HELP! Need Advice on Whether I Should Go to CGW

[trthskr]

Hey guys,

I need some help on whether I can get any value from attending CGW. I've been on a personal development path for the past 5 years now. I've always had an innate interest in holistic healthcare, new age ideas and spirituality. This path personal growth path of mine kick started for me after reading Wayne Dyer's book, The Power of Intention. After that I immersed myself in books of that genre and other personal development books. I also attended about 6 or 7 workshops since then. Some of them being, Unleash the Power Within with Tony Robbins, Landmark, and a 2 day workshop with Jack Canfield out in San Diego. I've also done some coaching work as well.

My main challenge is, however, even thought I've done a **** ton of personal development work, I still don't feel like I've grown that much. I have a nasty habit of self sabotage. I am really good at acquiring and seeking new information but have a helluva time actually applying it. I don't know if it's just procrastination or apathy. I'm stuck in analysis paralysis and maybe there's an underlying fear preventing me from taking action or maybe an emotion that is not being addressed that is below my conscious awareness.

Whatever the issue, I want it gone! I want to grow and make some massive strides in my life and tired of throwing money towards a new book or workshop and not getting the full benefit from it due to lack of action or self sabotage. What do you guys think? Can anyone relate? How do you think CGW can help me?

I appreciate any and all thoughts and suggestions!

[Mabel]

Hi there,

Thanks for asking two really good questions. If I am hearing you right, you are question what value you have received from your self-development efforts to date and what you can expect to gain from a CGW workshop.

To address your first question--sometimes when I am struggling with an issue that I have worked on--even put a lot of time and resources into I stop myself and reflect upon where I would realistically be today if I had not put in the time. Oftentimes I then feel a true appreciation for the value of what I have accomplished because I see very clearly that left unaddressed many issues would tend to go down hill.

I attended both CGW workshops and I would say that I experienced growth at a rate that I otherwise would not have had I not attended the workshops. You can read my reviews on my website--they are a bit long but they were written with the intent to answer the very questions you are asking:

Why I choose to attend Conscious Growth Workshop #3: An overview of the CGW Expe

Steve Pavlina Conscious Growth Workshop: 1.5 Months Later

[spirit4711]

Originally Posted by trthskr

... I also attended about 6 or 7 workshops since then. Some of them being, Unleash the Power Within with Tony Robbins, Landmark, and a 2 day workshop with Jack Canfield out in San Diego. I've also done some coaching work as well.
...

I haven't done CGW but the experiences of people who did, plus the fact that you did several similar workshops lead me to think CGW would be 'more of the same' for you. If that's what you want, fine.

How come the coaching didn't work (enough) for you?

You might experiment with something you've never done before, e.g. an intuitive reading. A number of people here give those readings, e.g. Erin, rei and Alex Wu.

[Bing Wu]

Yes, you could get an intuitive reading

To be 100%, yes, the workshop *could* be just more of the same for you, and it's possible you won't wind up any further along than when you started.

But when you ask "will I get ANY value" from the workshop, does that mean that if there was value to be gain at all, you would consider going?

Let me suggest that you could very well get value out of the workshop - if you're willing to You've indicated that you take in a lot of information and then don't take the action, and that's why you don't think you've grown.

So if you come to the CGW, you'll have to do differently. You can't just *attend* it, because it will likely repeat the past pattern. I would suggest taking advantage of the small, intimate group of conscious and friendly people. So immerse yourself fully in the exercises. Commit to putting your fears on the back burner while you're at the workshop and dive right into all the activities and opportunities to network with the other people there. Make public commitments about what you're going to accomplish, and connect with people afterwards here on the forums, over Facebook and the weekly Skype meetups.

Hang out with people who are taking a lot of action and growing very quickly. It rubs off on you. And there are quite a few of those kinds of people who attend the workshop.

Do I think you can get *any* value from the workshop? Yes. But it will require some effort, but not more than I think you're capable of

[Gene]

I have been to more workshops than I can easily count over the years as both a professional counselor and as a seeker of conscious growth. My experience with CGW 2 was unique and helpful in ways other conferences were not helpful.

The close bonding of the participants and the tendency of staying in contact after the event make it valuable in my opinion.

