"CULT RECOVERY 101 -- a Video with Jim Bergin": http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=537804672432953715&q=jim+bergin&pr=goog-sl

Jim Bergin talks about cult recovery.  After a 17-year involvement with Gentle Wind Project Jim realized that he was in a high-control group/cult.  How did that happen? How does someone get drawn into a cult? How can you get someone out?

____________________________

DECLINE OF THE GENTLE WIND PROJECT: How Former Members Withstood a Lawsuit and Secured a Victory for Free Speech: http://www.icsahome.com/infoserv_conferences/conference_docview.asp?Subject=Decline+of+the+Gentle+Wind+Project%3A+How+Former+Members+Withstood+a+Lawsuit+and+Secured+a+Victory+for+Free+Speech

International Cultic Studies Association Annual Conference
June 26-29, 2008
Univ of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

To view news video: http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/7544307.html

http://www.maine.gov/ag/dynld/documents/gentle_wind_claims.htm

A Message from Attorney General Steve Rowe About Reimbursement
for "Healing Instruments" Purchased from The Gentle Wind Project:

The Attorney General is pleased to announce the beginning of a 6-
month claims period during which the Office of the Attorney General
will accept claims for reimbursement, or restitution, from consumers
who purchased any "healing instrument" from The Gentle Wind Project
between January 1, 2003 and September 14, 2006.

In order to be eligible for restitution, claims must be in writing,
and must include the following information: 1) the name of the
instrument purchased; 2) date of purchase; 3) cost; and 4) proof of
payment. Proof of payment may be in the form of a cancelled check,
an invoice, or any other document that shows that the item was
purchased during the relevant time period. Claims must be submitted
no later than October 20, 2007 to:

Assistant Attorney General Carolyn A. Silsby
Office of the Maine Attorney General
6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0006
207-626-8829

Each claimant will be notified of the decision on his or her claim
after the expiration of the claim period. Those who are entitled to
restitution will be paid on a pro rata basis from a fund set up for
that purpose pursuant to a Consent Decree and Order issued on August
15, 2006 by the Maine Superior Court in State of Maine and Attorney
General v. The Gentle Wind Project, et al.

Last week FactNet summarized reports about the Millers'
"Family Systems Research Group" at: http://factnet.org/?p=89
_______________________


"Gentle Wind changes direction?"

[…] Last summer Gentle Wind was effectively shut down — at least in
its home state — by Maine's attorney general. As part of the consent
decree, the cult's founders were forbidden from making false claims
about its so-called healing instruments — claims that even the
Millers admitted were totally false:

[T]he directors of the Gentle Wind Project admitted that they made
false claims about their products, which they said could cure
anything from alcoholism to paralysis. They admitted making false
claims on their Web site, at public appearances and in written
literature that the instruments had been scientifically proven to be
effective.

Gentle Wind also dropped a lawsuit against the Bergins, and agreed
to reimburse them for the "donations" they had made to the cult over
the years. In fact Gentle Wind has lost every one of the (many)
lawsuits it brought against its (many) critics.

So has Gentle Wind been blown away?

Not exactly. In the wake of the Maine lawsuit, the cult vowed
to "continue its efforts" in the 49 other states, and also around
the world. It immediately set up a new Web site, with an alleged
physical address in Sparks, Nevada, that repeated at least some of
the false claims forbidden by Maine's AG. The site, however, also
claimed that Gentle Wind had morphed into an "all new, all volunteer
organization. We are not a non-profit nor are we a profit making
company. We do not accept donations or payment in any form. We are a
group of people who want to make the world a better, easier place."

Turns out this was a feint.

Gentle Wind has in reality been reincarnated as the Family Systems
Research Group (FSRG), whose motto is "Engineering for the Human
Spirit." FSRG claims to be:

"... a research and consultation company that offers services and
products aimed at aligning and balancing the human consciousness.
For more than 25 years, FSRG staff have studied the human
consciousness from an energetic perspective. We have sought to
develop energetic solutions to emotional imbalances utilizing many
of the principles found in Tibetan medicine including the concept of
the meridian system, basic to acupuncture and acupressure. FSRG
offers both individual consultation services and alignment
instruments."

[…] In its brochure, FSRG is brazenly forthcoming about its links to
Gentle Wind:

"If you are familiar with The Gentle Wind Project technology, you
may know that GWP technology was designed to work on the damaging
effects of the hurts and wounds on the energetic structure. The
structure is the context in which the energy patterns are held. The
idea behind the technology is that if the damaged structure can be
repaired, the person's system can be restored to balance. For a
large number of people, The Gentle Wind technology has proven to be
successful."

"The work of Family Systems Research Group picks up where the GWP
technology leaves off. While the Gentle Wind technology works on the
structure, the context in which energy patterns are held, Family
Systems is working on both the context and the content of the energy
patterns."

