From Abracadabra to Zombies
reader comments: Jean Houston
20 Aug 1999
I went to a Jean Houston weekend at Rowe Conference Center in Rowe Ma. I
have to say I think she is a pathological liar. She was very entertaining,
augmenting what amounted to a two day lecture with music an sound effects
provided by a sound engineer. Every now and then we would get up an dance
around or play some silly game. She carts an actress around with her who she
improvises with.
We had a good time, fooling around, and all but I became convinced that her anecdotes and personal history were bogus. They were all very puffed up and filled with encounters with the famous or the notorious. She made some comment about Eleanor Roosevelt
" Who here lived in New York City in the 1950's? Well, then you knew Eleanor Roosevelt, right? Of course you did, everyone did, she was around........."
and although people looked bewildered they all nodded in agreement. In private conversations with Ms. Houston it became clear that she was only interested in people with advanced degrees or who spoke ancient languages....like she was collecting people so she could borrow glory. She also made this astonishing admission: She goes into child oriented chat rooms masquerading as a 12 year old boy.
I felt a sense of "buyers remorse" after this weekend. And to think...I passed up the Patch Adams session for Jean Houston!!
Janet Kingan
reply: I hope you didn't read the Skeptic's Dictionary before attending the session.
Jean Houston
