We have received requests for more information about Access Consciousness, an alternative therapy that is rooted in the occult and Scientology but is being passed off as a new way to "become totally aware and to begin to function as the conscious being you truly are." It promises to teach you how to "be present in your life in every moment without judgment of you or anyone else."

In other words, anything goes with Access Consciousness, which is why it's considered to be a cult, and a very immoral one at that.

For those who have never heard of it, Access Consciousness is a practice founded in the 1990s by an American entrepreneur named Gary Douglas, who had a close relationship with scientologists. As this article explains, it claims to "offer people special tools to change their lives and distinguishes between humans (those who judge others) and “humanoids” (people who have the power to create, change things, and recognize they’re different from humans). Thirty-two specific points on the head are said to store thoughts, emotions, and memories. A practice of touching those points known as “running the bars” is said to clear clutter from the brain and clear negative energies." (Click here for an illustration of the bars.)

Where did Douglas get these ideas? According to this article appearing in the Houston Press, it all happened one night when his body was taken over by the spirit of the Russian mystic, Grigori Rasputin who was murdered in 1916. However, Douglas didn't entirely trust Rasputin, and he eventually was inhabited by other spirits, including a "wise ancient Chinese man named Tchia Tsin," a "robust, rowdy" 14th-century friar named Brother George, and a group of alien beings called Novian.

Douglas claims Novian was very hard on his body and he eventually refused to work with him, demanding that information be given through Rasputin. "The very next day, Rasputin began talking about what is now known as Access.

Rasputin proceeded to teach him that there are 32 'bars" or points on the head which, when touched, "will clear all the limitations you have about that area of your life," a pamphlet from the group says. (In case you were wondering, there's no scientific proof of this.)

Douglas decided to go into business with these ideas and created what was originally known as Access Energy Transformation, which is described as a "watered down repackaging of Scientology." The BARS are the foundation of Access Consciousness and the first thing a class participant will learn.

In spite of its blatant occult origins, people are signing up to become Access Consciousness practitioners or "Accessories" as they are called, who will also engage in channeling during the sessions.

“Sometimes I downplay the channel part because it’s a little too woo-woo for some people, but the bottom line is that it works," said Accessory MaryAnn Marron-Mullins in this interview with Yukon News.

"You don’t have to believe in psychics. You don’t have to believe in channeling. You don’t have to believe in any of that stuff. It just works. It’s very simple to learn and anybody can do it.”

She says she starts a session with an "energy pull" which entails “asking the universe to start energy flowing from your body.” She then places her fingertips on the different BARS in the head to activate different energies. A typical session can last for an hour or more and is said to help people with a variety of ills, from nerve damage to joint and spine problems.

But there are even more troubling aspects to Access Consciousness, such as the kind of behavior control it foists on its Accessories, such as exploiting and manipulating them financially, and instilling strict obedience and dependency upon those who follow this path.

According to cult expert Steven Hassan, Access Consciousness instructors teach that a person should divorce themselves from their family if they fail to provide them with money. They're also taught to view promiscuity as a way of expanding "one's sense of self and gain experience", which is why they encourage women to have three men in their lives.

The group also employs thought control tactics such as the use of chanting, thought-stopping meditation and hypnotic techniques to alter a person's mental state. Classic symptoms of cult behavior include strictly prohibiting outside publication of their doctrines, and teaching recruits to forgo all critical thinking and questioning of leaders. Accessories are taught not to think at all - "thinking is stinking" they like to say. Instilling fear in recruits is another way of keeping control such as by threatening to alienate anyone who tries to think independently.

This is essential for a group as far out as Access Consciousness. After all, rational thinking people might react with great alarm when hearing their leaders encourage parents not to suppress their children's sexuality or saying things like, "Children are incredibly sexy!" which Douglas has reportedly said.

But faithful Accessories like Marron-Mullins claim there is no reason to be alarmed - Access Consciousness is merely discouraging parents from raising children who think sex is wrong.

Which leads me to the scariest part of this strange story.  According to the Houston Press, Douglas is now trying to get this garbage into public schools which he'd like to do through a new organization created for this purpose known as the Access To Knowledge Foundation (A2KF).

Apparently, Access Consciousness has over 23,000 facilitators and 20,000 practitioners spread over 180 countries. Douglas, along with his sidekicks - a chiropractor named Dane Heer and Simone Milasas - are making a fine living off this growing cult. A license to run bars costs members up to $20K, plus many more courses which one needs to keep up with the 8,000 tools needed to master the system. People can take these courses from at home by. paying $250 a month to access the organization's streaming service.

Needless to say, this is a very dangerous organization which should be strictly avoided.

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