agreements begin in the very early days and build over time as more response-ability is given to the people assisting - and growing the enterprise known as Landmark Education. Riley explains the steps to what Landmark call "leadership"
This episode was phenomenal again, Riley and Dale. It helped me understand that not only the context and structure of LGATs like Landmark is hurtful, but also the content. It is as hilarious as it is sad and worrisome that soo much of the content is the same or a ripoff of Scientology, Landmark/EST and so on. There are many upcoming Landmark Light organisations and video series like these help people pull off a goodbye rather sooner than later. Thank you from someone Riley's age.
thanks for taking the time to comment @Contecrusoe, I'll be speaking more about the (as you so perfectly put it) "Landmark Light" organisations with Ann Betz next week. There are MANY and I suspect it is because THE WAY of Landmark/Scientology has been accepted, even though it is damaging. If there is zero pushback then, yes such organisations exist and sprout off into other equally as damaging companies.
thank you @howdidIgetherechannel... Talking Heads plays in my head as I type... Re the hat, it's REALLY cold in Melbourne, my apartment doesn't have insulation so the heat goes through the roof, as do the electricity bills... so I rug up instead :)
Love the stuff about manifestation and turning the plane around. The research on this is that people who believe they can manifest a) often see more opportunities (so that's kind of cool) and b) have selective memory. The one time the plane turns around is highlighted as meaningful while the many other instances of life getting in the way are conveniently forgotten. Or they are contextualized as not being intentional enough or having "out integrity."
Firstly, ALMOST everything you say is true. I spent around 3 years heavily active in Landmark. I find it one of the single most important and beneficial things that I've done in my life. AND all the negatives you point out are true. The Story Exercise and the Vicious Circle explanation are two different things. Vicious Circle is how your being causes you to continually do the same things. In the story exercise, you write down on paper the story you tell yourself about EVERYTHING that happened in your life to lead you to whatever issue you are struggling with, (scary, ugly, shameful, vulnerable-confessing your heart out.) (ie My Dad spanked me and now I'm...), and you do that for ALL that you can remember so there is nothing left for you to "confess". Then in the exercise you read your story to your "pair" (partner) over and over and over again (think 15-30 minutes), until the point where telling about that time you got caught with your pants down doesn't even shame you anymore. Then your pair recites their story to you, over and over. After you're done, not only does what you wrote not have any power over you, put you tear it up and throw it away. I am a strong headed, strong willed person. I went into Landmark to see what there was to benefit ME. So I did Landmark "wrong". I did the Forum, Advanced, and Introduction Leaders Program. I assisted, mostly as a Production Supervisor, for something like 400 hours. Almost from the beginning I felt Landmark's demand on my time and actions, and I would not allow them to control those. I "chocolate. vanilla" chose everything I did and participated in. I played full out and full heartedly for the world's transformation POWERFULLY, BY CHOICE. And when I needed to prioritize me, I did. So I played the game my way, with my own autonomy. BUT I played it with world transformation as my stand. I guess what I'm saying is that, in my case, I co-created with Landmark. They didn't control me. They laid out a game that I played that I powerfully chose to submit to because I align with the world "getting" a better life for themselves. I knew straight off I would not be candidated as an Introduction Leader because there was NO WAY I was going to commit to the requirements. So I gave my Introduction to the Landmark Forum guests away to others to help them get candidated, and assisted in encouraging my teams guests to sign up so they could be candidated. AND, that being said, even though I LOVE Landmark and it helped me so much I cannot imagine how I'd be without having done it, I don't recommend it unless you can be stubborn and strong willed and do it your way, like I did. Because THEY WILL try to get you to spend a ridiculous amount of time assisting "volunteering" for free (with the excuse that you're transforming the world). They will try to get you to feel guilty if you say No. They will call you for years to request you assist at whatever event. They will try to get you to call everyone you know to get them to sign up for the program. The higher you go up, the harsher and more demanding they will be with you. Whenever you go against what they want they will say that you are "out of integrity". And unless you are a STRONG personality, you can't go through that and keep your strength and autonomy. For years, every once in a while, I would powerfully CHOOSE to assist. Then I'd duck out. Then I'd choose again. I ignored the phone if I didn't want to commit. Sure, I got yelled at, but I understood that I was a soldier with the goal of world transformation, so who cares? I didn't take any yelling personally, I just focused on the goal of everyone in the room getting whatever there was for me to get, because what I got meant the world to me! Family hurts healed. Estranged relationships restored. Closer connections with loved ones. Freedom to be honest about my life (integrity). But for me, getting a conviction about how valuable time is and the impact of being late, being and honoring your word, clear communication, your words create your world, have been incredibly useful to me. But I CHOSE to play in Landmark's game, Landmark DIDN'T play ME!
Early thoughts here, but it sounds like "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." And the online stuff is interesting - not turning your camera off would fit Lifton's Millieu control. I was gullible and open for the Forum and Advanced course, but after volunteering at the Forum, I was clearly not "coachable". Critical thinking breaks down the wall of gullibility. Another great conversation - thanks Dale and Riley!
12:00 Being coachable - put aside your own thinking - doing as instructed, 14:00 being ordinary vs being extraordinary 16:00 being in integrity, 19:00 your thinking vs their thinking - being a possibility, 20:00 complete vs incomplete, clean slate theory - reinvention, 32:00 agreements - being our word, 37:00 effects of participating - hyperarousal dopamin theory (John Hunter, PhD), 45:00 facts vs stories, 1:00:00 gossiping
It's so painful (at least to me) the way Landmark perverts the term coaching. True coaching (in the professional definition from the accrediting body of professional coaching, the International Coach Federation) does not tell people what to do or how to do it. An actual professional coach never bullies anyone into anything, nor do they have an agenda.
I'm REALLY looking forward to opening up this conversation with you. There are MANY organisations that have taken on the Landmark/Scientology way of 'enrolling' people into their businesses. I have some examples (as I know you do)... for our next conversation :)
