Erhard Seminars Training

Erhard Seminars Training (EST), later known as The Forum, was a form of large-group awareness training developed in the early 1970s by Werner Erhard. It was designed to allow participants to experience transformative changes in their lives through the exploration of personal accountability, responsibility, and possibility. The seminars, which were a blend of Eastern philosophy and Western psychology, became highly influential in the human potential movement.

Overview

Erhard Seminars Training was founded in 1971 in San Francisco, California, by Werner Erhard, a former used car salesman who had undergone a series of personal transformations. Erhard's methodology was influenced by a variety of sources, including Zen Buddhism, Socratic dialogue, and the teachings of George Ivanovich Gurdjieff. EST was characterized by intense, confrontational sessions where participants were encouraged to "get it," a term used to describe the moment of profound realization or enlightenment about one's life.

Methodology

The core of EST training was a two-weekend (four days total) course known as "The est Training." Participants were subjected to long hours in a lecture format without the usual breaks for meals or even bathroom visits, which was intended to break down participants' existing belief systems and confront their perceived limitations. The facilitator, often Erhard himself in the early days, would use a combination of philosophical insights, personal anecdotes, and rigorous questioning to guide participants towards self-realization.

Controversies

EST was both popular and controversial. Critics accused it of being cult-like, employing psychologically manipulative techniques, and putting participants under undue stress. There were also legal challenges regarding the safety and psychological impact of the training. Despite these controversies, EST maintained a large and dedicated following, with tens of thousands of people participating in the seminars throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Legacy

In the mid-1980s, EST was rebranded as "The Forum," and later iterations evolved into what is now known as the Landmark Forum, offered by Landmark Worldwide. The methodologies and principles of EST have permeated many areas of contemporary life, including corporate training programs, self-help literature, and popular culture. Werner Erhard's work has been both criticized and celebrated for its impact on the human potential movement.

See Also

• Landmark Forum
• Human potential movement
• Large-group awareness training
• Werner Erhard