Workshops that enabled me see how our fears limit us from fully realizing our potential.

Published in the Macon Telegraph and News (Macon, GA) in 1985

People ask why I commit time and money to emotionally demanding personal growth workshops. My answer is that all  the workshops I have attended affected me deeply but there are three in particular that had more impact on my life.

The first was a five-day intensive "Living, Dying and Transition Workshop" given by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. Elizabeth believes each of us has the capacity to love others unconditionally and it is our unfinished business that keeps us from doing so. In her workshop she created an environment where we were encouraged to express pain, hurt or rage in an atmosphere of love and acceptance so we can be done with it.

Feelings were not to be talked about but felt. If sad, we cried; if angry, we were given a rubber hose and an old telephone book and were told, "Have at it!" At first I was skeptical about what this outpouring of negativity would accomplish. Yet it worked and I was amazed as depressed, hostile or tense people transformed themselves into radiant, light, loving persons right before my eyes. I realized in this workshop that we are all connected and how our life stories are much the same.

The second workshop called "Silva Mind Control," developed by Jose Silva, taught me how the power of visualization can heal us. Three days of meditation and continuous visualization culminated in our creating a vivid, "laboratory" in the mind's eye with two "assistants" to help diagnose and heal people with physical or emotional problems. When the person's name, age and location was mentioned, we were told an image would miraculously appear on our inner visual screen and their ailments would make themselves known via visual, auditory or kinesthetic means. Again I was skeptical. I felt sure my partners would not be able to tell what was wrong with the three people I knew with problems. I was even surer I would not be able to accomplish such a feat. I was wrong; we all did. And I learned that there is another reality, and we have capabilities not taught in our schools.

The third life changing workshop was the Anthony Robbins "Firewalk" called "Turning Fear Into Power." I could not believe 200 people, myself included, could walk on hot coals and not get burned. I suspected a trick, a fast walk on coals that had cooled, or wet feet. Instead, we were instructed to walk the length of 12 feet of coals at a slow, even pace. The heat from the coals forced us to stand at some distance. We did wet our feet afterwards.

What was the trick? I feel it has more to do with turning the energy generated from fear into faith and deep concentration.

These workshops helped me see how we are all connected and  how we create our own realities. They also showed how fear limits us from fully realizing our potentials and how we all have powers and capabilities far beyond our knowledge.