[Angela]

I agree with spirit4711. YOU are responsible for the value you get out of any modality. If you found yourself temporarily motivated, excited and inspired by your other seminars, and chances are you did, right? You'll probably be temporarily motivated, excited, and inspired by what you get out of CGW, too.

It would likely be the same with an intuitive reading. As Steve says, the past is an excellent predictor of the future.

Landmark, Robbins, and Canfield all provide excellent tools for making transformational change in your life, if you use those tools. They won't make you use them; they won't make your changes for you -- you have to be responsible for using the tools on an ongoing basis. You don't just use a tool once for personal change and then you're done.

Take 100% responsibility and be at cause in the matter of using the tools you've learned in all your tons of personal development learning. If you go to CGW, make a commitment to yourself and keep your word, as a matter of integrity. Don't fall into the muck and mire of believing that you can't keep your word to yourself and be at cause in your life because of some "lack of action" that keeps happening to you. There very well may be some fears, limiting beliefs and habits that have had you feeling held back in the past, and successful people use a perspective of being at cause -- and since you've done Landmark, I know you know HOW to do that. (Look at where you're being inauthentic!) But yet another seminar or consultation with a psychic, etc. is not going to DO the work for you.

You are 100% responsible for the results you get.

If you'd like to get some "away-from" motivation in that regard, you might want to read the recent Rockchick threads.

[theorique]

I attended CGW 1 and 2 and I have little to add to what others have said.

The time in Vegas was great fun, high-energy, and contributed to a lot of realizations and breakthrough moments. However, it has been the follow-up with friends after the fact that has made the key difference in actually implementing changes that will stick over the long term.

We're all human, and memories are malleable. While we may make big promises to ourselves (or to others) in a moment of high emotion, it's the day-to-day existence afterwards that determines whether we actually keep those promises.

[trthskr]

Guys thanks for all the feedback!

"If I am hearing you right, you are question what value you have received from your self-development efforts to date and what you can expect to gain from a CGW workshop."

Mabel, yes that was one of my questions but I guess the main question I'm wondering about is why don't I apply anything I learn from other workshops I attend, books or some coaching sessions. Will CGW help me uncover what's going on here? Is it an unconscious program I'm running? From some of the personal growth work I've done I've heard that it could simply be related to low self esteem/self image or lack of worthiness like I don't deserve success hence I self sabotage and don't do the things that I know are in my best interest.

Isn't that the same reason why millions of people around the world on January 1st decide to set a new resolution but the vast majority of them quite by February and are back to their old habits/patterns or way of life? Does Steve P address this?

From the feedback other have given it sounds like the accountability is the key. I don't even know if that'll help me as I do have an accountability group here locally. We meet every Monday night for an hour or two, set our weekly goals to each other and email them to each other. We even put down money and if we don't do them by the following week's meeting then we owe the group treasures who deposits the money in an online savings account. This system I created worked for me for the first month or two that we started doing it but then I found myself self sabotaging again by either not setting high enough weekly goals or just by not showing up to the meetings. Wow, I feel hopeless, maybe this requires some serious therapy, lol. Thoughts???

[trthskr]

Originally Posted by Gene

I have been to more workshops than I can easily count over the years as both a professional counselor and as a seeker of conscious growth. My experience with CGW 2 was unique and helpful in ways other conferences were not helpful.

The close bonding of the participants and the tendency of staying in contact after the event make it valuable in my opinion.

Gene, since you seem like you've done alot of personal development work, being a counselor, what made CGW different for you? Aside from the accountability, what did it offer you that other workshops in the past didnt offer you? Was it the way Steve presented the material? Maybe your just in a different part of your life where you're ready to make change. Maybe I'm the way I am because unconsciously I'm not ready for change even though my conscious mind is kicking and screaming for it.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by trthskr

Gene, since you seem like you've done alot of personal development work, being a counselor, what made CGW different for you? Aside from the accountability, what did it offer you that other workshops in the past didnt offer you? Was it the way Steve presented the material? Maybe your just in a different part of your life where you're ready to make change. Maybe I'm the way I am because unconsciously I'm not ready for change even though my conscious mind is kicking and screaming for it.

The difference was the people. I came to the conference thinking it might be good and came away with new friends who remain in contact with me and act much like a mastermind group operates.

The conference was a mass of like minded people who desired to live consciously. I recommend it.

[Mabel]

Originally Posted by trthskr

[I Wow, I feel hopeless, maybe this requires some serious therapy, lol. Thoughts???

