--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Ann" <awoelflebater@...> wrote: > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "seekliberation" <seekliberation@> > > wrote: > > > > > > ahhh, the whole sterling men's group cult that started back in the 90's. > > > I remember that whole thing (I think it's still going). I ended up going > > > to the 'weekend seminar' that is the basis of the whole group. It's > > > actually valuable if you've been raised like a modern american male > > > (irresponsible, immature, unable to transition from boyhood to manhood, > > > etc...). The whole weekend is about a lot of things, but primarily what > > > I got out of it is a view of how weak and pathetic men are becoming > > > decade after decade in America. It was a kind of eye-opening experience > > > for me, and i'm thankful for it. Othwerwise, I do believe I would've > > > continued in life with a lot of perpetual abandonment of responsibility > > > and growth that is often justified by modern American males to avoid > > > altogether. > > > > > > However, the whole sterling men's group turned into a 'cult within a > > > cult'. Not only were the men from Fairfield mostly meditators, but now > > > they're a part of another new 'paradigm-shifting' group. I found that a > > > lot of the men in that group were doing a lot of superficial things that > > > were just NOT a part of their character. It was usually to display some > > > masculinity or manliness. There were so many of them that would all of a > > > sudden try acting tough, though they never were tough their entire life. > > > The intensity of their recruiting efforts was borderline psychotic. I > > > honestly believe that only a sociopath could remain in that group without > > > any serious conflict with others. Many men who were part of it > > > eventually drifted away due to the same perceptions that I had of it. > > > However, we all agreed it (the weekend seminar) changed our lives for the > > > better. > > > > > > The funny part about it is that eventually the Head Honcho of all > > > nationwide Sterling groups (Justin Sterling) made an executive decision > > > to disband the group from Fairfield from being an official representation > > > of the 'Sterling Men's Group'. I'm not sure why, but I think that the > > > leader of the whole gig felt that something was seriously wrong with the > > > men's group from Fairfield in comparison to other groups in the rest of > > > the nation. He was probably right. A lot of these men were fanatics > > > about TM, or some other form of spirituality or new-agism. And if you > > > take someone like that and latch them onto another belief system, it's > > > like the fanatacism goes through the roof. > > > > > > All that being said, I do agree that the weekend has changed some > > > people's lives, but I would strongly recommend avoiding the group > > > activities that come afterward (unless you really enjoy it). It was a > > > major pain in the ass when I announced to the group that I didn't want > > > anything to do with them anymore. It's worse than trying to tell a > > > military recruiter that you changed your mindÂ…..literally. > > > > > > seekliberation > > > > > > > Dear Seek, > > Thanks, good post chronicling historic late 20th Century Fairfield > > sociology. Good insight. > > > > Yeah, Richard in an earlier post had a good observation about this. > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Richard J. Williams" wrote: > > According to Lifton, cults are a form of 'totalism' and coercive 'thought > > reform'. > > > > evidently it still is alive in Fairfield. > > Fairfield is a veritable breeding ground for these kinds of things. What is > it about the soil and climate, Buck, that encourages such vegetative > flourishing (bad metaphor)? I would love to see a comprehensive list of all > the 'teachers', spiritual guides, leaders of healing movements, healers > themselves, enablers, channels, talkers, enlightened folk, celestial city > constructors, seers, prophesizers, pundits, avatars and whatever else there > might be that lurk in the back alleys off the town square. Anyone care to > make a list? >
It's in the spiritual experience of the place. If not spiritual then you wouldn't appreciate it. If spiritual then this place is Mecca. Awoe, you should view the Fairfield Weekly Reader this week. There's an incredible number of spiritual people advertised for meetings and consults coming up in the next few weeks. There has been a Fairfield Directory of Active Spiritual Practice Groups but I don't think the Men back in those days ever made it in to it. -Buck in the Dome Share? I want to be ready when I come for a visit to book my first week's itinerary and make sure I cover at least 10% of what there is to offer there. > > (Now all you FF dwellers, this was meant as a JOKE. Feste, let's meet at the > Carnegie Library, the one that still stands upright when I arrive and then > perhaps a tea at Cafe Paradiso?) > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "seventhray27" <steve.sundur@> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I am guessing that this is carry over from the "Mens" movement thing > > > > from some time ago. Was it Sterling, or something? I guess I could > > > > look it up. But I remember someone from Fairfield, put one of my good > > > > friends from here in St. Louis to recruit me, or invite me to > > > > participate or something. It was awkward for him, and it was awkward > > > > for me. But the Fairfield guy employed all the high pressure tactics > > > > you use to sell something. My friend and I were at my house and the FF > > > > guy was doing his thing on the phone. But then, as now, I didn't care > > > > to get recruited to a new group. > > > > > > > > And truthfully, I still have resentment for that guy for his blatant > > > > manipulation. He just wouldn't take no for an answer. > > > > > > > > Who knows, maybe I could have benefited from it. > > > > > > > > > >
