and avoiding facing the pain of past wounds that seem to be at the core of my dilemma. Misty gently assured me that on the other side of that darkest space, there was joy...inexpressible joy; and genuine freedom from the tyranny of conflict and depression. She insisted that there was a way to access the pain, that would enable me to drill down through many layers that underlie my conscious awareness of conflict, to get to the deepest, darkest layer of pain. Then I would break through to the joy.

 

After she simply describe the process, making sure I understood how this works, she invited me to join her in an initial session. This method simply and elegantly allows you to stay focused on the elusive pain that is always trying to slip away from you; hiding behind an imposing wall of thoughts and intrusive intellectual processes. I was amazed at how the pain point could continue to route me, firmly on the trajectory of going deep into the pain. Misty gently guided me through the process, continually inviting me to go a little deeper, and to discover what was behind that layer of pain. Being new to this kind of process, with it’s visceral, pain point element, intrigued me, so I entered into the process with great abandonment. I trust Misty, from past encounters with her, so I knew I was in good hands when it came to exploring the depths of my pain. From what she shared with me, most people wrestle to stay with the pain. Either they retreat into intellectual evaluation of the process, or the pain simply slips away and they lose track of where they are in the process.

 

Because of her excellence and persistence, I was able to transition all the way through the layers of pain, to a place I can only describe as blissful existence with myself. It felt like a familiar place and yet I’ve almost never been there. That may not make sense to you, but it’s the best way for me to describe how at home I felt in this strange new place that seemed to reside deep within the core of my being. This was the mellowest ecstasy and excitement I had ever experienced; I felt as if I could do anything from a place of centered, secure, and full awareness of self. It was as if the entire universe were available to connect me to my immediate future. That almost sounds pretentious except I couldn’t escape that sense for the rest of the day; and it persisted long into the next day. Misty reminded me, at the end of the session, that I could practice this on my own; but if I ever got stuck, I could reach out to her again, obtaining her assistance with a session or two. I know that this protocol is something that Misty has developed over many years, and I would highly recommend it as a process for self awareness, growth, and dealing with painful memories that make you feel stuck. No one needs to suffer alone. No one needs to fear that the pain will consume you. It most certainly will not. You will have the courage to embark on this path; especially with someone as gifted as Misty Tougas!