Testimonials

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Self Mastery Testimonials from Course Subscribers

Some feedback that I have gotten… just some. It would be too much to put it all here.


Hi Gary,

Hope all is well. I have finished the advanced series and have been reviewing older material since, really trying to integrate things that I missed or wasn’t fully aware of. At 24, I am probably younger than some of your listeners/clients but I found that this material spoke in a way that was unparalleled to the affirmation based material that is seen everywhere else. Some characters have been harder to dissolve than others, but I would like to think it is a fair assessment to say that I am much more accepting and authentic then before. I paired the self mastery course with the relationship course because disillusionment with my gf was truly the catalyst for this endeavor. That being said, it has become so much more than just about her. I use to be in such a rush to take in this material, that I developed a standard to judge myself against for material that was suppose to break me out of that loop! The awareness of that was big for me, and now it is different. I would never expect to break two decades worth of patternization and conditioning into a year of practice, but I do believe it is noticeable by others and myself, that some fundamental shifts have been made. I am truly grateful for this material, and I hope you release more material in the future. 

Best, Christian   Oct 2016

 


Gary,

Some amazing changes have happened to me in the last year. I have shifted my victim mindset to one where I am watchful and more centered than before. Although from time to time, my brain does succumb to the old patterns, I’m able to laugh about it and snap out of it rather quickly as opposed to lingering for days or weeks at a time. I do listen to the voice recordings often. They are so helpful!
 
This new found ability has shifted my mindset to move out of my comfort zone to a new larger city as the opportunity has arisen to do so within my company. This kind of thing has happened to me before where the calling occurred, but for whatever reason, I didn’t answer. I did not move. I always had the excuse of I’m busy, my family, this isn’t the perfect time. Not any more. This time I am answering it for the better of my life as I do have a plan.
 
On a personal note, the anxiety I experienced was directly related to an old pattern I had developed based on some issues I thought had resolved. I used to be the kind of person who had to answer the phone and return every call immediately and be there every second that someone needed me. I worried that if I didn’t answer, respond or reach out, I  imagined some other outcome. Well, for the first time, I had made the choice to be not be a slave to the phone. I actually forgot about it for a while. I allowed myself to exit  the perfection /rescuer scenario I created for myself. This went the same for constant attendance at religious ceremonies, house cleaning, gas. In fact, I remember listening to the one lady who described her issues with the half tank of gas and ran out! Well I haven’t gone that far, but I completely understood her.
 
I guess, what I’m saying is my overall sense of well being has improved. I do have those issues real or not from time to time, but not to the same extent as I had before I started the program. Thank you for everything.
 

Anita

 


Good Stuff.  I am on lesson 8 and have already felt some impact of what I have learned.  I seem to take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back (the judge has a pretty good hold on me).  The beliefs and emotions I am trying to dissolve have been with me most of my life so I realize that process could take awhile but I am so hopeful, for the first time in a long time, that this process will free me from a long standing emotional pain I have experienced and I take all the credit for it.  It has been all me causing the pain and the refreshing thing, is that since taking your course, I realize that if I am the source of the pain, I can also be the solution.  I am committed to founding happiness and probably more important, find contentment in my life.  Thank you Gary.

David  Oct 2016

 


Gary,

I am listening to your Self Mastery series and  I have listened to all of your podcasts. 

First, thank you so much for your incredible work in this audio format. Your philosophy, approach of using personal stories and the tone you use in your recordings have engaged me and transformed my self esteem. 

