SALPOV Odds and Ends, part oneHere are some fun scraps I have found in the course of researching SALPOV, not presented in a real organised manner. Think of this as a grab bag of factoids. One of my favourite novels is
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Like Billy Pilgrim, the hero of the story, I'll skip around as I become unstuck in time but in the end a tale will be told--
From
Ghostbusters--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV6XTMpWU8YJanine Melnitz: Do you believe in UFOs, astral projections, mental telepathy, ESP, clairvoyance, spirit photography, telekinetic movement, full trance mediums, the Loch Ness monster and the theory of Atlantis?
Winston Zeddemore: Ah, if there's a steady paycheck in it, I'll believe anything you say.
We defaming, bullying, slandering, libelous, criminal, astral attacker, shady character, cyberstalking, unenlightened, hater critics (remember, SALPOV claims it does
not have an "us vs. them" mentality, but we have been called all these things!) are frequently taken to task by defenders of the cult for never having attended a SALPOV workshop. But in fact, some among us have, but most of them are too afraid to come forward out of the fear embedded into them by the SALPOV goons as they are afraid of suffering dire consequences for speaking up. But we know their stories and speak for them.
Also, using the term "Haters" is getting sort of tired. It is a favourite word used by American Right-Wing nutjobs. It used to be said that once the word "Nazi" or any reference to Hitler was used in an online forum, that was a signal the discussion was basically over and the writer was shutting down their ability to learn (Godwin's Law). I think the term "Haters" is the new "Nazi."
Personally, I find the attendance issue to be absurd. In the past I worked in a very low level capacity with lobotomy victims. I saw the results of a procedure I never witnessed. Lobotomy victims and SALPOV survivors have a lot in common. Subjects of inhuman treatment that need to be healed by REAL professionals and REAL love, not the kind you have to pay big bucks to obtain in an artificial group setting with a high price-tagged made-up "family" with Charles and Lenora playing the role of Father and Mother. And I don't need to attend a lobotomy or SALPOV session in order to judge the results.
Besides, Lenora has provided us with plenty of documentary evidence about what goes on, and it does not look especially inviting. In fact, it is horrifying!--
http://www.youtube.com/user/LencySpezzano/videos
The whole SALPOV culture creeps me out and saddens my heart more than being around lobotomy victims.
Plus, I'm cheap. I don't want to throw away my hard earned wage slave money on a couple of overfed and affluent American grifters. They are not worth it, even for entertainment value. But if I do ever go, I will enact the procedure suggested by Large Group Awareness Training Truth--
http://lgattruth.wordpress.com/10 fun ways to social hack an awareness training from the inside out
Posted on January 31, 2013 by lgattruth
The Program is a novel by author Gregg Hurwitz. Although it’s fiction, The Program provides some great insight into abusive groups and destructive movements, as well as ways to social hack a Large Group Awareness Training.
In this case, social hack is used to refer to a method to literally disrupt and ideally completely destabilize the Large Group Awareness Training, from the inside out.
10 key ways to social hack a Large Group Awareness Training:
1) Act authoritatively. Destructive groups and abusive movements often model their staff and train their leadership after the one influential leader and founder of the group. They will not expect you yourself to also act in this manner. They often act authoritarian and totalitarian, as this is how these staff members are taught, to emulate and act like their leader and founder.
2) Bring a mental health professional as part of your social hacking group. Ideally this would be someone with a PhD in psychology or an M.D. with a specialty in psychiatry. This person would educate and brief the members of the social hacking team about tactics and methods of the group, and the dangers of getting in too deep into its thought patterns.
3) Bring an ex-member of the group in question. This ex-member should be someone intimately aware of the ways the group functions, and yet out for enough time to have fully gone through a period of cognitive dissonance and awakened back to a pattern to appropriately interact with society again.
4) Bring law enforcement or someone familiar with the law. This person will help brief the rest of the members of the social hacking team on their rights should staff from the destructive group or abusive movement falsely make claims about their actions during the seminar. This person would also be quite useful to conduct research into the possible criminal activities of the group and its founder and leader. This person should instruct all members of the social hacking team on ways to have fun disrupting and destabilizing the Large Group Awareness Training seminar, without doing anything illegal.
