| The
Founding of Lifespring, A History by John Hanley
Most people attend their first
growth seminar to make their life work better. I joined mine
in 1971 to help me remember economic formulas. I was a senior
at the University of Wisconsin then. Another student suggested
that techniques in the course "Mind Dynamics" might
improve my memory. So, I invested $200 and then sat in the
back row with my eyes open for five days, resisting and criticizing
everything the instructor and students said and did. On the
last day, the leader asked me to participate in an exercise
in which I was to close my eyes and try to describe the wife
of the person sitting next to me without my ever having seen
her. It was a game for me until my partner showed me his written
card. I had described a total stranger in perfect detail.
I knew then
that there had to be something to this awareness business,
but I remained skeptical. I couldn't figure why those weird
people kept jumping up and sharing that their lives were changing
as a result of participating in the course. I just couldn't
see it.
Shortly after graduation, one
of the seminar trainers called from California to invite me
to join Mind Dynamics' instructor training program. I was
to cover all expenses until after my training. Then, if they
decided they wanted me, I would earn $1,000 a month. There
was no better offer at the time, so I charged my ticket on
one of those credit cards you get while in college and headed
for California.
I was pretty
convinced I could get the job. But, halfway through the training,
the Chairman of the Board, who was teaching the class, grabbed
me and said, "Hanley, you can go home now. You are never
going to make it here, and I just don't want you to do the
class." What he really meant was that I lacked sufficient
sensitivity for people and had absolutely no personal presentation.
In those days I couldn't have led a group in silent prayer.
That was all I needed to get
me working. Let someone discredit me or attempt to throw me
out and my "prover" comes up. I get really clear
on wanting to prove my worth, my value. So, I simply refused
to go home. I told him I had paid my money and was going to
stay and complete the instructors class. Then I was going
to get a job with them. He told me there was just no way I
would ever make it. I stayed anyway.
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