Regards, Julie   Sept 2016

 

Dear Gary,

I am so grateful for discovering your program. I started it about 15 months ago and have seen many changes in myself since I started it. About 15 months ago I really hit rock bottom in my life. I felt so insecure and miserable. Growing up I was a rather happy person but that started to change when I internalized a lot of negative comments that were made towards me when I was around 19 years old. It was then that I started to form an image of perfection and belief that I just wasn’t good enough, and that eventually led to anxiety and depression. I didn’t feel like myself at all and I didn’t want anyone to know how awful I felt. A couple of years ago I started articling at an accounting firm working many long hours and the frequent criticism from managers was very painful for me. It was then that I came across your course and I’ve made it a priority in my life ever since. A couple of months ago I went on a study leave at work which has allowed me to really focus on the exercises. While I still have emotional reactions here and there, I have been able to eliminate the cause of many of my reactions and insecurities. Peace and happiness are starting to become my normal emotional state. I’ve gained so much awareness and understanding of what goes on in mine and others’ minds. Now I am able to avoid the trap of feeling not good enough. My relationships with family and friends have also improved as I find myself judging a lot less and just accepting people as they are. I don’t know where I would be if I never found your course. It has absolutely changed my life and I can’t wait to grow even more. So thank you very much.
 
Best regards,

Eliza           Sept 2016


Hi Gary,
Hope all is well.
In the beginning of studying the audio traning it was just a lot of words to sort through which the places the words fell upon was not very deep. As time has gone by and I listen to the material again it penetrates at a deeper depth with greater understanding and a higher  emotional quality that was not present before.  I’m finding that because I didn’t react in the patterns that the people  around me react to they often misunderstand and take my behavior for weaknesses .I often think about what may have happened to me or where I may have ended up if not for these types of ideas.Thanks for bringing this materials to my attention.

Eduardo  Sept 2016

 

Hi Gary –

Thanks for your email and also thanks for your course!
 
I first came across your site last November when I was in a very dark period.  I was struggling a lot with work.  It was a situation where – in my mind – I was being treated incredibly unfairly and with very little respect.  i didn’t see any way out and, on a whim, I just decided to google “how to deal with frustrations at work”.  Your article popped-up and when I read it the lightbulb basically went on.  it suggested another solution that had never even occurred to me.
 
Thus began my journey with your series of MP3s (and your book).
 
I can honestly say that my perspective on life has changed radically since I began your course.  There was so much eye-opening stuff that really enlightened me.  The latest thing that had a big effect on me was your MP3 on “Service”.  Whoa… that was a big game changer for me and completely changed how I am operating in the world now.  I think so many things in your course have helped me deal with an underlying anxiety that was making life pretty sour for me – even though others would look at my life and say “man, you’ve got a great life”.  But – as you know – nothing means much if your are locked inside your mind, having a constant battle with it.  That just gets tiring.
 
I’ll continue to listen to your stuff and work on things.  I know it’s a life-long process, but it’s worth it for sure.
 
Best wishes

Scott    August 2016

Hello Gary,

It’s been awhile since I’ve been in touch so I wanted to say hi.  I just received an auto email that it’s been about a year since I started the journey on pathway to happiness.  I found it interesting that so much has changed for me. I’m definitely happier but I think soon I will go back and re listen to some audio.

After Zion, I felt so renewed and free of so much guilt and shame. It really did wonders for my soul. Almost immediately upon return, things opened up for me and I acted.  I’m now back on Colorado as of last week where I got a great job  I feel as though I healed in Florida and now I’m back to start fresh and with a renewed spirit.

I hope all is well with you too.

Thanks again for everything.

Talk to you soon.

Laura  August 2016

 

Hi Gary,

I’m still doing the self mastery work with the archetypes and am sending you a big thank you for the work you have done. Take care.

Peter    August 2016


I had missed the target. I had difficulty truly understanding where and what the core beliefs were…about 4 months ago I got angry over a small thing with my GF.
I had “controlled” myself pretty well for some time and felt I had made good progress to that point. It triggered her to break it off with me saying I had not changed….calling me a drama king.
Well, I knew I messed up. Fyi, my outburst was not violent, thats not been my problem, anyway, I follwed the rabbit hole of what is drama, all the way to my core belief which was fear of abandonment…with side shoots of a few others…it was then that I started to understand your lessons clearly.

To get closer to the source of your lessons I purchased all of Don’s books and his detail in his message made it possible to finally have the light come on. I had finally understood and now the change I was attempting to make actually took place.