5) Don’t follow group mentality. Refuse to stand when everyone else stands. Don’t clap when everyone else claps. This will help you maintain your sense of self and independence throughout the attempts by the abusive group or destructive movement at influence and manipulation. If you are asked to explain yourself by a staff member of the abusive group, sample language from the book includes: “From what I’ve seen, I’m not sure if I like The Program yet. If I decide that I don’t like what’s going on here, I’m leaving. Thank you for having me here today.” (Obviously replace “The Program” with the name of whatever destructive group or abusive movement’s seminar you are attending.)
6) Politely interrupt the seminar with inquisitive questions. Make sure to be polite about this. Again, maintain a positive and happy attitude when doing this. Most likely other members of the seminar in the room full of 200 or so people will echo some of your concerns.
7) Assertively affirm your positive outlook on life. Wording suggested in the book by the fictional psychologist, character Dr. Glen Bederman is: “My Program is: I participate in activities that give me self-esteem, and I have the courage to decline to participate in those activities that do not.” This frames your reason for attending in a positive way that simultaneously retains your own sense of self, independence, assertiveness, and self worth. It also signals to potential shills, dupes, and marks in the audience that they can similarly adopt your positive yet independent attitude and modus operandi while being in the seminar.
Maintain a positive and happy attitude. You are there to have a fun time. Act like it. Potential shills and suckers and marks will respond positively to you if you question the methods and tactics of the abusive group or destructive movement, while at the same time showing you are a happy and fulfilled person.
9) Bring a digital thermometer. Destructive groups and abusive movements will sometimes wildly alter the ambient temperature in the room where the seminar is conducted, in order to put attendees off balance. If you notice this pattern, politely but loudly question the staff on this, in front of the rest of the seminar participants so they can all hear your concerns.
10) Ask the staff loudly and politely if they are licensed to practice hypnosis. In the book, the fictional psychologist Dr. Glen Bederman asks: “Are you licensed to administer hypnosis in the state of California?” When the abusive group’s leader “TD” responds: “We’re not practicing hypnosis here. We’re simply meditating.”, Dr. Bederman loudly points out in earshot of the entire seminar: “Guided meditation is a form of hypnosis. Everyone in this room should know that.”
Next in this grab bag is a YouTube by Bernie Koftinoff--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNPrzl6EZ44Bernie, who is apparently from BC, shares her journey with Oneness University in a very direct, articulate and sincere manner. What I find most intriguing here is how much of what she is saying is also mirrored in SALPOV philosophy. So why is Lenora Kay Spezzano distancing herself from Oneness University? Why the SALPOV online information purge of all connection with OU, formerly one of their "two greatest inspirations"? Young Christopher Spezzano told us a few months ago--
My parents also have NO affiliation whatsoever with Oneness University. They and some of their students attended some of their courses a number of years ago, but were shocked and disgusted to learn about some of their practices. My mom actually spearheaded a campaign to learn and expose the truth about Oneness University. My parents do not support their practices, community, or methods. They have wanted nothing to do with that organization once they had an opportunity to learn more about them. They adamantly steer people away from that organization, their practices, and beliefs. They would NOT want their students to be affiliated with that organization in any capacity. You and your so-called "researchers" need to get your facts straight. If you attempt to destroy someone, as you are attempting to do both my parents and all the tens of thousands of people around the world they have helped, you have to have the mental willpower to do balanced research. Without a balanced, analytical approach to what you are doing, you are manipulating all of the people who are reading your posts. To be honest, it seems you have been just as brainwashed by this misinformation as anyone a part of a real cult. It's worrisome, unhealthy, and downright illegal to pursue these untrue attacks. We are now in the process of cleaning up this misinformation. We will likely have to take legal action against the defamers to clear up the misinformation and slander they are spreading and issue a public apology. If you have any further questions or attacks, I would be happy to educate you further about your ignorance. Hopefully I can then continue to clear up the damage that you have been doing to thousands of people around the world, not just my parents ...
Christopher Haokalani Spezzano
I have also made copies of our conversations and screenshots of your public defamation posts on Facebook to hold you legally accountable for any further unfounded damage you choose to do.
