The material presented in this book is a breakthrough for me both personally and professionally, and I believe it is a breakthrough in the field of personal growth and psychology. As I explored and developed the Core Transformation Process with clients and with myself, I began to have a sense of awe and reverence for what I witnessed. Powerfully transforming states of consciousness, which I call Core States, were naturally emerging. These states seemed to be identical to the states of consciousness many people strive for in spiritual traditions, described as transcendent or spiritual experiences. Through doing the Core Transformation Process these states became more than a temporary high--they became the basis for living from a new "center."

The way these experiences emerged was surprising and unexpected. I had no intention of developing a process with spiritual overtones. My goal was to develop a process that went deep enough to the core of our experience to be effective with everything from seemingly trivial problems to our biggest life issues. I wanted something that went deeper than what I had known Before--both for myself and for my clients.

In this search I gave myself the challenge of working with people who had some major limitation they hadn't been able to change. The issues they dealt with varied widely from chronic pain, abuse, bulimia, rage, sexual difficulties, codependency, to the man who felt he always held himself back from living his full potential.

In seeking to find what would transform these major life issues I stumbled upon a process that went far beyond my original goals. Most of the people I took through it got the results they wanted in their lives--either complete changes or significant movement in the direction they desired. But beyond that, they wrote me cards and letters telling me things like, "It's a miracle," or, "Everything has changed." One person who didn't get what he had specifically asked for said, "I got something better; something wonderful is happening that's hard to put into words."

Discovering these incredibly powerful Core States at the center of every inner part in myself and others has certainly transformed my sense of the spiritual nature within each of us. This spiritual nature is not a belief system, it is an experience, and I want to acknowledge that you may prefer to describe your experience in other terms. You do not need to have a spiritual belief to benefit from the Core Transformation Process. When we do this process with individual clients, or in workshops, we often do not talk about what kind of experience to expect. You will get equally strong results whether you describe your experience as spiritual, or in other terms that fit better for you.

...As you do these exercises, be gentle and patient with yourself. As you read each step, we will be there with you, guiding you in what may be the kindest thing you have done for yourself in some time. The process is simple and straightforward. First we will assist you in welcoming the parts of yourself that you want to change--they are about to become your strongest and most helpful allies.