NAFPS Forum

General => Frauds => Topic started by: educatedindian on April 28, 2008, 12:46:33 pm

Title: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: educatedindian on April 28, 2008, 12:46:33 pm
The long needed topic. Here's background on them.

------------
http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2007/04/12/castaneda/index3.html
In the late '80s, perhaps because book sales had slowed, or perhaps because he no longer feared media scrutiny, Castaneda sought to expand. Jennings believes he may have been driven by a desire to please Partin. Geuter confirms that Castaneda told followers that the Blue Scout had talked him into starting Cleargreen. But she also suggests another motivation. "He was thinking about what he wanted for the rest of his life," Geuter told me. "He always talked about 'going for the golden clasp.' He wanted to finish with something spectacular."

Castaneda investigated the possibility of incorporating as a religion, as L. Ron Hubbard had done with Scientology. Instead, he chose to develop Tensegrity, which, Jennings believes, was to be the means through which the new faith would spread. Tensegrity is a movement technique that seems to combine elements of a rigid version of tai chi and modern dance. In all likelihood the inspiration came from karate devotees Donner-Grau and Abelar, and from his years of lessons with martial arts instructor Howard Lee. Documents found by Geuter show him discussing a project called "Kung Fu Sorcery" with Lee as early as 1988. The more elegant "Tensegrity" was lifted from Buckminster Fuller, for whom it referred to a structural synergy between tension and compression. Castaneda seems to have just liked the sound of it.

A major player in promoting Tensegrity was Wagner, whose fifth novel, "The Chrysanthemum Palace," was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner prize (his sixth, "Memorial," was recently released by Simon and Schuster). Wagner hadn't yet published his first novel when he approached Castaneda in 1988 with the hope of filming the don Juan books. Within a few years, according to Jennings and Wallace, he became part of the inner circle. He was given the sorceric name Lorenzo Drake -- Enzo for short. As the group began to emerge from the shadows, holding seminars in high school auditoriums and on college campuses, Wagner, tall, bald and usually dressed in black, would, according to Geuter and Wallace, act as a sort of bouncer, removing those who asked unwanted questions. (Wagner declined requests for an interview.) In 1995 Wagner, who'd previously been wed to Rebecca De Mornay, married Tiggs. That same year his novel "I'm Losing You" was chosen by the New York Times as a notable book of the year. John Updike, in the New Yorker, proclaimed that Wagner "writes like a wizard."

In the early '90s, to promote Tensegrity, Castaneda set up Cleargreen, which operated out of the offices of "Rugrats" producer and Castaneda agent (and part-time sorcerer) Tracy Kramer, a friend of Wagner's from Beverly Hills High. Although Castaneda wasn't a shareholder, according to Geuter, "he determined every detail of the operation." Jennings and Wallace confirm that Castaneda had complete control of Cleargreen. (Cleargreen did not respond to numerous inquiries from Salon.) The company's official president was Amalia Marquez (sorceric name Talia Bey), a young businesswoman who, after reading Castaneda's books, had moved from Puerto Rico to Los Angeles in order to follow him.

At Tensegrity seminars, women dressed in black, the "chacmools," demonstrated moves for the audience. Castaneda and the witches would speak and answer questions. Seminars cost up to $1,200, and as many as 800 would attend. Participants could buy T-shirts that read "Self Importance Kills -- Do Tensegrity." The movements were meant to promote health as well as help practitioners progress as warriors. Illness was seen as a sign of weakness. Wallace recalls the case of Tycho, the Orange Scout (supposedly the Blue Scout's sister). "She had ulcerative colitis," Wallace told me. "She was trying to keep it a secret because if Carlos knew you were sick he'd punish you. If you went for medical care, he'd kick you out." Once Tycho's illness was discovered, Wallace said, Tycho was expelled from the group.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: educatedindian on April 28, 2008, 01:01:05 pm
Statement about survivors of the cult.

----------------
http://www.sustainedaction.org/Explorations/compassion_for_cleargreen.htm
Compassion for the Remaining Staff at Cleargreen:
The Difficulties of Emerging from a Cult
Introduction by Corey Donovan

In honor of the holiday season, not to mention the ending of a millenium, I would like to urge us to take a moment to find compassion and love in our hearts for the remaining gang at Cleargreen.

While they do and say things from time to time that may make a number of us angry, I don't want us to lose sight of the fact that they are the biggest victims of Castaneda's often abusive, authoritarian guru behavior, and that, as a result, they cannot exactly be expected to think or act entirely very rationally.

In my research, I've learned that a number of them come from very messed up backgrounds, and were, in some cases, either in bad physical or mental health (or both) when they met Castaneda. They have been taught to attribute their improved functioning to Castaneda. Like everyone else who came to work for Cleargreen when Castaneda was still alive, these people turned their lives over to Castaneda, ultimately submitting to his complete and unquestionable authority.

As the material on this site from The Guru Papers argues, this can, initially at least, be an empowering and energizing state for people who have long suffered from conflicting feelings and thoughts, since they now no longer have to think for themselves. Castaneda's group only slept with the people they were told to sleep with, only ate the food they were told to eat, only remained in touch with the friends or family they were allowed to remain in touch with, were barred from talking--even with each other--about things that they were not allowed to talk about, and were regularly given immensely time-consuming tasks that guaranteed they would have no room in their schedules to think about themselves. They were also kept in a constant state of concern that they were going to lose contact with the person on whom they had become so completely dependent (since people whom Castaneda threw out found that telephone numbers would immediately be changed and they would be barred from any further contact whatsoever). Emotionally, then, they were kept in a constant state of anxiety and focus on the guy in control.

When Castaneda died (after concealing the true extent of his condition from many of them in his final months), they were denied even the outlet of publicly grieving their loss. Those that remained (Fabricio left after a month or two--having lost not only Castaneda but the woman he loved that he gave up to Castaneda: Talia) simply shifted their allegiance and obedience to Carol. Can people like this afford to admit that Carol--who shows every sign of being an acute narcissist--is not a special and unique entity deserving of their total allegiance? Admit that she wasn't really out of this world for 10 years, the "energetic fact" that has been held over them for years as the basis for her superiority? No, it would be entirely too threatening. If they have to start thinking for themselves they will have to deal not only with the pain they ran away from in the first place, but also the realization that they were being manipulated and abused by Castaneda for years as well. Better to keep the myth in place and act like nothing whatsoever has happened. Hence, Carol easily succeeds in keeping them from looking at material that might make them question her authority. Yes, a few of them may simply be cynical opportunists willing to take advantage of a group that has put them in an elite position. Most of them, however, are so psychologically damaged that doing anything other than continuing to take orders and maintain the fantasy is too deeply threatening even to contemplate.

For further background on what it must be like for the people who completely turned their lives over to Castaneda, here is the bulk of a groundbreaking piece by Margaret Thaler Singer, the world's leading expert on the psychological dynamics of cults and "deprogramming."

"Coming Out of the Cults," by Margaret Thaler Singer, from Psychology Today January 1979.

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

http://www.sustainedaction.org/Explorations/native_american_elders_reactions.htm
Vine Deloria, Jr. on 'don Juan'
From Sandy McIntosh

In trying to understand the problems that people from one culture (ours) meet with when they try to understand something fundamental in another culture (the "wisdom of the shamans of ancient Mexico"), I came upon the following by Vine Deloria, Jr. in his introduction to The Pretend Indian: Images of Native Americans in the Movies: Here he is discussing one of the strongest images whites have about Indians: the "old chief" stereotype.

"Carlos Castaneda parlayed the old man image into a series of best sellers that have much more relationship with an LSD travel tour than with Indians. Whatever Don Juan is, he is far from a recognizable Indian except to confused and psychically injured whites who have a need to project their spiritual energies onto an old Indian for resolution…. The whites are sincere but they are only sincere about what they are interested in, not about Indians about whom they know very little. They get exceedingly angry if you try to tell them the truth and will only reject you and keep searching until they find the Indian of their fantasies…. The obvious solution to the whole thing would be for the whites to achieve some kind of psychological and/or religious maturity. But the whole psychological posture of American society is toward perpetual youth. Everyone believes that he or she must be eternally young. No one wants to believe that he or she is getting or will ever get old. Somehow only Indians get old because the coffee table books are filled with pictures of old Indians but hardly a book exists that has pictures of old whites."
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Kevin on April 28, 2008, 08:26:08 pm
- sounds like the inner circle are candidates for another Waco moment......he could have had more women if he had gone the fundamentalist Mormon route but then maybe all that glitters for him is gold.....la la land
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on April 29, 2008, 05:08:28 pm
Thanks for starting the thread, Al.

I appreciate you brought our attention to compassion issue... To tell sincerely i have no clarity on how to apply compassion to something that was touched and crooked by Castanedian mentality.

You know, if you express compassion to a Casta warrior, expect to be classified as ordinary human - petty tyrant, trying to project your self important victimhood upon ruthless warrior who has no care in the world but to move his assemblage point to as many positions as he can get not limiting himself just with this marvelous world where death as adviser won't give him much more time to treat any action as anything else but last battle on Earth... You know... Practitioner of Juanistic warriors way was invited to disregard any human motivation which not contributing directly to raising of his personal power, personal level of energy. Feelings like compassion were considered a wasteland of petty human conditioning. Warriors were discouraged to give or receive compassion...

All this was attributed to Wisdom of Old Indian Man...

I agree that members of inner circle were victims of Castanedian fraud.

Cleargreen became Castanedian private playground where ultimate abuser arranged his little separate reality to practice his perverted inclinations in total comfort.

People were thrown off of any balance to be truly accountable for their actions and decisions.

But... the guru died in 1998... 10 years ago. Hypnotic spell was broken. After his death the remaining staff of Cleargreen had chance to slow down their big green train and evaluate what they've done and do to make responsible choice: keep this fraud carriage going or ask people for apologies and retreat in whatever else...  as they were offered compassion and understanding...

After death of guru they were not left in the situation of total social breakdown which could affect their responsible decision.  All of them were given chance to study and had valid  degrees of education which they could use to make living, they were given some property rights and some starting funds to have real chance to say "no" to perpetuating the fraud.

Unlike  regular followers from the mass, who were asked to believe and give the project credits in condition of no info available, inner circle of Cleargreen was in direct touch with Castaneda to be able come to conclusions and responsibly refuse to continue with this abusive nonsense after guru's death.

Let me point it out that one thing would be to disregard the facts and keep believing in truthfullness of Castaneda's stories and propositions. Anyone surely have right to believe. Another thing would be to disregard the facts, showing that the plot have been corrupted with exploitive lies and abuse of life and offer this bag of poisons for sale to make a living out of it. Responsible adults are expected to make decision of not supporting the fraud when by common sense they could and should be aware of fraudulent nature of their actions.