Whew. And Lenora told us in her recent screed--
http://the-truth-about-chuck-and-lency-spezzano.com/what-is-the-nature-of-the-relationship-between-psychology-of-vision-and-oneness-university/What Is The Nature of The Relationship Between Psychology of Vision And Oneness University?
There is no relationship between the two organizations. Some of us attended healing programs there years ago, but for a number of reasons it felt true to me to distance Psychology of Vision from Oneness U. For about a year after making that decision, I stated in my seminars that I did not recommend that people attend their programs.
We have provided more than enough research and documentation here to prove both Lenora and young Christopher are full of hot air and completely wrong. Neither one of them gave us specifics or dates or examples. Exactly
what is the truth about Oneness University that shocked and disgusted Lenora? From what I can see and have demonstrated on this forum, Oneness University remains alive and well within the SALPOV dogma to this day. What exactly are the Spezzanos running away from and why are they betraying their strong connection to Oneness University? There is a major credibility gap taking place here. If there is any apology to made, it should be from the Spezzanos to their clients.
Next, "Spirit Bear"
Here's the long Google translate URL--
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.ladeva.de/Elke-Kirchner_Spirit-Bear&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522chuck%2Bspezzano%2522%2Boneness%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26channel%3Dsb%26biw%3D1600%26bih%3D740%26tbs%3Dcdr:1,cd_min:2007,cd_max:2008"Spirit Bear" has his own entry here in NAFPS--
http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=1474.0;nowapAnd note the Spezzano connections in both URLs.
Next, Selling the Sacred
http://www.psychologyofvision.com/shop/other-material/bouys/SALPOV has, among the many other items for sale, some "bouys." These are used in Buddhist temples, sometimes in conjunction with "fortune sticks," and are known as Divination Blocks, Moon Blocks, or Jiaobei Blocks. They are used as a fortune telling device. Two observations. Nothing is so sacred in SALPOV that it can't have a price tag. Second, these are sold as fortune telling toys, just like the ersatz tarot card sets for sale by SALPOV.
Those SALPOV card sets are the fool's gold bling of the New Age set. And utterly worthless except to the gullible. It never fails to amaze me how people read what they want to read in Spezzano's random 3-card Las Vegas slot machine. It is depressing, actually, to see how easily led people can be, so willing to give up responsibility over their lives and surrender their critical thinking in such a spectacular way. They must be desperate and very wounded people, and the Spezzanos should be ashamed of how they are cashing on the suffering of these folks.
So, tell me again why the Spezzanos should be taken seriously as "professionals" in the field of psychology?
Next
The 2014 German language
Psychology of Vision Handbook is now online--
http://www.pov-int.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2014-03-31_dt_Trainerhandbuch_sec_Endversion.pdfI include this mostly for my friends in the RCMP who can read German. Have at it, Mounties! We love you!
Section K is the one to read.
Here's the link to Ingeborg's excellent take on an earlier edition of this chapter--
http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=4179.msg36673#msg36673Next
Stefan Peter Götz interviews Charles Lee Spezzano in June 2014--
http://stefan-goetz.com/podcast/leading-with-the-heart-could-make-a-difference-to-your-business/Note that Charles never mentions accepting responsibility for errors. Also, according to his logic, Lenora's reactive response to our criticism has only served to increase the influence and power of us lowlife critics. Thank you, Lenora!
SALPOV is suffering from a split mind.
Charles has never been in charge of dozens of employees. I have. And I can say he is full of ... nonsense, and has no real world idea of what he is talking about. SALPOV is a pretty poor example of how a business should be run. What happened to that "synergy" and "interdependence" SALPOV had with Oneness U., or the "Healing Keys"? Don't ever become a business partner with the Spezzanos, they'll ruthlessly throw you under the bus if you become a liability and threaten their profit margin. And they are not very good at cover ups and whitewashing. That's the only area where they really are "transparent."
Complacency can cost you.
