I’ve been waiting since last July — almost an entire year — for the release of Transformation, the documentary about est founder Werner Erhard.
It’s finally out and I finally saw it.
It’s riveting, inspiring, and unforgettable.
Seeing the old clips of Werner delivering est trainings in the 1970s, hearing him today, getting the inside story on how the media exploited him, was eye-opening.
I’m pleased to see Werner is still around and still awakening people.
He’s still ruthless in confronting people about forgiving the past, taking full responsibility for life, and taking a stand for something in the world.
That’s his mission and his calling, and he’s still walking his talk.
My biggest problem with the guy was he never smiled. Virtually all enlightened teachers smile.
At the end of this terrific film, as the credits are rolling, Werner says “There’s something great sitting in your chair,” and he smiles a little as he reflects on that exciting idea.
Get this movie.
See www.transformationfilm.com
And remember, there’s something great sitting in your chair.
Ao Akua,
Joe
www.mrfire.com
PS — Werner sold the rights to his est trainings to Landmark Education, which continues his work without his involvement through a course called The Forum. I’ve taken it. So has Nerissa. So have most of my Miracles Coaches. Check it out, too. www.landmarkeducation.com
13 Comments
I too found the movie to be very inspiring. To me, it’s a portrait of a man whose life is about making a difference, regardless of good fortune or bad, great things they’ve done or mistakes they’ve made, good reputation or bad reputation–It’s all about making a difference in the time you’ve got on this planet.
Here are a couple great websites about people making a difference:
http://www.landmarkeducationnews.info
http://leadershipandselfdevelopment.com
Hey Joe!
Funny we must have watched it the same day.
This is an important movie to watch if you are into any kind of self or spiritual growth.
I wish he was still speaking in the USA…i would go see him in a second!
In fact i may just go see him in another country…wanna go Joe?
Cheers,
Mark
Hi Joe:
I took the est Training in New York City, January 1976, while still living in NYC. To this day I’ll say it was the best training experience I’ve ever had, and even though it’s been 32 years, I would say the effect of that experience has alwways been with me. I have taken the Landmark Forum, and they’ve literally transformed their company and delivery style in that it always was a conversation, they don’t have to do it like boot camp anymore. You get the same results by having it be a conversation with distinctions that are’t realized yet, existing in the “don’t know what you don’t know” area until brougt to light by the training.
Never having met Werner, I knew a lot about him, and received his newsletters. This film really show what he’s all about, what he’s always been all about even with the media continually beating him up. The film really give you a fascinating look into this man whose work and technology is showing up everywhere, never crediting this to him, and to him, it doesn’t matter anyway. The principles of coaching, the terminology, and some of the techniques have their roots in Werner’s work and I don’t know if most folks realize that.
Thank you for recommending the film, I was on the waiting list for a long time, like I’m sure you were. I second your opinion, this is a flim that really needs to be viewed!
When I left the est training way back in 1976, we were handed a little book of aphorisms – one that has always stayed with me, and I probably say it at least once a day: “You don’t get to vote for the way it is, you already did!”
Steve
As I’ve written on Joe’s blog before, I’m a graduate of the March “A” est Training in NYC in 1976. I went on to take a number of graduate seminars. I have the movie trailer available for viewing & downloading on my blogiste, too. The link, below, takes you to my review of the movie, “TRANSFORMATION” after watching it at it’s PREMIER THEATER SCREENING in Manhattan last July. Enjoy!
Lovingly,
Lauralyn
PS Yes, I got It!
PPS I’ve seen Werner smile – live & in person at a guest seminar in DC in May or June 0f 1976. By then, he had taken his signature style of slacks, sports jacket & open collared white shirt. The earliest footage of him in this movie shows a much more casually attired Werner.
COPY & PASTE this link:
http://embodysuccess.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!7BC360850B2BA149!247.entry
I have tried to locate a copy of the Book of Est in the past and it seems to be hard to find any. Sounds like some very interesting stuff.
Forgot to mention that I just recently received and watched the DVD too! It is perfect! As Laurence replied to my email raving about it,
“The DVD is, indeed, a tour de force, one which keeps the focus wide open and
leaves viewers space to decide for themselves.”
I think that about sums it up!
Love and Joy!
Amy
LOL! my wonderful comment is disappearing into cyberspace, not posting visibly, yet WordPress thinks it has. I will edit and repost the key points;
Oh My so many est graduates here! Another one here! I took one of the last ones given. I took est in it’s final 18 months and continued to take several seminars, the Into Seminar Leaders program and more. Worked on Youth at Risk too. It was the most amazing time! I was devastated (as were many) to see est dissolve.
I agree that the Forum (which I volunteered as support for) does not have the rigors of the est training. Those rigors broke through the too commonly held beliefs that we must have it comfortable, that we will break if we are denied “life on what we call our comfort terms”. Guess what? We don’t. Getting to experience that was as awakening as anything else presented in the training.
Werner smiles A LOT! He is a magnificent spirit – he has led the way for so many and still does!
If any of you would like to experience the work of Transformation on an ongoing basis from the comfort of anywhere, I encourage you to look up Werner’s long time friend, Laurence Platt. Laurence has a website full of Essays on Transformation, and he invites your listening!
You can find these gems of Laurence’s at: http://laurenceplatt.home.att.net/wernererhard
It is so worth a visit there. In est-speak, listening Laurence’s essays is transformation in itself!
Love, Gratitude and Joy!
Amy
Hi Joe. I am so glad I am not alone. I saw this film two nights ago and have watched it twice. I am having friends over this week to watch it. I can think of nothing else right now. I had a chance to take the est training in the 80’s, but was scared off by the bad press, now I am so sorry. I know everything is perfect however and that Werner came around because I am finally ready for him :-).
SEE THIS FILM!
I agree with Amy. Laurence Platts essays are very empowering , and soaks in wisdom. I really got Werners work through Laurences essays. Thats how I got IT.
Hello Joe I don’t know about you but I thinks you are a good man and very good tough about world then i say I love you and your view
Hi Thanks for the blog…..great stuff….I too got it in 1983 March in the EST held at Amar Gyan Grover Auditorium Bombay …..Angelo was the trainer !!! Life has never been the sam again….I got it all…and am still with the assisting program….and reviewed the Landmark Forum in 1996 and again in 2010….wow….the technologies are are sizzling as ever and the distinctions even more sharper…..
Yadu Mathur Jaipur India
wow…..I got it in 1983 in the EST in Bombay…Angelo was my trainer….
love
Yadu
🙂
For the record, I’ve seen Werner smile.