Cleargreen officers made their choice: using freedom given by compassionate attitude of regular (ordinary) people and confusion and despair of cheated followers, willing to give them more credits, they decided to continue the fraud.

They did look lost and kinda scared for some time, then they obviously arrived to balance, confidence and professional skills in handling business of fraudulent  pretending, encouraged  by silence of critics and trust of followers. They became proficient and confident in manipulating  with trust and suppressing possible disagreements.

They don't hesitate now to consciously use deception and manipulate with their special inner membership position which by itself suppose to prove their initiation into higher secrets and possession of inaccessible to regular folks knowledge. They learned to apply little tricks to keep their position of authority over others to twist the situation to their favor and squeeze bucks out of follower's pockets. I mean... they know well they have no knowledge and they consciously pretending they do and they have worked out methods to stop anyone from asking for a proof of their competence.

Insisting on repeating the legend of mysterious Indian origin of this load of crap they sell is surely their strongest marketing trick. As responsible adults, they could and should know that what they offer on the market as "Wisdom of Old Indian", have no roots in Indigenous cultural reality. As responsible adults they could and should be aware that claiming themselves to be initiated representatives of Indigenous shamanism, they fraudulently exploiting Native American culture.

Now we all see that Tensegrity and all other proposed by Cleargreen practices do not do magic to you. Nobody from all the mass of practitioners, including Tensegity instructors, could  demonstrate success in arriving to promoted sorceric skills using promoted and sold methods.

I think as responsible and aware people, we should not stand indifferent and passively support fraud perpetuation. Time to ask Cleargreen inc. to assume responsibility.



Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: educatedindian on April 30, 2008, 01:20:46 am

You know, if you express compassion to a Casta warrior, expect to be classified as ordinary human - petty tyrant, trying to project your self important victimhood upon ruthless warrior who has no care in the world but to move his assemblage point to as many positions as he can get not limiting himself just with this marvelous world where death as adviser won't give him much more time to treat any action as anything else but last battle on Earth... You know... Practitioner of Juanistic warriors way was invited to disregard any human motivation which not contributing directly to raising of his personal power, personal level of energy. Feelings like compassion were considered a wasteland of petty human conditioning. Warriors were discouraged to give or receive compassion...

All this was attributed to Wisdom of Old Indian Man...


That could not be more different from the ways of being a warrior in actual Native traditions, which are all about self sacrifice for your people, esp to protect the very old and the very young. Yaquis especially. For people living out in the harsh desert, you have to cooperate to survive. Playing power games? No time for that.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on April 30, 2008, 04:19:27 pm
Yes Al... 

As presented by Castaneda, Native Warriors way was suppose to be an art of efficient, elegant  living in the world and basic ground of breaking through the boundaries of daily reality into unknown...

Which as presented by Castaneda obviously becoming a farce...

Like... when don Juan was making so much importance out of teaching Carlos to hunt... How possibly this academical touring guy's hunting game could be an equal experience to real life and death matter hunting of native tribe.. when you either get it or your family is not eating... and if you are injured, you have no chance to be transported to the best private city hospital... etc.

It was not story of real warriors hunting... it was pretending of hunting which could not possibly teach anyone to access own full potential or understand wisdom of Native hunter or arrive to the true depth in philosophical observations. This pretentious in the core scenario, which impressed the whole world of disconnected from nature people, gave life to the whole world of
play pretend.

Folkies were getting such a hoot from playing pretend "Indian Warrior"... a monster of their own creation which had no correlation with reality... this game indeed is a trip into unknown... lol!

It was entirely Castaneda's fault willingly perpetuated by Cleargreen to make people believe that what they play has authentic Native origin. So, not many people could understand that the game was unethical if not say more in regards to real Indians, which REALLY exist and have nothing to do with this image of them pictured by Castaneda.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: garners on May 02, 2008, 12:24:54 am
Cleargreen advertises itself by saying that it is the "The modern-day practice of personal accountability." while they exploit the lie that the Tensegrity movements come from Ancient Indian Shamanic sources dating back 25 generations.

They also claim that the missing women Castaneda followers are still running Cleargreen from behind the scenes. Which is a bit morbid and deceitful imo.

Castaneda himself had said that the reason he started Tensegrity was because of the prompting of Patty Partin a follower of his who disappeared after Castaneda's death and whose abandoned car and bones were found in a remote Death Valley location.

Amy Wallace, who was one of Castaneda's women followers, reported that Castaneda had told Partin that "if you ever need to rise to infinity, take your little red car and drive it as fast as you can into the desert and you will ascend."

Now days Tensegrity perpetuates the myth that it's teachings come from Ancient Indians. It is using this as an authentication on it's websites and in workshops held across America and in other countries.

I am disheartened to see Tibetan Buddhists, who should understand the problems of cultural appropriation, joining in the Castaneda/Cleargreen misuse of Indian stereotypes to sell books and workshops.

I reiterate that I hope people will write to the Shambhala Mountain Center and inform them that they are supporting Castanedian abuse of Indian culture by promoting Cleargreen workshops.

Shambhala Mountain Center:
developmentdirector@shambhalamountain.org



And write to the Dalai Lama to complain about Shanbhala Mountain center support for Cleargreen's appropriation  and to suggest greater dialogue between Indigenous Native American activists and Tibetan Buddhists.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama contact:
ohhdl@dalailama.com


If people do not actively contribute to the process of protesting and educating concerning  new age abuse of Indians then it will tend to continue unabated.

Tibetan Buddhists do not wish to be seen as ignoring the concerns of other cultures that must deal with problems so similar to their own.

And they are always searching for allies in their cause of maintaining and protecting their own culture.
This is, in part, why there is much to be gained by opening up and expanding a dialogue with Tibetan Buddhist leaders.
IMHO The more they are exposed to the idea of allying themselves with Indian activists the more it will be seen as positve for both sides.






Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 02, 2008, 12:58:36 am
Yes, i wrote to Shambhala Mountain Center.

Let me re-post in this thread my message to them:



Dear directors of Shambhala Center,

In this message i would like to express my concern about involvement of Shambhala Mountain Center  with Cleargreen inc., organization representing and promoting teaching of Carlos Castaneda.

Carlos Castaneda became known as a hoaxer, who was claiming to be linked with prehispanic Mexican tradition of Spiritual knowledge and presenting himself as a hire and leader of this tradition.
Research of cultural facts showing that Carlos Castaneda's presentation of himself as a hire of ancient tradition of Mexican Natives was a fabrication.
There are no facts showing that teaching, which Carlos Castaneda was  presenting as originated from Native Mexican shamans, has cultural connection to Native Mexican shamanism and ruts in actual cultural and Spiritual life of Native Mexican peoples.

NAFPS, organization including Native American elders and defining their purpose as following: "We investigate and seek to warn the public about impostors and exploiters posing as Native medicine people or elders", placed Carlos Castaneda in their list of frauds. Please check their website:   http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1127.0


Carlos Castaneda built  his teaching on misleading proposition of being valid representative of authentic Spirituality, and created his own confusing and misleading system of spiritual knowledge and a cult of followers, often basing his relationship with following him people on unethical, abusive and exploiting principles.

Considering the above, I think it is embarrassing and confusing if people representing respected Buddhist tradition are standing together with fabricators, exploiting spirituality and cultures with no respect and consideration.
Seems that Cleargreen inc. seeking some kind of validation and endorsement  of their authenticity, trying to associate with  representatives of  authentic Buddhist tradition.

Hope you have time to give my message your attention,

sincerely,

Larisa, ex practitioner of Tensegrity of Carlos Castaneda.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 02, 2008, 01:10:48 am
This is the answer i received from Shambhala Mountain Center:



~

Dear Larisa.

 

Thank you very much for your email and for sharing your concerns in regard to the Tensegrity program. We certainly understand them and are aware that a number of people feel this way.

 

This program took place at Shambhala Mountain Center for the first time last year. A number of our staff participated in this and the feedback was that it was straight forward and did not spark any concerns of spiritual materialism.

 

The head of the Shambhala Lineage, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, is working with this program directly and will be providing meditation instruction.

 

We will continue to explore this program this year and will again have a number of staff, including senior practitioners, attend.

 

I hope this goes some way to explaining our position on this at this time. Please know that we are constantly evaluating our programs and presenters to ensure the teachings presented here are genuine and firmly directed toward awakening further wisdom and compassion in the world.

 

Warm regards,

Paul Kelway

Director of Programming

Shambhala Mountain Center

4921 County Road 68C

Red Feather Lakes

CO 80545

 

Tel: +1 970 881 2184 ext. 328

 

 

From: Development Director [mailto:DevelopmentDirector@shambhalamountain.org]
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008 3:49 PM
To: 'Larisa'
Cc: paul@shambhalamountain.org
Subject: RE: Spiritual concerns

 

Dear Larisa,

 

I have forwarded your email on to our Executive Director and Programming Director. This really falls into the area of our programming, and I’m sure our Programming Director, Mr. Paul Kelway, will respond to you on this matter when he is able.

 

Best to you,

 

Faradee Rudy

Development Director

Shambhala Mountain Center

(970) 881-2184 ext 379

developmentdirector@shambhalamountain.org


~



I did not expect that Shambhala would cancel their association with Cleargreen right away... But to call Cleargreen compassionate is just so desperate twist... Sad if it'll come out that there are no truly Spiritual forces in all the mass of modern Spiritual movements, but corporations maliciously profiteering on Spirit...
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: garners on May 02, 2008, 02:16:34 pm
"The head of the Shambhala Lineage, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, is working with this program directly and will be providing meditation instruction."

"We will continue to explore this program this year and will again have a number of staff, including senior practitioners, attend."

As you can see these people do not mind supporting false claims
and are also themselves claiming that there is no "spiritual materialism" involved which is certainly dishonest or very ignorant.

They say that

"we are constantly evaluating our programs and presenters to ensure the teachings presented here are genuine and firmly directed toward awakening further wisdom and compassion in the world."

So they claim they are morally and spiritually vigilant while ripping off history and Indian culture.

"straightforward" is an interesting way to put it  kind of paralleling Cleargreens's claim that they are "The modern-day practice of personal accountability."

I do not know if these Shambhala people are blind or choose to be ignorant but business should not be run this way much less a spiritual endeavor.

I think Shambhala believes this is the way to treat people. Baffle them with BS.
I think they... like many ignorant people believing exploitation is the way to go...
need a dose of "personal accountability".

It is not like they are oblivious to the problem. They are saying others feel this way.

"We certainly understand .... and are aware that a number of people feel this way."
 
 I know there is a fair amount of complaint from the Buddhist Community.
It is on various Buddhist chat and bulletin boards.
But Shambhala is saying there is no evidence this hosting of Cleargreen is a bad deal while there are complaints from respectable people stating that this is a bad deal and that Tibetan Buddhists should know better than to promote Castaneda/ Cleargreen misrepresentations.

