A bit wrong on the Egypt thing

Well, as it turns out, in ancient Egypt these things were under the control of Thoth or Hermes (Thoth was believed to be one and the same as Hermes from the Greek). The initiation for access to all of the Hermetic truths (secrets) was very grueling. I would have to look it up to be exact, but it was something like 14 years initiation before you qualified to test for membership in the Hermetic society. And the test was 'make it or break it.' The secrets were so closely guarded that the term 'hermetically sealed' is with us to this day and reserved to mean that nothing gets in or out of the container.

Similarly, we find that the 'cult' of Asklepios that dominated healing rituals around the Mediterranean for nearly 1000 years (until Constantine had the 'pagam' temples destroyed - approx 320 C.E.) held its techniques and secrets as tightly and its initiation rituals as strictly. BTW, the dream healing of Asklepios at Epidaurus was visited and praised by Hippocrates. Hippocrates took from Asklepios the caduceus as the symbol of the medical profession. And, interestingly, the caduceus was the symbol of the staff of Mercury (the Roman version of Hermes)! So, we come back to Hermes again (in Greek, Roman, and Egyptian lore about healing). In each case, the common man and woman was definitely NOT allowed the knowledge of healing.

So, as it turns out, the uninitiated in Egypt didn't get free access as you suggested.

Otherwise, your other point is correct, the NLP folks will train anyone with the loot. And they will train in the mechanistic aspects. Erickson wrote to me once stating that "Bandler and Grinder think they have me in a nut shell, but all they have is the nutshell." I thought that was interesting. Nevertheless, much can be learned from NLP and their rendition of Dr. Erickson's work. I helped the early days of its development and recommend that all therapist familiarize themselves with the patterns therein.

Yet remember, the craft of therapy, as with any craft, is a learning that takes decades, and not a couple 3-day weekends of training, to learn and master. This may be what separates the professional from the lay 'practitioner'.

Replies:

Re:A bit wrong on the Egypt thing yet quite right about the rest, by Stuart, 05/29/03 ho boy, misunderstanding, by Steve Lankton, 05/29/03 of course, by Stuart, 05/29/03 no certificate, by Steve Lankton, 05/29/03 Re:no certificate, by Stuart, 05/29/03 Germany, by Steve Lankton, 06/02/03 Re:ho boy, misunderstanding, by Tried it all., 06/03/03 I agree, by Larry, 06/04/03 Re:ho boy, misunderstanding, by , 10/07/03

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