Based on the teachings of the Berkeley Psychic Institute, which
was founded by Lewis Bostwick. Bostwick was a reportedly a Scientologist
and friends with L. Ron Hubbard. They had a falling out, and Bostwick
started his own "church." The group primarily uses psychic
readings as way to "clear" energy and de-energize mental
image pictures. Scientology also refers to mental image pictures,
and uses a process called "auditing." Heavy on meditation.
No chanting.
The BITE Model Applied Toward the Midwest Psychic
Institute
Note: The following information was submitted by a former member
Behavior Control
Basic level classes on meditation are not as intensive (one
night a week). The year-long "clairvoyant training"
(cv) requires a signed contract not to do drugs, must do 7-10
work hours, and students are not allowed to see a therapist during
the cv training (or any other type of healing practitioner, because
the student might pick up some bad energy or end up with a being
in there space). Being = a spirit without a body. The cv training
is $3000, with a down payment and monthly payments made. Most
working professionals can afford it. Students are told they don't
have to quit their jobs, but most students end up leaving their
jobs or experiencing severe work conflicts (as well as numerous
other interpersonal conflicts). Students who leave are disparaged
as quitters who "can't blow their pictures". Suggestions
are made during the cv training if you "hit some bad energy"
to come to more psychic readings, i.e., the cure is to be with
the group more and more. Questions are tolerated, but discouraged.
Some cult leaders will take a certain amount of questions, then
seem to snap and order the students to "go into trance"
because they "you're getting inside my head". Rude behavior
from cult leaders is the norm. Rules abound about who can do what
and are always in flux. One person, Ken Jones, is in charge. When
he's not around, his director is in charge, but Ken remains the
ultimate authority. Students, especially the cv students, are
lauded by the staff as "special" because they're opening
up to their psychic abilities and are committed to their spiritual
path. In reality, the students are opening up to being programmed
by the staff and groupthink. Whoever takes orders best and doesn't
question receives much praise and admiration from the staff. Questioners
are suspect and subject to ridicule, being ignored, etc.
Information Control
Information is controlled in that the more classes a student
takes, the more they have access to the inner sanctum. Some students
were pulled out of class to do "special" readings and
help out the staff, inciting jealousy and competition amongst
the students. Cv students aren't allowed to have other psychic
readings, see a therapist, or do any other type of energy work
during the cv training. Basic level students are not as controlled.
Thought Control
During psychic readings, an us vs. them mentality was often
created as the entire goal was to look at how other people's energy
influences (family, friends, co-workers) a person's ability to
create their life for themselves. For example, I come in and I
have a problem with my job. A psychic reader would look at the
energy and help me "clear" the energy by reading the
mental image pictures associated with my job. If they saw someone
trying to control me with an energy cord, the psychic reader would
cut the cord, thereby helping me to find my freedom. Then they
might suggest I get a psychic healing. The solution is always
to get more readings and healings, but no one can ever be clear.
Meditation is used extensively.
Emotional Control
Public confession of sins consisted of doing psychic readings
in class in dyads. We looked at how we "gave up our space"
and to whom. Emphasis was on being neutral to any information
given, including negative information. We were also expected to
be neutral (i.e., have no emotional response) when our teachers
and other cult leaders were rude to us.
In class, people would break down and cry, get up and leave,
etc. All this was looked at as "clearing energy" from
their space, instead of people experiencing extreme levels of
cognitive dissonance. Students who left were affected by "other
people's energy" and were bad because they "wouldn't
blow their pictures". When I myself tried to leave, I was
told that my family wanted the old me back, and they were trying
to control me. I was told that this [psychic] training is for
me, and what did I think would happen if I left? (Implying bad
things would happen). The fact that I was being pressured not
to leave, well, that sealed the deal for me to want to leave.
Several students gained weight due to the biochemical changes
in the brain caused by prolonged meditation. This phenomenon was
explained as a "growth period" and seen as a positive
indication that the spirit was integrating new spiritual information
(cult teachings) into the body.
Graduating students often had trouble functioning outside of
the cult environment; the rule was you couldn't return for at
least a month after graduating. Due to the borrowed ego structure,
several students (including myself) floundered. I know of a couple
students who ended up in psych. wards midway through the cv training,
and one student who got in trouble with the law.
Finally, the Director and some of the other male AND female teachers
have been known to have sexual relationships with former and even
current female students, thereby taking advantage of the inherent
power dynamic of student/teacher relationships. There are no ethics
nor sense of personal responsibility.
The concept of "mystical manipulation" abounds. For
instance, if I got a raise at my job, that was due to me using
my psychic "tools" to get what I wanted, and I was therefore
a good student. Normal coincidences were attributed to using psychic
tools and creating events "as a spirit in a body". As
you can tell, they have an entire language that baffles newcomers
and makes the group seem exclusive and seductive to vulnerable
newcomers seeking validation and acceptance. As I progressed in
the group, my status increased and I became "in the know".
It became more and more seductive to use and abuse my power over
newcomers. New people would look up to me. There were many reasons
I left, but becoming aware of having power over people also influenced
me to want to leave.
Additional thought from former member:
I was thinking about a retreat I went on with them when I was
still a "basic" level student and how happy I was. I
mean, I thought I had found the answer and I felt special, like
I was part of this exclusive, non-judgmental group. I remember
feeling free for the first time in my life and more certain of
myself and empowered. I had a few friends calling me saying they
liked the changes in me, as I felt empowered to use these psychic
"tools" to make changes in my life. I didn't feel like
a victim any longer. What my friends didn't see was the stress
I was under and how dependent upon the group I was becoming.
But then it got bad, especially when I joined the clairvoyant
training. I think I'm just now, after six months departure, beginning
to understand what the term "spiritual rape" means.
Their teachings became infused in my being so that I really couldn't
make a move without them. And I found myself mysteriously imbued
with a "burning desire" to carry on the teachings. I
thought that desire was coming from inside me and didn't realize
it was cult programming until after I left.
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