From One Cult To Another...

[Botched Programming]

Please stop it already. And what exactly is the relevance? Is one of the directors a former classmate of whom you are envious? Is that the reason for posting the bad reviews?

doesn't seem like its reviews or envy here, but someone went from one cult straight to another (Ramtha)?

Hell I have seen many people try to go on this quest for spiritual enlightenment and it just be another cult. Look at the "Hare Krishna" people... " Jim Jones" ( We all know what happened here )... "Charles Manson"... and the latest that I have come across is "Eckhart Tolle" with the "Power Of Now"....

It's amazing how people get on this quest for the "Holy Grail" exploring some type of so called spirituality that is no more than a step away from "Worshiping false gods" ( ::hehehmm:: )

Ron L Hubbard and Bob Dobbs with their scientology getting rich.... I think we need to start our own religon and call ourselves "Fornit-cators"

[Jesus H Christ]

source:
http://www.beyondtheordinary.net/vandamikoloski.shtml:

What brought Vanda Mikoloski back into comedy, now 'Quantum Comedy' after teaching yoga for 9 years? The film "What The Bleep Do We Know," a suggestion by Elaine Hendrix (Jennifer in the film) Vanda’s brother Pavel Mikoloski, and L.A. comic Rick Overton, who encouraged Vanda to develop an act of her own and when she balked, told her "But you're an elder. You've got to give back to the tribe now." Pivotal words for Vanda of whom Bill Maher, a former boyfriend from her days as a comedian in New York says: "Vanda is superbly smart and funny ... funny and smart ... both of those."


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source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramtha:
There are many skeptics of Ramtha and JZ Knight's channeling abilities.

Most books regarding Ramtha and RSE come from JZK Publishing, one of the several companies started by JZ Knight. Other books somewhat sympathetic to Ramtha like Finding Enlightenment: Ramtha's School of Ancient Wisdom (See Literature section) have ties to RSE in other ways. J. Gordon Melton, the author of Finding Enlightenment, testified for J.Z. Knight in a 1992 court case against her former husband Jeffrey Knight.

Other skeptics point to Ramtha's story as proof that he does not exist. Ramtha claims to come from the continent of Lemuria and to have conquered Atlantis (which he terms as "Atlatia," which was only one of several major civilizations at his time, he claims). This is easily disputed.

James Randi, a famous skeptic, criticised J.Z. Knight for charging people $700 to attend a retreat on how to become rich and, tongue-in-cheek, suggested that the advice was likely on how to fake channelling [5].


The movie What the Bleep Do We Know!? is also a source of controversy involving Ramtha. Critics of the film describe it as pseudoscientific fiction and not the documentary it claims to be. JZ Knight appears to be "channelling" Ramtha in the film as an example of alleged connections between ancient spiritual beliefs and new discoveries in quantum physics. Two of the three directors of the film are admitted students of RSE.

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source:
Me
   Patient: "Doctor my wife thinks she is a chicken"
   Doctor:  "Send her in to see me"
   Patient:  " I would but I need the eggs"

So who is to say?  It is no more bullshit than mormanism, and we are about to get a LDS prez. ( ok maybe a little further fetched) I guess they need the eggs.



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source:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... D=58235450

Hyde School
Bath, ME
Graduated: 2006
Student status: Alumni

[Ursus]

Life's grand, eh?  Check back in another dozen years, I'm sure it'll be something else.  To be fair, it'll be something else for most of us.

But tell me, why does this sound like a commercial for a Lifespring seminar?:

