When I returned home from taking the The Avatar Course, I wondered how I might explain what the course is about and how it affects one’s life. Over the nine days of the course I had a hard-working, intense and, ultimately, joyful experience. So much of the course being experiential, how could I share what occurred with immediate family and close friends?
The first response, upon telling someone that you took a personal growth course, or whatever you chose to call it, is usually, “No, it is not ____.” (You fill in the blank.)
Naturally, the perceptions that come with some self-development courses are negative baggage, such as hearing that the enrollees are not allowed bathroom breaks, the course is confrontational and excitement followed by letdown.
I planned to deflect inquiries to my girlfriend, an Avatar Master who first delivered the course in its early days. Then it was done in living rooms with just a few students. Now Avatar has grown into large courses in ballrooms with students from many different countries.
Ironically, when the first conversation where I wanted to share the benefits of Avatar arose, my girlfriend was nowhere around. What follows, is my impromptu description, which my girlfriend suggested I share with others.•••••
We all have a place, perhaps deep inside ourselves, where we feel optimistic toward life, hopeful, where we are strong and have the ability to confront and solve whatever problems life sends our way. That part of us becomes buried, beneath layers of pain, losses, disappointments, frustrations, self-doubt and self-criticism. Probably the older we are, the more layers we have.
Avatar provides the means of accessing these deep, but perhaps long stored away, good feelings or beliefs about life and ourselves. What distinguishes Avatar from other personal growth courses is that you do not re-experience these good feelings only during the course and shortly thereafter. My own experience, having taken another course about four years ago, was that I accessed the good within. But, with the passage of time—just a matter of weeks—the good feelings eroded and there was no way to return to them.
The reason Avatar takes nine full days, is that you are developing the capacity for, and learning to use a set of tools with which you can reach these good feelings or clear space any time you want. It takes time and practice to learn the tools, much of it done working one on one with an Avatar Master.
Being able to operate from this clear space is to be connected to our most productive and joyful essence. This is the space from which we can most readily accomplish goals, experience happiness and connect more closely with others. This is the space filled with “I can” or “I will,” rather than filled with “why bother” or “I’m just going to get hurt anyway.” It feels good to be in this space and certainly helps in achieving your goals and feeling a closeness with others.
If you would like to learn more about Avatar, a good place to start is www.AvatarEPC.com. From there how far you go on your journey of self discovery is up to you.
Terry Barak is an Avatar Course graduate from California.
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