A man whose followers claim he’s the reincarnation of Leonardo da Vinci is under investigation by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for selling unapproved supplements in his clinics.
Serge Benhayon
The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) is reporting that Serge Benhayon, 48, a former tennis coach with no medical background, is said to have up to 1,000 mostly female followers who adhere to his alternative medical practice, known as Universal Medicine, which is based in the hills outside Lismore on the north coast of New South Wales.
Among other problems, Benhayon is selling supplements that have not been properly tested by the TGA. Although he is said to be cooperating with authorities, Benhayon them that they will need time to understand the “very, very unconventional” products he sells.
“You’re going to hear things that you know, don’t make sense on one level, if it’s based on the convention that you’re trained to hear,” he told ABC North Coast NSW. “But if you listen, and you put things together it starts to make sense, slowly and slowly.”
Or maybe not. Among Benhayon’s wacky theories is “esoteric breast massage” which he claims can prevent cancer. He also offers “chakra puncture” and his 22 year-old daughter Natalie claims she can talk to a woman’s ovaries – for just $70 an hour.
Anyone who falls for this nonsense should be nominated as the eighth wonder of the world.
But fall for it they do. Benhayon is described as a “soft spoken” man who is apparently able to convince gullible adherents that he knows what he’s talking about. Here’s a sample of his sales pitch:
“The essence of the work that flows through me is in line with that which can be called sacred and esoteric by nature. It is non-traditional, following no allegiance to any cult, form or belief other than that which is found intuitively at the inner-heart centre in accordance with the impress of the Hierarchy. No claims are made other than the stance that the work like all other before us should always be ascertained by the individual to be the work of truth or not.” ~ Serge Benhayon
Say what? I have a cat that makes more sense than this.
According to one former participant in his program, who goes by the pseudonym “Jenny,” she originally walked out on Benhayon after hearing him trash conventional medicine and call nurses “the worst people.” He banned not just alcohol and caffeine but dairy, wheat and root vegetables, which he claimed “grounded” earthly beings that are humans.
“They say doctors will make you sicker than you already are,” she told the Medical Observer. “At the point where he said [nurses were the worst people], I got up and walked out.”
But she went back because her husband was so involved in the cult. When expressing her desire to be a better parent, a Universal counselor told her to stop preparing all food for her five year-old son “because she was passing him bad energy.” She had to let him feed himself.
She also received a breast massage, administered by women, which was supposed to clear her of “all of men’s negative energy.”
Other therapies offered at Benhayon’s clinics include ”esoteric connective tissue therapy”, a technique he created which he claims will improve energy flow by ”allowing the pulse of the lymphatic system to symbiotically correspond with the body’s own ensheathing web.”
John Dwyer, the former head of medicine at University of NSW, told the SMH that there is no such thing as a “lymphatic pulse,” calling it “‘utter nonsense.”
It would be three years before Jenny broke away from the group and filed a formal complaint with the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission. She wasn’t alone. Two other men who were adversely affected by the group also filed complaints earlier this month calling it a “cult” that pressured members to avoid most food and exercise out of the preposterous belief that these things would infect their “spiritual alignment” (whatever that means) and contribute to poor health.
Raphael Aron, director of Cult Counseling Australia, told the SMH that the organization seemed to be “exercising a level of mind control to the point where people submit to whatever this fellow seems to be offering, to their detriment. . . What he’s doing is potentially very dangerous. It’s not an unfamiliar pattern in terms of people’s subjugation to the authority of a charismatic leader.”
Benhayon claims he’s being smeared by detractors, such as American cult expert/researcher Rick Ross, but anyone who is selling such a radical and completely unfounded view of physical health should expect to be subjected to some serious questions.
Apparently, the Australian health care system agrees and has now become involved in the investigation of this cult.
Send your New Age questions to newage@womenofgrace.com
This man needs a full investigation of the ‘ideas’ he is putting forward to vulnerable people, who don’t understand they may be in a cult.
If you google his name, he is involved indirectly in many places and countries. No wonder is it that he can afford to travel across the world a couple of times a year, afford 6 homes in Byron Bay, and be on his second marriage.
He has ruined so many relationships, and teaches people that if someone is ill, then they are to blame for it is carried forward from a previous life. His followers are like sheep bleating from the same books he writes, and freedom of thought is all but gone for them. Of course he says he gives people the option, but if people are to please him, and his followers seem all about seeking his approval, they follow his ways. Many blogs have been taken down, speaking against him, and only the sites saying positive things about him remain, whatever happened to truth Serge? Or is it just the truth according to you?
