Experience of the Landmark Forum shared from the perspective of a devout Christian.
Découvrir le Pouvoir de la Communauté
À l’époque où j’ai participé au Landmark Forum, j’étais étudiant en deuxième année à l’université de Yale. J’ai été accepté à Yale pour la même raison que celle qui faisait que je réussissais dans d’autres domaines de ma vie. J’étais doué pour faire les choses différemment. Mon CV me démarquait des autres, j’avais soit un meilleur niveau que la moyenne ou soit je faisais des choses que les autres ne faisaient pas. Par exemple, seules quelques personnes de ma ville dans l’Oregon partaient faire des études dans un autre état ; je n’ai donc fait des demandes d’inscriptions que dans des universités d’autres états. Dans ma lettre de candidature, j’ai mis l’accent sur les choses peu communes que j’avais vécu : la pratique du rafting en eaux vives depuis mon plus jeune âge, le fait d’avoir vécu dans des pays étrangers, la création d’un groupe de jazz, et ainsi de suite. Lors de ma première année, j’ai eu l’occasion de discuter avec quelqu’un qui était présent lors des délibérations sur mon acceptation, et j’ai appris que ce qui avait fait penché la balance en ma faveur était exactement ce que j’avais mis en avant. Je donnais l’impression d’être spécial. Différent.
Ce que je n’avais pas compris c’est qu’être différent n’était pas une solution miracle. J’ai fini par me retrouver dans des situations dans lesquelles être différent n’était pas un avantage. Je commençais à prendre mes distances avec un bon nombre de mes camarades et je ne participais pas pleinement aux cours. Si je l’avais fais j’aurais « fait partie de la foule », ce qui m’aurait contraint à abandonner ce trait de caractère qui m’avait permis d’arriver jusque là. Si je n’avais pas été différent, qui aurais-je bien pu être ? Étant donné que je ne participais pas aux activités communautaires, j’ai commencé à perdre de l’emprise sur ma vie ; je me suis rendu compte que quasiment tout ce que l’on souhaite faire nécessite de compter sur les autres et puisque je m’isolais de toutes les personnes qui m’entouraient, ma capacité à accomplir des choses s’estompait de jour en jour.
Si l’on m’avait demandé pourquoi j’étais insatisfait dans la vie à cette époque, je n’aurais pas pu le dire. Je n’avais pas conscience que c’était parce que je m’entêtais à être différent. J’étais aveugle, je ne pouvais pas m’en rendre compte car cela faisait partie de moi. Mais cela m’a sauté aux yeux lorsque j’ai participé au Forum. La raison pour laquelle ma vie était au point mort et aussi frustrante m’a soudain parue évidente. Et lorsque vous avez conscience de quelque chose, vous pouvez agir dessus. J’ai commencé à considérer ma communauté comme quelque chose dont je faisais partie et je me suis mis à participer pleinement à mes cours avec mes camarades. Les résultats ont été quasi instantanés. À l’époque, je travaillais sur un projet qui consistait à envoyer un groupe d’étudiants dans une zone sortant d’un conflit près de la Russie mais le projet était sur le point de tomber à l’eau à cause du manque de financement. Peu de temps après le Forum, un membre de ma communauté m’a approché pour me proposer un moyen de financement. Je me suis alors impliqué avec mes professeurs qui me guidaient et me prodiguaient des conseils et une sagesse qui ont révolutionné ma carrière universitaire. Pour résumer, le Forum m’a permis de faire un immense pas en avant dans ma vie. Et tout a commencé en m’impliquant davantage dans ma communauté. Mon engagement m’a apporté le pouvoir de me créer la vie que je voulais vivre.
Soyez Sociable, Partagez !
You Only Live Once
This video talks about what he got out of the course and the way he is putting it to use in his life. Duwayne Langham runs a youtube channel called YOLO Ave and he participated in the Landmark Forum and made a video in his car to share some of his thoughts.
Langham has participated extensively in a wide range of personal growth programs and is giving his take on Landmark after finally participating- even though he had heard about it ears earlier. He gives a very thoughtful reflection on the ideas and distinctions presented during the three days of the course particularly the impact it has had on his relationship with other people particularly his wife and children.
Since making this video Langham has also participated in the Landmark Advanced Course. You can see those videos on his YouTube channel.
The second Landmark Forum Vietnamese Landmark Forum (Translated) will be taking place in Houston. This video features the first hand experience of a number of Vietnamese Americans who participated in the Landmark Forum. They share about new kinds of relationships with family and other loved ones. This video was created by Big Saigon Team, a group of Landmark graduates who want to bring the Landmark Forum to the Vietnamese community.
To read and see more about this in Vietnamese see: http://wp.me/p2mpQH-6d
A mother shares about the impact of the Landmark Forum on her relationships:
In 2009, my SELP project was to create a social network in the primary school of my daughters, in order to develop links among the community of parents and with the teachers, for the best of our children and a better mutual understanding in a multi cultural environment.