Next up
The Spezzanos were able to ride the 2012 idiocy to their advantage. Dig this riff from Charles'
Nightlight Newsletter from Nov. 2012--
http://chuckandlencyspezzano.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/nightlight-newsletter-november-2012_30.html
The world is slowly spiritualizing, and as a result it is being lifted. Idols, trivia and other forms of delay are being exchanged for what has true value. This saves a great deal of heartbreak, disillusionment and wasted time.
The question remains: “Will it be enough to welcome an easy birth in the last eleven days of December?”
November is the turning point. We are all called to help as we can. It is time to turn emergency into emergence. This is what we came for. This is the time. This is the month we can tip the scales. What was revealed to me in these last months on the road in lectures and workshops is that we could all lose many people close to us at the end of December…Japan could be lost. China could be leveled. People in Asia could lose more than half the people they know. In Europe it is between 15 to 25 of the one hundred closest people to them. But none of this needs to happen. Are any of you willing to give up anyone you know and love when you could instead help to change that in significant ways? There is much to be done and the odds are good that we can step up rather than be knocked down.
There are important things that we all can heal, such as letting go of any grievances because they pull us and the world down. In the same way, we are called to forgive ourselves because guilt breeds self-attack. Self-attack promotes guilt and judgment and that guilt is projects it onto others.
There's more, but why bother? Did Charles ever follow up and say, "Oops, perhaps I made a mistake by pretending to be a psychic and whipping all of you into
a state of TERROR"? In my research such an apology or confession has never happened in the history of SALPOV. The main thing is the Spezzanos were able to keep the herd in control through fear. As the American Boomer Spezzanos probably like to sing when thinking about managing their cult followers--
Keep movin', movin', movin'
Though they're disapprovin'
Keep them dogies movin'
Rawhide!
Don't try to understand 'em
Just rope, throw, and brand 'em
Soon we'll be living high and wide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSHr4ubuD64Sort of gives a new meaning to the term "Chuck Wagon" don't it?
Next
An interesting take on the Oneness Malarkey during the time Spezzanos first fell in love with the idea--
http://newcentrist.wordpress.com/2008/08/13/the-oneness-movement/"How people fall for this nonsense is actually rather sad."
Next
A Lenora Oneness and Guilt workshop
https://web.archive.org/web/20080311161647/http://www.psychologyofvision.com/Full_Event.asp?id=2104Dialogues on the Nature of Oneness and the Deeksha Blessing, An evening lecture with Lency Spezzano
24 July 2008, United Kingdom, Brighton
Next
From Bethsaida, 2007
https://web.archive.org/web/20070419212255/http://www.bethsaida2007.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=37Chuck and Lency Spezzano
inspirational teachers and authors
Chuck graduated in 1970 from Duquesne University with a BA (Honours) in Philosophy and Psychology, followed in 1971 with a Masters in Sociology. In 1977 he obtained his PhD in Counselling Psychology form the United States International University, San Diego, California. From 1973 to 1979 he practised as a psychologist at the Naval Rehabilitation Center in California, conducting therapy groups and individual sessions, and eventually he developed a workshop system for the unit to augment group and individual therapy. From 1980 to 1991 he practiced marriage, family and child counselling.
His PhD, unaccredited by the APA, was in "professional psychology" not "counselling psychology." I'm still trying to figure out how Charles could be called a "psychologist" at the Rehab Center without a degree. From 1980-1982 he was apparently attempting to make a living as a psychic, according to his online autobiography.
http://www.chuckandlencyspezzano.com/ChuckSpezzano.htm"In 1980 Chuck travelled to Vancouver, Canada for his first lecture. He began doing psychic development workshops up the west coast but by 1982 seeing the need he switched to only conducting healing workshops."
But back to the biography. We learn Lenora is an empath!
Lency is pioneering a mystical path through her joining method that emphasises the feminine, emotional and direct approach to love. As an empath, she joins with participants using love as a healing tool that releases emotional pain from the body, and connects them with the bliss of Divine Love.
She's an "empath" connected to "Divine Love" and
you aren't. But if you pay enough, through the nose, she'll share it with you. Doesn't something about that seem a little shifty to you? I mean, that's her product. That's what she is selling. Apparently her economic, social, national and cultural entitlement extends to spiritual entitlement as well. So you people better stand up and salute! Because she's a
better person than the rest of us unenlightened low-maturity slobs immobilized by our own guilt!