FSRG also notes that "a portion of each fee goes directly to the
work of The Gentle Wind Project," and claims to donate its "trauma
technology" to everyone from cancer patients to Tsunami survivors.
All the cash, however, goes straight into the Millers'
pockets "research."

This is a summary extract from the full article as it appeared on
Disinterested Pary, Feb 22, 2007

Full Article here:
http://www.disinterestedparty.com/archives/2007/02/gentle_wind_cha.ht
m

An update on contact information for New Hampshire's Attorney General,
Kelly Ayotte:

603) 271-1202
email:  kelly.ayotte@...

There are actually three new files uploaded, all dated 2-19-07.
GWP's "Family Systems Research Group" brochure, pages 1 and 2
and a longer description of this latest gwp campaign,
labeled "description."




> This email message is a notification to let you know that
> a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the
gentlewindvictims
> group.
>
>   File        : /Brochure- p. 1 GWP - FSRG.pdf
>   Uploaded by : jfbergin <jfbergin@...>
>   Description : GWP - "Family Systems" Brochure page 1
>
> You can access this file at the URL:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gentlewindvictims/files/Brochure-%
20p.%201%20GWP%20-%20FSRG.pdf
>
> To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
> http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/files
>
> Regards,
>
> jfbergin <jfbergin@...>
>

They're back:  Gentle Wind Project Morphs to: "Family Systems
Research Group (FSRG)"

John "Tubby" Miller and Mary "Moe" Miller's Newest Enterprise?


Typical of cultic groups when exposed, in GWP's case by the Maine
Attorney General,* the leaders will change stripes – in name or
location – and pitch, to maintain control over followers, attract
new recruits, and keep the money flowing.

* (See: http://www.windofchanges.org for the Maine AG's lawsuit
against the Millers and the AG's Consent Decree that put GWP out of
business forever in Maine and took away their assets)


Now we have a "new" organization called "Family Systems Research
Group," described in their publicity as "pick[ing] up where GWP
technology leaves off…."; seemingly consisting of the same cast of
characters who signed the AG's Consent Decree.  Little has changed –
beyond the defensive disclaimers and sales now based on price
(mostly *) instead of "donations" in the marketing of their wares.
Surprisingly, they are still calling themselves "researchers."

* (On the last page of the FSRG description, we learn that "a
portion of each fee goes directly to the work of The Gentle Wind
Project….")


They still have "healing instruments" (now called "I Ching alignment
instruments," selling for $365 to $6,260); "telepathic healings"
(now "distant alignments"); and offer "phone consultations [that] …
may have a transformational effect…." The "consultations" seem to
hearken back to the "soul readings" GWP promoted in the early 80s
(which they claimed to channel exclusively from "the spirit
world").  And, amazingly, hair samples and astrology
(now "behavioral astronomy" and "hexagram profiles") are back –
which is where GWP's "Tubby" Miller and "Moe" Miller (then Claudia
Panuthos AKA Mary Elizabeth Carreiro) and Tubby's five female
housemates, at that time, first began.  Oddly, another GWP dinosaur
has been resuscitated – transactional analysis.

* (Consumer note:  You can download the "astrology" program used by
FSRG  for $400, or much less, and run it on your home computer
indefinitely, plugging in each client's date and time of birth,
etc.  See http://www.aureas.com – the URL on FSRG's charts.
Nevertheless, the smart people at FSRG sell charts to each client
starting at $250 for "phase 1" and offer 3 phases for a total of
$700.)


The authors of FSRG's description are identified by the term, "WE."
Thus, former followers of GWP assume that "Tubby" and "Moe" continue
to think they're speaking for "the spirits."

These approaches worked successfully for the Millers in the past,
yielding GWP's "nonprofit" millions of dollars (see GWP IRS Form
990s on www.windofchanges.org), so here we go again.  As they say in
the world of recovery, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and
over again expecting different results."  Some of us have learned
that lesson.


GWP / FSRG Address Update: According to the newest website for the
Millers' GWP, www.gentlewindproject.org, their address is now in
Starks, NV. However, Family Systems Research Group's sales material
lists an address in Portsmouth, NH (no website available) at the
same mail-drop location used by the Millers during their failed
Federal and State lawsuits against Jim Bergin, Judy Garvey, Rick
Ross, Ian Mander, Steve Gamble, Ivan Fraser, and Steve Hassan. The
Maine AG's Consent Decree prohibits GWP from operating in Maine, and
the GWP leaders from ever running another Maine nonprofit. However,
GWP (as Gentle Wind Retreat) is listed as a nonprofit just across
the river in the state of New Hampshire. If you have questions about
this, you might contact New Hampshire's Attorney General Kelly
Ayotte at http://doj.nh.gov 33 Capitol St., Concord, NH 03301 (603)
271-3658.

