❀ the cult of: ➥motivational speakers ➥life coaches ➥personal growth gurus ➥new-age charlatans ➥AWESOMENESS FEST

ok can we stop being analytical and go back to finding awesome craziness to link?

life coach FAQ

Interesting btw how Tony Robbins has shifted from sketchy/cult-y to more the TED Talk style of self-improvement.

I had a roommate who was really into Landmark. Mostly it seemed like she had never reached an adult level of emotional function, and Lmark was showing her how to grow up. It was kind of like remedial emotional life skills, or at least that's what she was getting out of it and coming home to talk about.

It seemed like kind of dumb obvious shit to me, but she was a nice person who meant well and had had a lot of bad/violent things happen to her, and been poor and without options. Considering all of that, she had kind of made a success of herself, and she looooooved Landmark.

Mostly it seemed like she had never reached an adult level of emotional function

tbf this describes like 90% of the human beings i interact with on a daily basis on ilx and in real life.

lol there are some outlier TED Talks that are suspicious

I happen to know some people on ilx and irl too, and when I say that she was emotionally dysfunctional/unlearned, I mean in comparison to the other people I have known.

mindvalley is v arrested development-y

Located at the base of Fuck Mountain.

yeah there are definitely some dubious TED talks...
xp

ted is generally dubious imho

just the whole culture

This is such high end motivational stuff. I am really interested in the low end -- like this class by Alan Salami, LCSW

Want to learn how to talk to anyone at anytime and make a good impression. Are your fears of rejection in your way? Come learn how to:
o Overcome your fears
o Feel good about yourself and what you have to say
o Project self-confidence
o Start and continue conversations
We will practice self-image building and power communication skills. Alan Salami LCSW is an NLP Master Practitioner and Psychotherapist. He specializes in assisting people to learn new mental skills to transform their lives. Mat. Fee: $10

http://www.discoverycenter.cc/classes/il3556.htm

Start and continue conversations

I happen to know some people on ilx and irl too, and when I say that she was emotionally dysfunctional/unlearned, I mean in comparison to the other people I have known.

lol, fair enough. I was just trying to make the point that humans in general kinda suck at basic emotional competencies, but that's probably a discussion for another thread.

o Feel good about yourself and what you have to say

nbd

Alan Salami LCSW is an NLP Master Practitioner and Psychotherapist.

first glance thought this said Alan Salami LCSW is an NLP Master Practitioner and Psychobabblist.

The business development/futurism/positivity/self improvement axis is a slippery slope.

guys check this out, specifically the course titles that are of the form "If I'm X then how come I'm not rich/famous"

http://www.floatinguniversity.com/courses

Pleased to see local ChILX hero Alan Salami itt.

i think that might be the practical philosophy stuff i used to see advertised on MTA a lot. certainly something like that

These are not quite the same, but the format of:
Listen to genuine experts speak in broad, motivational terms about their fields
->
You are going to get some sort of insights and start your own business or come up with a revolutionary idea

While we're at it, how about this place?!

this is gonna be lol hueg

http://www.fairtalk.com/RashtraGita/MAHARISHI%20TOWER%20POSTER.jpg

lol those practical philosophy ads xp

That's Iowa btw. AKA Utopia.

I think that one that's always on the train is...another culty movement...energy manipulation, kind of...shoot WHAT is it called??

Founded by a lady named...Mary??

No, I don't know. I can't remember.

http://i.imgur.com/UICuK.jpg

oh man, anything that says maharishi

Is that referring to the maharishi school in Fairfield? It is a very interesting little community in that they have all these stores and nice stuff and it's in the middle of nowhere! I kind of wanted to go see David Lynch speak there a few years ago, lol

u really shouldve gone to that

Yes! My husband is from there.

I have been there many times too, obvs, but he grew up there. That place is BANANAS.

btw something abt that photo of the tower of invincibility looks not quite real idk

this doc was pretty good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq0rsiw6IFo

NO WAY. I totally want to hear your husband's take on it. I wonder if he knows anyone I know from there. I take it he was a local and not in the school?

The kids that went to the Maharishi school always did the same nerdy academic competitions that I was in, but I am not sure they necessarily did really well?

lol just walked by a colleagues desk and saw a letter from landmark education on it. serendipity?

yes, he was a townie. dad still lives a little outside town.

http://www.bigdreamgathering.com/

Join
in the
Convo

Some of the people who have posted their BIG dreams in the past have…

scored a contract with a major shoe company
gone to Africa to help children living in poverty
launched businesses to sell art on-line
written books
transitioned into jobs they loved
launched non-profit organizations
run marathons
sent truck loads of school supplies to Africa
met new friends and made great contacts

^^ this thing had some local meeting and a friend went and they had some bizarro religion thing going on too

THEOSOPHY!

it is my big dream to run a marathon

ok great start running

great thank you big dream!

btw still trying to figure out if sending a "truck load" of school supplies to Africa makes any sense when there is an ocean

haha wait theosophy is still a going concern

http://theosophy.org/

i mean

http://i.imgur.com/dX5Yg.jpg

Something called "Bodhi Spiritual Center" is taking over a church across from our apt. I just googled it and the first auto complete was "Bodhi spiritual center cult."

LL, The Tower of Invincibility is amazing.

For some reason I thought the School of Practical Philosphy was related to theosophy but I can't find a link after reading up. Still...it's kind of all the same?

I have a picture of myself in front of it on facebook, i think? i look totally invincible.

I know an older couple who are/were theosophists (we've fallen out of touch now). The gentleman once tried to heal my friend's sore ankle with energy manipulation that involved holding his hands over her foot and shin, after which my friend swore she thought it'd helped.

Our friendship started to go downhill faster after that.