About me:
Hi! I was a comic in the 80's and now, after a prolonged period of substance abuse, and an entirely-too-serious dalliance with yoga and meditation, I am back to do stand-up about what I really care about, on my terms, creating my own audiences, healing anything that ails anyone through laughter! I'm mostly just working on headaches at this point, but my goal is to restore appendages to their full glory and to have tumors, benign or malignant, melt before our eyes ... Also, anything that may be awry with your car.... Here's the deal that inspires me, especially now that I'm in Hollywood: The more agenda, the less connection. If I remove all the agenda from what I say and do and be, who would that leave me with? I'd say a Vanda who is peaceful and ebullient. My comedy is "an irreverent romp down my twisted spiritual path." Why am I talking in quotes? Come see my show- Enlighten Up!-Aha's and Ha-has w/Vanda & Friends – Spiritual/Metaphysical/Transformational/Enlightened/Conscious/Cosmic/Quantum Comedy that Inspires & Heals Feel free to check me out live at my web site: www.vanda.us. There's a video demo on there showing my schticky-schtick. I need a boyfriend who is technically adept. Did you hear the word "need"? Oh, that's attractive. I am committed to have myself watch my language, and eradicate all of the "story" from my speaking. Either we are at the source of our reality or not. The sub-atomic realm either responds to my mind or it doesn't. Jesus, I am my own little quantum life coach! If I just stopped using the word "need" everything would be transformed and my level of effectiveness would shoot off the charts. I'll start that today. How come if I practice piano everyday for decades I’m a virtuoso, but if I practice sex I’m a slut? I do practice sex a lot and I’m not getting much better at it. It’s slow going, really. My goal, my intention with my sexual practice, my “Carnegie Hall” if you will, is to reach new levels of surrender and release and intimacy and connectedness and creativity and comfort with a man such that I can walk around naked with no inhibitions in front of him. Like St. Francis of Assisi, I renounce all worldly things like clothing, attracting children and birds, and I walk in front of his family and his entire hometown at the same time telling them what I really, really think.

Who I'd like to meet:
Great, like-minded people from everywhere... Great, UN-likeminded people from everywhere... My cousin, Jesse Sykes... the wreckage I left in my wake called "old boyfriends", to whom I owe a huge apology, I am certain... Sorry, gentlemen, I was trapped in a worldview that had it easy for me to leave ... People who love comedy about freeing oneself from the human dilemma... The man of my dreams, with whom I share a big, huge, large, big house overlooking some body of water (and other houses, so we can feel superior)...I am so kidding. I ain't no golddigga ...a visionary who supports me while I be great in the world. He loves the warm, tropical storm that I am. This guy loves luxury and play and fun and ease ... because I will treat him like a king and will devote myself to his flourishing! lots of adventure ... an embarassingly intimate liason, plumbing unknown depths of connectedness... no secrets: raw, human connection ...courageous connection.... a love affair with life and with each other that has everyone around us flourish. We are an incident in human history. We have more fun washing dishes than most couples have on their honeymoon. We spend half our time doubled over in laughter. We have unprecedentedly great sex. Oh God, I said "sex". Now every juvenile little geek will ...

[Jesus H Christ]

I heard John Huston reply "I am just pimping for my baby" when Johnny Carson asked him why he was on the talk show circuit.  He had a new movie out.

  She is selling.  How many times did say sex in there?  I have to go pull out my Joni Mitchell CDs and find the song Sex Kills.  "Crazy Ions, the balance is undone.  ....The oil leaks and the gas spills and sex sells everything. Sex Kills."  There is a great Canadian for ya.

[Ursus]

You're right, now that I re-read it.  It's a cross between "This could be your life too, if only you discovered the way of the Rump-tha," and an entry in a dating service description.  

{tongue-in-cheek}The somewhat self-congratulatory tone is tempered by the obligatory AA/Narcanon opening lines:  "Hi! I was a comic in the 80's and now, after a prolonged period of substance abuse..."

Mmmm.  I wonder just what some of the moms of some of the Hyde-DC kids might think of her.  Especially the ones who have "juvenile geeks" for sons.  And who have difficulty coming up with next month's utility bill, let alone the rent.  Let's talk about a shot of reality here.

[Jesus H Christ]

I had a ski instructor that humped the Rumptha.  He was pretty good.  Visualization, belief and confidence in your self: it works.   There is truth in the power of positive thinking stuff.  There are limits.  I don't think the miners in Utah can visualize their way out.  Attitude, while a chief determinate of your success in many situations, will not get the miners to the surface.  Of all the one line nostrums from the gurus the one I like best is Forest Gump's assertion that, "Life is like a box of chocolates."  I like to sit on Forrest's bench when I am in Savannah and look up at the IPC steeple for falling feathers.

[Ursus]

Visualization, belief and confidence in your self: it works. There is truth in the power of positive thinking stuff.

Oh, sure...  It worked quite well for Nixon.  Wonder about all the other people that "confidence" affected.

[Jesus H Christ]

Oddly he is a good example of some one that was able to bend reality.  He ran on "Peace with honor" and gave us war.  Something on the order of 42 thousand Americans lost their lives on his watch.  But it all came back on him.  You have to be careful with the Arts. That VooDoo that you do may turn to dodo all over you.