So their claim it is straightforward and there is "no evidence" that  it is adding to spiritual materialism is not an honest claim... because they are receiving cpomplaints that it is not "straightforward" and is exactly spiritual materialism and exploitation.

Their cavalier attitude of it shows clearly they are not getting enough feedback to see it is an issue that needs respectful attention.
 


Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 02, 2008, 03:13:48 pm
Today i answered to supportive to Cleargreen reply of Shambhala Mountain Center:



Dear Paul, I feel very sad about your position. Your
reply showing that you either did not give my message
proper attention or you and your organization does not
mind to support fraud.

Content of promoted by Cleragreen "teaching" has
nothing to do with compassion, actually it is opposite
to kindness and compassion.

Could you please explain how you arrived to a position
of believing that lies, fraud and exploitation could
contribute to awakening of wisdom and compassion in
the world and should be supported by people meant to
be Spiritual.

If you have doubts that Cleargreen inc. is fraudulent
abuse of Spirituality, please check this site for
information and please feel free to participate in our
discussion:
http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1712.0


Sincerely, Larisa
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 02, 2008, 03:21:27 pm
For anyone who may not know, here is the link where you can find a load of information on Castaneda and Cleargreen fraud: http://sustainedaction.org/index.htm
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 04, 2008, 02:10:04 am
Cleargreen answering practitioner's questions on their official website:

""Why did the female students of don Juan stay here? Are they going to appear at workshops?
      The three female students of don Juan Matus are here to supervise the efforts of the Tensegrity instructors in making one of Carlos Castaneda's most cherished dreams a reality: the dream of a unified body of individual practitioners of the magical passes resuming their interrupted journey of awareness.
      For the moment, they are not going to appear personally at the workshops because they want this dream to take wings. For Carlos Castaneda and for them, it is a dream in which a group of practitioners is focused not on a person or a group of persons, but on the abstract purpose of freedom of perception.""

http://www.cleargreen.com/


I wrote to Cleargreen numerous times asking to clarify their statement and confirm that three women who missing for about ten years and presumably suicided are alive. I did not receive any answer. 
Also people saying that Cleargreen representatives were claiming that Patty Partin, whose bones were found in the desert, is alive as well and participating in activity of their company.
I asked them to comment on this. - No answer whatsoever.
But the statement is sitting on their site and they keep advertising themselves as apprentices of  "sorceresses" who either suicided or hiding from responsibility.   
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 05, 2008, 05:44:35 pm
Until now any attempt of getting answers from Cleargreen in regards of their accountability had no success.

Today i sent  another message to Cleargreen inc. :

Hello, i would like to remind you that i've asked you
few questions which you left without answer until now.
Please let me know your reason to leave my questions
unanswered.   
Also i asked you to give me contact telephone number
and name of the person responsible for communicating
in regards of my money refund. You did not do it. I
would like to know your reason of ignoring my request.

I have another question of profound importance for the
practice:

~ Cleargreen claiming that Magical Passes were passed
onto Carlos Castaneda and his female associates by don
Juan and originated from ancient Toltec Shamanic
Tradition. I see that you offering new passes and
forms at your recent workshops. I would like to know
where all this new passes and forms are coming from
after Carlos Castaneda's death. Were they taught to
you by Carlos Castaneda and witches before they passed
away or they have another origin?

Hope to have your answers soon,


Larisa 
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 05, 2008, 06:33:32 pm
From Cleargreen's advertisement of their new workshop in association with Shambhala Mountain Center (see workshops section on their website):

"Due to great interest in last Fall's Tensegrity event at the Shambhala Center in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, a new opportunity of collaboration is now available to a larger number of participants at this Summer workshop, an interactive experience between the modern expression of the tradition of the shamans of ancient Mexico, guided by students of Carlos Castaneda, and the Shambhala branch of Tibetan Buddhism, with the participation of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche."


This is about the same kind of embarassment that UCLA earned for themselves by granting to Castaneda's phoney imposting status of scientific non-fiction work. This embarassing error resulted in decades of fraudulent exploitation, confusion and waste for many people.
Now Cleargreen, been good students of their teacher, continue good tradition of trying to gain autheticity and social justification to their impostering in the same ways. Using respected in Spirituality name of Tibetian Buddhists.
And it seems that situation tending to fall into the same erratic pattern - as UCLA before, now Tibetian Buddhism does not mind to mix their name with exploiters of Spirituality and Native culture. 
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: educatedindian on May 06, 2008, 01:32:24 am
Ari, have you considered giving serious thought to taking Cleargreen to court? Perhaps Shambala Center as well. I'm also a member of a site that includes many cult survivors and cult experts, and what many ex Scientologists and ex Moonies (among others) have done once they left their cults is take the cult leadership or organization to court, suing them for damages or lost income.

There haven't been any cases of Nuagers taking exploiters to court as far as I know because most are too embarassed to admit they were used or abused. And in many cases they never know. Also many just want to get on with their lives.
 
Keep in mind, this is not a step to take lightly. Court cases can take time and energy. In the worst cases the cults retaliate with more harassment and abuse. But many cult survivors find the step very liberating. And the threat of a lawsuit may make Cleargreen change its ways. They may wind up giving you the money back just to avoid a suit that could set a precedent and lead to others taking them to court too.

The best case scenario might see Shambala cutting its ties, or Cleargreen being forced to publicly admit that Castaneda was a liar.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 07, 2008, 03:42:24 pm
Yes, Al, I'm giving serious thought to taking Cleargreen to court. I would do it years ago, but was pinned down all the time to be practically able to.

Well, now i'm out of the trap. I've already gone through all possible extremes of harassment, so i would not bow out of emotional stress. Yes, to bring this malicious theater of absurd to the end feels liberating. I knew what it did to me, but before i found your site, i was not deeply aware that they actually ripping off and cynically disrespecting what they claiming to be their treasured source...

This is truly disgusting thing to discover...

Now is good moment to act because before we confront Cleargreen in US court, we got chance to prepare the ground very well.

With new regulation on protection of consumers rights in EU, Cleargreen's activity there is under the question.

According to the new regulation which will be voted on May 26, all profiteers on magic can be asked on consumer's demand to prove truthfulness of their claims:

~

" Stricter regulations for paranormal industry
April 18 2008
Psychics and alternative practitioners will face their toughest regulation yet under new rules expected to come into force next month.

"Businesses that make promises they cannot keep - or even prove - will be subject to new European consumer protection regulations in the biggest shake-up of consumer rights in a generation.
Spiritualists, if the new regulations are approved by the UK Parliament, will have to offer numerous riders about their services if they are to avoid civil actions.
The new rules will bring to an end the Fraudulent Mediums Act, a 50-year-old law introduced to replace 18Th-century witchcraft legislation.
Providers of alternative therapies will also be expected to adhere to the new regulations."

Seems that in the EU at least this will make the new age scammers much more responsible for their claims:

"The Fraudulent Mediums Act (1951) is set to be replaced by the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive on the 26 May. Under the new legislation, mediums will have to prove they have not misled or coerced vulnerable consumers. Previously it was the prosecutors' responsibility to provide evidence that the medium had intended to be fraudulent."

~


The obligation of proof will lay on businesses, not on consumer or authorities as before.

Since the process is started, business activities of the company will  be suspended until the court decision.

Everything could be challenged... starting from the name "Magical Passes" According to the new regulation Cleargreen can be asked to show what is magical about them...

So, if Cleargreen intending to continue their enterprise in Europe, they would have to turn inside out and shrink into funny petty nonsense and considering their history as reps of Father of New Age, their case and possible attempts of dodgery could attract considerable media attention.

There is Cleargreen workshop scheduled to happen soon in UK:

http://www.tensegrity.org.uk/

So, Cleargreen can be asked to show their skill in the art of modern day accountability really soon.

Then... i think we should not ignore embarrassing for Buddhists fact of association  with Cleargreen.

Should say that from my own experience i know that not many people are truly aware of how deeply to the core Cleargreen's fraud goes. I suppose and hope that Shambhala Mountain Center is simply unaware of seriousness of the issue and got caught into believing in authenticity of Cleargreen's connection to the Native American Shamanic tradition and actually believing that by association with Cleargreen they taking pride in standing together with Native American Shamanism.

I believe that if Shambhala Center would be properly informed, they would refuse to continue association with pretenders and exploiters of Spirituality.

I don't really know much about Shambhala Mountain Center, but Tibetan Buddhism, which they seems to be representing is world wide respected Spiritual Tradition and even if Shambhala Center would refuse to acknowledge an error in accepting association with Cleargreen we can apply to Wisdom of Dalai Lama and ask him to give his opinion on this issue.

I already wrote to Shambhala. I think other people, especially Indians should write to let Shambhala Center know about the error.

I'm sure they would not ignore the issue and will be willing to take higher course in Spirituality than mixing with cultural and Spiritual appropriators.

This seems to be right strategy on confronting Cleargreen fraud before going to US court.

 



Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: A.H. on May 08, 2008, 10:03:09 am
I noticed that this forum unleashed all its power on some easy prey new-agers like that Suraj Holzwarth and similar. She is plain simple idiotic fraud that many of the NAFPS members are having almost fun in fighting against. To which I don't object - just observe. 

I am asking this out of curiosity: I am interested what is the mechanism of choosing which fronts to fight more actively by NAFPS members? How do you choose your "prey"?

How come you don't pick on this Cleargreen scam  (or Michael Harner or any similar bigger "prey") with the same enthusiasm and extra engagement as you picked on that Suraj woman. Bombing the general public, media and Cleargreen  and Shambala themselves with emails, complaints, activists showing up at their events, protesting directly at their office, etc. would certainly be effective also with those bigger new-age businesses...


Disclaimer, hehe: I don't do that personally, because I don't "feel" it and I also think it is "pissing against the wind" - in the case of Shambala and Cleargreen even protesting one fraud to another - and even Dalai Lama is very political - I am not sure how would he address this if at all...  Do you have enough supporters for this cause or political power/background to be interesting to him?

But this forum does not have the many inhibitions that prevent such persons as myself in engaging actively in such activism...

So how come such mild reaction in regard to bigger new-age prey and lack of active engagement and activism as in that Suraj case?

 


Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 08, 2008, 02:53:50 pm
A. H. ,

I don't think there is this consciously cold choosing the prey method. Perhaps other members got entangled in some ways with other groups and cults to give them attention and ask others to support the protest. Because it is right thing to do...

I had misfortune to get in touch with Cleargreen and Castanedaism and got to experisnce their twist of nature through my being, so i feel i can't just leave it to be continued. I saw how bad it is from my own experience, so i feel i'm doing good thing trying to stop it.

