You may remember, the two of us talked about my experience in NATLFED: 1976 to 2003.

I am interested in your research project. I am troubled by persistent thoughts about my experience.

I have daily to 2-4 times/ weekly thoughts about my 24/7 “cadre” life, after leaving in 2003. I have benefited from weekly counseling sessions ongoing since 2003 or 2004. I have eliminated depression symptoms through a combination of an anti-depressant, now at sub-therapeutic levels and daily use of a specific program of dietary supplements, developed by Dr. Marty Hinz: http://www.neuroassist.com.

Thanks,
Eric

This post was mentioned on Twitter by 1person: @jmknapp53 Thnx 4 the link 2 Janja Lalich’s blog~ http://bit.ly/7D8WoM ~that U postd @MyExodusBlog ’s blog. I never knew it existed! #cults…

It really helps to talk to people who are normally not involved in your business. They can give you a very clear picture on what’s happening….

I found it via a link from a comment John Knapp, LMSW, left on another blog. Janja, I didn’t know you had a blog until I clicked his link. I was thrilled to discover it! I now have it linked in the resources side links on my blog. Thank you!!

I have read two of your books and have recommended them to others as well as mentioned them on my own blog. Your insights and exercises have been helpful and empowering. John Knapp’s work also has been an incredible service to me. I hired John about 1-1/2 years after leaving the cult in which I was involved. I was involved for 28 years with The Way International. I joined at age 18 in 1977 and left at age 46 in 2005.

If you (or others) are interested, I have another blog besides the one linked with my name above. It is a transcription of one of my journals of when I was involved in the in-residence leadership training program with The Way. That program is know as The Way Corps. Transcribing that journal was quite an exercise in realizing the depth of indoctrination and doctrine over person. Here is the link, if interested: http://soulfeet.wordpress.com/

Thank you again Dr. Lalich! Keep up the great work. It is making a difference.

In hope,
~carol welch

PS: Someone also posted you article on FB in one the FB groups, “Cults.”
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2211301939&topic=13871

What we do is going against our emotions by cultivating new ideas & habits of thinking.

eg instead of regarding myself as the most important person in the world I will meditate that others are equally as important as myself.

So what happens is 1st whn I try to see others as important it will be very flimsy intellectual & artificial. My normal way of thinking will keep coming up so I will be alternating between the 2 viewpoints. Because the viewpoint I want isnt instinctive I will have to generate an intellectual viewpoint to make decisions. This slows me down. Also because Im relying on intellect rather than instinct i’m less ‘grounded’ ie slower to react & an airhead. This is my idea of where the space case mentality is coming from.

Then there is the danger of training to think a certain way. If your faith is damaged at some point all the artificial ways of thinking will come to be doubted eg doubting god exists. it that point your intellectual system collapses and you experience a great deal of disorientation & guilt feelings about returning to following your more primal instincts such as ‘take care of number 1′ ‘other people dont matter’ etc

Thats my understanding of the problems that can come from meditation. the way I deal with it is I only take on beliefs & train in thinking that accords with everyday life. Thinking that is reliable regardless of if Buddha is a fake or true. And the main thing I do is try to understand deep down so it isnt intellectual. I go out every day & check the views im developing work in the real world with everyday people & circumstances. I know a lot of people who feel the ideas they are training in degenerate when they leave the buddhist monasteries & spend time with people who believe there is nothing after death. building a beliefsystem that is so fragile that it cannot stand up in a bar or a casino is bound to lead to feelings of disorientatiion & mental health issues as you feel the beliefs (the ground on which you stand) shaking beneath you.

What do you think let me know

Thank you.

Thank you.