The True State of the U.S. Economy

Primary states of consciousness: A review of historical and contemporary developments

“…These practices (e.g., the cults of Jim Jones, David Koresh, Gurdjieff and others) can include intense or ritualistic sexual practices, physical challenges or initiations, or acts of aggression or violence (i.e., a form of social, unconstrained cognition). For example, cult followers of Sheela Rajneesh constantly perpetrated sexual abuse on each other, promoted sterilization, and carried out a terrorist attack by poisoning 750 people in the local community (Mccormack, 2010), which did not stop them from considering the experience of being part of the abusive community as "the best and most meaningful thing that happened to them" (Storr, 1996). The goal of these practices is often to create a sense of loyalty and commitment to the cult, as well as to weaken the individual's resistance to the cult's ideology and control.…”

Primary States of Consciousness: A Review of Historical and Contemporary Developments

“…These practices (e.g., the cults of Jim Jones, David Koresh, Gurdjieff and others) can include intense or ritualistic sexual practices, physical challenges or initiations, or acts of aggression or violence (i.e., a form of social, unconstrained cognition). For example, cult followers of Sheela Rajneesh constantly perpetrated sexual abuse on each other, promoted sterilization, and carried out a terrorist attack by poisoning 750 people in the local community (Mccormack 2010), which did not stop them from considering the experience of being part of the abusive community as "the best and most meaningful thing that happened to them" (Storr 1996).…”