I often forget how miserable I was before I did Avatar. No matter where I looked, things looked pretty bleak. That was in 1990.
Don’t get me wrong; just because I was miserable doesn’t mean I was a failure. I was pretty successful according to worldly standards; my wife and I owned a business, made good money, had some real estate, went on trips and all that. But I felt very separate and alone, and I didn’t appreciate how good my life was. You know how some people notice a glass and see it as half full and others see the same glass as half empty? I’d notice that the glass was dirty and cracked, and I’d want to know who was responsible. Yes, I was quite skilled at seeing what was wrong, and very quick to point it out.
I wanted to make major changes in my life, and right from the start Avatar didn’t disappoint me. The attention exercises on the first day were amazing. I saw that whatever my attention was on dominated my thoughts. I also noticed that my attention was drawn (by default) to problems—things that “weren’t right.” And I didn’t think I’d ever be able to change that. But I found that by doing the exercises I could learn to place my attention where I wanted. That was my first glimpse of the power of Avatar— seeing that just doing the exercises had an immediate positive impact.
Another major discovery was this: when I spotted something wrong, I blamed someone else for it. (Hmm, interesting strategy.) While doing an exercise called Self-Deception Signals, Harry’s comments suggested something I’d never considered: “When I am quick to find the error in others, I have failed to correct myself.”
Aha! I was right! There was something wrong. But I now knew the problem wasn’t something outside me; it was something inside. At that moment I knew that Avatar was exactly what I was looking for, and that it could take me where I wanted to go.
So step by step, each day of the course, I learned how to assume responsibility for the beliefs and perspectives that were creating the reality I experienced as my life. As I became more clear and less judgmental, a funny thing happened; the world around me began to look and feel a whole lot better than it ever had before. The people and things in my life were all changing dramatically, and the reason was me—because I was changing.
How ironic. All my life I’d been sure that the problems I saw had nothing to do with me. But the more I changed myself, the fewer problems I saw. What I learned in Avatar allowed me to observe and change things about myself that I thought could never be changed. We’re talking miracles here—ask my wife.
So instead of automatically seeing what was wrong, I began to notice how much was right. I was able to finally connect with the people in my life and appreciate their contributions. This shift brought with it a profound sense of peace. That’s the moment I decided to do the next Master Course and see what additional miracles were waiting. There were many...
Since 1990 I’ve taught Avatar in several different countries around the world—10 so far. And no matter what country or language the course is in, the students all love the experience. They just love Avatar. I think it’s because Avatar addresses the part of us that is beyond language and beyond the mind. The techniques allow access to a space in consciousness where thinking quiets or ceases entirely. And when you explore from that space, it’s easy to make changes, and very natural to create the kind of life you’ve always wanted.
Now let’s be honest—sure, there are still times when things get a little rough, and upsets happen, and all that stuff. But that’s when the Avatar tools are invaluable. Avatar allows me to handle these creations easily and quickly move back into a space of living deliberately.
If you asked me for advice (and I know you haven’t), I’d offer two suggestions. First, if you have a sense that The Avatar Course is right for you, then do it as soon as possible. The part of you that’s waking up is sending a message to the part that’s still snoozing. You should probably listen to the message, since you’re the one who’s sending it. Second—remember, this is Earth. It’s a very unusual planet! All of us have challenges to deal with, but that’s just the way it is here. In fact, that’s the way it’s supposed to be here. But luckily for us, it’s an Avatar planet. So as soon as you’re ready, Avatar is here to help you make the changes you want. Then everything in your world will look very different. Including you...
Richard Brenckman, Star’s Edge Trainer, San Diego, California
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