EST Is Back, More Popular Than Ever

Aug. 13 -- John Chmela says one long weekend in a Chicago conference room changed his life.

Seven months ago, Chmela attended the Landmark Forum, an educational seminar that has drawn rave reviews from many participants, as well as unease from some observers.

The program — based on the EST training that made headlines in the 1970s for its 60-hour obscenity- and abuse-filled seminars where participants were trained to get "it" — helps people "create breakthroughs in aspects of their life that are important to them," says one of the course leaders, Jeff Wilmore.

"It was completely different than what I thought it would be," Chmela says. "I thought it would be a motivational seminar."

Chmela learned about Landmark while doing research for his Internet business, a Web site called Top100Expo.com, which ranks activities and products.

After taking the course, he decided to rate the Landmark Forum as the No. 2 top adventure, just below a company that plans to offer tourists trips into space.

He may have stumbled upon Landmark by accident, but Chmela speaks of it now in the language of a true believer.

"It transforms your entire life," says Chmela. He says since taking the course he's been able to act on many of his life's goals, including writing a book, a screenplay and expanding his Web business.

It's Not Self-Help or Therapy, So What Is It?

Landmark says it teaches people how to recognize and break behavior patterns and take responsibility for their selves and their actions. It teaches people not to simply do what others expect them to do.

"You may discover that why you are the way you are is the result of some decision you made and you never saw you made the decision," Wilmore says. He agrees that Landmark isn't the first to preach taking control of one's life, but he insists the course is different and vastly more effective than reading a self-help book.

"You're not just doing it with anyone — I mean this is a particular field we've developed expertise in," he says.