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the gentlewindvictims
group.

   File        : /Brochure- p. 1 GWP - FSRG.pdf
   Uploaded by : jfbergin <jfbergin@...>
   Description : GWP - "Family Systems" Brochure page 1

You can access this file at the URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gentlewindvictims/files/Brochure-%20p.%201%20GWP%2\
0-%20FSRG.pdf

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/files

Regards,

jfbergin <jfbergin@...>

The Berkman Center for Internet & Society -- Harvard Law School

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/home/home?
wid=10&func=viewSubmission&sid=2549

Over the course of the recent fall semester, the Berkman Center's
Clinical Program in Cyberlaw continued to expand the scope and
variety of its clients and projects.  One of the Clinic's
consistent, major priorities has been the protection of open and
free expression online, and it has provided legal assistance and
amicus briefs in a number of important cases threatening online
speech, including Gentle Wind Project v. Garvey. The Clinical
Program first helped draft briefs that, in January 2006, resulted in
the Gentle Wind Project's racketeering and defamation lawsuit
against clients Jim Bergin and Judy Garvey being thrown out of
federal court. After the lawsuit was re-filed in state court, the
Clinic's continuing assistance in preparing for trial helped lead to
a recent, highly favorable settlement under which the Gentle Wind
plaintiffs effectively abandoned their claims, Bergin and Garvey
remain free to criticize the group and its practices on their web
site, and the couple will receive compensation.(Read more about the
Gentle Wind case)

[....]

The Gentle Wind Project ("GWP") was a "spiritual-healing" group that
produced and distributed what it characterized as "healing
instruments" based on designs communicated from "the spirit world."
Husband and wife, Jim Bergin and Judy Garvey, left the group and
started a web site, "Wind of Changes," to help others make informed
decisions about GWP. On their site, Bergin and Garvey recounted
their experiences with Gentle Wind and described what they
characterize as the group's "bizarre" belief systems and practices.
GWP threatened the couple with legal action and then, in May 2004,
the group and a number of its leaders filed suit against them and
various others in federal court in Maine. Although their financial
resources were stretched thin, Bergin and Garvey steadfastly refused
to give in to GWP's demands that the Wind of Changes site be shut
down or their critical statements be withdrawn.

The Berkman Clinical Program became involved in the federal suit in
part because GWP alleged that Bergin and Garvey's posting of their
experiences and the linking among various web sites relating to them
constituted not only defamation under state law but also violated
the federal RICO racketeering statute, a legal theory that, if
successful, could have seriously chilled critical online speech. The
federal court's January 2006, decision concluded, however,
consistent with legal arguments drafted by the Clinic, that the
exchange of e-mails among the defendants and hyperlinks between
their respective web sites did not create the necessary racketeering
enterprise and "are simply not the type [of relationships] to which
RICO applies." Accordingly the court granted summary judgment for
the defendants on the RICO claims and dismissed the remaining state-
law defamation claims. GWP immediately refilled the state law claims
in Maine state court, and the case was scheduled for trial in
December 2006.

In June 2006, the Maine Attorney General's office, which had been
monitoring the litigation, brought an action against GWP under the
Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act. Shortly afterward, GWP's lawyers
withdrew from representing the group, citing lack of payment. On
August 14, 2006, the State of Maine entered into a Consent Decree
with GWP, which prohibited the named members of GWP from making
certain health and research claims about the "healing instruments"
or from serving as fiduciaries or advisors for any other Maine
nonprofit. GWP itself was dissolved and the assets remaining in the
GWP estate were to be distributed by the Attorney General as
restitution to consumers who since 2003 purchased a "healing
instrument," and to a Maine charity that provides services to those
with mental health disabilities. The Maine AG noted in a press
release that GWP had "damaged the public's trust and it should not
be allowed to continue."

Notwithstanding GWP's collapse in Maine and the fact that many of
Garvey and Bergin's allegedly defamatory assertions had been
admitted by them in the Consent Decree, the remaining plaintiffs,
six senior GWP members, vowed to continue to fight the state law
case. The Berkman Clinical Program continued to assist Bergin and
Garvey's local Maine counsel, Jerrol Crouter of Drummond Woodsum and
MacMahon, in preparing the case for trial. In particular, clinical
student John Horsfield-Bradbury researched and provided guidance on
various complexities of Maine defamation law and prepared draft jury
instructions for submission to the court. Barely over a month before
the scheduled trial, the GWP plaintiffs asked for a settlement on
Bergin and Garvey's terms.

In signing the settlement agreement on November 8, 2006, the GWP
members dismissed the current suit and permanently abandoned any
ability to sue Bergin and Garvey for anything the couple has
written, including describing GWP as a cult, stating that the
GWP "healing instruments" are "snake oil," or reporting the
existence of group sexual activities, known to inner-circle members
as "energy work." Of critical importance, Bergin and Garvey are
expressly allowed to keep their Wind of Changes site open without
any interference from GWP. They also will receive "an undisclosed
amount" from the Receiver of the GWP Estate as compensation.

