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Universal Medicine

Universal Medicine
Alternative medicine
ClaimsEsoteric healing; esoteric breast massage, chakra-puncture, ovarian readings, esoteric ovary massage, esoteric connective tissue therapy.
Related fieldsEsotericism, Occult, New Religious Movements, Pseudoscience, Theosophy.
Original proponentsSerge Benhayon
Subsequent proponentsNatalie, Simone, Michael and Deborah Benhayon.

Universal Medicine, abbreviated as UniMed or UM, is a cult founded and led by Serge Benhayon, a former bankrupt tennis coach from New South Wales (NSW) Australia who has no medical qualifications.[1][2][3][4] It sells "Esoteric healing" products, music, publications, workshops and courses.[5] None of the healing modalities are evidence based or have been proven effective by scientific research.[3][6] Uruguayan-born Benhayon founded the group in 1999 after receiving what he described as an "energetic impress" while on the toilet.[7][8][9] A NSW Supreme Court jury found it was true to say that he leads a "socially dangerous" and "socially harmful cult", "intentionally indecently touched" clients and "is a charlatan who makes fraudulent medical claims".[10][11][12][13] In a British court ruling, UM was found to be "a cult with some potentially harmful and sinister elements".[14]

The organisation and unregulated health service provider is principally located in Goonellabah and Wollongbar, near Lismore, NSW, Australia.[15] Its European headquarters are known as "The Lighthouse" and is situated between Tytherington and Frome, Somerset, England.[16][17]

The signature treatments practised and taught by Universal Medicine are "esoteric breast massage", "esoteric healing", "ovarian readings", "chakra-puncture", "esoteric connective tissue therapy" and "esoteric ovary massage".[18][19][20] All treatments were devised by non-registered health practitioner Serge Benhayon, who has claimed the business grosses at least AUD$2 million a year from courses and retreats.[15][3][21]

The followers of its doctrine "The Way of the Livingness" are known collectively as "The Student Body".[22][23] "The Teachings" are classified into meditation, self-care, nutrition, exercise, music, reincarnation, psychological wellbeing and the esoteric, and are supported by audio, books, and online lectures. Serge Benhayon describes himself as a "seer", calls himself the "Ascended Master", and followers call him the "new Messiah".[4][24][7] They also believe he "was the one sent from (the mythical kingdom of) Shambhala to awaken us all", is the only human to have achieved the "highest level of initiation" on earth and claim the NSW Supreme Court ruling against him is "totally untrue".[25][26][27] In the British court ruling, the doctrine was said to be one of "erroneous and malign beliefs".[14]

While Benhayon has denied engaging in unethical practices, significant evidence to the contrary has been documented.[28]

Natalie & Serge Benhayon at UM event 2015
  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :14 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Parliament of N.S.W. (November 2014). "The Promotion of False and Misleading Health-Related Information and Practices" (PDF). New South Wales Parliamentary Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2014.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference fabic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference CourierMail was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Hall, Louise; Elliott, Tim (28 December 2015). "Universal Medicine's Serge Benhayon to inherit bulk of devotee's million-dollar estate". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018.
  8. ^ Hansen, Jane (15 March 2015). "How Universal Medicine bullied me". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Archived from the original on 22 August 2019.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :15 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Sainty, Lane (15 October 2018). "A Faith Healer Sued A Blogger Over Accusations He Leads A Cult. He Lost". Buzzfeed News.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :21 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference irishexaminer was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :a1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Pogrund, Gabriel (10 March 2019). "The Somerset B&B that's home to Universal Medicine 'burpers'". The Sunday Times. UK. ISSN 0956-1382. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020.
  17. ^ Companies House UK (1 April 2019). "Universal Medicine UK". Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  18. ^ McKeith, Sam (26 September 2018). "Lawyer tells jury not to believe 'conman from Goonellabah'". Northern Star. NSW.
  19. ^ Kaye, Byron (23 July 2012). "Inside Universal Medicine". Medical Observer. Australia. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012.
  20. ^ Aston, Heath (22 July 2012). "'Cult' cures on Medicare". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017.
  21. ^ Robertson, Josh; Walsh, Liam (8 September 2012). "New age 'medicine' of Serge Benhayon leaves trail of broken families". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference :00 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference charlatan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ Aston, Heath (22 July 2012). "Da Vinci reincarnated? 'I agree, it sounds absurd'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018.
  26. ^ Cite error: The named reference AWW was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  27. ^ Bannerman, Lucy (3 March 2019). "Business leader steps down over link to burping cult Universal Medicine". The Times. UK. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020.
  28. ^ Cite error: The named reference :27 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).