Published by Real People Press
Boulder, CO USA
Copyright 2018 Connirae Andreas
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or sold in whole or in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews, with proper citations or hyper-links. For information contact the publisher, Real People Press, at . This work utilizes source material 2007 2018 Connirae Andreas
Cover and Section illustrations by Rene Eisenbart
Cover design by Brendon Eisenbart
Print book ISBN: 978-0-911226-51-5
Kindle e-book ISBN: 978-0-911226-52-2
ePub e-book ISBN: 978-0-911226-53-9
Names appearing in this book have been changed to protect the privacy of the individual, except in the Basic Process demonstration and the second Meditation Format demonstration, where Ive received express permission to use first names.
Disclaimer:
The methods described in this book have been found to be consistently gentle and transformational when tested with myself, and many hundreds of clients and workshop participants, from 2007 on. As with any personal growth book, readers are advised to use their own best judgment in using the methods provided. For those working with significant life issues such as abuse or trauma, or in the event of any concern about whether or how to use these methods for yourself, we recommend contacting a skilled professional who is thoroughly trained in these methods for guidance. The information presented in this book is offered to you as a service. By reading this book you agree that you are responsible for any results of your decisions and actions relating to your use of the information presented.
to Steve Andreas
my husband and partner of many years
with so much love
Praise for Coming to Wholeness
This is a game changer. I was first introduced to the Wholeness Work by a coach who used the method with my wife and me to profound effect. It is the essential ingredient for all personal transformation presented clearly in this gem of a book. I hope it opens worlds for you.
Jack Canfield, Coauthor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and The Success Principles
Well done! Connirae Andreas has transformed several centuries and approaches to self-awareness and meditation into her Wholeness Work . Her approach is very gentle, easy, simple and fluid, respectful and inclusive. From my study of Milton Erickson, I believe she has added much to Ericksons work and healing approach in Coming to Wholeness. She says it best: It means that everything that had been getting in our way actually supports the meditation process.
Dr. Chris Gunn, Licensed Psychologist, Flagstaff, AZ
At last, a manual for getting over ourselves. Beyond the self lies a whole world of being fully, spontaneously alive. Thank you, Connirae. This work is brilliant.
Stewart Emery, author, founding CEO of EST, creator of Actualizations, coffee maven
Conniraes Coming to Wholeness suggests the elegant simplicity of a captivating melodyit takes hold of you and effortlessly carries you along. A lot of sophisticated musical understanding goes into writing a tune that captures the heart, and a lot of sophisticated psychological understanding has gone into developing and refining a process that expands the self and releases the heart. Conniraes approach to wholeness dissolves unnecessary boundaries and invites transformative connections.
Douglas Flemons, Ph.D., LMFT, Professor of Family Therapy, Nova Southeastern University
Table of Contents
Foreword
In her song Woodstock, Joni Mitchell sings
I dont know who l am
But you know life is for learning
We are stardust
We are golden
And weve got to get ourselves
Back to the garden
If I had to introduce Ms. Mitchell to a guideone who would delight in her stardust, lead her to know herself, and put her on the path to the gardenit would be Connirae Andreas.
I first witnessed the power of Andreass Wholeness Work in an online video interview. Rich Simon, creator of the Psychotherapy Networker, regularly interviews highly skilled therapists. Hes adept at asking penetrating questions to understand the theoretical underpinnings of their methods. He then often summarizes what he hears.
In Conniraes interview, she politely guided the conversation away from the theoretical. She wanted Rich to have a firsthand experience of what the Wholeness Work could do. Being a good sport, Rich gave up his usual MO and became a client. The results were remarkable. Before our eyes he became more lighthearted, even playful. He seemed delighted to be a bit mystified by a process he no longer had the need to put in a theoretical box. He was clearly moved.
Whether being led by a guide (as was Rich) or guiding yourself in a Wholeness meditation, the result is almost always felt as a sense of more openness, freedom, and relaxation. The instructions in this book will enable you to enjoy this effect right away.
What is it that relaxes, dissolves, and releases? It is the small self that worries, grasps, or tries to control. When its welcomed into a bigger space and invited to dissolve, what remains is a body-mind that is unbounded, no longer constrained by unconscious fears.
This freedom doesnt usually arise and become stable all at once. Most often its a gradual process, which incrementally but surely builds a whole new orientation toward the world.
If you have a spiritual background, this may sound like an awakening. If your orientation comes from Western psychology, it sounds like a description of sanity and fulfillment, or perhaps Maslows self-actualization. And this is one of Conniraes central points. Western and Eastern psychology both talk about personal transformation through letting go of the self. Enlightenment is the dropping of the self. Self-actualization requires a similar shedding of self-importance.
While both orientations embrace lessening the grip of the small self, they are imprecise on specific methods for achieving it. Connirae offers the missing piece, explicit instructions for dissolving the self.
If you view online videos of Connirae demonstrating her work, youll see not only the efficacy of the method, but something else that was apparent to me in Rich Simons interview: the quality of Conniraes presence. Shes poised, confident, responsive, skillful, and humble all at once. I remember thinking, If the Wholeness Work delivers this kind of grace and power for its practitioners, Connirae is truly onto something.
Ive practiced a lot of meditation53 years of daily practice, more than 40,000 hours of many kinds of meditation. Ive found the Wholeness Work healed old wounds no other practice had been able to touch. It has led me to a new level of depth, breadth, and stability of consciousness.
I work in the business world where the touchy-feely adjective is still the kiss of death. The senior executives I taught the Wholeness Work to found new clarity, focus, and relaxation. They slept better at night and walked into meetings feeling clear about their goals. They became better listeners, more mature and resourceful leaders.