Following the settlement, Bergin and Garvey released a statement
detailing the long history of the case and praising the significant
contributions of the Berkman Clinical Program. The settlement also
received favorable press coverage in New England and among the anti-
cult community, including:

"GW Drops Lawsuit Against Couple," Portland Press Herald

"Gentle Wind Drops Lawsuit Against Whistle Blowers." Boston Globe

"Whistle Blowers Knock Hot Air out of Gentle Wind," F.A.C.T. Net

The Berkman Center's Clinical Program in Cyberlaw provides high-
quality, pro-bono legal services to appropriate individuals, small
start-ups, non-profit groups and government entities regarding
cutting-edge issues of the Internet, new technology and intellectual
property.

A reminder -- If you want to assert a claim against Gentle Wind
Project you must do so in writing by 2-28-07 to: John C. Turner, Court
Appointed Receiver, P.O. Box 1897, Auburn, ME 04211. 207-514-7371.

This could be important if you purchased a so-called "healing
instrument" from 2003 to the present or if you have another claim.

File        : Gentle Wind Victims Policy Statement.doc
Description : Group Policy Statement

Dear Friends,

When I opened this group in June 2004, it was intended as a place to
gather information and share stories to support the investigations
against the Gentle Wind Project.  In recent months, the Attorney
General for the State of Maine and now we have received the happy news
that Jim & Judy have successfully prevailed in the lawsuit.

Seasons change and the time has come for me to move on to other
projects.  I am turning over the reins of this group to Jim and Judy
for them to run as they see fit.  I will be leaving the group soon.

It has been a pleasure being your moderator.  Good luck and best wishes
to all.

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to announce that the Millers et al, and Gentle Wind
Project, are now permanently 'becalmed' by a Lawsuit Settlement

This is a landmark victory for freedom of speech.

At the last minute (trial was scheduled to begin December 4th) we
wrote the terms for a Settlement Agreement that was requested by
John "Tubby" Miller and Mary "Moe" Miller (AKA Panuthos/Carreiro),
co-founders of GWP, and their co-plaintiffs, Shelly Miller, Carol
Miller, Joan Carreiro, and Pam Ranheim. The agreement ends 2 ½ years
of lawsuits against us.

In an about turn from the former-GWP leaders' determined verbiage in
2004 that they would take their case "to the Supreme Court" to force
removal of our Internet stories, the Settlement Agreement insures
that we will continue to operate, without interference of any kind,
the website known as Wind of Changes: http://www.windofchanges.org

Following the Millers' settlement request, the GWP Court Receiver
has also signed an Agreement with us on behalf of the GWP Estate
(which was still included in the lawsuit after GWP was put out of
business and into Receivership in August 2006 by the Maine Attorney
General). We will receive "an undisclosed amount" from the Receiver
to resolve the lawsuit and resolve our claim for reimbursement to
the GWP Estate.

Consequently, we have dismissed our counterclaims against the
Millers et al, as well as against the GWP Receiver Estate.

Much more important than the money, we provided an essential service
to the public by telling the truth about our experiences with GWP,
and we balanced out some of the effects of what we caused for people
while we were influenced by GWP's belief system.

The positive benefits for us were that at each stage of defending
ourselves, we became freer of the effects of our involvement with
the group. As a result, even though we were immersed in defending
one of the most aggressive lawsuits filed by a nonprofit group in
Maine's history, we were able to reclaim our lives again.

Our website will remain online indefinitely so that individuals can
continue to make informed decisions about GWP's activities. We will
eventually bring the information up to date with the present events
and, as time allows, we will add more.

We are forever grateful to everyone who wished us well during this
long process, especially Carl, the generous Moderator of this
Forum.


  Jim and Judy

File        : Gentle Wind Victims Policy Statement.doc
Description : Group Policy Statement

PUBLIC NOTICE:

NOTICE OF RECEIVERSHIP OF THE GENTLE WIND PROJECT AND THE NEED TO
FILE A PROOF OF CLAIM

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on August 16, 2006, the York County Superior
Court issued an order for the appointment of a Receiver to liquidate
the assets of "The Gentle Wind Project, f/k/a The Gentle Wind
Retreat" with locations in Kittery, Maine, and Durham, New
Hampshire. The Court Order requires all persons or entities that
assert claims against "The Gentle Wind Project" must do so in
writing to John C. Turner, Receiver, J.C. Turner & Associates, Inc.,
P.O. Box 1897, Auburn, Maine, 04211-1897, by 4 p.m., February 28th,
2007. The claim together with documentation in support of the claim
must be filed by February 28th, 2007, date or the claim will be
disallowed. Claims will be acknowledged and a claim numbers will be
assigned by the Receiver. After all claims have been submitted and
reviewed and the date to submit claims has passed, claimants will be
advised of the disposition of the claims submitted. Any questions
concerning the submission of claims can be directed to John C.
Turner, Receiver, at (207) 514-7371. Sincerely, John C. Turner, in
his capacity as Receiver of The Gentle Wind Project. Dated:
September 13, 2006 2539979

