Here are some posts that people have made over at the Erhard Seminars Trainng Website about their participation in est and what that has meant to their lives over the last many years:
“My participation in the est Training was one of the most impactfull experiences of my life. What followed in the process of time itself was a series of trully unprecedented accomplishments that, prior to my participation, I could have ever imagined possible producing for myself.” Angeles Ramos
“I did the est training in 1976, assisted for several years after, and did most of the graduate programs. A few years later, I created a job that lasted 22 years and I got to teach similar concepts that I learned in the est training. Hardly a week goes go by that I am not grateful for my experience of the training.” Fred Kester
“I created a wonderful life full of art, love and happiness. I still use the tools Werner gave me all those years ago on California Street. It was a wonderful experience that shaped my future and I am a better person for having experienced it. Thank you Werner!” Tesia Blackburn
Read Mare and Share Your est Experience with other est graduates at the est reunion website
Werner Erhard and Est 
My friends and family thought I was goofy. It was a “70s thing.’ I did “the training” in the late 70s in Chicago. I didn’t think I could afford it, I wasn’t sure my car could make it, I didn’t think I had time but I did it. That was when we had to give up watches and surrender to the environment to which we submitted ourselves for two long weekends.
My father had passed away the year before and I felt like I lost my foundation.
I know this.
I am what I am.
That’s what I got out of it – which I knew going into it.
For years I had a picture of a Yam in my office space and the tagline was “I yam what I yam”
Later it was followed by a picture of a creature with buggy eyes that said: “We don’t know what she is, but she sure is something!”
The est training was valuable to me in understanding the context of life, my life. My transformation didn’t look like someone else’s just like my life hasn’t looked like someone else’s.
I followed up with More Time workshop and The Hunger Project events and the worst/best experience was assisting a trainer for two weekends in Indianapolis.
I learned to jump in, to listen to opportunity, to be open to change and to allow others to be who they are.
People feared it was trying to replace God but it only deepened my relationship with God for I understood somehow that I was okay the way I was/am, but He means so much more for me.
That has led me down the path of a wonderful life and I’m thankful I learned to go when I don’t think my car will make it (I always drive a new car), to go when I can’t afford it (money follows commitment), and to take the time because I have the same 168 hours a week we all do.
I learned about leadership as service. A leader allows others to be their best, allows the best to rise up, to share victory with those who pass into places they didnt’ think they had the courage to go.
I’ve heard people going to the Landmark Forum and how it’s changed. But like everything, the est training was perfect for me at the time where I was, tired and never knowing what time it was! And having a trainer get in my face and when I laughed, asking what was so funny. So yeah, I learned about confrontation too, and it’s not so bad if you stand up to it. (it was actually very funny) It was a Yes Drill Sargeant moment. I’m not sure people today are tough enough for those moments but perhaps more need it.
If people went thinking they would get THE answer or they would get IT, I’m sure they were disappointed. They are probably still looking and the world will always tell people how to live their lives and someone always has “the one answer.”
est also taught me I needed coaching. I’ve always gotten coaching – spiritual, emotional, professional. No one has it altogether all the time so get coached. If there was an IT for me, that was IT. So I’m thankful for the est training. It helped make me who I am today and I like her a lot.