Exegesis (group)
Encyclopedia
Exegesis, an alternative therapy
programme, operated in the United Kingdom
in the later 1970s and early 1980s.
Exegesis was founded by Robert D'Aubigny, a former actor, in 1976 as Infinity Training, offering "englightenment and personal transformation" through a course of paid seminars. Prior to introducing the concept to Britain, D'Aubigny was involved in Werner Erhard
's controversial Erhard Seminars Training
(est) workshops in California.
The Exegesis programme resembled est in consisting of workshops where participants "worked on their personal and individual development" and were encouraged to "visualise their worst fears and problems, then confront them". A central tenet of Exegesis asserted one's full responsibility
for causing one's problems, instead of entertaining any idea that other factors might have caused them. In its time, the Exegesis programme stirred controversy, with reports that Exegesis personnel physically abused participants in the workshops, shouted at them and forced them to explain their sexual fantasies without restraint in front of the group or stared hard at them directly in their faces.
In 1978, British musician Mike Oldfield
underwent Exegesis therapy during a seminar in London, including a rebirthing
experience. People who met Mike after he had undertaken the therapy often found that he would stare at them as above, with his face only a few inches from theirs. The part that perhaps left the biggest impression on Mike was where he went through a rebirth experience. The course-goers were encouraged to do so. Through this, it emerged that Mike's problems all stemmed from him having a distressing birth. He then went through this rebirth experience to counteract it. Oldfield's metamorphosis has been described as "astonishing", a transformation from a "painfully diffident recluse" into "a garrulous, over-bearing extrovert". Oldfield, who has since undergone psychotherapy and taken up meditation, described his behaviour after the programme, which included frequent interviews, nude photographs, flying lessons and a short-lived marriage to D'Aubigny's sister, as "a reflex action... I wanted to try everything, but also stated: "But it was right for me, that's all I know. I felt like I'd turned the clock back and had a second chance. It became obvious to me that all the panic I’d felt was the memory of my birth, coming out into the world."
Greater interest in the programme, arguably due to Oldfield's proselytising, led to the group being investigated by the press and becoming the subject of a controversial television play. British Members of Parliament
raised questions in the House of Commons
, resulting in a investigation by Scotland Yard
. Although the police brought no charges, Exegesis ceased to operate around 1984,
but re-emerged as a telesales company called Programmes Ltd.
Alternative therapy
Alternative therapy may refer to:*Alternative medicine*Alternative therapies for developmental and learning disabilities...
programme, operated in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the later 1970s and early 1980s.
Exegesis was founded by Robert D'Aubigny, a former actor, in 1976 as Infinity Training, offering "englightenment and personal transformation" through a course of paid seminars. Prior to introducing the concept to Britain, D'Aubigny was involved in Werner Erhard
Werner Erhard
Werner Hans Erhard is an author of transformational models and applications for individuals, groups, and organizations...
's controversial Erhard Seminars Training
Erhard Seminars Training
Erhard Seminars Training, an organization founded by Werner H. Erhard, offered a two-weekend course known officially as "The est Standard Training"...
(est) workshops in California.
The Exegesis programme resembled est in consisting of workshops where participants "worked on their personal and individual development" and were encouraged to "visualise their worst fears and problems, then confront them". A central tenet of Exegesis asserted one's full responsibility
Responsibility assumption
Responsibility assumption is a doctrine in the personal growth field holding that each individual has substantial or total responsibility for the events and circumstances that befall them in their life...
for causing one's problems, instead of entertaining any idea that other factors might have caused them. In its time, the Exegesis programme stirred controversy, with reports that Exegesis personnel physically abused participants in the workshops, shouted at them and forced them to explain their sexual fantasies without restraint in front of the group or stared hard at them directly in their faces.
In 1978, British musician Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
underwent Exegesis therapy during a seminar in London, including a rebirthing
Rebirthing
Rebirthing may refer to:*Rebirthing-breathwork, a form of alternative medicine mainly consisting of a breathing technique*Attachment therapy, a controversial category of alternative child mental health interventions intended to treat attachment disorders...
experience. People who met Mike after he had undertaken the therapy often found that he would stare at them as above, with his face only a few inches from theirs. The part that perhaps left the biggest impression on Mike was where he went through a rebirth experience. The course-goers were encouraged to do so. Through this, it emerged that Mike's problems all stemmed from him having a distressing birth. He then went through this rebirth experience to counteract it. Oldfield's metamorphosis has been described as "astonishing", a transformation from a "painfully diffident recluse" into "a garrulous, over-bearing extrovert". Oldfield, who has since undergone psychotherapy and taken up meditation, described his behaviour after the programme, which included frequent interviews, nude photographs, flying lessons and a short-lived marriage to D'Aubigny's sister, as "a reflex action... I wanted to try everything, but also stated: "But it was right for me, that's all I know. I felt like I'd turned the clock back and had a second chance. It became obvious to me that all the panic I’d felt was the memory of my birth, coming out into the world."
Greater interest in the programme, arguably due to Oldfield's proselytising, led to the group being investigated by the press and becoming the subject of a controversial television play. British Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
raised questions in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, resulting in a investigation by Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
. Although the police brought no charges, Exegesis ceased to operate around 1984,
but re-emerged as a telesales company called Programmes Ltd.