Learning By Doing

Last weekend, I traveled to San Francisco to Brad Brown's memorial service. Brad, mentor and beloved teacher, died on August 10. Here are a few thing I learned from Brad:

• How to forgive myself and others


• How to clear my thinking by telling the truth


• How to claim my personal authority without being aggressive, pleasing or passive


• How to create art by allowing the art to emerge


• How to release the illusion of control


• How to co-create results with Life


• How to be on an intentional path of self-actualization by processing events in my life


• How to be present, in the here and now


• How to meditate

Brad did not write a book on these subjects, but he designed experiential trainings that included processes-- "how-to's". He impacted thousands of lives from the United States to the United Kingdom and South Africa and New Zealand. He will be missed by many, and I know his essence is here, every time I use one of the processes he created. He has imprinted my being with his brilliance and love, and empowered me to choose my life.

More To Life October 12, 13, 14

Last week, ten of us gathered at Claud's and my house for the first of a five part series of "Coffee Talks" and "Previews" that lead up to the More To Life Weekend Elaine Alpert, Senior Trainer and I will train on October 12,13.14, 2007 in Bozeman, Montana.

We had seven students of the program and three guests present, and we used Dr. Brad Brown's Guidelines to Relationships to talk about our own relationships and how we are being in them. One student talked about feeling frustrated and angry, having witnessed mistreatment of a child. This was anger and resentment we all understood.

We talked about the pain of resentment, how it hurts us, claims our lives in an underhanded way, contaminates our ability to stay present, to love ourselves, our lives, to love others. Yet at the end of all our talk, there was no obvious door that led out of that troublesome place of resentment.

Amazingly, More To Life is a training filled with how to accomplish that which appears impossible--like fully forgiving, without hesitation or recrimination. I've sat with people as they did just that--completed the task, felt light afterwards, easy in themselves, heartened.

If you've taken the More To Life Weekend, come play on team October 12, 13, 14. There is no skill needed to do that--just more opportunity to claim your life. If you haven't taken More To Life, I invite you to attend a Coffee Talk and Preview. It's a chance to explore this program that offers more--mostly more of you being yourself.

Upcoming Parenting Course

In my opinion, the most important thing a parent can do is to grow themselves. When I do that, I provide for my children an atmosphere of clarity and integrity. I can be trusted because I am authentic and authoritative, without being demanding.

For five Tuesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00, October 30 through November 27 (an exception is that we may meet on Monday, November 19 instead of Tuesday, the 20th), I will be teaching a Parenting Class in Bozeman, Montana. It is aptly called, "Your Child As Zen Master: A Parenting Class" because we'll be exploring our 'stuck' places with our children--not from the perspective of 'what's going on with my child?' but from the perspective of 'how am I reacting (or over reacting) to my child?'.

Carl Jung said that if you want to be a good parent, do your own personal work. He also had the notion that when a parent is over reactive toward their child, it's because of their own projections. For instance, I had a difficult time when I was nine, so it was challenging for me to maintain my connection with my own children when they were nine.

In this Parenting Course, you'll note your own projections and then do your personal work so that you become more congruent, providing your child with a steady rooted-ness that children, no matter their age (and mine are grown) thrive in.

If you are interested or would like more information, Email or call 406 570 3791. If you're not in Bozeman and want to have this course in your city, let me know. We'll see what we can work out!