  If you factor out the War he was a great president but he will be remembered as a smuck.  Ditto for LBJ.

[Ursus]

Oddly he is a good example of some one that was able to bend reality.  He ran on "Peace with honor" and gave us war.  Something on the order of 42 thousand Americans lost their lives on his watch.  But it all came back on him.  You have to be careful with the Arts. That VooDoo that you do may turn to dodo all over you.

  If you factor out the War he was a great president but he will be remembered as a smuck.  Ditto for LBJ.

No "oddly" about it.  He's as good an example as we have that is far enough in the past to dampen current political loyalties, but close enough to the present to tickle some recognition in the brain cells.

Talk about "{v}isualization, belief and confidence in your self" to the degree that the crescendo drowned out all reality all the way up to the presidency and beyond.  The "peace" and "honor" dichotomy did more towards slandering the English language than generations of ghetto talk ever could.

Kind of reminds me of someone else we both know, ha!

[lucy]

Could you please tell me what this has to do with Hyde School?  If we are talking about Cults and Hyde School why don't we talk about how much Hyde is like a Cult?  Joe Gauld is not doubt the spriritual leader of this Cult and is just as toxic as Jim Jones or any other Cult Leader.  Hyde has it's followers who are mostly weak and lost souls including the parents who attend.  I remember one family in particular who is so attached to Hyde in the most perverted and sick way.  They were trying so hard to turn their entire body over to Hyde if Joe Gauld would accept them into his arms.  Very sad case but very typical.  Not sure that Malcolm is any better but guess time will tell when the old man is gone.

[Ursus]

Could you please tell me what this has to do with Hyde School?  If we are talking about Cults and Hyde School why don't we talk about how much Hyde is like a Cult?  Joe Gauld is not doubt the spriritual leader of this Cult and is just as toxic as Jim Jones or any other Cult Leader.  Hyde has it's followers who are mostly weak and lost souls including the parents who attend.  I remember one family in particular who is so attached to Hyde in the most perverted and sick way.  They were trying so hard to turn their entire body over to Hyde if Joe Gauld would accept them into his arms.  Very sad case but very typical.  Not sure that Malcolm is any better but guess time will tell when the old man is gone.

Well, Lucy... yes, I do agree with you that Hyde is a cult.  Moreover, I also feel that Gauld is a megalomaniac -- not dissimilar to the former president discussed immediately above -- in his self-aggrandizing and reality-defying quest for personal power.  Clearly I am not attempting to draw comparisons on the basis of scale of damage.  But they are beasts of similar hue.

As to the rationale for this thread, "From One Cult to Another," the first few posts are discussions or reviews or whatever of a film called "What The Bleep," which a former Hyde student was and probably still is involved with.  The film is basically an extremely long and involved advertisement for a cult called Ramptha, with which this student has been involved with for quite some time.  This student's sister also became involved with this cult and, apparently, has also been involved with Landmark, which certainly carries a cult label around here (not to mention on the Rick Ross site).

It certainly raises the question, eh?, of whether there is something about the "teachings" of Hyde which primed these kids to go this route so thoroughly.  We are not talking about a brief dalliance, but more along the order of a decade, perhaps longer in the case of the brother.

It also raises the question of Hyde's possible approval of this involvement, as the sister just received her diploma last summer, having gone back and given a speech to the community as to why she should deserve it (ordinarily her graduation year would have been 1976, if I am not mistaken).

-----------------------------

Can you tell us any more about this family you mention?  How were they so attached to Hyde?

Many years ago, I ran into a single mother clerking in a hardware store who, for no reason that I can imagine, as we were total strangers, began telling me her recent life story as if she were on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  Apparently she was working several jobs, all to support the financial needs of her son and the school he was attending... HYDE!... "And they need so much, they have such an important job... we as parents... the family meetings..."  She looked like she was about to burst into tears.  I had blanched the minute she said the name of that nemesis.  If I didn't get out of there immediately, I was going to hurl my lunch.  So I left in rather a hurry and did not hear the rest of her story.  But the look on her face has haunted me to this day.  She was desperate, desperate for me to understand whatever she was going through.  Always felt like I had completely let this stranger down.  But back then, I just couldn't deal with it.

[Jesus H Christ]

Could you please tell me what this has to do with Hyde School?

