Monday, 28. September 2009, 15:24:35
Landmark Forum - When I first heard this name, I thought my friend was referring to the shopping store "Landmark" at the "Forum" mall in Bangalore. After a few minutes of confused conversation, she corrected me that she refers to a "Workshop" conducted by an organization called "Landmark Education". Landmark Forum is the name of the first level course they sell.
She asked me to attend the introduction seminar that held in The Checkers Hotel, in Chennai for the first time. One fine evening myself and my wife visited that Seminar and was greeted by the people who called themselves "Volunteers". After handing over the application forms we were given a ID tag of some kind with our names written on it.
What is Landmark Forum?To describe it short and precise, Landmark Education is a MNC that sells/offers a kind of self-awareness / realization course (but they dont call it self-awareness or self-improvement themselves), a course which makes you understand about what you dont know about what you dont know. (DKDK)
What happened there?After some 20 minutes, the seminar started with a 5 minute delay. By that time there was enough crowd and soon, the hall seemed to overflow. I wondered from where does all these people got their invitations?
The meeting started off when the instructor arrived on the stage. I dont remember the name, but he was some Mr. Gurvinder Singh or some Gurpreet Singh. His name doesn't matter anyway. The instructor started off with a welcome speech and informed us that he will tell us why we have been invited and what does the landmark forum is all about.
I was struck. I began to think - "Fine. One more self-awareness course re-packaged in a different technical wrapper. Must be an idea of some Stanford MBA or some brilliant Drop-out." Mr.Singh proceded further explaining that many people know about what they dont know. But they dont know about what they dont know. (Sounds confused? Well we both were confused too) He further explained by drawing a big circle and marked a small quadrant as "you know" and the rest of the circle as "you dont know". And he said Landmark Forum will help you to find out / explore the part that the participants dont know that they dont know. And he began explaining how LF helped him to fix an issue with his mom and how his family had a "happily ever after" relationship among the members. As discussed in
Sanjukta's blog the leader's speech covered the topic of love. Love your dear ones, convey the love etc etc. Boy! actually I bought it.

Later Mr.Singh proceeded about the concept of KNOW and DONT KNOW. At one point, I really felt that there is no difference between Mr.Singh and my chemistry teacher at Class XII. Both spoke of meaningless, or utterly complex, hard to understand language.
Participants brings GuestsContinuing with the same kind of speech, he asked a couple of people who attended the earlier Landmark Forum sessions to give a brief about what kind of magic LF did to their life. Everybody who got a chance to get the Mic spoke of various experiences that helped them to mend the problems in their life.And they even brought their friends and relatives as guests to attend this seminar. Well and good.
After that, Mr.Singh told the guests that he will demonstrate the power of a LF seminars, by solving any ONE guests actual problem and giving the tip to remain happy with money we've got. A couple of guests were asked to share any ONE problem they wanted to solve in their personal life. One guest was selected and he talked about how he was betrayed by his closest friend. Mr.Singh told him that he will help him to fix the relationship and suggested the guest to talk to his friend and fix it. The guest was adamant, reluctant, arguing and at one point of time, I was about to throw the chair over both of them. But fortunately both reached a conclusion and I was relaxed.
After the BreakMr.Singh asked the guests and volunteers to sit in groups and asked the volunteers to tell the guests about the power of LE seminars and asked them to enroll the guests. Myself and my wife were seated along with another participants / volunteers. Both of them started speaking high about LF and they told us they are very happy that LE brought a big positive change in their life. Both of them did not reveal what is actually taught in LF, but insisted on making us sign on the enroll form.
Pricing & PlanFrom what I spoke with them, it goes like the Participants / volunteers should bring guests and make them enroll to the courses. There are multiple levels of courses and each course costs Rs.8000 and onwards. They made us pay Rs.2000 on the spot and assured us, that we will not feel bad about the money once we attend the seminar/classes. The remaining Rs.6000 is to be paid after one week to bolster a seat in the actual classes.
ControversiesWhen searched over the Google, I found that what landmark forum does is - a cramped very strict tiring class that lasts nearly 12 hours, continually for two days. None of the content taught, spoke there could be found online. Also mysteriously, the so-called people who attended such classes never speak about what is being taught there. Instead they are very particular about pulling and joining other peoples into the classes. From a couple of websites like
http://www.rickross.com/groups/landmark.html ,
http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1243&Itemid=12url, and
http://sanjukta.wordpress.com/2007/07/13/heard-of-landmark-forum/ it seems Landmark Education has its own share of controversies.
As Sanjukta pointed out that her friend who led her to the LE seminar now stopped talking to her, I am afraid that my friend may stop talking to me if she finds that I am not willing to go for that class.
My takeThere are many questions one may get, after attending the introductory seminar.
1. If they are truly willing to make people happy, why wont they publish a book?
2. Why does they never reveal their education material.. not even a page worth of it to the public? but insist on saying it will bring a positive change etc etc.
3. Why does they literally PUSH the guests to sign up with the program almost instantly?
4. Why does they call me again after months asking me to pay the rest of the money and attend the class? (At the time of intro session, they said that we need to pay Rs.2000 and enroll ourselves to secure our seats. Within the next one week, the rest of the money Rs.6000 should be paid otherwise we lose the chance) I paid the joining fee, but didnt bother to pay the remaining money later, and yet I am being called till now to join the classes. :-D
5. Why does so much controversies around? We have a saying "neruppu illaama pugaiyaathu" - Literally it means - No smoke without a fire.
I've decided not to join for the moment. But i feel such kind of referral programs and MLM schemes are the worst things around that could damage a friendship / relationship altogether. Let me see what happens. If I join the class I will write the PART II of this.
- Rajesh Sundaram