Portland Press Herald on Saturday, 09/23/2006:
http://me.mypublicnotices.com/PublicNotice.asp?
Page=PublicNotice&AdId=251316

File        : Gentle Wind Victims Policy Statement.doc
Description : Group Policy Statement

The story by James Randi mentioned in the last posting, and his
feature about gentle wind project a month earlier, reminded me of
James Randi's assessment of gwp over six years ago when he was
interviewed about them for a Pennsylvania newspaper story. When that
story first appeared, our heads were still inside the GWP belief
system even though we were beginning to pull away. Thus, we
dismissed what he said at the time -- in fact we barely skimmed it
as it was still too difficult to read. As we began to recover we
started to slowly open our eyes and ears to other opinions.

Those original comments by James Randi are posted at Wind of Changes
website: http://www.windofchanges.org/Courier_Times_-
_Feeling_Those_Good_Vibrations-_Not.PDF


--- In gentlewindvictims@yahoogroups.com, "andreask53"
<andreask53@...> wrote:
>
> If you, like me are one following gentle wind twists and shifts
> might I suggest James Randis story in SWIFT, an internationally
> recognised newsletter and a favourite of mine.
>
> September 15, 2006
> GENTLE WIND BLOWN AWAY
>
> At www.randi.org/jr/2006-07/072106gentle.html#i1 we wrote about
the
> farce known as the Gentle Wind Project. Well, the Maine Attorney
> General's office, in an Aug. 14 statement, said that Gentle Wind
> violated the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act with claims about
> its "healing instruments," which he said offer "no benefits," and
he
> added that the funds of the "fraudulent" charity with
> its "misleading business practices" were mismanaged. To me, the
very
> fact that GWP was allowed to operate as a charity, is a shocker in
> itself....

If you, like me are one following gentle wind twists and shifts
might I suggest James Randis story in SWIFT, an internationally
recognised newsletter and a favourite of mine.

September 15, 2006
GENTLE WIND BLOWN AWAY

At www.randi.org/jr/2006-07/072106gentle.html#i1 we wrote about the
farce known as the Gentle Wind Project. Well, the Maine Attorney
General's office, in an Aug. 14 statement, said that Gentle Wind
violated the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act with claims about
its "healing instruments," which he said offer "no benefits," and he
added that the funds of the "fraudulent" charity with
its "misleading business practices" were mismanaged. To me, the very
fact that GWP was allowed to operate as a charity, is a shocker in
itself.

We at JREF tend to hope that our campaign against this scam may have
stimulated this action. GWP had claimed that the "instruments" –
principally hand-held laminated cards and plastic pucks! – could
improve emotional, mental, and physical functioning. The Maine AG
argued that there was no scientific evidence supporting such claims,
to no one's surprise. And, the AG found that the "suggested
donations" the group received for the instruments were spent
wrongfully on personal property.

Now, the law firm for the Gentle Wind Project has refused to
represent them any longer, citing nonpayment of legal fees – but not
because they were scam artists or because their "instruments" were
simple colored plastic cards. "The clients deliberately disregarded
an agreement with, or obligation to, the lawyer as to expenses or
fees," they said in their motion. However, GWP still has an ongoing
lawsuit against former members Judy Garvey and Jim Bergin, of Blue
Hill, Maine, alleging defamation. I ask you, how can such an
officially-denounced and discredited group claim defamation?

The remaining assets of Gentle Wind – after civil penalties and
costs – are to be distributed by the Maine Attorney General as
restitution to their Maine consumers and to a Maine charity whose
charitable mission is to provide services to those with mental
health disabilities.

Ah, but the unsinkable Gentle Wind is already back in business with
a new website and reorganized leadership. They now list an address
in Sparks, Nevada, far from Maine, describing themselves as all-new,
all-volunteer, not-for-profit, making no claims about any relief
their instruments may provide, and they say they do not accept any
donations for them. "We are a group of people who want to make the
world a better, easier place," they piously say. And they still
offer the "healing instruments" central to Maine's suit, but now
from the protection of the state of Nevada.

Forty-nine states to go…

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20060831/NEWS08/108310281

Foster's Daily Democrat

Aug 31, 2006
Lawyers drop Gentle Wind; say group hasn't paid up

DURHAM — The Gentle Wind Project's law firm is refusing to represent
the organization any longer, citing nonpayment of legal fees.

The project now will represent itself in an ongoing lawsuit against
former members.

