Many New Age concepts have mainstreamed by being presented as self-improvement instruction taught in business seminars, universities, government, and prisons. Due to their use of neutral language and disguise of spiritual concepts as scientfic, these have multiplied and spread far beyond their original audiences.
These programs are fueled by testimonials, clever marketing, and promises of success. One example is the Silva Method, also known as Silva Mind Control, Silva Dynamics, and similar names. Behind the glitz of media and success stories lurks a New Age and occult spirituality that can bring spiritual, emotional, and/or mental damage due to the belief system at its heart.
The idea is that who you think you are is not actually who you are, but is a construct. This supposedly opens the way for one to be free and construct a “new you.” But this is a classic cult technique also found in New Age and other esoteric teachings. Keep in mind that Erhard, the founder of Landmark (originally est), had been involved in Scientology, one of the most quintessential cults in existence and masters at mind manipulation, as well as being influenced by Zen Buddhism.
The message that staying in your head is a bad thing is done to provoke emotional or even irrational responses. Teaching that you are thinking too much or in your head too much is a maneuver to undermine logical or clear thinking . This idea of thinking too much or that you should get out of your head is found throughout the teachings of cult leaders, Eastern spiritual beliefs, mysticism, the New Age, New Thought, and even in the Star Wars franchise. This is a ploy to downgrade critical thinking, an indispensable tactic for speakers like Robbins, cults, and belief systems that are by nature against the true God.
First written June, 2003. Updated October, 2023 The Human Potential Movement and related teachings are based on human-centered psychology, much of it stemming from Abraham Maslow, his ‘heirarchy of […]