The UK is next on his list. Somerset and London already have places that he holds his courses, but please, warn people you love not to attend. You won’t recognise them as the familiar loved ones soon afterwards. I know this, I lost someone very dear to this cult of so called love and truth. The only truth is Serge and his family are becoming rich on breaking up families, and causing hurt for loved ones.
If this man is the reincarnation of Leonardo Da Vinci, and knows where Elvis’s reincarnation currently lives, etc, etc, then good for him, now prove it or shut up and go home.
You are right Jason this man does need investigation! What he is presenting seems to suggest that there is an alternative way of living? What’s that all about?? The majority of people seem to get through life ok don’t they? Ok so most don’t really enjoy their job, they may feel tired at the end of the day, being over weight in society is a problem I guess, cancer seems to be ever increasing and the number of illnesses and complications people now have does appear to be going up, but the medical system does a great job doesn’t it? Even though it is overburdened and about to collapse because we can’t really afford to sustain this for much longer. What Serge Benhayon guy seems to be suggesting is that if we change the way we are living by connecting to ourselves we could possibly make better choices in our lifestyle and perhaps live healthier more joyfull lives. He seems to use the word Joyfull a LOT and is fond hyphenating it to JOY-FULL as to emphasize the fact….I dunno I think a full investigation here is required to find out what this guy is really talking about, I think we’re just scratching the surface here.
Please provide evidence to support your contention that ‘the medical system is about to collapse’.
Ah is this Dr.Michael Dixon by any chance? Well to anyone reading and that are interested in the cult claims by many people about Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, please visit the site of Rick Ross’ cult forums and simply read 77 pages of people who have lost loved ones to this ‘cult’, Universal Medicine, and the ridiculous claims this man is making in order to keep women following his ideas out of fear not love as is claimed.
Serge is a businessman with a great money maker. Alice Bailey is someone Serge claims to channel, as well as being reincarnations of others. Lords of Form Michael? Really? Are this group bringing love or fear for profit? Everyone does indeed have a freedom of choice, but he is under investigation at present in Australia, and that freedom of his might be tethered soon, for the good of many who haven’t yet been brainwashed by him.
And Michael please visit the forum, your debate about the ‘great-ness’ of UM would be welcome Im sure. Oh I forgot, Serge has asked his followers not to debate his work, because he knows it doesn’t stand up to questioning.
Hi Jason again, you seem to have mis-understood my comment. All I was asking was for serge to be investigated honestly and fairly without prejudice, with no preconceived views on what one may find (which is what an investigatin means) as to the truth or not of what he is presenting. I’m no doctor but I can read and listen to the news and from this am quite aware that society is in a bit of a mess from a number of angles not least our own health. I reckon if there is someone out there presenting something that may help then why not investigate.
Oh and by the way Jason I am no follower of Serge or Universal medicine, just someone interested in the truth here.
Absolute rubbish, Michael. It’s hilarious how you UM cultists bang on about truth, yet you can’t even be honest with yourselves. Then again, you are under the tutelage of a narcissistic conman, so that is to be expected.
If you are interested in hearing the ‘real truth’ by people not being fed by Serge’s manipulative and crazy words, please feel free to visit this site, and have a quiet read of many first hand accounts of people who have spent time amongst universal medicine, and serge benhayon. He is listed as a religon in the UK, but claims he is not, that is just one of his lies, so a tax evader then? Surely if nothing else, this site has got to be worth a read in order to laugh at a man with a god complex , and to pity those who fall for his words. This link will take you to the words of people who wish him no harm, but to extract their loved ones from within his clutches.
http://forum.rickross.com/read.php?12,107998
Serge Benhayon is reprogramming peoples minds. They loose their social contacts and leave everyone behind, who doesn´t want to join Universal Medicine.
The true Intention Serge has is evil. It´s all about gaining money and mastery.
That´s got nothing to do with real love, like he always wants to sell his followers and everyone. Everyone watch out for this cult. I am one of those who lost her loved one to it and who saw how high the poisonous influence of Serge and Chris James (singer, who works together with Serge and is a messenger of his cult) is.
How can this be possible, where is the law, that stops people like that. There is no free will anymore, that makes the poor followers free to decide to leave the cult, ones they are in too deep.
In the name of REAL LOVE from partners, families and friends.
http://universalmedicineaccountability.blogspot.com.au/
Brilliant, well informed site that will make you question this conman and warn friends and loved ones to keep away.
This is a link to bring you up to date on the cult that is Universal Medicine, it seems to be gathering momentum and has just had a presentation by Serge Benhayon infiltrated by Channel 7 news Australia, to question him and his followers about their beliefs.