It is clear to me that as well as different stages of growth, there are also different styles of growth. For example I have always been determined to find my own way and have resisted most efforts to give me guidance. In contrast Eva prefers to be inspired and guided by someone whom she holds in high regard. I also know other people who have sought out a like minded community as a source of support and guidance. And of course there are always people who flip between all three options or favour a mix of two. I’m not sure the degree to which choosing between these different styles is a matter of conscious choice. Sometimes it seems to be “built in” or somehow predetermined – much like the difference between introverts and extroverts.
I have always valued my fierce independence and determination to find out for myself. It means I haven’t had to sift out other people’s trips or fallibilities. But I also recognise that I could have made faster progress if I had been guided at certain key points in my process. And I have also missed being part of a lineage with a well mapped path of what to do next and what to expect. So there are benefits and drawbacks from all the different approaches and styles.
Unless you are in the fiercely independent camp I strongly recommend that you sign up for Lawrence Noyes Master’s Association ( see here). Lawrence has more experience with Intensives and training people than anyone else I know. He has also followed the Sahaj Yoga path that Charles Berner followed and understood a great deal about kundalini energy and its role in Intensives and Enlightenment experiences. Indeed he recently ran series of courses that enabled participants to identify times when kundalini had been operating in their lives and how best to handle the energy. I wish I had had access to such a course many years ago, it would have enabled me to avoid some gross errors and understand a lot more about what was happening to me. The Association also provides access to a community of Enlightenment Masters, which can provide invaluable support.
However if you are of a “find out for myself” frame of mind, or if you would just like to explore an alternative approach, then I can share with you the source of guidance and wisdom that I have accessed regularly for the last 45+ years. It is known as The Wise Man Fantasy and is described in detail in the Tools section (here). I have been reticent to share much about this, and I’m not clear about why this should be the case. Maybe it is just that it sounds weird to go into a darkened room, imagine a fantasy in your head and then give yourself advice and guidance about problems in your life!
In many ways the process is not dissimilar to that involved in ‘channelling’ where a person goes into a trance and receives information from a disincarnated source. The book Creating Union referenced in the section on relationships was obtained in this way. It is certainly a key part of accessing the wise man to enter a deep and very quiet state; without this the process is less effective.
As well as using the wise man process for myself I have also guided many people through the process, both individually and in groups. In groups the biggest problem is that someone usually goes fast asleep and starts to snore! But for the people who enter the trance like state it has worked very satisfactorily. I have used it a few times as part of the integration process following an Intensive. I have come to trust the process completely. If my wise man tells me something I take it as true – and I have not ever had reason to doubt this. I probably consult him between 10 and 30 times a year, depending on how much difficulty I am experiencing in my life. So over 45+ years that amounts to somewhere between 500 and 1500 sessions without a dud. I find it quite remarkable. In my autobiography, Who I am, there is frequent reference to consultations with my wise man. Together they illustrate the broad range of problems and issues on which he has advised me, everything from personal therapy, relationship issues, solving programming problems and advice on how to be a more effective Enlightenment Master.
A Master's Path 
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