It is a battle to confront fraud because fraud would not mind to squash you like a bug with no contemplation upon cosmic grief. It is natural to look for companionship and support in this battle and also for affirmation from other human beings that what you doing is good, appreciated and needed not just for your personal reasons. Not to loose the touch with reality and humanness...

When i came to look for such support, affirmation and friendship to the sites discussing legacy of Castaneda, i found total hell of aggressive unhealth. It came out to be that people who consider themselves to be Castaneda's followers are absolutely uncapable of anything humanly good in human relationship... so twisted their Castanedaistic menatlity came out to be. Poisoned...

They just jumped at me like flock of hungry scavengers, aiming to tear apart with no care they doing it to alive human being, not some image of insane idea in their heads.

Well... that was truly bad, it's still going on over their sites.

Over there i found angry, full of hissing hostility remarks about NAFPS and sure i wanted to check what this people are hostile about...

Have to say that before reading materials @NAFPS and getting to know opinion of Indians about Castaneda legacy, i was considering my battle with fraud of Castanedaism to be my own, private issue. After reading this site i got another perspective and broader view which sure confirming my stance.

I proposed to confront Cleargreen because i think it is really good thing to do. I would say it is good for humanity. Because Castaneda was a Father of New Age and father of the fraud of New Age and biggest figure in popularization of this fraud, role model for thousands of other pretenders and exploiters inspired by his success.

If we could bring Castanedaism to justice as a fraud, hundreds of other imposters who plagiarized Castanedian scenario and used to proudly refer to don Juan brand name to validate their own lies, would automatically shrink.

I think besides any personal and group interests it would be good thing to clean the world's awareness and Spirit from this wave of unhealthy delusion of New Age.

Indians got special role in this and special right to speak because they were specially affected by New Age mud as a whole cultural group, not just like individuals.

Actually, Cleargreen always have chance to change. Right now they can consider to stop perpetuating the lie and exploiting the Spirit and people who do mind to be exploited. They can gather the courage and start the dialog with humans like humans. They can explain their position and tell a tale of what all this was to them... Apologize... and ask if there is a way how we can relate after all this massive mud show.

They can do it, they are welcome...

Otherwise, why should we let them run the show if we see this is bad?

They can be stopped and recognized as a fraud by human laws.

I think the strategy i proposed is healthy and simple. I don't know how it will turn out to be and don't want to give too much thought to possible outcomes. Dalai Lama can be too politic, but i know it is good thing to write to him about this issue and i'll do it.

Lets give it a try... sincerely... 
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: educatedindian on May 08, 2008, 03:43:48 pm
AH, I think quite a bit has been done regarding the Casteneda cult over the years. He's been exposed repeatedly more than any other fraud I can think of. What other exploiter has had a series of books, articles, and websites devoted to debunking him and showing his lies in as much detail as has been done to Castaneda? For all cults (not just Nuage ones) I think the only groups that have been exposed and combatted on the same scale are the Moonies and Scientology.

For Natives, understandably we want first and foremost to protect our own people and traditions. Holzwarth was making a series of incredibly disturbing claims that harmed and lied about a large group of tribes, Lakota, Navajo, Hopi, Chickaloon, even Australian Aboriginal. She personally caused a Native man to be beaten by the police, and then she used the man's blood in her offensive mockeries. Her claims were incredibly grandiose, pompous, and far reaching, so the Native community felt it had to act in a far reaching manner. After all, many of the people she preached to likely would have been allies of Native people, willing to take part in or help our struggles. Most of the people who went to her "prayerformances" were probably just naive, thinking they were going to see a cultural event, or honestly thinking they were taking part in something that would promote peace.

Honestly there is something particular about the Castaneda cult. I doubt I've ever seen a Castaneda-ist take part in anything to help other people, much less causes. Something about him and his books and cult attract very self involved people who use their intelligence as a shield against other people and prefer to live inside their own heads. Cleargreen is clearly harming them, but not nearly so much Native communities as the likes of Holzwarth are.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 08, 2008, 09:04:12 pm
Thanks for reply Al...

It feels that your opinion has this giving direction quality... Because exactly here, on this site we have chance to touch the core of New Age twist of reality. Boldly... As free from personal interests as it could be, yet down to practical earthy action.

Sadly it is a battle... with a fraud and abuse... which is nothing like joke and fun...

Again should say i truly was not aware of the issue of protest of Natives about  New Age dodgery. Knowing that Castanedian cult is abusive to human nature, i did not really know it has nothing to do with Indigenous mentality and culture. Actually for me all this abuse of humanness i was personally going through was connected with an image of an Indian. As for so many other people in the world who were not necessarily deeply involved into following Castanedaism, but learned to see Indian culture through drawn by Castaneda picture. Millions of people around the world were tricked to believe that this pictured by Castaneda fantastic character don Juan truly reflecting on Wisdom of Native Spirituality as a highest Wisdom of Native Culture.

As a foreigner i can say that Castaneda and his cult deeply affecting the way Native communities are seeing by people of other cultures. Which is, i think, one of the harshest outcomes of Castanedian enterprise.

Also it is giving such an attractive precedent for other exploiters wanna be Indians, who encouraged by Castanedian example, feeling so free to set their own little traps and don't mind to humiliate what they claim to be their treasured source, ignoring voices of protest.

Most of people falling for this traps and trapsters because they were confused by the fake image of Indian popularised by Castaneda and perpetuated now by insistent action of Cleargreen. Also exactly Castanedian fraud perpetuated now by Cleargreen giving this little trapsters such a righteous confidence that they can get away and even feel appreciated with whatever aggressive tyranny they could conceive referring to their roots in Native Spirituality.    If we could bring mass attention to the fact that Castaneda and Cleargreen are lying about their connection to Native Spirituality, people would be much more careful when they facing demand of another little pretender wishing to be accepted as authentic Native.

Also i think it will greatly contribute to the dialog and exchange between actual people of actual cultures, not playing pretentious games and delusions about each other.

It feels good!



 



Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Thinker on May 09, 2008, 12:11:47 am
I think taking legal action is just one part of what has to be done...

Cleargreen is not only about making $$$ and celebrating the Castaneda, it's also about ripping off energy from tensegrity practicioners. I attended a workshop in Mexico City in February 1995, and when we were doing the "shaking pass" (which consists in shaking your body wildly and throwing out "disturbing" energy) a huge cloud came from behind and took with it the energy we released. I perceived it as being the spirits of Castaneda and his henchmen, who stole our energy.

I'm also sure that these standardized movements, for example described in the tensegrity book (by Castaneda, I forgot the title), or as shown in their videos, as being aimed at making the spirits or "energy bodies" (I'm sure there's a more adequate term among you) suitable for easier rendering them as prey for these energy vampires. For example, the "assemblage point" as described by Castaneda and as being used by tensegrity practicioners (there are specific movements in their system to handle it) doesn't exist naturally (and nobody who hasn't read Castaneda has ever seen it), it's an artefact they want you to produce in your aura (is this a better word?) in order to manipulate you and to steal your energy.

Of course, "stealing energy" is just a simply expression for something more complex, actually they get into your body and infiltrate it with their structures, in order to get more power, to have a broader base for their consciousness than just their individual body alone. (Which also happens when two or more people join voluntarily, when they share some spiritual energy, then all of them feel stronger. However, in the case of these criminals it's like annexion of our body/soul, into which they pour their ugly spirits.)

I've also seen things worse than that, maybe difficult to believe, but I hope to be able to contribute them here, for the time is right to put an end to their activity once and for all. In the moment they're attacked from all sides, pretty weak if compared to some months ago, so maybe a good moment for some of you warriors to help a little.

P.S.: I need to add this one observation which I just avoided because it might be hard to understand, but fact is that there is a Don Juan, who is not a Yaqui but one of Castaneda's cohorts, maybe a European because he also introduced himself to me as Caesar. Ok, I'm getting into a mess, let's make it short. Castaneda created a fictional character named Don Juan Matus for a certain person, one of his cohorts, and I was having quite a bit of interactions in visions with him (as well as with Castaneda and others of his cohorts), and a lot of these interactions showed me that he's evil, and one particular vision might be interesting to you:

I saw America, South and North, it was night, and Don Juan was a huge dark shadow (really huge), flying north and south above your contintent rapidly and repeatedly, skipping off the energy of its inhabitants (many of which are your Native people).

I don't know how you'll take this, or whether some of you have made a similar observation, also I'm not really sure whether this was a real vision that happened in the space as I saw it or whether it was a symbolic representation of what was going on, but fact is, and I have lots of evidence, that Don Juan (aka whoever uses this appearance) is a criminal whose activity has to be brought to an end.


Ari, sorry that I'm coming up with stuff you don't want to know about anymore, but your line of battle is just one among others, and maybe just the right thing for you to concentrate upon and leave the other lines to someone else, but I also wanted to let you know that you're not alone and that the other reality levels are going to be cleaned and cured, too. (And I'm happy and surprised that you're in such a good shape, that gives me lots of confidence, and is a good sign that their influence over others is just fading away.)
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: garners on May 11, 2008, 01:02:49 pm
Cleargreen is an organization that is tied to (and still supported by the estate of) one of the originators of using Native American stereotypes to create shamanic role playing scenarios that confused people can easily access and play at.

Ari is asking this board for some help in protesting and stopping their false claims to Indian ancestry.
 And also to question their morbid use of dead and/or missing people as another part of  touting  their authenticity.

People doing Tensegrity are encouraged to role play as part of an ancient line of Indian sorcerers heading towards gaining power to shift dimensions and do incredible magical feats..
(like the previous 25 batches of old magical Indians.)

That Tensegrity is a continuation of one of the original exploiters should mean something as far as wanting to fight their abuse and appropriation.

I understand that discussing Tensegrity and Castaneda serves little to no purpose.

It has been discussed and it has been shown to be a ridiculous fraud.
And to keep discussing this tends to draw delusional nut cases here.

That is why .. while discussion of it serves no good..
acting against it has merit.

 Taking a few moments to complain to people hosting Tensegrity nonsense is not hard to do.

Nor is looking  into filing a complaint in Brittain that they are selling "magical passes" with false claims of ancient Indian ancestry.

If the new EU Consumer protection regulations are made law this month  it seems that groups like Tensegrity would have to prove that they came from ancient Indian sorcerers. Whereas before the complaintant against their business would have to disprove this claim.

Seems to me if this new consumer protection law goes into effect any claimant to Indianess selling ceremonies could be forced to prove the validity of their claims.
Not the other way around.

All it takes is some publicity that activists are using this law to draw attention to the problem of fraudulent new age Indians and the media will make a point of writing and reporting on it.

The more people see that there is a problem the more they can see that something should be done about it.
 Just like with other civil rights  and women's rights idssues.. it takes awareness to make change.
Awareness comes in large part by activists and people fired up by activists.. taking action.




Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 11, 2008, 06:54:54 pm
Want to inform the board that i did not receive a reply to my last message to Shambhala yet.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: apukjij on May 11, 2008, 10:10:19 pm
ari, i have linkages with the Shambala community, i was their liaison to the local Maliseet Elders when they wanted to bury a Peace Vase at the Old Maliseet Burial Ground in Fredericton, and i want to also follow up on this. There is a prominent Native professor on their council in fredericton, and with your permission, id like to contact them to inform them of the travesty that is happening at the Shambala Mountain Centre.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 12, 2008, 02:27:16 am
Hi apukjij,

Yes, sure, it would be very appropriate move to do. Please inform us on how it will go if you can.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 14, 2008, 08:13:47 pm
I posted it today  at Sustained Reaction intending to proceed with formulating charges against cleargreen fraud:



Oh God... how nice and clean here today... Feels gooood... People can breath in here!

Can enjoy uninterrupted energy flow, serenity of mind... look around to find a sight to contemplate upon...

So, what's up?

While we were brooming the place from the revelry of role playing individuals, what the sourcerers of cleargreen inc. were occupied with?

What have they done to this wonderful world where death is a hunter? What have they done to their wonderful followers? What have they done to those who pointing out on their errors? What have they done to those who feel bad as a result of what have been done? What have they done to the Spirit?

Cleargreen inc. did not answer any of my questions. The same as flock of TBs they can't discuss issues because they can't show any success in what they instructing people to do. For money... They also refused to take responsibility for providing me with requested refund.

They are busy to dream a community now... Dreamy community... When you dreaming in your mind of something so high, why pay due respect to the voice of individual protest, minding to contribute unrightfully and fraudulently ripped amount of money to prosperity of cherished dream of Carlos Castaneda and three female students of don Juan?

Why pay due respect to the voices of protest of Native people, minding Indian stereotype been used as a brand name for play pretend and insult Indians with misrepresentation of their true nature...

Why pay due respect to fulfilling well credited promises if you can just junk it all and shield your pettiness with a flock of TBs, ready to rage anybody out...


Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 20, 2008, 04:45:47 pm
Dirty raging letter of Cleargreen's fanatic follower to Shambhala Mountain Center was posted today at Sustained Reaction and deleted by administration.
The letter was throwing every possible dirt at people expressing protest against Cleargreen fraud.
The madness was obvious and speaking for itself... But, knowing that culties taking action, we need to be active too.
Your support is needed... Please write to Shambhala to support sane voice of protest against fraudulence. State your opinion. Even a short note will do. Voice of real Indians sure especially appreciated.

developmentdirector@shambhalamountain.org
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on May 28, 2008, 03:50:34 pm
The law is in effect. Complaints can be filed.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20081277_en_1

"Misleading actions

5.-(1) A commercial practice is a misleading action if it satisfies the conditions in either paragraph (2) or paragraph (3).

(2) A commercial practice satisfies the conditions of this paragraph-

(a) if it contains false information and is therefore untruthful in relation to any of the matters in paragraph (4) or if it or its overall presentation in any way deceives or is likely to deceive the average consumer in relation to any of the matters in that paragraph, even if the information is factually correct; and

(b) it causes or is likely to cause the average consumer to take a transactional decision he would not have taken otherwise."




So, now all dishonest business people can be easily asked to take responsibilty...

In regards to Cleargreen inc., they advertising workshop in Great Britain this summer. All the ad material is going perfectly under the penalties of this new law.

We will go through this ad material point by point, but now i want to bring your attention to misleading by "it or its overall presentation in any way deceives or is likely to deceive the average consumer in relation to any of the matters in that paragraph, even if the information is factually correct; and
(b) it causes or is likely to cause the average consumer to take a transactional decision he would not have taken otherwise."


This is how cleargreen inc. picturing their session with the nagual Carlos and his unforgettable character... one can get high reading about such kinda cute little fella encouraging kids to dream good dreamy...

From cleargreen's advertisement of Bath workshop:



~unquestionable bodily knowledge that you are a dreamer. You feel you are a dreamer with all the cells of your body.

The Art of Dreaming

"What do you want?" the nagual Carlos Castaneda asked a group of students gathered in a movement studio in Santa Monica.
"What do you long for?" Florinda Donner-Grau asked them.
"You've been recapitulating, reviewing your lives, for some time. You now have energy…energy to dream…So I'm asking you the same question don Juan asked me, the same question I asked each of you when I first met you: 'What is your heart's desire?'"
The students paused for a moment.
"Maybe some don't remember that you asked them that before," Florinda Donner-Grau said to the nagual.
"It takes energy to pay attention," the nagual said, "to retain new information, or new questions. And it takes energy to know what you want-and even more energy to claim it! So-What do you want? Eh?"
"I want to dream!" exclaimed one student
"Dream what?" the nagual asked.
The student paused.
"I want to be part of a collaborative team that builds a community," another student said quietly, "where people can live well and they can… well, I don't know," she hesitated, "it's a really big dream…"
"What is it? Keep going!" said Florinda.
"Well, I'd like it to be able to generate its own power, and have fruit trees and vegetable gardens, and lots of community space, a place where everyone can participate in decisions, and where people don't have to work two jobs to pay their rent and feed their families."
"And?" questioned Florinda.
"And?" questioned the apprentice back. "Do I dare dream that?"
"Yes!" said Florinda and the nagual in unison.
Everyone laughed together.
"We get caught in our fear," the nagual said, "fear that we are not enough, or we fear that others will say 'No'! And we keep our dreams small."
"So, how are you getting along with your sister?" Florinda asked.
"My sister?" the student asked. "We're getting along okay," she stammered, "not too badly, fine."
"Really?" Florinda asked.
"Well, there's just this one thing. I really want her to come with her family and visit me in Los Angeles, and for several years now she just doesn't come."
"You mean she says No?" Florinda asked.
"Yes," said the student. "I always have to go and visit HER. But I wonder, what does this have to do with my dream?"
"Everything!" The nagual said. "If you want to get along in a community, you could start with getting along in the community of you and your sister-dreaming her, and your relationship with her."
"We are far more accustomed to nightmaring than to dreaming!" Florinda added.
"True," the nagual agreed. "Recently, we've been practicing the Plumed Serpent magical passes," he went on, "a mythic form allowing us the freedom to integrate earth and sky, the dreaming body and the self, recognizing that we are indeed in a dream. Now, let's learn its counterpart - The Singing Earth Serpent - a form designed to help us practice the art of specific dreaming…here and now, on this earth!"
The students spread themselves out in the room and began to move, following the movements of Florinda and the nagual, swaying from side to side, balancing from foot to foot, opening the breath and stirring centers that had long been dormant. At one point, while on the floor on their bellies, each student started to hum. Then they sat and hummed…stood and hummed…until finally the air around them was a vibrating mass of sound.
"What do you feel?" the nagual whispered after a lulling moment.
"That my insides are vibrating in tune with my outsides!" said one student
"I feel tingling in my cells," said another.
"I feel that we are all connected," said a third
"You are feeling your essence," the nagual said, "which is intent itself, vibrating, alive, delicious! Intent is affectionate, the organizing web of the universe. From here you can track the trail of intent in your life, and how it links with the trail of your lineage. You can begin to dream with purpose."
"All dreaming, in some way or other, is group dreaming," the nagual continued. "This takes us to the second gate of dreaming. We don't open up to a new dream in isolation. Even our thoughts are connected to others'. As don Juan pointed out to me, awareness is an actual environment, where information travels instantaneously, just as it does within any tensegrity system, from a single cell to the universe at large."
"Now, what about your sister? How do you feel now?" Florinda said to the student who had expressed her dream.
The student smiled, her eyes beaming: "Well, from this new place, this issue of her visiting is really not so important. I can go see her. My sister is really a great gift in my life-there are so many wonderful things we've done together…"
"Track those moments!" said the nagual, "stalk them-those events of 'YES!' Write them down! And share them. And focus on those events, where doors were opened, rather than focusing on the 'No' moments and getting in knots over them. Let those 'Yes' moments form the trail you follow with your sister, with everyone, with everything in your life."
"I want to feel this way, all the time," the student said.
"A part of you, a part of everyone here, HAS been feeling this way your entire life!" the nagual said. "You just didn't know how to access it consistently-that flame of infinity inside, reaching out to touch and intermingle with the dreams of others-those that are like yours and those that are different-interacting with all that infinite diversity. Yes!"~


And here is another picture of the session with the nagual Carlos and his dreams:

From notes of Corey Donovan:

" March 28, 1997, Dance Home, Santa Monica 8 - 9 PM

[All of Cleargreen, including Travis from Mexico, with the exception of Florinda, Barbara (the Moon Child) and Karina, were on hand, along with 13 of us from the Sunday class: Daniel, Larry, Paul, Greg, Marcos, Thorton, Virginia, Nina, Darby, Keith, Pablo, Kathleen Seligman and me.]

Bruce greeted us with the Star Trek "V" salute, saying "Hale-Bopp" as we arrived.

Castaneda started with a breath with square fists raised in front of the body at either side about shoulder level, then bringing them in so that the knuckles were facing out in front of the body, arms close together, for the inhale. Then exhaling out as you bring them out to the sides and look upward.

"I heard that several of the Heaven's Gate group had had themselves castrated some months before they 'left.' What is this? You need your balls to be able to journey. They were waiting for a spaceship to pick them up and take them to heaven. There is no heaven. Infinity is a constant battle, a struggle. There is no heaven where they're going to be taken care of, where everything is going to be made nice. This is the Flyers talking." Taisha mentioned that they had had quarters and five dollar bills packed near them. Kylie excitedly added that the brother of the actress who played Lt. Uhura on Star Trek was one of them. Castaneda said that the same issue of the Los Angeles Times that had so many articles about the cult "had on the cover a big picture of rituals for Easter in which people are acting out the crucifixion of Christ." Carol pointed out that it was on the cover of the "Life and Style" section. "The newspaper didn't seem to see any inconsistency in condemning the cultish behavior of this little group and celebrating this accepted cult and its rituals.

"The leader had been in a mental institution. We love that. So they cut off their balls so they didn't have to think about sex. To be pure. You need your balls. Don't cut off your balls.

"It's some weird mixture of awareness and technology, that they think awareness requires this advanced technology of the aliens. This idea that their pure souls, what was left from their bodies, was going to be 'collected by the mothership' reminds me of China, when they used to have someone come around each morning collecting the shit. 'Any shit today?' People would be paid for their shit, because they'd use it for fertilizer. Here they have the idea that the spacecraft is coming down to collect our shitty souls.

