Rick Carson - A Master Class in Gremlin-Taming(R): The Absolutely Indispensable Next Step for Freeing Yourself from the Monster of the Mind

I suppose Ive already acknowledged Nancy Ferguson by dedicating this book to her, and Im certain shes thinking as she reads this, Okay, enough already. But theres more. If there were a contest for best friend, Nancy would win it. She does friend the bestnot just in relation to me but to everybody (dogs and cats included). I value enormously Nancys loyalty, her clearheaded forthrightness, and her support of my work. Our association helped make this book better and writing it a more enjoyable process.

Jane Massengill, the director of the Gremlin-Taming Institute, has been a true gift in my life. To have a person of Janes wisdom and talent embrace my work is, to say the least, gratifying. Im deeply indebted to Jane for her encouragement and hard work. Her enthusiasm about gremlin-taming has inspired me to preserve quality at all costs. Jane has my blessing to put her own spin on gremlin-taming, blend it with her own ideas, and come out with whatever she wants. I trust her completely.

To my two favorite sidekicksmy loving wife, Leti, and our son, Jonahyour love, friendship, and enthusiasm about what I have to offer mean everything to me. Thanks for knowing me so well and hanging with me anyway.

To Novle Rogers, whose art embellishes all of my books, Id like to offer a West Texas buddy-to-buddy sock on the arm. Reconnecting with Novle to produce this book has been a delight. Watching Novle work is thrilling, and having him as my compadre makes me happy as a hoot owl. Im grateful as can be.

Working with Toni Sciarra, my editor at HarperCollins, has been a privilege and a pleasure. Toni and I also worked together on the revised edition of Taming Your Gremlin . She understands not only my message but the challenge of presenting it in a way that is entertaining and practical. This book is better because of Tonis input. I couldnt ask for a better teammate.

Many thanks, too, to my agent, Al Zuckerman, at Writers House, for encouraging this project and seeing it through. Im honored to be a part of Als stable and to have a man of his stature behind me.

Doug Rucker, whose interview with me appears within, is one of the most talented people I know. I greatly admire Doug and his work as a creative marketing professional. Dougs sense of what works is almost spookyand he speaks his mind. His friendship, his feedback, and his genuine interest in my work have been priceless.

My friend Kathy Ross is an artist with a discriminating eye and impeccable good taste. Shes quite familiar with my work and a straight shooter. So when I sought feedback on the manuscript, Kathy was among the few I asked to read it. Her input was right on, and her timely enthusiastic support meant a great deal to me.

My assistant, Kim Harrison, was new on the job when I signed the contract for this book. Little did she know what she was getting into. Shes kept the office fires burning, freeing me up to scratch my head and stare at blank paper. Kims friendship, good humor, and hard work have made even the weird days enjoyable.

And most important, my heartfelt appreciation to Prem Rawat, lovingly known by many, including myself, as Maharaji. Thank you, Maharaji, for directing me to the true love within me and for your continual reminders to trust my heart.

When my publisher approached me about writing a book with a suggested working title of A Master Class in Gremlin-Taming , I was elated yet reluctant. Over the twenty-five-plus years since Taming Your Gremlin was first published, Ive had an abundant flow of requests for such a work, and certainly during that time Ive guided thousands in using the Gremlin-Taming Method to go deeper and learn more. But writing a new book presented a special challenge. Heres how.

The Gremlin-Taming Method is tried and true and complete. Nothing is missing in the description of the method as it appears in the original work. The clarity, simplicity, and, most important, the practicality of Taming Your Gremlin is, I think, what accounts for its mass appeal and what I appreciate the most about it.

So how could I take you to a deeper level without gumming up the works and complicating what is an elegantly simple process, if I do say so myself? The answer now seems obvious. Ill do so the same way Ive done for over thirty-five years, with thousands of seekers like you and me, many of whom are themselves professional inner guides and more than a little familiar with gremlin-taming. Some have read the book many times and have attended numerous workshops and training sessions with me. Ill do with you precisely what I do with them: wing it. But it will be methodical winging, composed of targeted responses to the most common queries and inquiries regarding gremlin-taming.

In the interest of providing you the most personally meaningful experience of gremlin-taming possible, my valued colleague and the director of the Gremlin Taming Institute, Jane Massengill, and I have elicited the help of thousands of practitioners of the Gremlin-Taming Method. Jane and I have reviewed audio excerpts of media interviews, reviewed questions from readers as well as from current and former students, scratched our heads, and gnashed our teeth in an attempt to grab the most commonly asked questions regarding gremlin-taming.

Every few months for the past five years, we have held Ask the Gremlin-Tamer teleclasses. Weve reviewed these as well. In addition, we sent an e-mail through the Gremlin Taming Institute, to let people know that the book you now hold was forthcoming and to invite questions. While this is not to be a book of frequently asked questions, much of what follows will be a composite of my responses to the most common queries and inquiries.

And were going to cover new territory. Several years ago I asked myself a simple question: What did I have to do to make certain I gave my clients my best shot? The answer came quickly: In the time Im with them, devote every ounce of my being to them. A seven-word acronym blossomed into my consciousness. The acronym is I CREATE. The values and behaviors encompassed in I CREATE have become treasures to me. Ive applied them far beyond my relationships with my clients. In fact, I make every effort to lead my life, breath to breath, in accordance with them. Doing so has enhanced my life. Ive also shared I CREATE with private clients, with trainees, in workshops, and with friends, and for many the seven keys it contains have become guideposts for maximizing the richness of experience inherent in every moment.

The acronym I CREATE holds within it the Seven Keys for Creating Rewarding Relationships. Not just with people, but with all and everything.

Gremlins are as unique as the souls on which they labor. Yours is no exception. My hope is that what follows will make the gremlin-taming process as clear and applicable to your unique inner life as possible. So, Ive made every effort to use personal experiences and real-life vignettes to clarify, illuminate, and dramatize gremlin-taming in action. I think you will find the content accessible, practical, and immediately applicable. This book looks more closely than the original at how to actually apply the Gremlin-Taming Method day in and day out. I hope it inspires you to begin doing so immediately.

If you are one of the half dozen or so people who read my second book, Never Get a Tattoo (HarperCollins 1990), you may recognize a few vignettes. I included them, often with slight modifications, to drive home and clarify key pointsand because I think you will like them.