Access Consciousness
A self-help organization that believes children are "sexy" and the leader can talk to dead people
1990 - present
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Access Consciousness is a self-help organization that has cultivated both an ardent following and significant controversy since its inception. Founded in 1990 by Gary Douglas, the organization aims to provide tools, techniques, and philosophies to help individuals live a life without judgment and limitation.
The roots of Access Consciousness can be traced to the founders alleged channeling of Rasputin, a 19th century Russian mystic, as well as a group of non-human beings called the "Novian." Building on the insights he learned from these entities, he developed a technique known as "The Bars," which involves touching 32 points on the head to purportedly release limiting beliefs and emotional baggage. Practitioners claim this process can change various aspects of your life, from your career and finances to your physical well-being.
Over the years, this organization has faced significant criticism over their strange beliefs and practices. Most serious are some of the claims of the founder, such as insisting that “Young children are incredibly sexy,” while also creating programs intended to target children.
The organization insists that Douglas' teachings are harmless, and are misunderstood by those who do not understand his message. Various critics, on the other hand, insist that the beliefs and practices by the organization are cause for serious concern.
Access Consciousness inhabits a contentious space between spirituality and commercial enterprise, between empowerment and exploitation. For every individual who claims to have found liberation through its teachings, there seems to be another who questions the organization's ethics and legitimacy. Despite the controversies, Access Consciousness continues to attract a large and passionate following around the world, highlighting the enduring appeal of its promise to unlock human potential—even as debate rages over what, exactly, that means.
Religion: New Age
Founder: Gary M. Douglas
Founded: 1990
Location: International; Founded in Santa Barbara, CA
Size: 10,000 trained facilitators
Mental health counselor Steven Hassan lists various ways the group corresponds with his criteria for thought reform (source)
The organization has been accused of financial manipulation (source)
One former member, said she was no longer "thinking for herself" after nearly two years in Access Consciousness, with a loss of nearly £20,000 (source)
Members are reportedly discouraged from asking too many questions, causing them to feel trapped and "afraid to say anything" (source)
The organization teaches that nothing is right/wrong or good/bad, arguing instead that these distinctions are just a "point of view" (source)
Curry Glassell, a teacher of "Access Consciousness" classes, unsuccessfully sued to keep her deceased father’s fortune from going to charity (source)
According to one critic, Douglass has "a lot of Unresolved anger towards women" and talked about them disparagingly.” Another said his "perspective on women lacks development" (source)
Members cannot know the organizations beliefs until they have reached a certain level (source, source)
Members are told that they are "not allowed to talk about access in the home" (source)
According to one critic, "Most of the deceit and coercion you won't discover until you are invested to the point that you don't want to admit to yourself that you were duped" (source)
Mental health counselor Steven Hassan reported that the organization uses fear to make members afraid of thinking critically and afraid of leaving or being shunned by the group (source)
Each woman is expected to be in a sexual relationship with three men (source, source)
Leader said that “Young children are incredibly sexy,” and criticicized parents for suppressing their "own feelings of sexualness towards their children", but maintains it is inappropriate for adults to have sex with them (source, source)
There are access programs targeting children, corresponding with Douglas' goal of "reaching even more kids" (source)
Douglass claimed that children choose to "allow" themselves to be molested (source)
Reportedly tries to get members to change their views regarding sex and intimacy (source)
Other info:
Other info:
Academic research has demonstrated that the Access Bars program is effective for improving mental health (source)
Teaches how to read minds and heal the sick with touch (source)
Members are taught that they can regrow body parts and can change molecules by talking to them (source, source, source)
Training courses reportedly have plants who sit in and talk about how the organization has transformed their lives (source)
Members are told to call their enemies and threaten to kill them, but to make sure no one else can hear them make this threat (source)
Members are taught to suppress their critical thinking (source)
Offers a class called "Lies, Lines, and Manipulation" where members are instructed to lie and to "have fun doing it" (source)
Books by Gary Douglass:
Books by Gary Douglass:
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