the concept of flow is well known in psychology. Cults offer instant flow but it's a deception. Flow can only be achieved by experience. There are no short cuts to competence only to euphoria and dissociation. A fascinating discussion with leading expert Joe Szimhart.Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's TED talkJoe’s short video on flow

In Opening Our Minds, Jon wrote about an outburst of mass sociogenic illness or mass hysteria in Chechnyan schools. Almost a hundred pupils thought they'd been poisoned by the Russians. It took two years for them all to be released from hospital as a cognitive therapist helped them to understand the condition.History has seen many examples of the madness of crowds - the Salem Witch Trials or those described by Huxley in The Devils of Loudon (filmed as The Devils), but are all human groups to some extent carriers of crazy ideas?Dr Moffic brings his lifetime as a therapist and his experience as a social psychiatrist to bear on the question.buy Jon's book, Opening Our Minds: Avoiding Abusive Relationships and Authoritarian GroupsMore on gender in JudaismSee Jon on Ladbible Jon is deeply indebted to Khapta Akhmedova for her painstaking help with this chapter. For a detailed account of mass hysteria, see Aldous Huxley, The Devils of Loudon, which was the basis for Ken Russell’s stylish film, The Devils. Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, deals with the Salem witch trials and is also available in two film versions.

As a child, Pamela was on the maiden voyage of L. Ron Hubbard's flagship. Aboard ship, she studied alongside the younger Hubbard kids. She tells the remarkable story of her teenage years working at the first Celebrity Center in LA, and how her mother was driven into psychosis by Scientology's upper levels. Her father, despite years as a dedicated staff member, died from multiple sclerosis. Even though she left decades ago and has lived a fulfilling life, she realizes the profound impact Ron Hubbard had on her life.Links:Pamela's websiteand visit her on Instagram and TikTok

The most popular languages by native speakersand by total number of speakers

he deficits and benefits of the human potential movement. Anne worked with Werner Erhard for years and saw his tyrannical behaviour up close. Do large group awareness trainings (LGATs) lead to transformation or breakdown? Anne talks about the value of Jon's Opening Our Minds in understanding the tricks and traps of these influential groups. How Scientology affected all of these groups and the way that euphoria readily trumps reason. How feelings of knowing lead us to irrational behaviour and the frequent contradictions in the teachings of Ron Hubbard and Werner Erhard. Includes discussion of Scientology secret 'implant station' teachings.

The International School of Temple Arts (ISTA) utilizes the Large Group Awareness Training (LGAT) model. It focuses on sexual intimacy with the promise of spiritual transformation. Cara gives a fascinating account of her eight-year marriage to a one-on-on guru, who claimed to be descended from both Mesmer and Gurdjieff. She then relates her intriguing experiences with ISTA which breaks down sexual barriers as an LGAT. Cara now questions the ethics and possible negative consequences of ISTA as well as ISTA's refusal to take responsibility for those consequences or change practices that can have harmful consequences. Dave has a long experience of LGATs. They are part of a discussion about the ethics and efficacy of LGATs and are in discussion with others who have worked as trainers to see if there is an ethical framework in which group encounter can be safely and productively applied.Links:Korean Mock "Funerals" for a better lifeIra Chaleff's work on Courageous Followership and Intelligent DisobedienceLippman's Socrates for Six-Year-OldsMore on the Bear-Fedio indexMore on Decult

Jeff Hawkins was in Scientology for 40 years. In the 1980s, he created the project that put Modern Science of Mental Health back on the bestseller list. He abandoned all of Hubbard's ideas about marketing to do this. Jeff gives many insights into the true nature of Scientology management. He worked directly for David Miscavige and, like many others, was physically assaulted by him. Jeff runs a recovery group in Portland, Oregon.Links:survey of public perception of ScientologyJon's paper, Possible Origins for Dianetics and Scientology

Anne ran Landmark approved seminars for many years. She witnessed the return of Werner Erhard and often worked with him. Her fascinating book Is This a Cult? details the first phase of her own recovery. est and Landmark contain much that is familiar to Scientologists and survivors of Mind Dynamics, Subud, Silva Mind Control from which Erhard appropriated ideas. A deep dive into the twists and turns of est, the Forum, Landmark and large group awareness training with many surprises along the way.links:Buy Anne's bookAnne's Instagramfor more on Steven Hassan's Influence Continuumex-Scientology KidsSeek Safely Jon's paper, Possible Origins of Dianetics and Scientologydownload your own Predator Poster heremore on the work of Ira Chaleffmore about the Bear-Fedio index

Madame Blavatsky's close confederate Dr Franz Hartmann was a point of origin for both Nazi Aryan Race theory and Hubbard's Scientology. He co-founded the Ordo Templi Orientis, the 'sex magick' group later headed by 'the wickedest man in the world' Aleister Crowley. Hubbard plundered Crowley's teachings to create Scientology.#scientologycult #scientology #theosophy #crowley #blavatsky #lronhubbard

Authoritarian cults like Scientology use loaded language to restrict and control thinking. Spike joins Jon for a discussion of this and some of the vital ways in which language is used to bypass reasoning.#scientologycult #scientology #lronhubbard #dianetics

Links:The appendix to Orwell's 1984The Hubbard "Zimbabwe" interviewJon's paper, "Scientology: Religion or Intelligence Agency?"More about the Bear Fedio IndexThe hospital scene in Star Trek IVSpike's open letter to the media relations director of LegolandSpike's love of Lego made manifest

award-winning psychiatrist Steve Moffic discusses the potential crisis in the US and Scientology's war on psychiatry. Steve criticises the pharmaceutical bias of psychiatry, while defending the proper use of medicines. Both the US and the UK have struggled with understaffing for the treatment of mental disorders. Steve and Jon talk about the drift from a caring society into social media doomscrolling; the benefits of sleep and proper nutrition.Please put any questions for Steve's next chat with Jon in the comments section. Steve loves to answer questions! (Podcast listeners, please go to our YouTube to leave comments; for some reason Spotify does not "support comments in [your] region"....Links:Scientology vs Psychiatry latest newsThe brain problems experienced by King Charles Spaniels Jon Stewart on the pharmaceutical industry