I decided to attend the three day Landmark Forum course (three and a bit days technically) while I was visiting New York.
Reviews have compared it to a ‘cult’, but I think anyone who has been through it will know that it’s not. It’s just the result of people having major life realisations over a period of just a few days – which makes it pretty exciting stuff so they keep going on about it!! I think the best description, having completed it, is a course in ‘life skills’.
I didn’t really know what to expect, and the decision to actually sign up was in the spur of the moment.
The whole course takes place in a large room with screens and whiteboards at the front and a speaker who leads throughout. The hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday are long: 9am – 10pm with a total of approximately 2.5 hours break per day. On Tuesday evening we only needed to attend for a few hours.
I felt exhausted by the end of day 1, but strangely energised at the end of days 2 and 3. We learned SO much, more than I had ever expected. I learned about my own negative patterns with certain people, and as I thought about it longer I was able to spot more patterns with other people, issues that I hadn’t even been aware of. The course encourages you to accept responsibility for your part in negative situations or relationships, and make amends where possible. It also helps you to put the past in the past for all aspects in life and leave you free to move forward. It was wonderful to see people on the stage sharing their ‘breakthroughs’. One person called a parent they hadn’t spoken to in 15 years. Other people finally made their peace with horrible experiences from their childhood or adulthood. Relationships on the brink of breakdown were brought back together. (Sharing is completely optional, and apparently very therapeutic)
I learned a lot and I’m sure it will be having a positive impact on my life and how I deal with people and situations in future. I’m glad I went and it was a great lesson in self improvement that I won’t be forgetting any time soon!
TWO SHOES TRAVEL 