Draft:Lester Levenson
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Lester Levenson (July 19, 1909 – January 18, 1994) was an American physicist, entrepreneur, and spiritual teacher known for developing releasing methods focused on emotional release, self-empowerment, and liberation.[1] After a severe health crisis in 1952, Levenson underwent a period of self-inquiry, claiming to have achieved physical and spiritual transformation, which he later formalized into a system for achieving emotional freedom and self-realization.[1] His teachings have influenced modern spiritual and self-help movements.[citation needed]
Early Life and Education
[edit]Lester Levenson was born on July 19, 1909, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to a middle-class family.[2] Described as intellectually gifted, he excelled academically and pursued higher education in physics and engineering.[2] By his early 40s, Levenson had become a successful businessman, owning a penthouse apartment in New York City and running multiple businesses.[citation needed]
Health Crisis and Self-Transformation
[edit]In 1952, at age 42, Levenson suffered a second coronary attack and faced multiple health issues, including an enlarged liver, kidney stones, and ulcers.[1] His doctors, believing recovery was unlikely, sent him home with a prognosis of weeks to live.[citation needed] Instead of accepting this, Levenson engaged in intense self-inquiry, concluding that negative emotions like fear and anger were the root causes of his ailments.[1] He developed a process of releasing these emotions, focusing on cultivating love and letting go of mental blocks to achieve liberation.[citation needed] Within three months, Levenson claimed to have fully recovered and achieved a lasting state of peace, freedom, and self-realization, which he described as "beingness."[1]
Development of the Releasing Methods
[edit]In the 1950s, Levenson began teaching his techniques informally in New York City, focusing on emotional release, self-empowerment, and liberation.[citation needed] By 1973, he formalized his releasing methods, a structured process involving questions like "Could I let this feeling go?", "Would I?", and "When?" to release negative emotions and uncover a state of freedom and empowerment.[3] His approach, rooted in simplicity, was encapsulated in his phrase "Keep It Simple, Sweetheart" (KISS).[4] Levenson emphasized love as a transformative force, stating, “Love is an absolutely necessary ingredient on the path. To get full Realization, we must increase our love until it is complete.”[5]
Claims of Healing and Manifestation
[edit]Levenson and his followers claimed that his releasing methods enabled not only emotional, mental, and physical healing but also self-empowerment, liberation, and the ability to manifest desired outcomes by releasing limiting beliefs.[6] According to Ade Aprilia, a student of Levenson’s teachings, Levenson used his methods to heal his body from terminal illnesses within three months in 1952, achieving complete health and self-realization by releasing mental limitations.[6] Aprilia also reported that Levenson tested his methods by manifested significant wealth, including $1 million in 1953 (equivalent to approximately $12 million in 2024), by applying his releasing methods to eliminate subconscious beliefs about lack and scarcity.[6][7] Additionally, he was said to have further experimented this theories by manifesting free trips, such as travel opportunities without financial cost, by focusing on releasing resistance and aligning with a state of abundance.[6] These claims, primarily documented by Levenson’s students, lack independent verification and are based on anecdotal accounts.[6]
Successors: Hale Dwoskin and Larry Crane
[edit]After Levenson’s death, his teachings were continued by:
- Hale Dwoskin: A student since 1976, Dwoskin founded Sedona Training Associates and developed the Sedona Method, authoring a book of the same name to popularize the technique globally.[8] His approach incorporates meditation and non-dual philosophy.[8]
- Larry Crane: Crane developed the Release Technique, emphasizing practical applications for health and wealth.[2] His organization, Laurence Crane Enterprises, promotes Levenson’s work through audio recordings and seminars.[2]
Later Life and Legacy
[edit]Levenson continued teaching in Sedona until his death from abdominal cancer on January 18, 1994.[1] He reportedly faced his illness with equanimity, consistent with his teachings.[citation needed] His memorial shrine is at the Sedona Mago Retreat Center.[9] The Sedona Method and Release Technique, as continuations of his releasing methods, remain active, with courses and books available worldwide.[8][2] Lama Surya Das has praised the Sedona Method as “an accessible, western form of Buddhist teachings.”[8]
Connection to Positive Psychology
[edit]Levenson’s teachings align with positive psychology by promoting the release of negative emotions to enhance well-being, self-empowerment, and liberation.[1] His releasing methods’ structured questions foster happiness, purpose, and freedom, supporting positive psychology’s goals of helping individuals flourish.[1]
Bibliography
[edit]- Happiness Is Free (co-authored with Hale Dwoskin, 2002)[8]
- No Attachments, No Aversions: The Autobiography of a Master (2003)[10]
- The Ultimate Truth (About Love & Happiness): A Handbook to Life (2003)[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h Irvine, Marianne (2024-06-02). "How to Release Blocked Emotions – The Lester Levenson method". KlinikOng.com. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "About Lester Levenson". Release Technique. 2021-02-18. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "How To Let Go of Limiting Emotions Using the Sedona Method". Sources of Insight. 2014-02-12. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Lester Levenson, The Release Technique & The Sedona Method". PatriciaRobinett.com. 2019-12-24. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "Store – Lester Levenson". LesterLevenson.org. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Aprilia, Ade (2020-03-26). "The Real-Life True Story of My Teacher, Lester Levenson (Part 2)". AdeAprilia.com. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ "CPI Inflation Calculator". U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e The Sedona Method: Your Key to Lasting Happiness, Success, Peace and Emotional Well-Being. ISBN 0971933413.
- ^ "Virtual Tour". Sedona Mago Retreat. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ Levenson, Lester (2003). No Attachments, No Aversions: The Autobiography of a Master. Lawrence Crane Enterprises. ISBN 978-0971175518.
- ^ Levenson, Lester (2003). The Ultimate Truth (About Love & Happiness): A Handbook to Life. Lawrence Crane Enterprises. ISBN 978-0971175532.