Yesterday, we have received a confirmation from the local council that our school will be rebuilt in a global project that integrates autistic children. A project that we have supported for years. I have learned something very key : no need to worry to reach the result fast, what is important is to keep acting.
Celine Bouquerel
France
Thank you Landmark for the life you gave me access to 7 years ago this month. I took the Landmark Forum to divorce my wife after 14 years of estrangement in a 21 year marriage and as a surprise result fell in love with her again.
We recently celebrated our 28th year Anniversary.
I spent almost 55 years of not dancing and being fearful of being found out I couldn’t dance. It grew to a phobia like fear until I created a new possibility of enjoying dancing with my wife that had me lit up more than my fear and I became accomplished in modern ballroom dancing and also Victorian Ballroom…the latter of which I became a member of a dance cast and a dance host for. I have danced with about 1700 ladies in the 4 years since I took on the role of dance host each Dickens Christmas Fair. I ended my old relationship of avoidance with my mother. It had got so bad when I grew up that I joined the Army during Vietnam for my safety. This year 40 years of avoidance after that event I created a new possibility with my mother. I now have the kind of mother I had always wanted….one who loved me, who was proud of me, who wanted my success. I get to love my mother.
I took on my health dropping 70# in 6 months from 290# as I lived into a new possibility of vitality. My mobility was at stake. With 2 bad knees I saw myself as likely to be in an electric scooter soon. Instead I have more mobility than I have had in at least a decade. With the same 2 bad knees I added schottiche, the mazurka waltz and polka to what I do as a Victorian Ballroom dance host and dancing from opening to closing each weekend of Dickens Fair I was keeping up with the 20 year olds I was dancing polka with and I am 59.
My effectiveness as a Teamsters Union leader has skyrocketed and I get to take this education with me in case presentation, in negotiations, in making both my members and the employers being gotten and valued. I get to make a huge contribution. I also am starting my 7th year as an Introduction Leader for Landmark in Sacramento CA.
Can’t wait to see what I take on next.
Thank you!
-Alan Daurie
Sacramento, CA
I was hard headed person. I was headache to my family. I was negative thinker. I was great pretender. I don’t like myself. I don’t like when someone correct me and worst of all I hate when someone advice me…I really hate advices that’s the reason why I wont share because I am avoiding whats they gonna tell me after I shared. In my heart there is a lot of insecurities and fears… I have fear in my future, in my job, in other words I lost my self confidence, my self esteem.
My intention of registering in the Landmark forum is how can I get back my confidence. On the first day I got confused I have a hard time to understand what the speaker trying to emphasized. On the second day I thought I still feel the same like the first day. I actually got bored but I was fighting for it because I don’t want that my money will put into waste through learning nothing. At the early hour of the next day when someone shared I didn’t know I got hit because I feel I am ready to share and willing to hear whatever comments I can get either negative or positive. I really feel I don’t care any negative comments against me. So, I called up to one of my best friends to whom I was unreal and untrue towards our friendships. In my mind I can handle it that easy but I was wrong, my hand was shaking while dialing. I really don’t know what I’m suppose to do…I’m turning the music on, I feel vomiting, I feel peeing. When I heard the voice of my friend my tears started to fall down non stop, my voice was shaking, I talk stuttering. After I shared I have a heart and ears to listen to her everything negative or positive.
My second breakthrough was redeeming my good relationship with my parents because I know I hurt them, I was not good daughter to them, I frustrate them…before it’s hard for me to say “I love You” or I’m Sorry” but now after Landmark saying “I love you” or “I’m sorry” is easy for me, it’s like normal words to say like “expression”.
Landmark Forum helps me redeeming my self worth, self confidence and trust…I can now creating possibility and live with it. I CAN BE ME!
My friend from work shared with me about the three and a half day Landmark Forum course that he attended and invited me to attend a free introduction. It sounded interesting and when something is free, rest assured I’ll attend. I decided to go to an introduction, but did not make it until about a year later due to excuses and time constraints.
I honestly had no idea what I was about to attend or why, but I decided to be open minded. This all happened over five years ago. I’ll never forget watching the leader command the space in the room and thinking how incredible it would be if I was able to have that level of charisma and leadership. Whatever that course leader guy had, I wanted.
Mary Eckman,
Chicago, IL
Sounds Good But…
He spoke of enrollment, breakthroughs, possibilities and distinctions.
It felt like I was listening to a language I had never heard before and I felt confused and annoyed. This was my experience when I attended an introduction to the Landmark Forum for the first time. I kept thinking why is everyone here so happy, smiley and personable and why are they pretending like they care about me and my life? The Forum leader’s energy and words were inspiring and captivating. I felt so charged up in that room and remember having the feeling that I actually could have the things I wanted in life. My mind was opened up to possibility for the first time in my short 25 years. I had had a burning desire to make a significant change in my life at that point.
Their about us statement: “The Landmark Forum, the foundation of all Landmark Education’s programs, is designed to bring about a fundamental shift or transformation in what is possible in people’s lives” sounded great, so I decided to see for myself if this was true.