It all seems so simple now. Why was it so hard to see?
I know why now…
I informed my GF that my discovery caused a breakthrough and that I could now finally change my behavior for ever.
Her and I are together again, she is skeptical but did not want to loose what was good about us if I had found the key to eliminate useless behavior.
So far so good….in all areas of my life.
Relationships I have are much better.
I’m happier then I’ve been in a long while.

I’ve always been generally happy but my beliefs aquired though out my life were not correct and under certain circumstances I would get angry or make wrong choices…now..its a different day.

I still know I have to keep on top of it but like you’re example…to know how to see the exit sign is key. Now I see and I take the exit from my old ways…which feels so much better.

Its amazing how the old belief system justified poor behavior and clouded the truth of what it actually is.

So thanks to you and Don. I’m making the changes stick.

I’m also receiving counselling which involves disusing this technique to understand what and how the Brain operates…

I’m out of the woods!

Dave   July 2016

 


Gary, I am a 68 year old Vietnam Veteran and have had a long term unhappy, negative existence due primarily due to, I believe, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that went undiagnosed and I continued to bury my unhappiness for years until it felt like that was just the way I was suppose to live my life.  I have tried your first 4 free lessons and it has made more sense to me than anything else I have read or tried.  I am going to sign up for the basic lessons and look forward to improving my life.  I know that I have had a lifetime of tapes running through my mind that I hope I will be able to shred and through away and create a better existence for myself.  I just wanted to thank you in advance for creating a nonsensical approach to changing a very painful way of living and hopefully, change it permanently for a happier way of life.  I look forward to your insight and your lessons.  Again, I feel this is just the beginning of my life.  I just wish I would have heard about you many years ago.  Although, as you would say, it just wasn’t my time but now it is.

Gratefully,

David   August 2016

 


Gary,

I wanted to share something that I experienced yesterday that has given me a new point of view to see life through. 

I was taking a nap on the couch yesterday, August 7th, 2016, while my wife read at my head.  I dozed off for an hour and woke up prior to having to wake the kids from there nap.  I was extremely relaxed and comfortable, I didn’t want to move, so I closed my eyes and began to count my breath and meditate.  While meditating I began to feel this intense love for myself.  I could feel myself loving each part of my body and being extremely grateful while doing a body scan.  I then dozed off because the next thing I remember was becoming aware that the body was asleep and I was awake, I being my consciousness.   My consciousness new the body was asleep and decided to step outside of the body.  I picked up out of the body, looking at it, and began to move down the hall.  I felt a bit timid to move to far away from the body.  While stepping out I noticed losing consciousness and beginning to think I was dreaming.  I then went back to my body and stepped into it.  Whenever my consciousness filled the body I felt the most intense pleasure of my life, beyond words.  I, the awareness, began to focus the pleasure all through the body with incredible pleasure.  Not sexual pleasure, just sensation all through the body, where I could feel in great detail everything moving within the body.  I was aware of my wife reading at my head and wondered if she could see my body shaking.  My consciousness was very curious like a child learning what the body could feel.  I then stepped outside of the body and focused between my growing area next to my wife.  The pleasure was so strong that I had to move back to the body.  I could feel and hear the body’s breathing and shaking changing.  I was awake, aware, and alive, I was the consciousness that filled the body, but was separate from the body. There were no thoughts, just actions, I was beyond thought.  I had complete control over the body in every movement and instance.  I sat there in the pleasure for a little while longer and then commanded the body to open its eyes.  I sat up with feeling like my life had changed, overtaken with happiness.  The mind then returned and I went about my day trying to figure out what the heck just happened (of course the mind has to “know” right)!  Just thought I would share, hope you have a good day. 

