Conversations For Transformation: Essays Inspired By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard

Conversations For Transformation

Essays By Laurence Platt

Inspired By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard

And More




Werner Erhard Slide Experience

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

December 5, 2010



This essay, Werner Erhard Slide Experience, is the fifth in the octology The Werner Erhard Experience: It is also the first in a quadrilogy inspired by Werner's work in India:
  1. Werner Erhard Slide Experience
  2. Lucid Disclosures
  3. A Man Is The Crowd
  4. Eyes Wide Om-pen
in that order.

It is also the fourth in an open group World Transformed:
  1. The Friends Of The Landmark Forum In South Africa
  2. The Transformation Of The World
  3. Werner's Work Is Coming Back To Hawai'i
  4. Werner Erhard Slide Experience
  5. Werner's Work Is Coming Back To Hawai'i Again
  6. Werner's Work Is Coming To Fiji
  7. Werner's Work Is Coming To The Dominican Republic
  8. The Breakthrough That Unlocks Futures
  9. Werner's Work Is Back In Hawai'i
  10. Werner Is Coming To Stanford!
  11. We're Not Republican, We're Not Democratic, We're American
  12. Out With The Old, In With The New
in that order.

It is also the prequel to A Man Is The Crowd.

I am indebted to Ashish Vidyarthi and to Gopal Rao who inspired this conversation.




It takes courage, boldness, and verve to take enlightenment to India.

Mother India, home for centuries to the rishis  and the yogis, the holy men  of the east, one of the oldest, most respected, and most densely populated countries on Planet Earth (1.19 billion  people compared to the United States' paltry by comparison 310 million) has literally for thousands  of years defined for humanity what enlightenment is. But because of how we're structured as human beings, enlightenment and in particular the way it's delivered, invariably gathers and coagulates concepts and beliefs  around it to the point where, how ever well meaning and well intentioned, conversations about it end up shrouding it in significance and jargon, thereby actually blocking its living experience  and availability.

Recently in a series of presentations in India, Werner Erhard brought forth new paradigms for leadership, transformed  leadership, each pointing to and then culminating in the six day presentation of The Seminar: Being a Leader and the Effective Exercise of Leadership: An Ontological / Phenomenological Model co-presented with Michael Jensen, Steve Zaffron, Kari Granger, and Jeri Echeverria. The one evening presentations Werner delivered in Delhi and Mumbai drew nearly a thousand people at a time. Effectively, Werner has recontextualized  enlightenment in India with these stunning presentations of transformed leadership. What's interesting (if you notice the results of what's produced) is people are left being leaders, and not merely with a new appreciation of the qualities required to be a leader. People are left living the material  not merely understanding it. Not a saint, not a rishi, not a yogi would be unimpressed.

This slide show comprising close to three hundred photographs is the work of Ashish Vidyarthi, an award winning, well known, appreciated, admired, and recognized Bollywood  film, television, and stage actor who has mastered both dramatic and comedic roles and is equally at home portraying villains and heroes. A multilingual artist, he has appeared in over one hundred and fifty films, shows, and plays. Ashish is a graduate of Werner's work and an unbridled, unabashed, and unstoppable spokesperson for Werner's work in India and the world.

You'll notice Ashish is also a master photographer. For me, what makes Ashish's work extraordinary is not simply the way his photographs represent Werner - and the way his photographs represent Werner is extraordinary. What's really  extraordinary is the way his photographs represent Werner even when Werner isn't in the photograph!  Ashish's photography shows people in the presence of something awesome, being with something great, getting in touch with and mastering  something profound. Ashish's photography reminds us that in the end, Werner is each of us.

There's a powerful, rich opportunity here to experience  Werner Erhard.

Here's the link to the slide show, the porthole looking onto what happened. Set aside a quiet, undistracted moment to take in the enormity of it, to be there, to be with Werner in India.


Communication Promise E-Mail | Home

© Laurence Platt - 2010 through 2023 Permission