I don’t normally post on notice boards but I stumbled onto this thread and have to disagree with JMC here. As a highly sceptical person by nature I’m not really into a lot of new age stuff (i.e. angel guides, energy workshops and the like) and would definitely not see myself as New Age but I have done the Template ceremonies. From a purely participant perspective, there has been no pressure on me to buy or purchase anything, and my attendance at workshops was by choice. I’ve done 1 or 2 a year for a few years and they’ve been £75 for as long as I can remember. I’ve never been pressured to re-do any, though I know people can if they want to. As far as I’m concerned its one day a year and costs me about £75, which isn’t much for a workshop or event in the grand scheme of things. I found it meditative, and (as I don’t typically undertake these kind of things) spiritual without being religious in any way which suits me perfectly being an atheist. Beyond the workshop cost and time there has been no pressure for me to do or participate in anything else and I’ve pretty much continued on in my life as normal. That doesn’t sound like any type of cult I’ve ever heard of to be honest. If I decided to stop tomorrow (and I know people who have) I could, and I know that the people I’ve met would continue to speak to me.
I’m not sure about JMC’s involvement and why anyone would stop speaking to them for walking away but you sound pretty antagonistic towards J&J – perhaps this is why? I get the feeling that what you’ve said isn’t the whole story to be honest.
Being frank I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but from my understanding the long term aim is to get all the workshops filmed and released for free. I know there are two available on Youtube that are free, and that a third is on its way. In terms of finances, I heard that J&J were living in a small grass roofed home in Bali, and were struggling to get their roof replaced due to lack of funds so I’m pretty sure they aren’t driving BMWs and living in luxury. In all honesty, they can’t make all that much from the workshops once factors like transport, accommodation, costs for their geometry etc are factored in.
All in all I suspect I make more in a year than they do combined. So in summary, it might be New Age, and you may disagree with it (freedom of speech and all that) but it doesn’t really fit the criteria of either a religion (nothing is worshipped) or a cult (no figureheads, no rules, no conscripted financial contributions, no separationist talk etc.). If it did I certainly wouldn’t want any part of it.
I’m not sure about JMC’s involvement and why anyone would stop speaking to them for walking away but you sound pretty antagonistic towards J&J – perhaps this is why? I get the feeling that what you’ve said isn’t the whole story to be honest.
Being frank I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but from my understanding the long term aim is to get all the workshops filmed and released for free. I know there are two available on Youtube that are free, and that a third is on its way. In terms of finances, I heard that J&J were living in a small grass roofed home in Bali, and were struggling to get their roof replaced due to lack of funds so I’m pretty sure they aren’t driving BMWs and living in luxury. In all honesty, they can’t make all that much from the workshops once factors like transport, accommodation, costs for their geometry etc are factored in.
All in all I suspect I make more in a year than they do combined. So in summary, it might be New Age, and you may disagree with it (freedom of speech and all that) but it doesn’t really fit the criteria of either a religion (nothing is worshipped) or a cult (no figureheads, no rules, no conscripted financial contributions, no separationist talk etc.). If it did I certainly wouldn’t want any part of it.