much. People n
Forum: Large Group Awareness Training, "Human Potential"