Hang in there! Yes--I do think the workshop could help you if you make a clear decision to participate in the process. You cannot give your power away to the workshop experience by hoping that your mere attendance will be enough though. Right now it just sounds like you are have negative thoughts and you are believing those thoughts. Sometimes when I do this I choose to listen to some Byron Katie videos on Youtube. I would also recommend reading "How to Mend Your Broken Heart" by Paul Mckenna and Hugh Wilburn (a hypnostist and a psychologist). It does not matter if you really have a broken heart or not--this book is one of the best I have read on understanding the patterns that run you and the importance of setting healthy boundaries.

Back to the workshop--it is truly a workshop in which you work on several areas of your life, including emotions. Steve explains things very logically--so you will have a solid idea of steps you can take to improve your emotional state. Then through the exercises and social events you will have an opportunity to discuss your situation with others. Once you attend you will be part of a community in which you will get positive reinforcing messages. I feel like I will be in touch with people I met and will meet at the workshops (hopefully you!) until the day I die--and given my belief system well beyond that.

It is not like the Landmark Forum (sometimes I think of it as the Landmark Cultdom) in which your participation means you are pressured into keeping in touch with people through endless seminars and advanced trainings. You will keep in touch with people via Facebook, Skype meetings, personal visits etc. I find it helpful to continue to attend Steve's workshops, however there is no pressure to do so from other attendees or from Steve.

[SMA]

Sonya, good points about Landmark and about the decision to participate. I too have been to many seminars and workshops, and I CHOOSE to get immense value out of each and every one. Landmark is a great example of contrast with CGW, in that the material is potentially life-changing but the pressure to stay involved is kind of freaky...with this group, there is a remarkably easy camaraderie, which seems to develop further over the workshop and becomes, for many, the most vaulable experience of the entire thing -- this on top of all the benefits of the material, exercises, etc..

Also, one small point: personal development and the progress you make with tools and workshops you purchase is cumulative, or at least it can be. I know what you mean, OP, about that feeling of having listened to and attended things that revved you up but resulted in no lasting changes. When YOU commit to getting value out of something, it sinks in more deeply, and after time you will notice yourself responding differently within your 'normal' everyday circumstances...and THIS is what creates exciting, lasting change. Steve's workshop is a great catalyst for change, as he gets to the heart of things and is not about fluff or rah-rah motivation at all.

Whether you go or not, enjoy your decision and for those of you attending, have a blast!!

xox Shauna

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Mabel

It is not like the Landmark Forum (sometimes I think of it as the Landmark Cultdom) in which your participation means you are pressured into keeping in touch with people through endless seminars and advanced trainings.

Have you done the Landmark Forum, Mabel? Because what you are saying about it here is totally unaligned with the principle of Truth.

People are invited to take seminars and advanced trainings, much as you are invited to join the CGW facebook page or attend a CGW meet-up, and you are totally free to decline or ask them not to contact you, and the request will be honored. There is no price to pay, you don't lose anything, you don't ever have to sign up for anything again, and there's no emotional blackmail if you just say no, thanks.

One can promote one's own passions without denigrating the efforts of others to make a positive difference in the world -- and without name-calling.

[trthskr]

Thanks for the feedback SMA and Mable!

BTW, SMA, I noticed on your site you posted a Free Hugs video in Toronto. I have a friend who runs a great website called Collective-Evolution and they did a free hugs on Yonge and Dundas downtown. Here' a link to their video in case your interested.

YouTube - CEvolutionTV's Channel

[yoopersmith]

There really is only ONE change in life that counts...its hard to name, but once you committ yourself to seek it over all other short-term wants and desires...then you are LOCKED IN.

This change happens for loads of folks that attend CGW...if you are open to it...it will happen for you.

It really happened for me in CGW #1...I just didn't really know...but I loved all the people and dove in with both feet.

At CGW #2, I THOUGHT my big problem was my job...turns out, the job was hiding a whole MOUNTAIN of personal stuff that I am still processing...addications, power issues, marriage & spouse issues...the job thing seems little now.

This change is best described as a new internal response that will let you become aware of WHY you are choosing to think or do something...

So, when you are in conflict...you can start asking WHY am I in conflict about THIS...part of me Really wants to <whatever> and part of me KNOWs THIS IS NOT in my long-term best interest.