  Vanda's recent graduation leaves me with questions about Hyde. Does Hyde endorse Knight/Ramtha?  Did Hyde just not know about Paul and Vanda's involvement and if so doesn't that belie Hyde's self proclaimed value of  diploma if they are willing to give them out with out even a cursor background search.
  I am really a live and let live kind of guy and I don't want to seem judgmental, but the Ramtha thing really does smell kind of culty and an odd cult at that.  With that said if that is what does it for you it is still mostly a free republic, go for it.  Hyde holds itself up as a paragon of virtue, I am not sure how being involved in something like that squares with the Hyde ideals. So Like I said: questions.  
  While the hydies pursue this forum I know it is below their standard to reply here, so I know no answer will be forthcoming.

yours ever so egocentrically

JoeSoulBro

[Ursus]

from the Autumn 2006 edition of the Alumni News:



My name is Vanda Mikoloski and I want to share with you my experience at Hyde and the transformational journey that took me back there 29 years later to graduate.

I went to Hyde in the summer of 1974 at age 15, right after my brother Bryan, the love of my life, died in a drug-related accident.  I was a sensitive and confused kid, from a Polish-"American dream" family.  My dad was a doctor, and my mom was a nurse; we were privileged and deeply unhappy.

When I went to visit my brother Paul (Pavel) during his summer school, Lynn Thurrell interviewed me.  I wanted whatever they were talking about more than anything in the world:  that some elusive "spirit" within me would be honored and not just the external trappings of success.

I was enchanted and intrigued by Joe Gauld, his hair and spit flying, face reddening as he yelled about this or that.  My God--he cared.  I had never witnessed an adult 100% impassioned by a dream.

These were perhaps the most turbulent, ambitious, and media-attended times at Hyde.  We were in our adolescence as a school.  There were consequences of that ambition, and oversights and mistakes made with the kids.  There were times when I felt that I did not have a friend in the world who I could talk to who wouldn't "nail" me.  I lost friends who were more "leaders" than I was.

Deeply unhappy, I ran away from Hyde, notwithstanding the warning "If you ever run away from Hyde, you'll never make it in life, because you're running away from yourself."  I was planning to go to Oklahoma, as we had done the musical, and I wanted anonymity more than anything.  I wanted no one to expect anything of me and to get fat and have a big, dumb boyfriend with a guitar who was happy sitting on a porch with me.  That's what I wanted at the time:  a Rodgers and Hammerstein production of a life.

When my dad died in a car accident in 1977, I returned to Hyde briefly and then ran away a second time, this time to New York City, because I wanted to be "Afro Latina."  Again, this didn't work out for me.  I would lie in my flophouse and listen to arguments through the thin walls.  I would listen to Billie Holiday and cry about the shambles I had made of my "unique potential."  I would pray to my brother and my father, thinking they could guide me, and felt profound despair when I got no response.  I was all alone in this world.

Eventually my dear family helped me back to college, and I soon found stand-up comedy and fell in love with it.  I developed a risky little act inspired by all the most rebellious comedians of that era.  I also developed a few substances abuse issues, always anesthetizing myself rather than visiting the morass of discomfort and sadness within me.

I hated Hyde.  I blamed them.  Then, I became ambivalent, and would just roll my eyes whenever I got mail from them.  It wasn't until six years ago, when I became very interested in "checking in" rather than "checking out," that I realized the power that my forgiveness could have.

I am convinced that all the world's woes boil down to being right and making the other guy wrong.  Through Landmark Education, various spiritual teachings, yoga, and meditation, I began to see that if I truly wanted to be a peace activist, if would have something to do with how peaceful I am with everyone in my life, rather than how well I build a case against them.  Being "right" has never made a difference.  It is my understanding that a "master" has the humility to surrender his own precious perspective long enough to stand in the other guy's shoes.

With the incessant support of Gail Kelly, I began to see that I could find resolution and completion about my Hyde experience.  Gail would just listen as I talked.  She never tried to get me to see anything or to drop my anger.  I felt heard.  I decided to put the past in the past and to open up to the love that is there underneath it all.

And so much love there was, and is.  Pavel surprised me by flying in from Seattle.  Seeing old friends and making new ones was delicious.  I had the opportunity to speak to Bob Thurrell, whom I adored, to let him know what a huge heartbreak it was for me when he left school.  I was able to mourn the loss of my friend Michelle Correa.  Talking through my feelings with Margo Calvetti, Bob Slawson, Robbie Schuller, Spencer Garrett, my old sweetheart Tommy Baez and many others had me look even more closely:  Is there a chance that I had been arrogant, spoiled, and difficult?  Nah, that couldn't be; or maybe...

