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Werner Erhard, est founder with Bucky Fuller
Years ago, I was very involved with est and Landmark as this potent cultural icon of an organization made a difference in millions of people's lives. Now, with a click we can take a virtual trip back to the future where we can experience the heritage of much of today's personal growth training.
In 1979, my friend introduced me to "The Training" as the core est course was known. Although the closest est Training to my home in Minneapolis was a ten hour drive away in Chicago, I decided I wanted this secret yet unique experience. So, for two weekends in a row I drove to Chicago so that I could be locked in a hotel room for 16 to 18 hours per day with no watches, clocks or timepieces and no way to tell how long we were in there. If you were in one of those rooms, do you remember the joy of sitting down that first morning in your assigned seat and being told you were an asshole? Enlightenment and transformation, pure and simple.
Along with 300 other brave souls, I became very intimate with myself and other people during those two weekends of what often seemed like undiluted torture (bathroom and food breaks only when the Trainer allowed them – about every 4 to 6 hours). I later learned that technique to be classic breakdown to breakthrough similar to what I had experienced in the Army years earlier.
Then, in a moment of clarity, I decided that we should also have the est Training in Minnesota. Thus, began my intimate relationship with the est (later Landmark Education) organization, a love / hate affair that continues today.
If you want to bring back those fond memories for yourself, check out the new est website. It portrays Werner Erhard in all his breakthrough brilliance, and it reminded me of just how far I will go to create that "World that Works for Everyone" that Werner and my mentor Buckminster Fuller pushed us toward.
May we all recall our enlightened nature each and every day, and may we share that brilliance with all beings.
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Comments
having not gone through either EST or Landmark I appreciate the virtual tour....thanks prem
It was interesting to read about your experience of the est training and Landmark Forum, having done the first program 30 years ago and the second one just recently. Like you I found the est training both intense and valuable. My experience was that the Landmark Forum had ideas that came from the same place, but that all of the old restrictions were gone - the days were much shorter, you could wear a watch and nobody called you an a**hole :)
The rooms weren't locked either. Come to think of
not familiar with EST, but Landmark Education's Forum was insightful and nothing resembled the description you give of EST. No more than 3 hours at a time and full bathroom rights and availability
Werner comes from generating nothing and creates possibilities,,, most of us come from something and look for explanations ...nothing wrong with that, just explainations dont give alot of juice.
So what is there for us younger lot today? Where has our est gone? Is it just the Landmark Education? I feel slightly cheated out of something... as unreal as it is!
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