Through lots of trial and error I became more conscious of my "habit patterns"...once I can look at the pattern objectively then I can start working on better choices.

So...that's kinda long-winded...

CGW is different because Steve and Erin (and lots of folks that show up) ARE authentic conscious beings who want to help you grow...

They are like the terminators of P.D. Helping you grow...IT'S ALL THEY DO!!!

CHEERS!

[Mabel]

Originally Posted by SMA

Landmark is a great example of contrast with CGW, in that the material is potentially life-changing but the pressure to stay involved is kind of freaky...with this group, there is a remarkably easy camaraderie, which seems to develop further over the workshop and becomes, for many, the most vaulable experience of the entire thing -- this on top of all the benefits of the material, exercises, etc..
xox Shauna

Hi there Shauna,

I resonate with the way you said that. Indeed the Landmark Forum is a very powerful tool, just as CGW is but they are very different in the pressure to stay. I don't think I ever remember Steve asking people to invite their friends and family to the next CGW during the workshop. By contrast, there is quite a bit of time and energy devoted to that during any type of Landmark event. I personally received a whole heck of a lot of pressure--in person and by phone to continue with Landmark and when I decided to pull out of the Advanced class after I been target by the Forum Leader to enroll. I actually felt a lot of mental duress at one point because yes in fact I did get a lot of good things out of the education--even some breakthroughs--but I almost felt like if I did not continue all of that would be invalidated. I am much stronger and more aware now--I know I have this susceptible side to me--so I know I would not let myself get sucked into the same dynamic again.

It isn't just the overpowering recruitment that I am concerned about though. I think of Landmark as a very powerful tool--like the power tools some people use around the house. You can cut through a lot of walls very quickly using these tools, but you can also get hurt. I very much enjoyed the precision of the language and the distinctions and remained very open to what they were saying--at times I was hypnotized really, but I don't think it is appropriate for everyone to be using power tools. Landmark says that all your family and friends should participate. By contrast Steve spells out very clearly the type of person who would benefit from his workshops and who should not participate. Very different. Another interesting difference--one that I am still trying to figure out where I stand on is the fact that Landmark encourages you to call everybody on your poo poo list and make amends with them while Steve is very clear that you need to cut certain people out of your life--or at least put some distance between you and them. While I think there can be some great benefits from repairing damaged relationships, I am not sure it is healthy to make this type of contact in all cases. In the Landmark Forum sessions I attended, there were a few cases of people who contact family members who had sexually assaulted them as children. I am not sure the a seminar or forum of any kind is the right context for that type of contact.

I would not want to invalidate anyones experience of Landmark and say it is all bunk because that is not how I feel at all. There is a lot of great stuff there, but it is being used irresponsibly in my opinion. I appreciate the good things I got out of the Landmark forums and seminars that I attended and I also appreciate that I am FINALLY not being contacted by them anymore!

[Mabel]

Originally Posted by Angela

Have you done the Landmark Forum, Mabel? Because what you are saying about it here is totally unaligned with the principle of Truth.

People are invited to take seminars and advanced trainings, much as you are invited to join the CGW facebook page or attend a CGW meet-up, and you are totally free to decline or ask them not to contact you, and the request will be honored. There is no price to pay, you don't lose anything, you don't ever have to sign up for anything again, and there's no emotional blackmail if you just say no, thanks.

One can promote one's own passions without denigrating the efforts of others to make a positive difference in the world -- and without name-calling.

Hello there Angela,

Yes--I did the Landmark Forum, the Communication Class and some of the seminars. I am aligned very much with my personal truth when I say that I sometimes feel Landmark is a cult. I explained some of that in my response to Shauna. I have never felt any pressure from my CGW friends while I did feel a lot of pressure from the Landmark crowd. I am not out there to denigrate the efforts of others for the sake of doing so. I feel it is important to be truthful about my experiences with Landmark since it was brought up in this thread. I tend to be a very open type person as I imagine that others who are willing to attend seminar of any sort are. This is great because it makes it more likely that you will hit on some useful experience and information that will be life-changing. But the cautionary side of that coin is that there are technologies out there that could be harmful if they are embraced without being more discerning.

[Angela]

I feel it is important to be truthful about my experiences with Landmark since it was brought up in this thread.