Gentle Wind lost its nonprofit status this month as part of a legal
settlement with the state of Maine after the state sued, alleging
fraudulent and misleading business practices.

But the group, which focuses on spiritual healing techniques, has
vowed to continue operating in other states through volunteers.

Gentle Wind is suing former members Judy Garvey and Jim Bergin, of
Blue Hill, Maine, alleging defamation.

The former members, who are married, have compared Gentle Wind to a
cult in postings on their website. Gentle Wind filed suit against
the couple in January in York County Superior Court after a judge
dismissed the first suit the group filed in 2004 in federal court.

Verrill Dana and attorneys James Goggins, Daniel Rosenthal, and
Suzannah Pogue filed a motion dated Aug. 8 to withdraw from
representing Gentle Wind.

"The clients deliberately disregarded an agreement with, or
obligation to, the lawyer as to expenses or fees," the attorneys
wrote in the motion.

Gentle Wind's board of directors — John Miller, Mary Miller, Carol
Miller, Shelly Miller, Pam Ranheim, and Joan Carreiro — subsequently
filed notices as individual plaintiffs for appearance "pro se,"
meaning they will represent themselves.

The group had lived together in Durham, N.H. The Millers are not
related.

Gentle Wind was headquartered in Kittery, Maine, until the group
agreed to dissolve this month. The Maine Attorney General's office,
in an Aug. 14 statement, said Gentle Wind violated the Maine Unfair
Trade Practices Act with claims about its "healing instruments,"
which the AG said offer no benefits. The Attorney General also said
the charity and its funds were mismanaged.

Gentle Wind claimed the instruments — principally hand-held
laminated cards and plastic pucks — improve emotional, mental, and
physical functioning. Maine's AG argued that there was no scientific
evidence supporting such claims. In addition, the suggested
donations the group received for the instruments were spent
wrongfully on personal property, the AG alleged in the lawsuit.

Each member of the board of directors was banned from serving as
fiduciaries or advisers for any other Maine nonprofit.

The remaining assets of Gentle Wind after civil penalties and costs
were to be distributed by the Attorney General as restitution to
their consumers and to a Maine charity whose charitable mission is
to provide services to those with mental health disabilities.

The Gentle Wind website now lists an address of Sparks, Nev.

A recent posting on the website describes the project as an all-new,
volunteer not-for-profit. They do not make any claims about the
relief their instruments may provide, and they do not accept any
donations for them, the website says.

"We are a group of people who want to make the world a better,
easier place," the website reads.

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20060901/NEWS01/109010230/-1/NEWS08

Friday, September 1, 2006

Controversial Gentle Wind Back in Business


By CHLOE JOHNSON
Staff Writer
ljohnson@...

DURHAM — The disbanded Gentle Wind Project is back in business with
a new website and reorganized leadership.

The group this month settled a lawsuit brought by Maine's attorney
general, agreeing to disband their Kittery operation and losing
their nonprofit status in Maine.

Gentle Wind, which describes itself as a spiritual healing group,
was based in Kittery. Several of its leaders live in Durham, and the
group also is registered in New Hampshire.

Gentle Wind's leaders vowed to continue operating elsewhere even as
they agreed to dissolve. Mary Miller, the group's past president,
this week confirmed the group still offers the "healing instruments"
central to Maine's suit.

"There's a lot of people involved in keeping it going," she said.

Gentle Wind said the instruments — principally hand-held laminated
cards and plastic pucks — improve emotional, mental, and physical
functioning. Maine's AG argued there was no scientific proof to back
such claims, calling them fraudulent.

Longtime member Mary Ann Hale, of Bass Harbor, Maine, who signed as
Gentle Wind's president on the settlement's consent decree, issued
in York County Superior Court on Aug. 10., said she had "no
comment."

The group's redesigned website, www.gentlewindproject.org, lists an
address in Sparks, Nev.  Miller would not say whether the
organization is relocating.

The site says the group is now an "all volunteer" organization.

"We are not a nonprofit nor are we a profit making company," the
site says. "We do not accept donations or payment in any form."

The group is suing former followers Jim Bergin and Judy Garvey, of
Blue Hill, Maine, alleging defamation.

Bergin and Garvey's website, www.windofchanges.org, details what
they say was the more than 15 years they spent as part of the group,
which they say was cultlike and practiced mind control.

Miller said this week that the two initiated a "cyber smear
campaign" against Gentle Wind.

Garvey has said stories on windofchanges.org are written to warn
others about the group, which she said conned her into group sex
rituals that were to help the leader, John Miller, invent the
healing instruments.

"We have a right to talk about our lives and an obligation to tell
the truth," Bergin said.

