Welcome to the site, Dave. I did the visitor period at East Wind a few years back. They're a part of a group of communes around the US but I can't remember the name. The visitor period was 3 weeks long and a great way to see if it's for you. It didn't seem cult like to me at all. Granted, if I had become a full member, maybe the story would change, but who knows. I didn't stay and go through the member program because I had decided on other things in life but I did like it.