Putting together a show with one rehearsal was so sweet.  And, we rocked.  I flirted outrageously with all the single guys and some of the married ones.  I had some serious sober fun with these men and women in their 40s who are like brothers and sisters to me.  And what great resources we are for each other!  

The graduation ceremony was a chance for me to honor my dad, my family, Joe Gauld's vision, my life, and the others who were there that day to graduate with me.  It was a high point of the weekend for many and it was a high point of my life.

I love my life and I am devoted to my career as a "quantum comic" now, doing stand-up comedy at conferences and "New Thought" churches and metaphysical centers about stuff that matters to me with the intention to inspire people through laughter and honesty.  You can see a clip of my funny work at www.vanda.us.

I missed those of you who were not there from my era.  I invite any of you who feel animosity or ambivalence about your Hyde experience to contact me at www.vanda.us for the opportunity to be heard.  I also invite you to consider visiting Hyde, making peace, and sharing in the love that awaits you there.  Please join me in 2008.

[Anne Bonney]

The more I read about Joe Gauld and Hyde the more it reminds me of Straight and Miller Newton.  Seems Joe had more ideas of getting into mainstream schools though.  Miller's had a few followers for years.  Poor Lulu Corter was with him from the age of 13 - 26.  A few of them showed up at a hearing some of us went to a few years back.  Newt was trying to start up a church in his neighborhood where he "counsels" young people and provides "spiritual retreat"  :roll:  and a bunch of us (and his neighbors) showed up to speak against him/the church.  The looks on those kids' faces almost brought me to my knees.  Vacant and angry at the same time with absolute blind devotion to their leader.  It was so frightening yet so familiar.  Scary stuff.




Did you guys read the comments underneath the video?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwD7Ph1FN3E

 paulagloria  (3 months ago)  
you know it is so annoying when people don't watch the vids they then have the nerve to comment on. Ramtha does not believe in karma. He says that the soul takes on certain challenges in the hopes of owning the experience and bringing it back to the soul as wisdom. Unfinished challenges then get passes into the next body. Hardly Hindu my friend.


tjfnee88  (3 months ago)  
You're a dumb cunt aren't you? This is almost entirely hindu silly bitch. Too bad you know nothing of india or silly indian beliefs. Here's a test; why doesn't fraud? woman give us the exact location of atlantis? I've seen your other videos paula; you just need to get laid and lay off the anti-depressants. That way you can get back in touch with reality. By the way, you know absolutely shit about quantum physics. Moron.


 paulagloria  (3 months ago)
OK I'll agree my other vids do deal with Hinduism. I didn 't know you watched a lot of my stuff. So you want me to take drugs to get in touch with reality? humm-m-m Sounds like a great topic for a show. thanks for stopping by


 rbairos1   (1 month ago)  
Okay Ive watched this vid. Its scientifically offensive. Growing a tooth is not medically impossible. It happens. In fact, researchers in Canada recently patented a simple device to speed the process. Calling a tooth growing "miraculous" is dishonest. (cont)


 paulagloria  (1 month ago)  
woah! you mean youjust watched THIS vid for the first time? Michael Ellner did not talk about growing teeth THAT was the one I wanted you to see. Can you call me directly 212-982-0021 and not take so much attention away from this vid (so we use this forum to address the topics that Pavel brings up) OK?

[Ursus]

Well, here you have it folks, in print and on the Hyde website...  Quoted from Vanda's piece in the above Alumni publication:

I am convinced that all the world's woes boil down to being right and making the other guy wrong. Through Landmark Education, various spiritual teachings, yoga, and meditation, I began to see that if I truly wanted to be a peace activist, if would have something to do with how peaceful I am with everyone in my life, rather than how well I build a case against them. Being "right" has never made a difference. It is my understanding that a "master" has the humility to surrender his own precious perspective long enough to stand in the other guy's shoes.

I love my life and I am devoted to my career as a "quantum comic" now, doing stand-up comedy at conferences and "New Thought" churches and metaphysical centers about stuff that matters to me with the intention to inspire people through laughter and honesty. You can see a clip of my funny work at www.vanda.us.[/list]
The "quantum comic" refers to her work inspired by and related to the "What the Bleep" Ramptha commercial.