The 'Love Bombing' trap I fell for in a spiritual group

Joined a meditation circle last year where they showered me with gifts and praise for three weeks straight. Then the requests for money and 24/7 tasks started. Has anyone else seen this pattern where initial kindness is actually a cultivation tactic?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_robin5d ago

Oh man, this hits close to home. My friend Sarah joined this "wellness collective" and they were all over her. They gave her homemade candles, handwritten notes, free massage sessions for like a month. Then suddenly it was "hey can you help organize our storage unit" which turned into "we need you to commit 30 hours a week for the community." She ended up donating her entire savings to their "healing center expansion" before she finally wised up and walked away. It was wild watching it unfold from the outside.

fionam115d ago

Omg @the_robin your friend Sarah's story is basically my life right now lol. I joined this "sisterhood healing circle" and for the first month they sent me care packages with crystals and essential oils, called me every day to check in, told me I was "so special" and "a light worker." Then it was "can you drive me to the airport" and "we need help cleaning the temple" and suddenly I'm spending 40 bucks a week on gas for their errands. The love bombing is so real, they use that sweetness to lower your guard and then you feel guilty saying no cause they were "so kind to you first.

jason_stone595d ago

@fionam11 your story sounds so familiar it hurts. What finally worked for me was setting one hard boundary right at the beginning of any new group. I told them I couldn't drive anyone anywhere or do errands, period. The ones who were genuine respected that. The love bombers got cold real fast. A few even tried to guilt me by saying I wasn't "committed to my growth." But that's how I knew they weren't worth my time. The trick is to look for groups that let you say no without making you feel bad about it.