While some may view me as an Avatar Basher, I dont feel I fit that Label.
Most cynics and critics seem to have nothing positive to say and have a generally negative view of everything. These people are easy to spot in any organization as they seem to suck the energy and the lifeblood from their host. Perhaps parasite is a better description of these people.
We don’t live in a perfect world and everything isn’t right but it’s not all wrong either. I hold the same view about my own opinions they aren’t always right but they are not always wrong . That’s not what I experienced with Avatar though, as Harry and the tools were treated with a kind of perfect and untouchable status that made them always right and the questioner always wrong. My view is Harry is not perfect and neither am I.
Feedback is an important tool that Leaders can use to gauge their impact on an organisation. Harry gets a ton of feedback on his success cards but there is no mechanism that he uses to my knowledge to collect information on things that could be improved. The survey that I created (admittedly designed to give people a chance to highlight areas they felt needed improvement) has turned up some surprising results.
I don’t have any particular desire to see Harry destroyed or locked away like Eldon and some others did. Picking a fight with someone who has a large pool of resources available to him is a hard fight to win. The you are wrong I am right assertions of people locked in a fight from my past experience is a waste of energy. You just cant change someones belief or viewpoint if they really don’t want it changed.
What I do want is the ability to question/comment on some of the tools and techniques and practices of Avatar. With medical treatment one of the drawbacks is the potential side effects of any medication. When you take medication you are made aware of the potential side effects. Mental processing using Avatar Tools has created some undesirable side effects in the past and one of the Avatar Rundowns was rewritten by Harry after observing this. I found questioning the tools was just not allowed, even behind the scenes. As Harry says “In a universe based on duality, there is always an opposite viewpoint.” I just never got the opportunity to share some of those opposing viewpoints.
I would like potential Avatar students to be able to make informed decisions on the suitability of the course. If they only hear the success stories then they wont get a balanced view. I’d like them to be able to hear about the not so positive outcomes too and then if they choose to do it then fine, I’ve no problem with that.
Having personally experienced the tools and having been instrumental in assisting others to use the tools to handle significant life issues I can’t claim that Avatar is harmful. That would be a way too generalizing statement. What I am aware of first hand is that some people have been harmed by their experience of Avatar. So a more accurate definition or warning would be “Some people may experience Avatar as harmful”. Avatar techniques are not foolproof (no pun intended). The Avatar view is that the problems are always with the people never with the tools. There seems to be a belief within the network that any suggested improvement to any tools and processes is just the result of an out of control ego. Harry and his body of work are untouchable.
I don’t have the desire to spread malicious rumors and lies about Harry either. I have opinions on his work and how his organization is run many of which aren’t too complimentary and sometimes I guess the tone of my comments is a bit insulting. I don’t think Harry is insane either, on the contrary I think Harry is very clever and is very very successful and is totally in control of what he is doing. Over 100,000 customers paying thousands for his courses attest to that. What he does with the profits of Stars Edge is up to him as he owns it. No dramas there. However the high pressure tactics of his network of Masters and the financial dramas created by getting people to borrow money to attend the courses creates enslavement to debt for many and I sure as hell have an issue with that! When I was an active Master we were NEVER encouraged to lend money to students so they could attend any of the courses. I supported this view wholeheartedly but there do appear to be many reports of Masters doing this.
Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to meet with Harry or discuss my concerns as the only method that I know people use to communicate with him is via a success card.
I don’t think the growth of Avatar will be harmed in any way by what I say as there are always people looking for something new and enlightening and will become new converts or members of organizations no matter what bad publicity there is. After all Scientology still gets new recruits and there is a shitload of bad press about them. By the way I always thought that Harry leaving Scientology gave him more credibility in my eyes.
On the Cult thing. There are cult characteristics in the Avatar organisation just as there have been in some companies I have worked for. The level of cult danger with Avatar in my opinion is realtively low. Perhaps the most comforting thing here is that I have never seen or heard of people being discouraged from walking away from it if they feel it is not for them. However they would certainly be discouraged from leaving a course without achieving an acceptable result!
I don’t believe that Avatar is the key to creating an EPC I never have, although I do like the idea of one. I don’t believe in previous lives, or Harry’s story about him finding himself on a planet in another part of the Galaxy (other than in his own mind rather than a physical reality).
What I do agree with Harry on is that our difference in beliefs is a major cause of conflict in the world.
What I do find Stars Edge very short on is any tangible acts (other than delivering the courses) that improve the human condition. Sadly the families and friends often view the new Avatar’s enlightened condition in a not so positive light. Often they report a deterioration in the relationships and financial situations of the Masters particularly.
Bashing Avatar no, taking the piss occasionally yes, repentant frequently.
Footnote: If Avatar Bashers are psychotics and losers wouldn’t it be a better idea to extend them some real compassion rather than responding to a Bash with a Bash? The eye for an eye type of response from the Guardian Heart of Stars Edge seems a bit unevovled to me.
harleystrangelove 