mind meepery

Ugh I've spent some time trying to beat this meep out of an Old Highschool friend who Out of the Blue Called me with an AA/NA type Apology evidently connected to one of these seminars. This Apology over him acting like a meep over some girl that neither one of us have had anything to do with in years (at least I got the nookie back in the day, highfive) was accompanied by an invite to a seminar which I had to subsiquently turn down about 10 times.

This is a self help scam that really is on the borderline of cult. I'm sure you are wise enough to STAY THE meep AWAY. I don't have the time to dig up all the stuff I found at the time but this is an old 70s program that has reemerged with a fresh face. They use some 'Lite' CIA style brainwashing techniques to break people down to a vulnerable point. The seminars are supposedly very long so even if you are curious to how the scam goes down you better be ready to be locked in for hours and hours of your precious free time. You might as well just punch whomever invited you directly in the face and ask then how it makes them feel about your relationship, then give them a hug and take $200 from their wallet.

.02 cents

apparently the phone calls are all part of the gig.

I only went because i was invited, and wanted to see if my concerns were founded. They were, but to an extent i hadn't prepared for. I went in expecting to see some new age psychobabble, but was

Following the 3 day seminar is an evening session where the weekend participants are encouraged to bring a friend to, i presume, complete the process.

It started out innocuous enough - we're all in the same room (participants, guests, and a meepload of "volunteers" who patrol the room with some kind of robot smile looking for the lost lambs.

It progressed into several "opportunities" to register (complete with instructions on how to write your name in on the line that says, get this, "name") for the $500 weekend class.

Then the "guests" are asked to adjourn to a smaller group to talk about what the program really is about (or so they said). At this point, I had an opportunity to duck into the hotel bar while walking to the new conference room, but I decided to play along.

The smaller group consisted of a leader and 2 or 3 "volunteers" and maybe 10 guests. We were asked to fill out a workbook (what is working for you, what isnt working for you, what you want to work on (from category 2), and a couple other things. I refused to put pen to paper, but did listen while the divorcee, the out of work "actor" (I live in LA) and other misfits talked about their lifes' burdens.

I realized earlier in the evening that I had nothing in common with these people (save for the one, who I know isn't a misfit). N the smaller group, while others were brainstorming their workbook answers, I realized I like my job, I am in a healthy, communicative loving relationship, I have a great family, and I make good money. In short, I had nothing that I wanted to "work on," especially with these people.

When the smaller group got to the "registration" part (maybe the 3rd or 4th time), and the leader began explaining how to fillout the form ("What you do is you put your name in the section here that says "name") I got the meep out of there and got my beer (Blue Moon Pale Ale). As I was leaving the room, I was nearly tackled by one of the volunteers who was asked (directed?) by the leader to get me to fill out some response form. I declined.

I did fill out one form to get in the door, and I will know if they try to call me when they ask for the dog. I only wish I was better at bullmeepting and baiting. It could have been fun.

At $500 per, I think the weekend grossed these people $40-50k. Chew on that.

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Just as I feared, reminds me of Scientology's tactics.

I got the same creepy vibe when I got drug to this church. Snakes, speaking in tongues, no makeup, long strawlike hair [SHUDDER].

It was predatory, the feasting those people did on an adorable elderly couple. The little old lady was dying of cancer so everyone converged for laying of hands or something. Looking back, it was surreal.

I got dragged to one of these down in San Diego a while back. It was the most boring and blatant money grab I've ever seen. Some family I was with signed up and wasted a few thousand instantly. Good times.