"It's like the way they killed monkeys where I grew up. They'd build these cement holes and put nuts in them. The holes were just big enough for the monkeys to put their hands in, but not big enough to pull their fists out. I saw it: the next morning you find these monkeys with their hands bloodied. Sometimes they manage to break their fists and pull them out, but they can't let go of the nuts. We're like that. We're not willing to let go of this little thing we see--these little idealities. We grab and hold on and they take us to our deaths, just like the monkeys.

"Travis has changed a lot. He can't be Memmo. They've got Memmo by the balls, his parents and his family and everybody. Memmo works for them all." Nury piped up, "And now he works for us!"

"You'd be happy if your family wasn't in your life. That would make it easy. So pretend they're not. If they call you, don't answer. If they send you a letter, don't respond. That's hard for us to do. We're just trained--what a horrible thing not to respond to a letter. But it's . . . it's wonderful, to get a letter and not even read it. Just look and see if there's a check in it, and throw the rest away. So if you get a letter from your parents, just don't read it.

"He [travis] found the sacred lake where the Dalai Lama goes to meditate that the other one [meaning Tony Karam] couldn't get to. But Travis had no problem. And they don't like him because he's not even spiritual. I'm sending him a load of energy. He's become Travis McGee. Memmo--I don't give a shit about Memmo. Memmo's not going anywhere. But Travis McGee is a big question mark." He gestured behind himself and said, "We're not a group. There are weird genetic connections," then gestured to Nury, "That one. It's not that I own her. It's not like your parents who think that they own you. Like Lorenzo's father Morton, who hasn't seen him in 30 years but calls when he realizes he's getting close to dying. Then the great scene the following day when he calls to tell Lorenzo to get some things and to tell him to charge him for them, and he keeps calling him 'Joshua,' which is the name of his son by another marriage."

"Lorenzo had asked me if he should get together with his dad, and I told him, 'Sure. He's not your father anymore. You've changed. You can be with him and be completely unaffected.'

"It's because the Blue Scout is a horrendous being, because she moves so fast. It's not just because of the genetic connection. If that's all there was, go fuck yourself. I don't care about that. It's the fact that she's such a fighter and moves so fast. That's what has me delighted, and gives me no end of pleasure.

"Travis found some Mexican curios, made of orange peels, that spell out 'Tensegrity.' They look like something that belong on a Mexican shrine, for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Hey, we should sell a Virgin of Guadalupe that says 'Tensegrity' on it! The Germans would love it. They'd buy them. And since French won't be allowed to the workshop, we'll have Germans and Dutch. They'll buy all these little trinkets." Zaia said she would buy one. Someone wanted to see it, so Talia said they'd bring it in the next day. Nury suggested that he find some cheap shoes they could sell, and that they call them "Travis T's." Castaneda joked they could be pointy on top, to keep off the Flyers, and someone suggested "steel pointed tips."

"As Pope Carlos the first, I should sell indulgences. Wouldn't you like to buy an indulgence," he spoke toward Nury and Zaia. "For an indulgence, you could eat anything. Anything!" Lorenzo piped up, "Indulgences for indulgence, huh?"

"Memmo is this fat creature, and Travis isn't. But there's still this fat other creature."

"Nyei, when we're on the phone, has this computer that starts quacking." Fabricio started laughing, guiltily, since he must have been the one who selected quacks as the error signal. "But she's really malicious. I'll ask her, 'Nyei, is that you?' and I'll hear her quack too, but she does it in a lower voice, it's not the nice, pleasant quack of the computer. It's the voice of 'Frank.'"

For about 10 minutes we were practicing on our own and chatting. I talked to Greg and Keith, and then chatted with Carol, because Castaneda was talking with Nury, after he gave her a kiss.

In the last 15 minutes, he had us practicing the long form, which had had some modifications since I saw him do it two weeks earlier. I couldn't do the jumping parts of it very well.

"I'm going that way, and I'm not asking you to follow, but how great it would be if you could go there too. But it requires remaking yourselves." -Carlos Castaneda


So, in this instance, Cleargreen inc. will have to prove that they pictured Castaneda and their relation with him not in misleading average consumer way to influence his(her) decision to buy the service.



Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on June 18, 2008, 03:07:35 am
I did it. The complaint is filed, administration of the Bath University is informed and asked to give contemplation to the issue of hosting unfair trader's enterprise.

I guess Cleargreen was contacted and questioned because the content of their ad of Bath workshop has been changed lately. This story from the ad of the workshop, i quoted in the previous post, was shortened. This is how it looks now:

"# You feel you are a dreamer with all the cells of your body. -- The Art of Dreaming

"What do you want?" the nagual Carlos Castaneda asked a group of students gathered in a movement studio in Santa Monica.
"You've been recapitulating, reviewing your lives, for some time. You now have energy…energy to dream…So I'm asking you the same question don Juan asked me, the same question I asked each of you when I first met you: 'What is your heart's desire?'"
The students paused for a moment.
"I want to dream!" excitedly exclaimed one student
"Dream what?" asked the nagual.
"I want to be part of a collaborative team that builds a community," she said. "Where people can live well and they can… Well, I don't really know,??? she suddenly hesitated, interrupting herself.. “It's a really big dream...I'd like it to be able to generate its own power, and have fruit trees and vegetable gardens, and lots of community space, a place where everyone can participate in decisions.???
"And?" questioned the nagual.
"And?" questioned the apprentice back. "Do I dare dream that?"
"Yes!" said the nagual laughing. "We get caught in our fear – fear that we are not enough; fear that others will say 'No'! And we keep our dreams small...We are far more accustomed to nightmaring than to dreaming!...Let’s brush this habit aside and practice a magical pass - The Singing Earth Serpent - a form designed to help us practice the art of specific dreaming…here and now, on this earth!"
The students spread themselves out in the room and began to move, following the movements of the nagual.
"What do you feel?" the nagual whispered after a lulling moment.
"That my insides are vibrating in tune with my outsides!" said one student
"I feel tingling in my cells," said another.
"...That we are all connected," said a third
"You are feeling your essence," the nagual said, "which is intent itself, vibrating, alive, delicious! Intent is affectionate, the organizing web of the universe. From here you can track the trail of intent in your life, your moments of YES! and share them and follow others like them with purpose.
"I want to feel this way, all the time," one student said.
"A part of you, a part of everyone here, HAS been feeling this way your entire life!" the nagual said. "You just didn't know how to access it consistently – that flame of infinity inside, reaching out to touch and intermingle with the dreams of others – those that are like yours and those that are different – interacting with all that infinite diversity. Yes!"


Other content of the ad was changed and shortened as well... to the minimum... a lot of pathetically ecstatic posing is removed now.
Anyhow, passes are still called magical and they still claimed to come from Old Wise Indian. Though Greens starting to shift the attention away from Native origin it seems, not playing with it so confidently...   
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: Ari on June 30, 2008, 12:56:09 pm
http://sustainedreaction.yuku.com/topic/5587/t/Highway-of-Heroes.html?page=7
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: educatedindian on January 02, 2012, 02:33:29 pm
The Cleargreen cult is being sued by Castaneda's "granddaughter," actually a mistress and member of the inner circle. Cleargreen has countersued. So much for being super spirchul...

Part of what's disturbing is to see the law firm openly lying, taking the client's claims at face value. Lawyers can't be expected to be historians or anthros, OTH many do have history degrees before going into law.

The good and bad news is in the response to the counterclaim. They are claiming anyone can use the tensegrity nonsense under Fair Use. If the court accepts it, it could potentially drive Cleargreen out of business or at least cut their profit margin. The bad news is there'd be dozens of little frauds out there added to the mix.

-------
http://www.kleinlitigationblog.com/cleargreen-using-founder%E2%80%99s-grandaughter%E2%80%99s-new-tensegrity/

Cleargreen Using Founder’s Grandaughter’s New Tensegrity
 November 23rd, 2011

The Teachings of Don Juan is a 1968 anthropology book by Carlos Castaneda that continues to inspire many followers. Castaneda said that the book documents his time between 1960 and 1965 with a Yaqui sorcerer (the Yaqui are a Native American tribe from northern Mexico). Castaneda used a term “tensegrity” to refer to several meditative stretches that he and his followers employ. They founded a company called Cleargreen Incorporated in 1995 to teach tensegrity throughout the world.
 
Our Los Angeles business litigation attorneys are now representing the only heir of Castaneda in a copyright infringement case against Cleargreen over the use of tensegrity. Castaneda’s sole descendant was Nuri Alexander, whom Castaneda adopted as his daughter. Nuri in turn adopted Aerin Alexander, Nuri’s only child. Castaneda shared his tensegrity knowledge with his granddaughter Aerin before he passed away in 1998. Joining Aerin is plaintiff Miles Reid, who trained under Castaneda for over 15 years.
 
Aerin and Miles have been traveling and teaching tensegrity for 14 years on behalf of Cleargreen. They began making their own version of tensegrity movements that involved significant modifications of the instructional videos and books that Cleargreen had sold to the public. Cleargreen is using more and more of Aerin and Miles’s material as opposed to their original tensgrity movements, and this is the reason underlying the copyright infringement lawsuit that the two are pursing against Cleargreen and production company Laugan.
 
Castaneda and his tensegrity concepts have many supporters throughout the world. Are you familiar with the original movements and the new modifications from Aerin and Miles? How would you describe the differences?

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

http://sustainedreaction.yuku.com/reply/150529/Re-Top-notch-Energy-Tracker-and-Element-Sue-Cleargreen
Now comes the Counterclaim By Cleargreen/Laugan

#148

Posts: 175

(12/13/2011 1:28 AM)


Cleargreen/Laugan has now filed a counterclaim against Miles and Aerin.

The basics of the counterclaim are that all the assertions Miles and Aerin have made ... that they have created or co-created their own Tensegrity movements and  that they created their own speeches concerning Tensegrity are invalid because they were employees of Cleargreen at that time so these activities were works for hire.

Cleargreen/Laugan also reaffirms the validity of their Tensegrity Trademark which was filed in 1995. Also their copyrights on all tensegrity products and materials and movements.
They claim that any modifications or alterations or creation of new Tensegrity movements by Miles and Aerin  are illegal acts and constitute infringement.
Cleargreen/Laugan claims that after Miles and Aerin were terminated in March of 2010 they have continued to teach Tensegrity workshops and seminars and they threaten to continue to teach Tensegrity workshops and seminars and use the Tensegrity trademark in the future.
Cleargreen/Laugan also claims that Miles and Aerin have misrepresented the nature, duration and extent of their training with Carlos Castaneda and his colleagues.
Cleargreen/Laugan states as a counterclaim that Miles Reid's and Aerin Alexander's use of the Tensegrity Trademark and their misrepresentation of their connection to Cleargreen/Laugan has caused and will continue to cause irreparable harm to Cleargreen/Laugan.
Also they state that the copyrights of the Tensegrity materials and products are owned by Cleargreen/Laugan and that any use of them by Miles and Aerin would be infringement.