I think it's important for you to be honest about your experiences, too. And there is a huge difference in saying: "My experience is that I was pressured" and saying "your participation means you are pressured into keeping in touch with people through endless seminars and advanced trainings." The first is authentic and honest description of your experience, and the second generalizes out your experience for everyone who participates -- that if you participate, that MEANS that you are pressured. And that's just not true, as many people here on the forums who have participated and not felt pressured can attest. It's totally out of alignment with the truth. If you learned the basics in Landmark Education, you'll probably remember that you are collapsing what happened with YOUR STORY about what happened.

Participating in the Landmark Forum, or any level of their education thereafter, is a free-standing, fully-realized thing, and if you participate fully, you'll get what there is to get, with no fear of it disappearing or being taken away if you don't do something else. I personally know many, many people who did the Forum, got a tremendous amount of value out of it, and chose never to participate in any further LE programs -- with no ill effects and no loss of what had been gained. And I also personally know many, many people who have participated in further programs -- myself included -- without being "harmed" or feeling any ill effects from being "pressured." As a matter of fact, my resistance to being pressured itself led to one of the major breakthroughs of my life -- which was learning a high-quality No for myself -- eliminating the INAUTHENTIC problem of ever being "pressured by" anyone ever again.

And name-calling? That just doesn't seem cool to me on a forum where we agree not to name-call. Saying, "I honestly believe it is a cult," and calling it the "Landmark Cultdom" are not equivalent. (And saying, I think of it as the "Landmark Cultdom" doesn't mean you're not name-calling. It would be like saying, "I think of Brunhilda as The Lying Butthead" and then saying, "What? I honestly believe she tells lies and has a head that looks like a butt!")

Again, you can promote something you find valuable without having to denigrate others -- and generalizing your personal experience out to meaning others will be harmed, and name-calling, are indeed denigration.

[Bing Wu]

Angela, I feel you're unfairly pouncing on what Sonya's said here. She made one general statement in a previous post that Landmark participants are pressured. Later she was careful to preface her statements with "I feel" - which is a totally legitimate call to make, especially since she was describing how she felt and how she interpreted what was happening to her.

If you have an issue with her making statements of that nature, may I suggest that you discuss this with her directly so we can keep this thread focused on the topic of the CGW.

[Mabel]

Originally Posted by Angela

I think it's important for you to be honest about your experiences, too. And there is a huge difference in saying: "My experience is that I was pressured" and saying "your participation means you are pressured into keeping in touch with people through endless seminars and advanced trainings." The first is authentic and honest description of your experience, and the second generalizes out your experience for everyone who participates -- that if you participate, that MEANS that you are pressured.

I am afraid it is much more than my own experience Angela. It is also the pressure that I witnessed. More than that, it is what I believe is the general philosophy of the Landmark Forum. That is much different than saying there is an abuse here or there. Any large organization will have employees who do something wrong or unethical. I do in fact take issue with the actions that the Landmark Forum takes--the obvious one is their recruitment style and the less obvious one is that they are using a very powerful technology that can be damaging to some people. The point that I wanted to make to keep with the intention of this thread is that CGW is not like that.

And name-calling? That just doesn't seem cool to me on a forum where we agree not to name-call. Saying, "I honestly believe it is a cult," and calling it the "Landmark Cultdom" are not equivalent. (And saying, I think of it as the "Landmark Cultdom" doesn't mean you're not name-calling. It would be like saying, "I think of Brunhilda as The Lying Butthead" and then saying, "What? I honestly believe she tells lies and has a head that looks like a butt!")

This is my way of expressing myself. I do not feel like there is anything wrong with it. Nor do I really care to press the point though. I choose to read your text as a request. Something like "Sonya please do not use the word term Landmark Cultdom in your posts because I find it offensive." To which I choose to reply, "Sure Angela, I am not married to the term and have no problem respecting your wishes on this one because I am not here to upset you." So consider this the last post on the Forums that I will use that term.

Peace

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Alex Wu

Angela, I feel you're unfairly pouncing on what Sonya's said here.

I don't agree. Consider it from another point of view. What if there was a thread that asked, "Please help me decide whether or not I should do the Landmark Forum," and someone came on and said, "Yes, absolutely, you should do the Landmark Forum, it's not like the CGW (which I think of as The Pavlina Cultdom). Participating in CGW means you will be pressured to dump your friends and family. It's a harmful organization and you can get hurt."

