| Author | Message | ||
     Anonymous (65.66.62.208) |
At the ripe age of 14, I was thrown into a "12 step" spiritual cult (ontheemmis.com) known nationally as ICECAP for roughly 1-1 1/2 years. I've left and moved on a wiser person. I've started schooling recently at an institution in St. Louis called "The Healing Arts Center" which provides training and licensing for massage therapy. I'm learning a lot, but my best judgement cannot separate weather it's my sensitivity to cults (givin my past experience) or true red-flags that are making me question weather this school falls into the cult classification. After school today, a classmate of mine and I were catching up before parting for the day as she suggested similar skeptisism. We discussed what we'd noticed about the program so far that made us uneasy (ritualistic breating/meditation rituals, abstract energy cleansing techniques and suggestions to smile more to "aid breating"). I wouldn't say that the program so far falls specificlly into the BITE Mind Control layout, as did the ICECAP program with which I was involved in when I was a youth, but I have limited information and support on the subject other than the internet. If anyone can tell me resources, websites or personal experience/knowledge concerning cults having to do with Massage Therapy programs, Eastern Medicine, Pranic Healing or "new age" medicine (I suppose this case would fall into either catagory), please fill me in. Thanks, Caige Caige18@yahoo.com | ||
| Val (217.157.116.107) |
Hi Caige I'm a massage therapist and have been working professionally as such for the past 14 years. I did my training at a very down-to-earth college (for massage and beauty therapy) in England, that had a very business oriented and somewhat clinical approach to massage therapy. I live and work in Denmark now. Throughout the 14 years I have been practicing I have met a lot of people working in that service area generally known as *alternative therapy*, and they are prone to very new agey interests. I think part of it being that working therapeutically with clients is quite demanding, it takes a lot out of you. So I find that therapists generally, my self included, are looking for ways to strenghten ourselves so that we can become better, stronger therapists that don't 'burn out'. I am a practical woman so I strenghten myself through practical sensible means. I do this by eating well, sleeping a lot, taking exercise, doing fun stuff in my sparetime, and most importantly for me, only accepting clients that I genuinely like and want to treat. Other therapists I know keep themselves going by more esoteric means, you know, superstition and belief in "power gadgets" and healing water, whatever. A snake oil type of boost to feel fit-for-fight. Also, a natural pre-occupation with the body gives many massage therapists an interest in yoga, martial arts and chi gong, and some of those schools can be cult-related. I speak from my own experience aswell, having looked into these disciplines as exercises. I have often wondered about the very question you are posing, because I have certainly come across a lot of people in alternative therapy, that were in cults, or on their way in or out of one. Many therapists certainly have a mind prone to become cultic, through their superstitions and ideas of perfection(perfect health). Also many therapists are very empathic people that want to help humankind, and cults - at least on the surface - appear to have the same goal. So many things speak for a happy union between cults and therapists...except for one thing. I have noticed that therapists are very fickle and superficial in their love for a new gadget/breathing Technique/healing oil whatever. The only thing that endures is the need itself, but the interest in a specific item quickly wanes as next week a new meditation technique/healing chrystal/herbal infusion is the latest craze. And likewise with their involvements in cultic type environments; last week it was NLP, this week it's reiki, next week it's...who knows. I doubt very much that your college per se is a cult or even directly related to one, but the teachers there, or students, may be involved in cults. Or be prone to it through the reasons mentioned above. Just be smart and use your common sense and you'll be just fine ! I work very successfully, through 14 years now, without an ounce of alternative focus. In fact, I emphasize a common sense approach to the body and mind in dealing with my clients. Proper breathing techniques can be an asset to yourself and your clients because it helps promote relaxation for the muscles and gives space for the intestines to move. Sensible, practical, not magical. But find out what works for you and what values are necessary for you to implement in order to respect yourself as a therapist. I respect myself and my clients by not selling them any 'snake oil' or other new age fad that they don't need. And by being a good massage therapist, off course :-) I hope you enjoy your work as a massagetherapist and I wish you all the best. Rgds, V | ||
| Anonymous (66.81.153.48) |
Well,as you obviously know now, anything having to do with the '12 Steps' is a cult, so you got THAT part right. good luck | ||
| brightman73 (brightman73) New member Username: brightman73 Post Number: 7 Registered: 4-2005 Posted From: 65.1.78.86 |
Well, I get a massage every other week. My therapist is a Reiki Master and she does use it in our session. She also does a polarity thing and uses hot stones. I think massages are so good for one's body. But, having a good therapist is very important. One who listens and honors your needs. | ||
| carlota (carlota) Intermediate Member Username: carlota Post Number: 415 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 24.193.161.248 |
I realize I am a bit late to this discussion but, for what it is worth..... I would go out on a limb and say to the original, anonymous poster of this thread that if it looks like a cult, feels like a cult, thinks like a cult, well, perhaps it is. One of my very good friends went to a massage therapy school in the early nineties and it operated very much on the thin and blurry line that separates the commonly accepted "new age thinking" from cultic thinking. What is important here is how YOU feel. Free will is key. I believe there are degrees of cultic thinking. Others might disagree with me. My friend who went to a massage school in the south actually had to be physically removed from the school after her health was in question and she had cut off relations with friends and family who were not in the school. I think many new age practices walk a fine line in their teachings. The school my friend went to was also known for imposing both physical and spiritual "cleansing" techniques, dietary resticitions and some forms of thought control. My friend took on an increasingly blank stare before dropping all her "non-school friends". These were huge red flags to her friends and family. BTW, after she left that school she took a couple years to get back to herself but eventually found a very good massage school and is now a successful massage therapist. | ||
| considered (considered) New member Username: considered Post Number: 1 Registered: 5-2005 Posted From: 211.26.193.94 |
Well, I have some direct experience with the pranic healing (especially the secret "Arhatic Yoga") organisation. Here's my observations about this organisation: - sworn to secrecy - absolutist control of the charasmatic leader - deliberate manipulation of humiliation, fear and guilt - leader has audacious and uncheckable "spiritual credentials" - leader's "benevolent" revelation of "never before shared secret knowledge" - the only way to enlightenment (and your development will go backwards if you leave) - forbidden to question the moving targe teachings (well, thinking for yourself is "pride" after all) - superiority to all other forms of spiritually is extoled - more secrets than you can poke a stick at - an amazing "tithing" justification - appeals to fear of not being enlightened - demands stereotyped behaviour - plays on feelings of inadequacy - encourages relinquishment of personal responsibility (the "Master" has the answers to all things, and therefore you do not need to think for yourself...) - restricts independent action - anyone who disagrees with the "truth" is labelled as "unevolved" (and by the way, only the "chosen" will be worthy of the "Masters" blessings...) - demands obedience to authority instead of individual conscience - absurdly concerned with secrecy and preventing outside discussion (to attend an Arhatic teaching, you MUST sign a statement saying that you will never discuss the techings...) - fosters a sense of powerless through humiliation and fear (you can save 200 lifetimes of spiritual growth, but if you leave, you will go backwayrds 50 lifetimes...) - the leader is openly breaking with virtually all othher traditions, and is offering not only the ONLY viable system for spiritual growth, but the fastest - leader is self-appointed claiming to have a special mission in life (oh, and by the way, is a business-man who is well versed in the business world's methods of phychological coersion...) - leader centres veneration upon himself - organisation is authoritarian in its power structure - independent thinking is absolutely not acceptable | ||
| student New member Username: student Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 217.146.245.165 |
Hi all! nude massage | ||
| fullofquestions Junior Member Username: fullofquestions Post Number: 38 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 70.57.32.25 |
What tha? |
