It took a life-threatening experience for “Olga” to break away from Universal Medicine’s hold. First hand accounts like hers are exactly what this unscrupulous organization and its propaganda mill are aggressively attempting to keep from the public. Olga did everything she could to follow the “fiery path” to the “light of the soul” misleadingly marketed as “The Way of the Livingness”.
It nearly killed her.
Recently, two followers of Universal Medicine asked to talk to me in my workplace about my blogging. I refused. Given the cult’s recent frivolous complaints about me to various regulatory authorities, I told them it was inappropriate to continue contact, but they phoned, texted and wrote me letters anyway. I’m not interested in communicating with members who are trying to convert me, but the conversation with ‘Noddy’ was fruitful in that she made a slew of admissions about the group’s disturbing teachings and practices, leaving me feeling both sickened and vindicated.
The Universal Medicine site is advertising this weekend’s couples workshop as ‘available to all’, probably because so few couples have survived cult leader Serge Benhayon’s relationship mangling teachings. A past attendee tells us what transpired at the workshop he attended and the conflict Serge’s sleazy presentation triggered between him and his partner. Continue reading
Y was involved with Universal Medicine for several years as a true believer before making a clean break from the group. In an interview I ask Y about their life as a student, what prompted them to leave and how Y’s life has changed since. As you’ll read, Y’s story is starkly at odds with UM’s usual public relations blather.
Y attended a number of Esoteric Healing and Livingness courses and received treatments with Esoteric Healing practitioners at an average of 3 per month during their involvement. Y estimates they spent an average of $6000 per year on Universal Medicine workshops treatments and products. (For comparison’s sake we have reports of some students spending more than $10,000 per person per year, and Y told us fellow students were travelling to workshops in all three Universal Medicine hubs each year between Australia, Vietnam and the UK, which would raise that figure significantly.)
We wonder whether the expenditure of time, money, emotion and energy was worth it.
Venus: You were very involved. It must have been difficult to get out. What made you decide to leave?
Y: – the decreasing social life, the abandoning of every pranic person, and the conflict with my parents, who got it much sooner than I did
– Also, in my esoteric student time, I developed a serious illness and ‘quelle surprise’ I only went to esoteric practitioners for treatment and handed over a lot of money, not believing doctors could help me. All was put in esoteric context (I did it too)…it’s about the energy you think in… and in the end, after nothing healed and got worse, I went to hospital and was diagnosed with (deleted for confidentiality).
– in hospital, no one from the esoteric group came to visit me. Scared of the energies? Not as love-filled as I thought? Don’t pander as Serge says? Interfering with another person’s pranic rhythm is toxic as Serge said? Whatever, they were not the friends I thought they were and the esoteric therapies kept me from seeing a doctor sooner.
During the second (!) hospital stay, I called my mother and partner and asked them to throw everything esoteric in the dustbin and delete all esoteric accounts. No one from the group asked at any time how I was doing. I’m still waiting, but I know they won’t.
– I was already skinny and lost 5 kg including all muscle tone and looked anorexic while doing the esoteric work.
V: Have you gone back to the way you lived before UM, or is your lifestyle different? For example, do you listen to music you used to like again? Are you still strict with food?
Y: I have gone back to my previous pranic lifestyle. Listening to Queen and Coldplay for the first time again felt like heaven. I got back to my pranic weight, a little more than before actually and enjoy saying ‘this food is sooo pranic’ before eating it. I can’t stand some fiery foods anymore, like nuts, because I ate them over and over again in the esoteric times.
V: Did you find the esoteric therapies beneficial, as in, did they make you feel physically well or help any symptoms of illness you had? How did they make you feel?
Y: They did not improve any symptoms of illness, let alone make them go away.
The therapies were relaxing and I calmed my mind by saying that true healing was taking place. I told my whole life story there for nothing.
V: How did you feel after the workshops?
Y: I thought I was totally love-filled and had found the absolute truth. When I think about it now, it was all BS.
V: How much time did you spend reading Serge’s books daily?
Y: Up to 1 hour. I threw away EVERY pranic book and music CD I had. I was told if I sold them it would have added to my Karma, because I would have sold loveless pranic energy and it would come back to me.
V: Did you read Serge’s books more than once?
Y: I had every book and read them all approximately 3 times.
You told me you listened to one podcast presentation per day for the several years you were involved, so was that one hour daily?
Yes, 1 hour minimum.
V: How did you feel listening to the podcasts? Did they make you feel relaxed? Any other observations of your moods or thoughts while listening or after listening are helpful.
Y: They were my favourite, Serge’s charm and sense of humour lit up my day. I would rather vomit than listen to them now.
V: Did you have clearing symbols at home? How many?
Y: I had every available clearing symbol and used them daily. I had five of the large Extractor 1 and three of the mini ones. I lost my Personal Symbol once, so I had to buy it again.
V: How did you use the clearing symbols? Did you place objects on them or just put them in your home? Did you sit or lie on them? Did you feel anything happen when you used them?
I did not feel anything when I used them. I thought, I’m not clear enough yet to be able to feel it, but trusted it would work.
Every symbol has its specific meaning. Extractor 1 is for clearing objects. I had one for clearing money and receipts. I used them on everything.
The House Clearing Symbol had to be used with a candle. I and every esoteric person I knew used it weekly at home and took them on holidays and to residential workshops.
V: What do you think of all of this now that you are no longer a follower? Do you still use any of the products or practices?
Y: I no longer use any of the products (or practices). I would have never thought I could be brainwashed so easily. I feel a lot of shame about it, especially towards former friends and my brother. I tried to recruit them, but they didn’t buy into it.
V: Do you ever still think of things as pranic?
Y: Yes, and I enjoy the pranic things very much.
V: Do you still listen to Chris James’ music?
Y: No. Too airy fairy or lovey-dovey and all his texts are related to the esoteric.
V: How is your health now? Are you still being treated?
Y: I am still being treated medically, but the illness is the best it’s been and I’m pretty happy about it.
We’re happy about that too. Welcome back Y. Thanks, stay well and keep in touch.
The grand deception continues as we delve further into Serge Benhayon’s treatment room deceptions, the ovarian healing manipulation, hands on healing techniques to increase suggestibility, exploitation of students’ traumatic pasts, the Esoteric Healing Workshop scam and a teaching approach designed to confuse and control.
When I first met Serge Benhayon he portrayed himself as caring, considerate and empathetic. At first I thought he was interested in assisting my wellbeing, but I soon found he was merely seeking to recruit. The following is the first part of an analysis of the dissociative techniques and deceptions I experienced seven years ago.
Another story the Universal Medicine Cult doesn’t want you to hear: Lou tells of her experience of an Esoteric Healing Workshop and why she decided UM wasn’t for her.
Continued from earlier posts: 1.Recruitment and 2.Serge Benhayon’s ‘Ovarian Reading’ Manipulation
UNIVERSAL MEDICINE ACCOUNTABILITY 