I think you would consider it fair to register an honest, heartfelt objection to such a statement, and not consider it off-topic.

But I consider that conversation closed.

[Bing Wu]

Originally Posted by Angela

Participating in CGW means you will be pressured to dump your friends and family. It's a harmful organization and you can get hurt."

Her original statement was actually:

"It is not like the Landmark Forum (sometimes I think of it as the Landmark Cultdom) in which your participation means you are pressured into keeping in touch with people through endless seminars and advanced trainings"

Which is different from what you're saying. And it's an entirely different thing to keep harping on the issue when someone starts using the words "I feel".

[Angela]

Originally Posted by Alex Wu

Her original statement was actually:

"It is not like the Landmark Forum (sometimes I think of it as the Landmark Cultdom) in which your participation means you are pressured into keeping in touch with people through endless seminars and advanced trainings"

Which is different from what you're saying. And it's an entirely different thing to keep harping on the issue when someone starts using the words "I feel".

....and later: "they are using a very powerful technology that can be damaging to some people. "

How is that different from:

it's not like the CGW (which I think of as The Pavlina Cultdom). Participating in CGW means you will be pressured to dump your friends and family. It's a harmful organization and you can get hurt."

(There was no "I feel" involved in either of these statements, by the way.)

I don't consider that I was "harping" -- I was merely stating my honest, heartfelt opinion; one that I think is fair to express and one that I believe you would, too, if the situation were reversed.

But again, my conversation with Mabel is closed (you drew me back in! )

[trthskr]

Ladies, ladies, ladies...lets end this cat fight now, shall we.

Angela, I hate to break it you hun but I know alot of people who think of Landmark as a cult. That being said I can understand why they use high pressure sales techniques to get you to recruit your friends and family to sign up, because they dont use any external marketing or advertising. It's all internal marketing and they are dependent on referrals.

Aside from their high pressure recruiting methods, which I was also turned off by, I still think it's a good program and has its merits. They do alot of good for people and I know many people who had break thru and got alot out of their programs.

I feel that your being a bit overly sensitive about Mable's remarks or should I say opinion of Landmark. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion regardless if matches with your own or not. Mable happens to like chocolate and you like vanilla If you took Landmark you will get that.

The point is if you took anything from Landmark Mable has her "story" and you have yours. It is what it is. Like Byron Katie says if you argue with reality, you lose 100% of the time. A cat meows. No matter how much you want it to bark, it just wont bark. Mable has her opinions and you cant change them.

Now let's end this hijack of my thread and continue the conversation of why someone should consider CGW.

[Mabel]

Originally Posted by trthskr

Ladies, ladies, ladies...lets end this cat fight now, shall we.

If there is a cat fight, I am somewhere else.

Now let's end this hijack of my thread and continue the conversation of why someone should consider CGW.

Agreed. I provided my reasons why a person should consider CGW rather comprehensively in the reviews I did of CGW 1 and CGW 2. The reviews include detailed information about CGW content, what I got out of the experience and what I observed others getting out of the experience. In a nutshell, you can use CGW as a growth accelerator that will make it difficult to go back to your old patterns because you are motivated to make profound enough changes that severe the ties to the old way. Of course you still need to show up to do the work of create your life the way you want it to look, but CGW gives you the tools and the community to do it with and makes the journey more fun.

[SMA]

I do love you guys so much. It's nice to be among intelligent, articulate human beings...my heart is OVERWHELMED with love. Sonya, Angela, Alex, Jeff, and all...you guys rock my world. Thanks, btw, trthskr, for the hugs Toronto link!

For some reason, I didn't receive any notices of these further comments, and just wanted to pipe in and say, to the OP (who has probably made their decision by now!) that the fact that we are all consciously willing to look at our own development and discuss it is part of the beauty of CGW. Jeff hit on this too, above, and I suspect many of us are still coming to grips with things that were triggered at CGW. The atmosphere of being surrounded by thoughtful people willing to delve into any topic with openness and introspection leads to a breakthorugh-rich environment, and the more you put yourself into it the more you'll get out of it (as with anything?). I still come back to the fact that the people - by nature, those who would choose to attend such an event - are a large part of what makes this event unique and valuable....not to denigrate in any way the material and exercises, which are all fabulous!