The Breakthrough Experience: an account in an email from Gus to a friend, Lou.

Good morning, Lou of the Pines!

You invited me to share some of my experience during the weekend (Breakthrough Experience) when I had a chance. I"m trying to find time to write; but still haven"t and beg your tolerance as I share excerpts from an eplex to Michael in Cincinnati instead.

March 31st was a breakthrough day for me down at Niches for the weekend with Lynn Rinehart and seven others. Lynn taught me that help does not equal hurt; that love is safe. He used guided ideomotor techniques to induce a non trance state (he believes individuals customary mode of being is in a trance) and regressed me back to when I was burned at 15 months. From there I connected with my uncomfortable feelings which included a LOT of anger. Once there he pissed me off by urging me to loiter there and I called him a son of a bitch. He invited me to stand up and tell him that. When I did he responded by embracing me strongly and telling me "I love you Gus." Over and over I'd speak my truth from my center receiving the same loving affirmation from him. Everyone affirmed that love and there ya have it, Michael, in a Reader's Digest version how I learned that love is safe.

It only took 50 years to get there!

I feel like I've come home to my True Self!

And my journey continues. The journey is the goal...

And from my eplex to Tom you can get a taste of metamorphosis:

Thanks, again for your support of my joining Rich and you at Niches. In a way it's been pretty nifty, the after effects. Kinda like after Diane gave me my first
real coiffeur (styling) and people keep coming up to me saying how handsome I look. Geesh, Tom, no one ever did that before--let alone more than one person!

Well, this morning's ALANON brought similar experiences with the Breakthrough Weekend (Experience) metamorphosis. I kid you NOT! Don, who's known me for 4 years...sell, Don leans his body forward and looks down the long row with an inquisitive look as if to wonder 'wow, who's that speaking-as I share. After the meeting Don volunteers 'there's something different about you...I notice that you're looser, your voice is no longer tight, you speak from a laid back, secure place inside you, your voice is rich, your stories filled with colors that go off in my mind...' I could feel the change in me. And my friend, Dale, wept as he greeted me after the meeting. As I wept spontaneously greeting him with a big hug. Anyhow, I owe you a big debt of gratitude for these real moments.

Breakthrough Experience 96