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Friday, July 25, 2008

Gearhart the Mystic


The instructor of our session is a lithe, ex-gymnast, named Andrea, and she leads us through the presentation as if she is executing a floor routine. She is jumping, twirling, and doing somersaults across the room trying desperately to sell us on spending $495 to attend a forum which will change the direction of our lives. She is teaching us how to create a new possibility for our future. The first order of business is to tell our partners how we heard about Landmark Education.

Gearhart swivels around in his chair and we share.

"My neighbor invited me," I say.

“One of my clients told me about it,” he shares. “I’ve really sensed a major shift in her energy since she’s been here. So I was curious.”

And I am curious too. What does he do? He answers my question before I can voice it.

“I’m a mystic,” he says shyly. Andrea calls our attention back to the front of the room, and as Gearhart turns around a goofy grin spreads across my face. I am thrilled at the prospect of spending the evening sharing my deepest thoughts with Gearhart the Mystic. To understand why I'm so thrilled, you have to understand that there is nothing I enjoy more than meeting people who are totally and utterly different then myself.

He looks nothing like any mystic I've ever imagined. He looks more like a golfer, in fact, a golfer from Florida with his black polo, tan woven fedora with black ribbon around the brim, and long, distinguished neck.

Andrea ushers us onto the second order of business. Phase One: make a list of the areas in our life that aren't working. My mind casts out restlessly. I'm not really in the mood to reflect on my discontent. But knowing that I am going to get to share this with Gearhart, I pick something - writing.

Gearhart turns around. We hold our booklets, ready to share. "You first," he says.

"Well, I'm a writer," I say. If you think that I share this bit of information without feeling like a twit, you'd be wrong. Everyone in LA is a writer. Just like everyone in LA is a producer or an actor, or an agent. Case in point - Gearhart's answer.

"Oh really!" says Gearhart. "I'm an agent." He goes onto to tell me that in addition to being a Mystic and an agent, he's a TV producer.

He shares with me that he's disappointed with the way his TV show is going. He's producing a show about his work as a Mystic but the last three episodes aren't coming together. "But they will," he says with a sense of assurance.

The best part of talking to Gearhart is that he's assured about everything. As if he's already known it.

"I like your necklace," he points at the abalone shell hanging around my neck.

"It's from New Zealand," I share.

"Yes, I know."

"My sister lives there," I add. He smiles kindly, nods his head and says, "Yes, uh-huh."

Not only is he sure of where my sister lives, he's sure of my current state of being.

After Andrea encourages us to share what we're not doing in our lives to help make our dream future happen (I swear this session is just one long jaunt into self-defeat!), I tell Gearhart that I think it's time to brush up on my writing skills. Attend a workshop or two.

"Yes," he says excitedly, "You need to get your mojo back." Most of us go around trying desperately to communicate with people. We work all day trying to help people understand what we mean and where we're coming from. It is a little disconcerting then to talk to some one who seems to be tracking with you so completely.

Hence the reason why Gearhart's response catches me off gaurd. It sounds like an echo of my voice. I must look surprised too, because Gearhart immediately explains himself. "You need to get your inspiration back. That's what I'm sensing from you."

Ah - my inspiration. I hadn't realized it left.

Toward the end of the workshop, I decide to change tracks. I'm tired of talking about writing and the lack of my writing career. Instead, I decide to create my new possibility around making friends. We're moving at the end of this week to the North side of LA. The hot side.

So when Andrea asks us to share with our partners our new possibilities, this is what I tell Gearhart, "I want to be beautiful. Not just physically, but I want to be winsome. I want to draw people to myself." This sounds stupid to my own ears and ridiculously self-centered, but it's honest. And if a girl can't be self-indulgent at a self-help session with a Mystic, then really - when can she be?

Gearhart thinks for a moment and then says quietly, "Well that's not going to be very hard."

I almost give him a hug.

He wants to say more. I can see that. He opens his mouth, nods his head, and then sits quietly.

Maybe he sees my future in our new home. Maybe it is rolling out in front of him like a long thread, the people, the locations, the experiences. But he's not telling me. I suppose, unlike Landmark Education, Mystics can't hand out peoples' futures like candy.

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