I Agreed to Take It On
That introduction was my first experience of me actually creating my experience. Many people in the room did not have the same experience as me because they had come in closed-minded and skeptical. The way they experienced the introduction was the way they created it for themselves. Likewise, the way I experienced it was as a result of how I created it. Needless to say, I registered for the $485 course with only $60 in my bank account. My friend agreed to pay half for me so that made it seem even more appealing. I was kind of turned off by the pressure to register in the room, and how at least ten people came up to me to talk to me about what is stopping me from registering. It was strange because I wanted to do it, but then once people started asking me I played devil’s advocate. So regardless of my annoyance and frustration, I registered. In my world, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Not What I thought
I arrived to the course on Friday morning and in true Mary fashion I was about twenty minutes late. I went in the room and sat at the end of the row with a hoodie over my head. They were still in the process of answering questions about what the weekend was going to be like. I kept wondering when this thing was going to start. It didn’t take long for me to realize that it had already started. People would go to the microphone and share about their lives and what stops them from having the things they want. They talked in detail about events that had happened in the past. I was shocked at the openness of the group. I felt like I was in a room with 120 people who had all taken their masks off before they got here.
The Transformation Began
Over the next 3 ½ days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday evening) I went on the rollercoaster ride of a lifetime. I cried, I laughed, I saw myself in every single person, I challenged my conditioned beliefs and eventually on the third day had my entire view of reality shifted.
Seems like a lot to accomplish in such a short period of time, however it did happen and my life has never been the same since. All the fear, the drama, the lies, the falsities and fakeness that had been stuck inside of me my whole life had melted away on that third day. My first thought was OK this is amazing, but is this really going to last?
The Freedom I Never Thought Possible
On that third day I realized why all those people at the introduction had asked me to register twenty times. I was moved by their commitment to having a planet that works for everybody. Those people knew the power of the course and what it makes available for your life and wanted me to have that. If you are ready to become serious about your life and face yourself and your fears, I highly recommend doing the Landmark Forum. It really is a life changing course that will be the beginning of new life and freedom you never thought possible.
Life Changing and Permanent Results
Well, it is now five years later and it has definitely lasted. I have taken other courses inside of the curriculum; however, the tools I use on a day to day basis are as a result of the Landmark Forum. This course has given me an abstract arsenal to effectively deal with any person and situation I will ever encounter. I feel and know that I can handle anything life throws at me. I’m not saying that it’s easy to do this kind of personal development. However, the tools you learn to use really give you an advantage in life. I have been able to have conversations with people I would never have even considered having.
I’ve been able to become friends with people I never thought I’d be able to. I’ve been able to get jobs that weren’t available. My biggest fear of being in a healthy, loving soul mate relationship has been accomplished. The worldwide and personal success of Landmark’s programs are based on a form of transformative learning rather than informative learning. This course enabled me to face my biggest fears and see that anything I want for myself and my life is available to me if I choose it.
Just wanted to share a breakthrough I’ve made. I started my community project called ‘100 Gratitude Rocks’ following my participation in the Landmark Education programme. The project involved sending 100 Gratitude Rocks to the people who have been a contribution to me and made a difference to my life with a request that the recipient then sends their one rock to someone who they feel has made a difference to them.
The idea being that this would start a never ending wave of gratitude around the planet. I created a blog, where I uploaded the Gratitude Rocks and the details of the things I admired in these people and why I was grateful. I am proud to say that the 100th rock was sent on its way last week and I am receiving comments to moderate from people I don’t even know most weeks as the rocks are being passed from person to person in far off shores such as USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It’s been a wonderful adventure for me and I loved doing it. I feel so grateful for the ‘push’ to do something like this for the sheer hell of it and I am grateful that I proved I can be unstoppable. When I was starting the project, I was asked to consider the size of the community I wanted to impact. I realised that I wanted to create the possibility of affecgting everyone on the planet in a positive way. This project has this potiental so I am incredibly grateful that it has come into fruition.
If anyone wants to find out more you can find out about the project on this link….
http://100gratituderocks.wordpress.com/
Leiza Alpass
Bristol, UK
“What I have found in myself and others as a result of participating in Landmark is the inestimable benefit of improved self-esteem, confidence and motivation. These are the key components of what some people are now calling ‘Emotional Intelligence’; they are also the prerequisites for success for learning, work and life.”
Sir Christopher Ball, Oxford scholar, knighted in 1988,
Chancellor Emeritus, University of Derby, UK
“The Landmark Forum is not magic. It is not scary or insidious. It is, in fact, simple common sense delivered in an environment of startling intensity. It is this intensity that makes the difference. While any one of us might well have already been told the same home truths by friends and family, we were too distracted by life and too wrapped up in our own defence mechanisms to listen.”
Ameila Hill The London Observer
"I received probably one of the best educations possible—Harvard, Duke, Yale, etc.—but the single course that made the biggest difference in my ability to live a happy, effective and fulfilling life—was The Landmark Forum."
Dr. Keith Berger, MD
CEO of the Center for Health and Cancer Prevention
