[mindgam3]

PSA, Landmark Forum was banned as a cult in France after the release of an investigative documentary [0] which they tried vigorously to suppress.

The group is a magnet for vulnerable people who respond to authoritarian style leadership and coercive psychological techniques including public shaming and gaslighting. They strongly discourage participants from taking notes. Anyone with a history of trauma, abuse or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) should know that attending this kind of group can cause severe psychological harm.

There is a way to do deep personal transformation safely, but this group isn’t it.

0. https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Suppressed_French_documentary_on_...

[mirimir]

Some do claim that it's a cult. But that's not my experience. Course leaders are generally highly charismatic, but are not typically authoritarian.

There is a heavy emphasis on participants sharing experience with the group, and being coached to see their machinery. But it's a stretch to call that "public shaming and gaslighting".

However, people are sometimes very attached to their interpretations, and it can get very intense. But you can leave, at any time. And if you leave early enough, they'll refund your payment.

Edit: This is representative, based on my experience: https://praxis.fortelabs.co/a-skeptic-goes-to-the-landmark-f...

[1propionyl]

I don't know anything about this particular case, but superficially what you're describing is not atypical of well-established cults, rather it is typical.

The authoritarianism increases as one moves up levels and more "secrets" are revealed. At the ground floor, it's welcoming and communal, but as you are further inculcated the number of "secrets" or "mysteries" revealed, the amount of potential personal exposure (read: blackmail and/or punishment for treachery) and the amount of authoritarianism rises steeply.

[mirimir]

What you're describing sounds a lot like what I've read about Scientology.

But not at all like what I experienced in Landmark. Seriously, there are no "secrets" or "mysteries". It's all basically laid out in the Forum. The rest is all practice.

[mindgam3]

If by “some” you mean the government of France, then yeah.

Another little known fact: Landmark was based on the IP from Werner Erhard’s Est seminars in the 70s, which in turn incorporated specific techniques from Scientology [1]. Some of these fun Scientology influences still exist in today’s forum trainings.

1. http://www.skepdic.com/est.html

[mirimir]

Of course it's based on est. I first did the Forum just after the name change. And the Six Day was still 100% est.

And yes, Werner did take some stuff from Scientology. But not the bits about ghosts of aliens nuked on Earth, millions of years ago ;)

Scientology is still probably behind many attacks on Landmark. And I wouldn't be surprised if they were part of the mess in France.

[HelloSunday]

for the record- Landmark was not banned in France or anywhere else. The group is not a magnet for vulnerable people infact they have a 6 page form that participants sign in an attempt to screen people who should be treated by mental health professionals.