What exactly happened in this 6-day training…? Was it a training or was it a “self-help” style Large Group Awareness Training (LGAT) that serves as an indoctrination intensive. Did I even learn any yoga?
"If it felt bad, why did you stay? Why did you fall for it?"
Why did we drink the kool-aid?
Did you think you were going for one thing - to learn to teach yoga or to deepen your practice - but you find yourself sharing deep personal trauma in a “hot seat” style questioning session that go on for hours draining your capacity to keep your critical thinking. Did you see red flags but were afraid to speak up because Baron singled out anyone who seemed to not participate and because you had no time to process by yourself or with others because you were too busy.
Did you actually learn any yoga alignment, philosophy, ethics?
What happened to you on Day 3 - “Breakthrough Day” as the staff calls it. Did you breakthrough or breakdown on that day, give in to Baron and the Methodology and accept and embrace it all?
Does this sound familiar?
The Recipe for Thought Reform: (from Combating Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan)
“Induced dissociated states, trance-induction via repeated affirmations, extended meditation, lengthy denunciation sessions, renegade psychotherapy without a license, hot seat criticisms focusing on one individual, extensive self-awareness training sessions, trauma bonding, isolation from friends and family, sleep deprivation, food deprivation. Control of information going in and out of the group environment. Peer and leadership pressure, extensive indoctrination sessions…”
Did it prey on your desire to good in the world and then give you a discount if you register for Level 2 by then end of the week... what happened to you?
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Resources:
Therapists for narcissistic abuse support: https://narcissistabusesupport.com/practitioners-page/
@alittlebitculty podcast https://www.alittlebitculty.com/