Because of these issues mentioned above Cleargreen/Laugan asks the court to grant relief in the form of:
Dismissing the complaint of Miles Reid and Aerin Alexander against Cleargreen/Laugan.
Enjoining them from offering any goods or services under the Tensegrity mark. Or any similar mark. Or performing or doing any activities that might be confused with Tensegrity or cause any person to believe they (Miles and Aerin and their commercial activities such as seminars and workshops) are connected with, or authorized, or sponsored by Tensegrity, Claergreen or Laugan in any way.
And also from misrepresenting the nature, duration and extent of their training with Carlos Castaneda.

Cleargreen/Laugan wants the court to issue a judgment that affirms the assertions and counterclaims of Cleargreen/Laugan regarding their rights and the validity of their Trademark and copyrights.
Also that the use of the trademark and copyrighted materials and movements and sequences by Miles and Aerin constitutes infringement. 
And that Miles and Aerin must in writing explain how they have complied with this order.. and give up and return all Tensegrity related materials.
They must also return all profits they have gained by unlawfully using the Tensegrity mark. (enhanced - on the basis of their willful infringement). And pay all damages incurred by Cleargreen/Laugan because of Reid and Alexander's infringement (enhanced on the basis of that infringement)
And pay all  Cleargreen/Laugan attorney and legal fees.



Aleaxander and Reid Answer to the Cleargreen Counter Claim

#156


Aerin Alexander and Miles Reid have responded to the Counter Claim that Cleargreen and Laugan Productions filed against them. They are not just denying the claims of Cleargreen and Laugan they are hitting back hard with their own brand of Sorcery Kung-fu. 

It looks like we got game. It's feeling more and more like a trial. A sorceric battle between an alledged lineage holder and a claimant of that lineage.

Answer by Miles Reid and Aerin Alexander to Counterclaims of Laugan Productions Inc. and Cleargreen Inc.

Aerin and Miles ..The counter defendants.  ..They agree with the statement that Carlos Castaneda was an archeologist that was a student of don Juan Matus who studied the teachings of Shamans in ancient Mexico. Also that don Juan and his colleagues taught the movements to Castaneda who adapted and modernized them.

(and then all hell breaks lose)

Aerin and Miles deny the statement made by Cleargreen/Laugan  about how Cleargreen and Laugan were formed. That Laugan was formed by Castaneda and others in 1974 to hold the intellectual property rights (including the trademark Tensegrity) of Carlos Castaneda and that Cleargreen was formed in 1995 to disseminate the teachings of Carlos Castaneda under the trademark 'Tensegrity' lisenced from Laugan. 
They also deny Laugan's and Cleargreen's claims that Tensegrity is a valid Trademark. They claim that Laugan and Cleargreen improperly filed the Trademark and that they (Laugan and Cleargreen) obtained the trademark designation by fraud.
They claim it is a fraudulent trademark.

Aerin and Miles deny that  they were employees under hire in regard to speeches and other materials that they claim they produced and authored or co-produced and co-authored.
Aerin and Miles deny that they are infringing upon Laugan and Cleargreen.
In fact.... they deny all the substantial counterclaims of Laugan and Cleargreen.

And then it heats up. (as if calling them "Frauds" wasn't enough) 

Then come Aerin's and Mile's Affirmative Defenses.

Aerin and Miles claim they have the right to use the name Tensegrity under "Fair Use" doctrine.
They Claim that Laugan and Cleargreen have no right to sue them for copyright infringement since Laugan and Cleargreen have not dealt with the copyrights properly and there was an invalid transfer of the copyrights.

Aerin and Miles also claim that the rights to the copyrights were not transferred to Laugan and Cleargreen they were .... according.. they say..  to Carlos Castaneda's Last Will and Testament and agreements of the Eagle's Trust .... they were transferred to other parties.
They go on to list a number of reasons why Laugan and Cleargreen do not have valid copyrights.
Then they start to say that Aerin owns the copyrights. First they say they are co-owned -or she owns them. Then they say Aerin owns them by laws of Intestate Succession.

Now you will have to decide how this works on your own. Having said that Castaneda's last will gave the rights to someone else beside Laugan and Cleargreen they then Claim that Aerin is the owner of these rights by Intestate Succession.

Intestate succession refers to the law providing for the inheritance of property from a person who dies without leaving a will. 
Go ahead and figure the chain to Aerin:

http://www.ca-trusts.com/intestate.html

Then they claim that the Trademark infringement claim against them was a Fail also.
Because Tensegrity is a generic and common term in the Public Domain.
Because it was registered by Laugan Productions fraudulently.
Because Laugan and Cleargreen were "overzealous" and by restraining Aerin and Miles and frauding the copyrights and frauding the procurement and the application of the trademark that Laugan and Cleargreen had "unclean hands".

For these reasons Aerin and Miles ask that the counter claim be dismissed. And that the court declare that Laugan and Cleargreen have no rights to the copyrights or the Trademark.  And that Laugan and Cleargreen must pay for Aerin's and Mile's  attorneys fees...  and  for the costs of the lawsuit.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult
Post by: educatedindian on February 26, 2012, 11:30:25 pm
The Cleargreen cult lost in court. Good news: they lose money.
Bad news: expect lots of imitators.
Worse news: how they lost was because the court accepted an argument that Castaneda did not invent the so called magical passes. Instead the court bought the argument these were ancient practices of Mexican NDNs, even though Castaneda had just ripped them off from Tai Chi and passed them off as NDN.
So naturally Cleargreen couldn't counter argue what these passes truly were.

-----------
http://sustainedreaction.yuku.com/reply/151007/Top-notch-Energy-Tracker-and-Element-Sue-Cleargreen#reply-151007

xtranrg
By Order of the Court - Cleargreen Crumbles.
(02/24/2012 8:16 PM)
Aerin Alexander and Mile's Reid's motion for summary judgement is granted by the Court!!

It is Ordered by The Court:
1.The positions found in the publication Magical Passes is in the Public Domain.
2.The positions found in the video Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity is in the Public Domain.
3.The positions found in the video Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity volume 1 and 2 is in the Public Domain.
4. Cleargreen Inc. Does not own the copyrights to the publication Magical Passes since the author was Carlos Castaneda  and the copyrights were not transferred to Cleargreen Inc.
5. Laugan Productions Inc does not own the copyrights to the publication Magical Passes since the author was Carlos Castaneda and the copyrights were not transferred to Cleargreen Inc.
6. Cleargreen Inc. does not own the copyrights to the video Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity since the author was Carlos Castaneda  and the copyrights were not transferred to Cleargreen Inc.
7. Laugan Productions  Inc. does not own the copyrights to the video Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity since the author was Carlos Castaneda  and the copyrights were not transferred to Laugan Productions Inc.
8. Cleargreen Inc. does not own the copyrights to the video Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity Volumes 1.2 and 3 since the author was Carlos Castaneda  and the copyrights were not transferred to Cleargreen Inc.
9. Laugan Productions  Inc. does not own the copyrights to the video Carlos Castaneda's TensegrityVolumes 1,2 and 3  since the author was Carlos Castaneda  and the copyrights were not transferred to Laugan Productions Inc.
10. Plaintiff Aerin Alexander and Miles Reid's teaching of the postures contained in the Magical Passes, Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity, Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity Volumes 1,2 and 3, and the home videos attached as Exhibit 3 to the first Amended Counterclaim is a fair use and does not amount to either a copyright or a Trademark infringement.
11 Laugan Productions copyrights  to Magical Passes, Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity, Carlos Castaneda's Tensegrity Volumes 1,2 and 3 are invalid.
12. Cleargreen's Trademark "Tensegrity" is descriptive and without secondary meaning.
13. Cleargreen Inc. cannot enforce it's Trademark "Tensegrity".
14. Laugan Productions Inc cannot enforce it's Trademark Tensegrity.




Talking Brujo Dog
(02/25/201211:54 AM)

It opens 'the gate' for different groups of people to do whatever they want with 'the positions' of 'Tensegrity'.  But in a way, that gate was already open.  We already had Howard's light of life movements, and we've always had plenty of different kinds of Chi Gong floating around, or whatever anyone wants to call it.  There are huge somewhat similar movements like Falun Gong (possibly millions of people practice that).  So ... what has really changed except that Cleargreen no longer has exclusive claim to this somewhat obscure 'flavor' of 'movements'?  It's not like Cleargreen was ever much of an 'empire' anyway.  I don't really even know, but I think workshop attendance has fallen overall since the days when Carlos was here.  In any case, I doubt if there could be more than 3-4 thousand people max worldwide actively doing 'Tensegrity'.

But now maybe every 'Toltec' group that wants to crawl out from under a rock can have their own 'brand' of 'Tensegrity'.   In the long run, that could even make things worse than before, especially if one such 'brand' gets better marketing and manages to catch on, like Falun Gong did.  I don't know.

 

xtranrg
Well.. Well .. Well
(02/25/201211:16 PM)

A very deep subject. So many goodies and so few hours before dawn.  It looks like the shenanigans are getting red hot now.  Aerin and Miles are apparently withdrawing their request for summary judgment.. until they have a conference with Cleargreen/Laugan. Scheduled for march 19th.

Before we deal with that current action..  Let's try to cover some ground of how it all came to be.
Everything happened pretty fast..  and there is so much information to weigh and consider.

In condensed form Aerin and Miles "won" because  they claimed that Tensegrity movements were created by "Ancient Shamans from the Mexican Jungles".  (yes that is what was said)   They say they were NOT created by Carlos Castaneda  and they point out that this is evidenced and supported by numerous statements by Castaneda himself and by Cleargreen.
What is probably most important here is that although Cleargreen claimed Castaneda modified  and modernized the movements and Aerin and Miles claim he did not.. both sides agreed in the lawsuit filings that it was an undisputed fact that the movements came from Shamans of Ancient Mexico.  Therefore the attorneys for Aerin and Miles argued that:

"Since these works were created before 1892 any copyright protection would expire"

So in this case Cleargreen and "Tensegrity" are broken because of Castaneda's and Cleargreen's own deceit about the origin of Tensegrity.   Well well well.

Then continuing their legal argument Aerin and Miles (their attorneys)  used the "Yoga" defense that we have discussed here..   arguing very competently that Tensegrity Movements were not choreographed works. .. and that they were not copyrightable as exercises or movements since exercises and movements are not copyrightable.
And that was strike two.

Then they showed that Cleargreen and Laugan were not the proper recipients or owners of any of Castaneda's copyrights.  They had never been transferred from Castaneda to Laugan or Cleargreen.
Strike three!  and they are out!