Austin                 August 2016

 


Gary,
Thank you for your email. I meant to email you but got caught up in some family stuff ( good stuff).
I feel good. I am not carrying any of the self doubt /loathing that I had and look forward to things unfolding for me.
Another interesting thing happened. I realized that the fixer voice is very loud inside me and in most of my friendships I take on that role. It’s not really that satisfying.
I have a friend who is going through a divorce and sometimes behaves in the same dramatic way my mum used to as she was going through her trauma.
After the session with you, my friend called me, hysterical and crying over an issue and for the first time I had no desire to fix it. It’s not being mean or unloving, but I just did not have any desire to hold her hand as I have over the past few years. From a place of integrity and non judgement, I could see plainly what role I had been playing( saving my mum) and how a lot of her experiences are coming from her own self.
I kind of became reclusive this past week and spend time with my mum who is visiting from India.
A lot of rage was coming up. Just old stuff and like most humans I hate the emotion of fear and anger, but this time, I just sat with it, looked at it and let it play out.
I didn’t suppress it. I just listened to all those voices screaming at me, and let the have their field day, without moving to fix myself. They finally stopped on their own and I went back into my state of joy I usually feel.I really love your work. For me personally, it made me get it on a level that I have not been able to previously and mostly it’s given me a tool. I know when I feel life is coming at me, it’s just a voice orienting me from my past experiences and all I need to do is not connect to it and observe.Do you have a teacher training course? That is something I would consider doing.Thank you so much,Warmest Regards,
Simmi                         July 2016
Hi Gary,
I don’t need a call but wanted to share with you something I realized today: I believe I was born bad (!).  And therefore not deserving of love and happiness.  All those other stories on top of that were just to hide that I wasn’t good enough or try to prove to the world and myself that I am, and then reactions to circumstances that took that thin veneer away.  Anyway I think this is a huge revelation for me. 
Also the other day I was not happy with something my boyfriend did.  But the thing was, I could see his point of view and why he did it so I wasn’t angry about it but wasn’t happy about it either.  So I decided to wait and think about it for awhile.  I let it sit for a day or two and then had a calm discussion about it where I asked for what I wanted in our relationship and was understanding of his point of view, and he also understood mine.  Progress right????
Anyway I just wanted to share, and to say thank you so much for everything.  I’m starting to have fun again on this journey  :)

All the best.  Kris      July 2016

 


Thank you Gary!!
 
I’m halfway through your self mastery series and I look forward to the rest. The series has been a useful tool for gaining more control over my emotional state. I particularly like the fact that you don’t go into putting a lot of new beliefs into our existing belief structure, rather, you help guide us towards breaking down our own structure of beliefs. I also enjoyed your book Mindworks. I appreciate you sharing.

Austin    June 2016

 

Hi Gary,

Many thanks,

It’s been a pleasure taking this course over the last year, and beginning this journey. I send you my thanks for putting together such an insightful website and program, and I look forward to continuing the practice over the days and years to come.

Sincerely,

Kim   June 2016


Dear Gary,
I am reading your book “Mind Works” and I can say after reading the first few chapters and doing one of the exercises, my life has changed dramatically. It was an instant thing where suddenly I could see the workings of my mind. I felt this separation. The voices, me and then an observer beneath both those. I actually initially went through an evening of disorientation and confusion, when the voices stopped talking to me and I could not figure out who I was or where I was. A little fear came from that, and then I saw I could re-orient myself to a different set of voices or stay in that non oriented state which became quite peaceful once I realized I still existed despite those voices/thoughts.Then, another interesting thing happened. I was driving and suddenly I felt my awareness expand and I felt as though I was in all beings and all objects and that I knew their inner workings. The world seemed very simple and very small and I could focus on it anywhere and know everything about it. I was still aware of myself but I was also completely aware of everything and everyone else.  This lasted for about 10 minutes and then it stopped. I feel this happened because my consciousness got freed from the mind trap.All this from just starting your book.I feel more alive, more at peace and more happy than ever before.I want to thank you sincerely,
Sim    June 2016


Gary,

I wanted to circle back with you on this newest installment of forgiveness and I must say that it could not have been more timely. Over the weekend my preteen daughter was assaulted by another girl at a sleep over. There are few things that a parent or a mother can go through when a child tells you something of this magnitude that is as hurtful as this.
 
At first, the judge came out about the other person and people needing punishment and then the victim in my mind came and that I was powerless to do anything about it. I did approach the parents of this other child and held in my mind the expectations that I had thought would be upheld at a trusting scenario like a sleepover. When that didn’t turn out as I had expected, the cycle started another vicious momentum. I had put myself in hell. Actually, I was there, rented an apartment and had started charging rent.
 
