The following is part of an EEO Class Action Complaint regarding Motivational Training.
10. Altered States of Consciousness
I am convinced that guided imagery alters the state of consciousness and effectively hypnotizes or makes more hypnotizable. It places the person in a more highly suggestible state. This “certain amount of open-mindedness on the part of the participant” places him in a position where his belief systems can be manipulated. I believe this, in effect, is mind control.
I have included, as enclosure (1), a survey of a study completed in 1984 that supports this, and chronicles the origins of the use of such techniques in our society. [1998: This enclosure, “Transcendental Management – A Study of the Emergence of New Age Concepts in Human Resource Development”, by Richard L. Watring, is not included on this website.]
11. The head of the Employee Development division (Code 180) in a memorandum dated 21 January and 20 February 1987 stated the “guided visualization” and “imagery techniques” used in PSNS courses are not religious practices. They are simply “well accepted psychological techniques” used for relieving stress. She goes on to say that she needs a “certain amount of open mindedness on the part of the participant.”
a. I don’t doubt that these techniques relieve stress.
b. I agree that it would be nice if more PSNS employees had less stress.
c. I agree that there may be a large number of psychologists and psychiatrists who have embraced these techniques and their associated philosophies/theologies.
d. The question before us is, do those facts, alone, justify the U.S. Government’s promotion and endorsement of what are, clearly, practices and philosophies that touch on, impact, interact with, civil service employee’s states of consciousness, belief systems, theologies, and spiritual condition?
e. Code 180 “assures” us that these practices are “well accepted psychological” techniques. It is, as if, the fact that some psychologists accept these techniques should be enough to convince us that the techniques are neutral, objective, purely physiological, purely secular.
f. It is clear to me, as a result of my investigations, that if there is an “off the wall” theory or “hair-brained” practice, there must be a group of psychologists, somewhere, who will embrace it.
g. Several years ago, according to author and lecturer, David Hunt, there was the largest convention of psychologists and psychiatrists ever assembled. Seven thousand met in Phoenix, Arizona.
(1) The purpose was to examine where psychology had come from and where it was going in the 100 years since Freud. No one could agree on either point.
(2) A panel of four experts on schizophrenia was convened to discuss the disorder. Three said the disease didn’t even exist. R.D. Lang said it didn’t exist until someone invented the word. Another said that it may make the Hinckley’s feel good to have their son [who attempted the assassination of President Reagan] diagnosed as a schizophrenic when he’s really just a “bum”.
(3) R.D. Lang also stated that “I cannot think of one thing that psychology has offered the human race that is of any benefit in the area of interpersonal relationships in its entire history”.
(4) Dr. Joseph Volpe said, “Who would have imagined that the evolution of psychology would come to this, a “Babel” of conflicting voices.”
h. The word “psychology” comes from the root “psyche” which is Greek for “soul.” Just because some branch of the pseudo-science of psychology embraces some theory or practice, it is by no means justification for the U.S. Government to endorse it, to promote it, to indoctrinate its employees with it.
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