Also I should add .. and I will post more about this..  since it is very likely part of the continuing drama:

 Aerin continues to claim -in her Declaration to the court- that she is the sole living descendant of Carlos Castaneda  ..and that this would make all his works....  hers. 




xtranrg
CJ Castaneda
(02/26/201212:58 AM)

Challenge to Castaneda's will goes up in Smoke

Court Files

March 09. 1999 / ANN W. O'NEILL
A Georgia man is not the son of the late mystic writer Carlos Castaneda and has no standing to contest his will, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has ruled.

Judge Robert A. Letteau tossed out Adrian Vashon's challenge to Castaneda's will, which now can move toward probate.

The tall, blond Vashon, a.k.a. Adrian Gerritsen, a.k.a. Carlton J. Castaneda, had claimed to be the son of the author, who was slight and dark. Court papers show that when ordered to put his DNA on the line, Vashon backed down and admitted that the reclusive writer was not his biological father. Vashon's mother is the author's former wife.

Castaneda, whose 1968 book about drug-induced experiences with an Indian shaman made him a cultural icon, died last spring.

Attorneys Deborah Drooz, whom Castaneda named as his executor, and Eileen M. Cohn portrayed Vashon in court papers as someone who harassed the author with demands for money, to the point that the writer considered obtaining a restraining order against him.

At a book reading in 1984, court papers say, Vashon told Castaneda: "I want $18,000, and if you give me $20,000, I'll love you even more." Vashon even tried to have the writer declared legally dead, the papers say, "in an ultimate act of greed."

Vashon, who lives in the Atlanta area, could not be reached. His attorney declined comment.

Drooz, the executor, said the legal battle saddened her. "I was very close to Carlos. Even though we kind of anticipated some problems with [Vashon], I just didn't think it would get this nasty."
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult, Renata & Nyei Murez
Post by: educatedindian on July 22, 2012, 03:48:54 pm
The cult has regrouped and is preparing a new ceremony selling push. Here's bios of the new cult leaders from castaneda.com. Notice how one of them also claims to be a Cherokee healer.

-------
Cleargreen Directors
Renata and Nyei Murez     

Renata Murez is a facilitator of Tensegrity®, and Creative Co-Director at Cleargreen. She along with Kylie Lundahl and Nyei Murez, is a member of the original team of Tensegrity® leaders, who, under the direction of the four students of don Juan—Carlos Castaneda, Florinda Donner-Grau, Taisha Abelar and Carol Tiggs—helped to formulate the modernization of the magical passes and other practices that comprise Tensegrity...

She was a student in the Arica School of Oscar Ichazo, studying enneagram personality types; and was a pipe-carrier and shamanic ceremonial leader of the North American Cherokee tribe.

She met Carol Tiggs and Carlos Castaneda when Dr. Castaneda was giving a lecture at the Phoenix Bookstore in Santa Monica, California. She first facilitated [defrauded victims using] Tensegrity in 1993...

Nyei Murez is a facilitator of Tensegrity®, and Creative Co-Director at Cleargreen. She along with Kylie Lundahl and Renata Murez, is a member of the original team of Tensegrity® leaders, who, under the direction of the four students of don Juan—Carlos Castaneda, Florinda Donner-Grau, Taisha Abelar and Carol Tiggs—helped to formulate the modernization of the magical passes and other practices that comprise Tensegrity [the same passes that were stolen from tai Chi and passed off as NDN]

She has studied specific breathing and energy restorative practices with the students of don Juan and others, including David Elliott.

Her interest in Tensegrity® began while attending a National Endowment for the Humanities seminar in Berkeley, California, where she met Florinda Donner-Grau and Carlos Castaneda; she first taught Tensegrity in 1993; and the adventure continues.
Facilitators of Tensegrity®
Teo Alfero   

Teo Alfero is an Associate Facilitator of Tensegrity® and the Founder and Director of Wolf Connection Conservancy. Born and raised in Argentina, Teo attended military school and then worked as a mountaineering instructor in the Andes Mountains before moving to Los Angeles in 1999. In the Andes, a friend handed him a book by Carlos Castaneda and a video on Tensegrity....He moved to Los Angeles and began attending Tensegrity practice groups and events regularly. He joined the team of Tensegrity facilitators in 2003 and has also helped to lead joint events given by Cleargreen and Wolf Connection.

....He has been a children's Court Advocate with the CASA program and is a registered foster father, a trainer for the Safe School Ambassadors program, and a certified life coach and mentor for adolescents and young adults. In 2008 he founded Spring of Evolution, Inc., a non-profit initiative, with Wolf Connection's youth education and empowerment program as its centerpiece. [Using cult group practices on kids...]

Alexander Dergay is an Associate Tensegrity Facilitator and Co-Sponsor, and the founder and Director of Aterdux Entertainment, an independent game developer company. He began reading the books of Carlos Castaneda in 1995 and attended his first workshop on Tensegrity in 1996 at UCLA. He joined the team of Facilitators in 2001, also serving that same year as co-sponsor of the first Tensegrity workshop in Russia. He continues to participate actively in workshops in the US, Europe, Mexico and Russia and since 2009 has been an active co-sponsor in Russia and the Ukraine.

Born and raised in Minsk, Belarus...
 
Jim Morris   
Guilhem Morera aka Jim Morris is an Associate Tensegrity Facilitator and Cleargreen Workshop Co-Sponsor, and author of "La Cartomancie des Anciens Mages" (“The Science of the Cards of the Ancient Magicians”).

Born and raised in Marseille, France...He began studying Tensegrity in 1998 and moved to Los Angeles in 2000, where he worked as an assistant to the director at the Theater Raymond Kabbaz. He also played guitar in the Latin band “Jicamo,”...

Parallel to his training in Tensegrity® he was trained and certified as a Magi counselor in the science of the cards by Robert Lee Camp and has studied with healers and spiritual teachers author David Elliott, Howard Wills and Hawaiian Kahuna and recording artist, Lei'ohu Ryder.

He currently lives and works in the South of France giving private sessions where he blends his knowledge of the cards, astrology and "healing"...
He has been a member of the team of facilitators of Tensegrity for the last seven years and works as a cosponsor for Cleargreen events in Europe and organizes, supervises and facilitates Tensegrity classes and intensive practices in France.
Title: Re: Cleargreen Cult & Renata Murez AKA Clair Baron AKA Caren Mahoney
Post by: educatedindian on July 22, 2012, 04:14:06 pm
"Renata Murez" like most of the Castaneda cult leaders, changed their names many times and constructed a long list of lies and fantasies.

--------

http://sustainedreaction.yuku.com/topic/5136/Tevirp?page=3
Muni Alexander, aka Carol Tiggs, aka Carol Aranha, aka Elizabeth Austin (Kathleen Pohlman)
 Renata Murez, aka Reni Alexander, aka Angela Panaro (Alexis Burzynski)
Nyei Murez, aka Clair Baron (Caren Mahoney)
...
Florinda Donner Grau, aka Florinda Donner (Regine "Gina" Thal)
Taisha Abelar, aka Annamarie Carter (Maryann Simko)
+ Nuri Alexander, the Blue Scout (Patty Partin)
Kylie Lundahl (Dee An Jo Ahlvers)
Talia Bey (Amalia Marquez)

-----

The "Murez" pair, then, are actually Russian and Irish-American women posing as Latin American.
Another list...it's amusing to see adults playing at being sorcerors for much of their lives.

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http://sustainedreaction.yuku.com/topic/4673
Gabi and I have been having a lot of fun trying to figure out the *real* phony sorcery names of the various players in Amy's thoroughly entertaining book. Here's a list of our opinions of who we think might be the characters in the book. If you have different ideas of who was really who, or can add any others to it, please feel free to correct our guesses:
 

Astrid= Kylie Lundahl
 Tarina= Tycho, the orange scout
 Poona= Reni Murez
 Zuna= Nyei Murez
 Claude= Nuri Alexander (Patty Partin) the blue scout
 Guido= Lorenzo Drake (Bruce Wagner)
 Simon= Julius Renard (Tracy Kramer)
 Maria or Sonia= Talia Bey (Amalia Marquez)
 Ridley= Marco
 Patsy or Nancy= Aerin or Darien
 Ramon= Fabrizio Magaldi (Umberto Fontanez)
 Beulah= Zaia Alexander
 Dexter= Miles Reid
 Fifi= Haley
 Candice= Carola
 
Can't tell the players without a program...

Greg
.....

Here's a somewhat more complete key to the identities of the people described in Amy's book. The ones for whom Amy didn't use pseudonyms are listed below, without = signs. The birth names of these people are in parens:
 
Muni Alexander, aka Carol Tiggs, aka Carol Aranha, aka Elizabeth Austin (Kathleen Pohlman)
 Florinda Donner Grau, aka Florinda Donner (Regine "Gina" Thal)
 Taisha Abelar, aka Annamarie Carter (Maryann Simko)
 (Mary Joan Barker) known as Joanie Barker
 Claude = Nuri Alexander, the Blue Scout (Patty Partin)
 Astrid = Kylie Lundahl (Dee An Jo Ahlvers)
 Poona Wiltee = Renata Murez, aka Reni Alexander, aka Angela Panaro (Alexis Burzynski)
 Zuna = Nyei Murez, aka Clair Baron (Caren Mahoney)
 Tarina = Tycho or Nayely Tycho Aranha Thal, the Orange Scout (Premajyoti Galvez y Fuentes)
 Andy Horowitz, changes to Guido Manfred = Lorenzo Drake (Bruce Wagner)
 Rick Fosterman, changes to Simon McKrindle = Julius Renard (Tracy Kramer)
 Maria or Sonia = Talia Bey (Amalia Marquez)
 Ridley James = Brandon Scott, aka Philip (Federico Jeanot)
 Patsy = Aerin (Maria Guadalupe Blanco)
Nancy = Darien (Fabiana Pompa)
 Ramon = Fabricio Magaldi (Humberto Fontanez)
 Dorothy, changes to Beulah Puckett = Zaia Alexander (Susan Arslan)
 Candice = Carola Garcia Arslan (Rene Galvez y Fuentes)
 Dexter Dupree or Dr. Piero LaBruna = Miles Reid (Paulo Rivarola)
 Susan, changes to Fifi LaRue = Halley Alexander van Oosten (Nina Blake)
 Joey = Leroy Robinson-Welby (Marcos Conal)
 Buddy = Grant Vospher (Steve Levinson)
 Alice = (Margarita Nieto)
 Myrna, changes to Raven McLoud = Wilkie McLaren (Darby Romeo)
 Bonny, changes to Tildy = the Moonchild (Barbara)
 Jim Gruber = (Paul Gutsmuths), now Felix Wolf
 Harry = (Ralph Torjan)
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 not mentioned in the book, but also part of Cleargreen:
 Rylin Demaris (Michelle Stinson)
 Gavin Allister (Heiko Hipken)