File        : Gentle Wind Victims Policy Statement.doc
Description : Group Policy Statement

Hello Ann,

It's been a LOOOONG couple of years, but, yes, it seems that many
people will be eligible for refunds. The AG's Consent Decree with
the Millers reads that anyone who purchased Gentle Wind products
from 2003 to the present is eligible for a refund.

We don't hear anything directly from the AG's office, probably
because the individuals who used to run GWP are still suing us at
the moment. (The individuals can't direct GWP to sue us any longer,
since GWP's affairs are now controlled by a court-appointed
Receiver, but the Millers et al can continue suing us as individuals
if they have the time and money.)

Our recommendation would be to contact Assistant Attorney General
Carolyn Silsby, who conducted the investigation against GWP. Ms.
Silsby could tell you what kind of receipts might be necessary --
perhaps credit card statements, cancelled checks, or the like?

As for reinventing themselves as another organization, your guess is
as good as anyone's about what the Millers might do. They are
forbidden from forming another nonprofit in Maine, but they might
try elsewhere. There is a group called Allies for Trauma Relief that
has already been mentioned on this Forum that purportedly
distributed the former GWP's "healing" products to trauma victims.
Maybe they still do.

Good luck with the refund situation.

Judy



--- In gentlewindvictims@yahoogroups.com, "Carl Starrett" <chs@...>
wrote:
>
> I havne't heard any specifics.  Perhaps Jim or Judy could supply
> more information.
>
> --- In gentlewindvictims@yahoogroups.com, "joynbeing" <ann444@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone know how the Attorney General's office will decide
who
> gets
> > reembursed for tools purchased from GWP?  Will they use GWP
> records?
> > Is there anyway to make a claim?
> > I was pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of a news article
> from the
> > Kennebec Journal that was published Tuesday, 8-15-06 titled
> CONSENT
> > DECREE DISSOLVES THE GENTLE WIND PROJECT.   It was sent from the
> Atty
> > Generals office.  I had sent a complaint to the Atty General
when
> I
> > understood they were being investigated.  Nice to know they
still
> had
> > my information on file and followed through with this article.
> > Do the Millers really have the ordasity to reframe under another
> name???
> > Ann
> >
>

Carl, we just saw this, too. We'll have to start paying more
attention to Wikipedia.

Judy and Jim



--- In gentlewindvictims@yahoogroups.com, "Carl Starrett" <chs@...>
wrote:
>
>
> You know you've hit the big time when you have your own entry in
> Wikipedia:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentle_Wind_Project
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentle_Wind_Project>
>
> I don't know who the author is, but you have to love Wikipedia.
You
> never when an article like this might come up.
>

Fascinating. The former organization, Gentle Wind Project, has a
Wikipedia entry:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentle_Wind_Project

We take no credit for this, as the technology required to make these
new entries seems to require some advanced skills, in our opinion.

So far, the Wiki entry seems to cover many of the basic points.

You know you've hit the big time when you have your own entry in Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentle_Wind_Project

I don't know who the author is, but you have to love Wikipedia.  You never when an article like this might come up.

I havne't heard any specifics.  Perhaps Jim or Judy could supply
more information.

--- In gentlewindvictims@yahoogroups.com, "joynbeing" <ann444@...>
wrote:
>
> Does anyone know how the Attorney General's office will decide who
gets
> reembursed for tools purchased from GWP?  Will they use GWP
records?
> Is there anyway to make a claim?
> I was pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of a news article
from the
> Kennebec Journal that was published Tuesday, 8-15-06 titled
CONSENT
> DECREE DISSOLVES THE GENTLE WIND PROJECT.   It was sent from the
Atty
> Generals office.  I had sent a complaint to the Atty General when
I
> understood they were being investigated.  Nice to know they still
had
> my information on file and followed through with this article.
> Do the Millers really have the ordasity to reframe under another
name???
> Ann
>

Does anyone know how the Attorney General's office will decide who gets
reembursed for tools purchased from GWP?  Will they use GWP records?
Is there anyway to make a claim?
I was pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of a news article from the
Kennebec Journal that was published Tuesday, 8-15-06 titled CONSENT
DECREE DISSOLVES THE GENTLE WIND PROJECT.   It was sent from the Atty
Generals office.  I had sent a complaint to the Atty General when I
understood they were being investigated.  Nice to know they still had
my information on file and followed through with this article.
Do the Millers really have the ordasity to reframe under another name???
Ann

Hopefully the assets won't be siphoned off to that new organization
they formed.  Diligence is still required.