Next
SALPOV fits perfectly into the following brief essay on cult-think by Mark Dunlop, especially in the use of guilt. Also, note that ol' split mind stuff, the "us vs. them" mentality, the elitism, and the addictive nature of attending workshops--
http://surrealist.org/betrayalofthespirit/disorders.html
Do Cults Produce Mental Disorders?
by Mark Dunlop
My basic thesis is that with cults, it is the belief system itself which is the primary active agent in cult mind control, and the actual controlling of mind is done by believers themselves, as they train and discipline their own minds in accordance with the tenets of their new faith or belief system. The article tries to deconstruct the nature of 'cult-type' belief systems, and to analyze how they differ from 'mainstream' belief systems.
- Mark Dunlop
This is just a summary - to read the entire manuscript, go to: The Culture of Cults [dead link]
Here is a brief statement by Mark on whether cult involvement can create or encourage mental disorders, such as borderline or bi-polar disorders. - Editors
Cults promote a belief system which is utopian/idealistic, and also dualistic and bi-polar in nature. Dualistic in that they see the world in terms of two opposite poles, such as good versus evil, the saved and the fallen, the enlightened and the ignorant, etc.
Cult belief systems are also bi-polar in psychological terms, rather like Bi-polar disorder or manic-depression. Cults promote a vision of an ideal 'new self', which members believe they can attain by following the cult teachings. Cult belief systems encourage the aspirant to identify with this imagined ideal new self, and then, from the perspective of this new self, to see their old self as comparatively inferior and flawed. It is ego-utopia or hubris for the new self, and ego-dystonia or shame for the old self.
Believers can experience a sort of religious mania of inspiration, when they are in the hubris phase, identifying with this idealised imaginary new self, with its perfect perception and understanding, etc. They can become addicted to this hubris high, and become dependent on the group and its leadership to validate their spiritual progress and to maintain this inspiration.
There is often a sort of collective arrogance or hubris among established cult members. They see themselves as part of an elite, and look down rather sniffily upon the mores and values of established mainstream institutions.
If members fall out of favour, even temporarily, with the group leadership, or if they begin to doubt if they can achieve the group's ideals, they may experience a sort of religious depression or guilt, over their seeming inability to free themselves from their 'old self', with all its bad habits and weaknesses and lack of faith. This depression reinforces their desire to return to the inspired state, and can reinforce their addiction to the utopian vision of the cult belief system, so there can be a feedback system going on too.
At an extreme, believers fear they will become ill or fall into hell if they leave the group.
All this goes on within a cult members mind. A cult does not control its members by using external coercion. It is the belief system itself which is the primary active agent in cult mind control. The actual controlling of mind is done by the person themselves, as they attempt to discipline their mind and reform their personality, in accordance with the tenets of their new belief system. Effectively, a cult, via its belief system, uses a person's own energy and aspirations against them.
Of course, ordinary society can be a bit bi-polar as well, with its pressure to be successful, with perfect hair, lifestyle, etc.
It sounds like your girlfriend might have some pre-existing issues with self-esteem (don't we all
A cult can play on both her anxieties and her aspirations at the same time. They (or their belief system) can potentially make her feel both more guilty about her 'old self' with its normal human weaknesses, and simultaneously inspire her with an imaginary idealised vision of a wonderful new self and a new life. Very bi-polar.
In general, when you talk to a cult member, it can be helpful to understand which self, either the old self with its old set of beliefs or the new self with its new set of cult beliefs, is more dominant at any particular time.
If you criticise a cult member, this may just encourage their tendency to see themselves (their old self) as flawed, and may push them further into the cult. If you criticise their church or group, the cult-member will go into cult-self mode and will see your criticisms as tending to confirm the cult's warnings about the outside world and its negative effects. A better approach may be to acknowledge and encourage a cult member's old self, without criticising or threatening the new cult self. If a cult member feels valued in themselves, and their old self does not feel devalued, then this weakens the cult's attraction for them.
Stay tuned, there's more--