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The "Avatar Course" is premised on the idea that a person's beliefs create his reality. It seeks to teach its students how to create or "discreate" these beliefs as necessary. Palmer is described on the Star's Edge website as an "educational psychologist". Overseas websites refer to him as an "American psychologist". Palmer received a Master Of Science in Education from Elmira College in New York in 1971, and has a certificate as a High School English Teacher . Palmer's graduate major was Educational Psychology. In 1972-1974 Palmer founded a school for the Elmira School District called "The Student Center." The Student Center drew students from six Elmira public schools. Palmer's school accepted students who were exhibiting behavior problems or who were in trouble with the community and could not function in public school. The goal of the Student Center was behavior modification. Palmer's background in Educational Psychology guided him in developing a curriculum for small group behavior modification that had a high success rate. From 1974 until 1984 , Palmer operated a Church Of Scientology Mission in Elmira, New York . He and the Mission left Scientology at this time, leading to a lawsuit from the Church for Trademark violation, which the Church won on appeal. He then started Avatar, initially based on Scientology . SCIENTOLOGY MISSION In 1975 the Elmira Mission incorporated under the name ''the Elmira Mission of the Church of Scientology'' and the following year it was granted a license to use all Scientology trademarks and service marks held and controlled by L. Ron Hubbard . In exchange for that right, Palmer paid 10% of its income as a tithe to Scientology. Six years later Hubbard assigned his rights in all Scientology trademarks to Religious Technology Center (RTC), which had been organized especially to own and protect all Scientology trademarks. RTC immediately increased the licensing fee. On September 9 , 1982 Palmer signed a new License Agreement requiring the Elmira Mission to pay 15% of its income as well as additional fees to RTC in order to continue using the Scientology trademarks. When in . The details of the settlement were sealed. AVATAR COURSE Palmer introduced Avatar on October 15 , 1986 : :"Fasten your seat belts and hold onto your hat. I have discovered a rundown that leaves every other rundown in the dust. ... How long does it take to produce an evolved spiritual being? An Avatar! ... The rundown covers the entire Scientology Bridge, the Buddhic path and beyond." The Avatar Course is taught by licensed ''Masters'' in three sections. Section I is a two-day seminar that introduces the Avatar Course using Palmer's book ''Resurfacing: Techniques for Exploring Consciousness''. After completing Section I, students are encouraged to take Sections II and III. The key exercises in Section II rely on a collection of short sentences describing beliefs. Students begin by stating out loud one of these sentences. They are instructed to recognize any associations that arise in their minds as they say the phrase. For instance, a student might say, from the list, "I have everything I need," and then recognize exceptions that pop into his head, such as "except for a new pair of shoes." The student is then taught to repeat, exaggerate and eliminate this association. A student demonstrates control, and thus completes the exercise, when he can say all of the phrases without any associations. The student is then invited to create his own phrases and eliminate any associations he may have with them. To this point in the program, the Master offer a no-questions-asked refund to any student who is dissatisfied. If the student is satisfied with Section II and has his or her's Master's invitation, the student moves on to Section III, The Procedures. In this section, students learn "a simple and effective technique for managing beliefs", the "Creation Handling Procedure". The manuals used in Section II and III are kept confidential. Students must sign a confidentiality agreement prior to taking the course and must return the materials when the course ends. Section II and III cost $500 and $1500 respectively to attend. Once Sections II and III are completed, some students are invited to take additional sections of the Avatar Materials. Section IV teaches students to become Masters. Section V is the Wizards Course. Mini-courses are used to help students through the Avatar Materials. They are available for free download from http://avatarepc.com/html/mini-eng.html HARRY PALMER, STAR'S EDGE VERSUS ELDON BRAUN In 2000 , Harry Palmer sued Eldon Braun, a former Avatar licensee and Palmer critic, for copyright and trademark infringement, unfair competition, breach of contract, intentional interference with a business relationship, and libel. Braun developed a self-study course called ''The Source Course'' which Braun billed as "an analog of the Avatar Course", "a refresher" for the Avatar Course, "a take-home manual" for graduates of the Avatar Course, and the "equivalent" of the Avatar Course materials. Unlike the Avatar Course materials, whose secrecy is jealously guarded, The Source Course was intended to be available to the general public, and Braun even offered it for free to those who could not afford it. In 2005 , Palmer won a judgment against Braun of over $450,000. REFERENCES
COURT FILES
EXTERNAL LINKS
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