 I had started to punish myself over the next week and suffering, working out and sleeping less, not eating. waking up early, mentally abusing myself without any consideration. And then today I heard your message. It was hard to listen to, I’ll admit. Mostly because the Judge wanted to continue terrorizing and the victim accepting it. But then I did as you said. I stepped outside of the argument these personas were having and said, “Who is it that we are angry with” and they all shrieked, ” YOU!!” we’re ALL angry at YOU because (filling in blank)…SOMETHING must be done…. So I asked, “Exactly what is it that can be done??” And they paused and said, “Well, honestly we don’t know, but this seems like a good idea to continue harassing you and   It seems to FEEL like we’re doing something, so maybe we should just keep doing this?
 
It was actually really, really funny and I started laughing.  Here I was, nearly in tears over this admittedly unfortunate situation with my daughter and my personas leaped on to my emotions  like a pack of ravenous wolves.
 
Finally, I became the forgiver and it was like a dimmer switch in my head. they became less and less visible, less and less noisy. They aren’t all the way gone, but it’s much better to an extent.
 
I will continue to monitor how I do over the coming weeks.
Thank you.

Anita    June 2016

 


Gary,
Thank you.
Two words that can’t quite express my gratitude for the time and energy you’ve put into creating courses that have absolutely changed my life, in amazing (but sometimes challenging) ways ;)
I am sure there are so many people out there with similar stories, but so often you probably don’t hear them – that’s why I wanted to write and tell you what a difference your work has made to my life. Six years ago I was living a life I thought I should live, that looked picture perfect on the outside, but I felt numb and empty on the inside. Now, I’ve turned that around and live a full, meaningful and whole life. As you would know that doesn’t mean there aren’t ups and downs, but I am able to see the beauty, lessons and growth in everything that comes my way.
Keep doing what you’re doing and maybe one of these days I’ll join you at one of your retreats :)
Love & blessings,

Jo      April 2016

 

Gary,

Thank you very much for creating this series and making these insights and tools available.
 
My name is Matt E———-.  I recently purchased your Mindworks book on kindle after reading some of your blog and listening to your recordings. I have found your material to be the most concise explanation of the dynamics of emotion and suffering I have encountered to date.   Without going into too many details I have had opportunities to dig deep into how my mind works after going through a painful period of addiction, recovery and now divorce.  I am a successful professional and have had to come to grips with the dysfunctional beliefs and patterns that I developed from childhood on.  I have spent countless hours in recovery meetings, professional counseling sessions and have read a number of self-help books looking for a way to alter the dysfunctional patterns that have become engrained in my brain.  Your suggestions have been very helpful and I find them very easy to implement.  I have experienced a significant benefit in a short time.
 
Sincerely,
 

Matt

 

Hello Gary,

I am very happy with your courses.  I have never seen anything so advanced and placed in such an incredible perspective.  I have read nearly every toltec book there is but your ways of explanation are different and easier to understand.  I have signed up a few weeks ago for your self mastery courses beyond the four free ones.  I am joyful to finish them all and move onto the next sessions, right now I am on session 7.  Your simple gift to us all is one that is worth more then getting the best job or making the most money because I know if that I don’t dissolve these parasites, it does not matter what I do or accomplish.  I won’t be happy. I am amazed at the mind and how these characters seem to have a mind of their own, that they understand when they are being hunted or have been discovered, or that as you put it in one of the sessions, “they know they don’t stand a chance when being hunted,”. I do admit that they have put up unrealistic expectations on me and I feel down sometimes because for so long I failed to understand what the victim really was, but now I think I do and realize for now that my victim parasite is my primary villain and the other minions, many of them fall underneath the victim’s power.  I hope I am getting it right.  My mind is doing everything to stop me.  Incredible that these faulty programs can exist and have there own mind in some regard.  But I am not quitting or giving in.  I thank you so much, tears almost come to my eyes from the incredible work you have done.

Sincerely

Mark in Canada   March 2016