ALEXANDER LANSHE

The Anatomy of a Warrior Show - E006 - Interview with Kimberly Ostrowski, a Woman Who Escaped the Same Cult as I Did - We Share Her Personal Story and How She Helped Me to Escape

11/8/2017

2 Comments

 

On today's episode of The Anatomy of a Warrior Show, I interview my good friend and fellow warrior, Kimberly Ostrowski.

Kimberly has an amazing story to share with you on this episode. She was a member of the same cult as I was and in fact, was even closer to the cult leader than I was - serving as a behind-the-scenes staff member. Her courage to stand for the truth in the face of pure evil is inspiring and is why I wanted to have her on the show.

Kim was instrumental to me seeing the truth about the cult leader and extricating myself from it. We discuss how and why in the interview. 

In addition to Kim's story about being in the cult, we discuss some other great topics:
  • Kim's advice to women who think they can't be warriors or that being a warrior is just a man's world
  • Kim shares what her new women's self defense program, Break Free is all about and why that program is so important to her
  • Tactical awareness and prevention tips for women to keep themselves safe in daily life. 
  • How you can recognize if you are in a cult and dispelling the myths the cult leaders tell you
  • How Kim used the 7 virtues found in my book, Anatomy of a Warrior, to help her leave the cult
  • Why Kim founded The Resolute Warrior Academy and what she feels people need in our modern world
  • BONUS TIME: Kim and Alex discuss a HUGE myth in our culture that can get you hurt - especially from dangerous, predatory cult leaders

Kim's Bio:

Kim is a homeschooling mom of four and the current owner and operator of Resolute Warrior Academy and the new director of the Washidokan Martial Science Dojo in Sandusky, MI. She also helps her husband run their construction business. She started training in martial sciences in the fall of 2011 and went through intense training for three years, earning her Shidoin and Jokyo license. Kim has started up a new program, Break Free, a women's personal protection course which will focus on awareness and prevention training that will also be applicable to daily life. Kim wants to help women Break Free from the mindsets and negative habits that keep them from fulfilling their purpose and from protecting themselves. 

You can contact Kim at:
  • www.washidokandojo.com
  • washidokan001@gmail.com
  • https://www.facebook.com/WashidokanWarrior/ 

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2 Comments
Barbara Tysell link
11/9/2017 03:42:26 am

I listened to the whole thing. I heard sadness and redemption. I heard catharsis. I heard great advice from protectors who now have a broader audience and an expanded mission. It wasn’t lip service; it came from walking out into the light.

There’s something that resonated with me. When I was harassed and propositioned by this “leader”, (remember that he’s only a leader if people follow and people follow because he feeds some need, whether it be insecurity or ego...heck! It’s all ego. People who think they need others to reaffirm worth or worthlessness have an issue with ego), I immediately tried to deflect and change the conversation. I tried for weeks to approach this situation by talking about my own spouse, (whom he couldn’t disparage because of his military service), I tried to tell him he needed a hobby, like ballroom dancing. I regret telling him he should find a nice girl at the gun range, because he did - and assaulted her there.

The biggest thing was that I brought this situation to 3 people whom I viewed as trusted friends and confidents before I ever told my spouse. I knew what the result of the latter would have been, and we certainly are not the arbiters of life or death here. But - one of the 3 friends badly betrayed me and my teacher, a former friend and long time student, and a far, far better martialist and human being than this leader. The second friend was deeply loving but conflicted and for a time lost everything they held dear because of the siren song of this leader. Neither stood by me to help me, and I do understand why. Their fear of being rejected by the leader far outweighed their loyalty and wish to protect me. The third person I told was my teacher who has always protected me. It just went to show who was deeply indoctrinated, who was conflicted, and who clearly knew what being a protector was all about.

What was sad were the many times I approached you both and told you that if you ever had any questions about anything at all, if you ever needed help with anything at all, I would give you what you needed. This is nothing one can assert on someone who is indoctrinated and fearful of hearing something that conflicts with a strong messenger. There is a commeraderie in a sense of importance that is immensely crucial to keeping members following a leader. “Only we have the truth”.

When one finally has seen too much that causes cognitive dissonance to a fair minded and rational person, when what the leader does in no way jives with what assert, when SO many members of a group repeatedly tell you that they have been badly manipulated, deeply hurt, predated upon, physically maimed, threatened, but yet remain in the presence of the leader “because he still has good information”, then there is incongruent with logic and a moral compass that goes far deeper with these people who choose to associate themselves. They are ashamed to admit they’ve been had. This is one thing that does keep people in toxic relationships. They feel they have to explain why they stayed, so they stay and don’t have to explain. They understand that they are following lies, but they like the familiarity of the lies and the liar. They like the fantasy of being given some bogus license, because no one but them and the leader knows it is not legitimate. The work they do and did to gain recognition with the leader IS legit, the leader does have one very old bonefide, and that cannot be denied. BUT the thrill of being an important and ego driven part of the group, anmember of staff, a favored one, having the favor of the leader is compelling. Not one license this leader confers, put to extreme vetting, would stand up. He answers to no one. He will not be questioned because he refuses to participate in honest discourse. There is far too much history he would have to explain. The lies are compounded exponentially over decades.

And - he does not know what to do with people who do not play his game. He is puzzled by people who tell truth to power. He sulks. He runs away from happiness thatvis not caused by him. He blows up with violent steaming red rage if challenged. I’ve seen it all. Only sycophants make sense to him. This is a common theme among abusers, sociopaths, pathological liars, people who are malignant narcissists, and people who skip steps, don’t cultivate their own characters, plagiarize, and who are incredibly skilled at seeing weakness in others and exploiting it.

It’s no wonder that people stay. Fear and ego.

I believe that you Alex, and Kim and her friend, along with those other of us who saw through him and understood him from the beginning, or finally left after commiseration, some even after many decades, did so because of distance from him. When he leaves, as he always does, distance brings reflection and questioning if there are questions which must be asked. Remaining close in his orbit preve

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http://www.bestessays-uk.org/ link
4/18/2018 09:44:45 am

I was really excited in watching this episode before. I'm a fan of guerrilla warfare stories and I believe that I'll learn a lot fro the story of Kimberly Ostrowski who was braves enough toe space the cult where she's a former member of. She's an inspiration to many people and I'm glad that he survived those harsh experiences she had been while being a member of the said cult. I'm very much interested in seeing her stories and hope that they get reenacted someday. That would be a clearer presentation pf her story if ever.

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