I found this article in my files. It was written in 1996, during one of the many attacks on Hillary Clinton that occurred while her husband was president. Now that she is running for president herself, I decided that it was relevant to share again.
Hillary was demonstrating her commitment to understanding herself in her situation by studying with a well-known teacher of human potential, Jean Houston. Jean apparently helped her to visualize how she could maintain her equilibrium as first lady by imagining how Eleanor Roosevelt faced that daunting task. The media attacked Hillary for taking advice from a spiritual guru.
I wrote this then to honor Jean and to share my own experiences. I hope you enjoy it.
Hillary Clinton and Jean Houston — what a great combination! We all need more of what Hillary has been modeling for us. Hillary is striving to use all her inner resources, with the help of a master teacher. Jean Houston has received numerous awards from prestigious groups for her ability to inspire others to be their best possible selves.
Many of us are searching for new spiritual, intellectual and social resources to help us cope with our rapidly changing world. The downsizing of large corporations and the shift to small business requires us to learn new ways of being committed to and satisfied with our work and ourselves.
I am personally grateful to Jean Houston. Her courageous and pioneering work has greatly influenced my own personal and professional development for the past 19 (now 30, yikes!) years. I hope that sharing my experiences will help you appreciate Hillary Clinton=s quest to develop herself and encourage you to pursue your own development.
In my first workshop with Jean Houston, in 1977, I participated in unusual mental, emotional and physical activities that helped me discover and use mental, emotional and intellectual abilities I never imagined I had. I also completed grieving the loss of my first child, and discovered a basic wisdom about the human condition that helped me develop as a psychotherapist and an educator. Much of the information in that workshop is available in Jean‘s book, The Possible Human.
In 1985, knowing that I needed to re-examine the direction of my life, I joined Jean‘s year-long training program. I spent the year studying how people throughout history have sought to find or create meaning in their lives.
Jean uses whole brain learning technologies to teach her students to find their own personal integration. Along with reading about thirty books, we (over 100 professional and business people) also danced, listened to stories, role-played (not necessarily Eleanor Roosevelt), explored nature, wrote, sang — and grew.
By the end of that year, I felt far more peaceful, and was wondering what contribution I could make to the world instead of how I could get what I wanted from it. My three published books, (now five in 2007) my Ph.D., my newsletter, and my continuing spiritual studies grew out of this experience.
In 1986, after 17 days in India on a study tour with Jean, I had a deep experience of how different values produce radically different cultures. I learned that our “American way“ is one way among many — not right, not wrong, just different.
Now I am more likely to question how something works, instead of insisting that there is a right way to do it. Coping with change is easier, too.
I hope that the relationship between Hillary Clinton and Jean Houston continues to grow and flourish.
Is this you? “I don’t need therapy, but I could use some advice about…”
[tags]Self Help, Self-Improvement, Personal Growth, Hillary Clinton, Jean Houston[/tags]