--- In gentlewindvictims@yahoogroups.com, "jfbergin" <jfbergin@...>
wrote:
>
> http://www.maine.gov/ag/press_release_pop_up.php?press_id=317
>
> NEWS FROM MAINE ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVEN ROWE
>
> STATE ENTERS INTO CONSENT DECREE WITH THE GENTLE WIND PROJECT FOR
> DECEPTIVE PRACTICES AND VIOLATIONS
>
> AUGUST 14, 2006
>
> CAROLYN A. SILSBY, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, (207) 626-8829
>
> Attorney General Steven Rowe announced today that the State has
> entered into a consent decree with The Gentle Wind Project, a
> Kittery-based charitable organization, and six named defendants
> (collectively, "GWP") who served as officers or directors for many
> years. The consent decree resolves violations of the Maine Unfair
> Trade Practices Act relating to GWP's claims about its so-
> called "healing instruments," and violations of law relating to
the
> mismanagement of the charity and its funds by those who held
> positions of fiduciary responsibility.
>
> The "healing instruments" were manufactured and distributed by GWP
> from designs that allegedly came from the "Spirit World" via
> telepathic impressions received by the charity's founder, John
> Miller.  GWP claimed that the instruments repair a
> person's "etheric," or invisible energetic structure, which then
> improves one's emotional, mental, and even physical functioning.
> The instruments were sold to consumers via GWP's website and
> through "seminars" for requested "donations" of often hundreds or
> thousands of dollars, depending on the design. The research that
> GWP claimed to have done on the instruments does not support their
> alleged benefits. The Unfair Trade Practices Act, as interpreted
by
> the Federal Trade Commission and the federal courts, requires that
> any express or implied health claims be substantiated by objective
> and reliable scientific evidence. In the absence of such evidence,
> the claims are deceptive.
>
> The named defendants have agreed to pay civil penalties and costs
> and to an injunction that prohibits them from making certain
health
> and research claims about the "healing instruments" or from
serving
> as fiduciaries or advisors for any other Maine nonprofit.  The
> parties have also agreed that GWP will be dissolved, and its
> remaining assets distributed by the Attorney General as
restitution
> to consumers who purchased a "healing instrument" since 2003 and
to
> a Maine charity whose charitable mission is to provide services to
> those with mental health disabilities.
>
> "We believe that this is a just resolution of the violations of
law
> committed by the defendants.  People who give money to a Maine
> charity should be able to trust in its integrity, and in the
> integrity of those who are charged with its operation.  This
charity
> damaged the public's trust and it should not be allowed to
> continue," Rowe said.
>
> The consent decree and order that were filed in the York County
> Superior Court late last week will become final once approved by
the
> Court. Attorney General Rowe praised Assistant Attorney General
> Carolyn Silsby for her work in the case.
>

http://www.maine.gov/ag/press_release_pop_up.php?press_id=317

NEWS FROM MAINE ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVEN ROWE

STATE ENTERS INTO CONSENT DECREE WITH THE GENTLE WIND PROJECT FOR
DECEPTIVE PRACTICES AND VIOLATIONS

AUGUST 14, 2006

CAROLYN A. SILSBY, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, (207) 626-8829

Attorney General Steven Rowe announced today that the State has
entered into a consent decree with The Gentle Wind Project, a
Kittery-based charitable organization, and six named defendants
(collectively, "GWP") who served as officers or directors for many
years. The consent decree resolves violations of the Maine Unfair
Trade Practices Act relating to GWP's claims about its so-
called "healing instruments," and violations of law relating to the
mismanagement of the charity and its funds by those who held
positions of fiduciary responsibility.

The "healing instruments" were manufactured and distributed by GWP
from designs that allegedly came from the "Spirit World" via
telepathic impressions received by the charity's founder, John
Miller.  GWP claimed that the instruments repair a
person's "etheric," or invisible energetic structure, which then
improves one's emotional, mental, and even physical functioning.
The instruments were sold to consumers via GWP's website and
through "seminars" for requested "donations" of often hundreds or
thousands of dollars, depending on the design. The research that
GWP claimed to have done on the instruments does not support their
alleged benefits. The Unfair Trade Practices Act, as interpreted by
the Federal Trade Commission and the federal courts, requires that
any express or implied health claims be substantiated by objective
and reliable scientific evidence. In the absence of such evidence,
the claims are deceptive.

The named defendants have agreed to pay civil penalties and costs
and to an injunction that prohibits them from making certain health
and research claims about the "healing instruments" or from serving
as fiduciaries or advisors for any other Maine nonprofit.  The
parties have also agreed that GWP will be dissolved, and its
remaining assets distributed by the Attorney General as restitution
to consumers who purchased a "healing instrument" since 2003 and to
a Maine charity whose charitable mission is to provide services to
those with mental health disabilities.

"We believe that this is a just resolution of the violations of law
committed by the defendants.  People who give money to a Maine
charity should be able to trust in its integrity, and in the
integrity of those who are charged with its operation.  This charity
damaged the public's trust and it should not be allowed to
continue," Rowe said.

The consent decree and order that were filed in the York County
Superior Court late last week will become final once approved by the
Court. Attorney General Rowe praised Assistant Attorney General
Carolyn Silsby for her work in the case.