A word about attuning

An attunement is an opportunity for the Helper and the Worker to connect—to get on the same wavelength. It is typically done by closing our eyes and holding hands with the Worker. If we point our thumbs left, the energy can flow in a smooth circuit around our bodies.

This thumbs-left device may be more helpful when people hold hands in a group to attune. For two people, it can be enough to just hold hands, however they come together. For sessions over the phone or computer, both people can close their eyes and figuratively hold hands. The attunement is still happening on an unseen level.

This is a good time to say a prayer or invocation and invite in Higher Self energies. One could argue that the Higher Self is always present, and this is true. Nonetheless, it helps to give our attention to “calling in” the Higher Self.

This can also be a good time for the Worker to state an intention for their session. We can start by first saying a prayer and intention ourselves. We then invite the Worker to do the same. This brings their voice into the room.

More importantly, it adds their energy and consciousness to the formation of the container—the sacred space—we are building together.

During these early moments of the session, we have already begun listening to the Worker. For what the Worker says in those unguarded, and sometimes awkward, beginning moments are often ripe with clues.

They may hint at what’s on their minds or about what needs to surface in the session. This may also happen at the end of the session, giving us ideas to bookmark for the next session.

It’s also possible the Worker has something specific on their mind to explore. A helpful question to lead off with is one that Eva Pierrakos often used: “What do you bring today?”

This question captures the self-responsibility inherent in doing this work, as it turns our attention to what’s alive in this moment.

How to attune

During the attunement, we open our inner channel to the divine. We can let our creativity flow so that it feels fresh and alive.  Or we may find a comfortable routine that brings a nice and familiar opening to our sessions. This is a matter of personal preference for a Helper and may change over time.

For new Helpers, we may want to have something prepared to say. Then learn to let go of that script.

The more we open to Helper Consciousness, the more we will feel inspired. Over time, we will learn to trust this guidance. Often, the words that flow through the attunement become a thread that weaves throughout the session. Let this weaving strengthen the walls of the container.

Other options to consider include reading a quote from the Guide. This can bring the Guide’s energy more fully into the space. Or we might call in one or more qualities—peace, unity, kindness, etc.—or spiritual beings—Christ, the Guide, Kwan Yin, etc.—to be present in the session. Invite the Worker to do the same.

In a spiritual community, this can serve as an opening ritual that creates a cohesive container for an entire group. An attunement ends with the pulse of a hand squeeze by the Helper. In a group, this pulse is sent around the circle from person to person.

By treating the attunement as the powerful invocation that it is, it sets a sacred space for the session.

Money and spiritual work

Eva began speaking the Guide’s teachings in the late 1950s. This continued monthly for 22 years and resulted in the remarkable body of material we have today, known as the Pathwork Guide lectures.

Today, these teachings are available for reading or listening to online. Phoenesse makes them easier to access through books and podcasts. People who feel called to walk this path, then, may already be familiar with these teachings when they begin doing their personal healing work.

While the teachings are offered for free, our time and experience as Helpers are not. But there are some important guidelines to consider as this develops.

Starting out, Eva offered her time for free, in service to bringing these teachings forward. Eventually, the Guide encouraged her to begin charging a fee to have sessions with her.

Our Helpership develops in a similar way. Historically, training to become a Pathwork Helper began with four years of participation in a Helpership Training program. This would require a significant investment of time and money.

In the Pathwork of Georgia, for example, Helpership training required: fees for the instruction, travel to other cities for training weekends four or more times per year, bi-weekly paid Helper sessions, and participation in an annual workshop led by a senior Pathwork Helper.

After graduating from Helpership training, we were an Associate Helper. We then spent time apprenticing in a Pathwork group, serving as an unpaid group assistant. After that, the Helper candidate needed to complete any additional training required to become ready to claim their Helpership.

The assessment of our readiness came from the guidance of a Pathwork teacher and/or a hand-selected group of Helpers.

By the time a person became a full Pathwork Helper, they had invested heavily in training. And, of course, we invested heavily in our own spiritual development prior to entering training to become a Helper.

It makes sense, then, that a Helper should be compensated for their time and expertise in helping others. But this, too, unfolds in a methodical way.

For example, in the Pathwork of Georgia, our first practice sessions were done during training, with classmates. We also invited people to volunteer for free sessions during our class, so the teacher could observe us and provide feedback.

We then graduated to having a nonpaying Worker, with feedback provided through paid supervision sessions. After six months or so, we could begin charging a modest fee for sessions. Then we could gradually raise our rate until it corresponded with a rate commensurate with our experience and region.

Our rates may vary

Every Helper must find their own level of comfort with the rate they charge. We may also be willing to offer a reduced rate to a Worker who is unable to pay our full rate. Make sure to never charge an amount that you will later resent the Worker for.

When Eva agreed to reduce her rate for someone, she would go through their finances with them, in detail. Her goal was to uncover the root cause of whatever problems the Worker had with money.

It is also important to avoid feeling dependent on our Workers for our income. If we are a full-time Helper, this may indeed be the case. Notice any tendency to push for a certain number of sessions with them. Or to have a strong reaction if a Worker cancels an appointment or stops having sessions.

That said, our time is valuable. We need to ask our Workers to follow standard conventions around missed appointments. This includes providing adequate notice if they must change or miss an appointment, and paying for the session if they don’t show up.

As Helpers, we need to watch for Lower Self tricks that sabotage or undermine the work. Our Workers are counting on us to not collude with their Lower Self.

As a general consideration, it requires a well-disciplined ego to walk this spiritual path. If a person is not yet capable of attending to their financial affairs, they may not be ready to do this work.

How this work dovetails with therapy

Therapy and Pathwork often share many of the same values, including healing emotional wounds, increasing self-awareness, and improving relationships. In fact, several of my own Pathwork teachers were also licensed therapists. The approaches need not compete. They can complement one another beautifully.

Generally speaking, the goal of therapy is to address a specific issue. For example, a person may be dealing with a painful relationship or divorce, handling the strain of aging parents, or coping with the stress of a difficult workplace environment. Therapy also addresses and manages particular problems such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and the like.

Our spiritual work of healing must necessarily include working with our life issues. But that is not the main goal of a spiritual path. The intention on a spiritual path is to work with the daily occurrences of life.

It is only after some of our problems have been resolved that we can experience the deeper purpose of walking a spiritual path. The goal is to consciously connect with our true divine center.

For those who work with us as their Helper, we will need an intake process. This lets us assess the person’s readiness and identifies major issues. If we see there are serious behavioral problems, active addictions or complex disorders, we refer the person to an appropriate professional for therapy.

This spiritual path is not a program for recovering from addiction. If a potential Worker is in early recovery from drug addictions or alcoholism, it may be better to refer them to a program designed to treat such a problem first. Once they are stable in their recovery, they can begin doing this deeper spiritual work.

A Worker may be in treatment for a specific issue and still want to work with us as their Helper. We must ask the Worker’s permission to confer with other practitioners, if this would be helpful.

The Guide advised that a person should not simultaneously work with more than one Helper. This easily leads to splitting, where some things are shared with one Helper, and others with another. In doing this, the Worker avoids full transparency and the benefits of learning true humility.

Honoring our contracts

When a Worker is guided to us as their Helper, we enter into a sacred contract together. This can be unspoken, or we may want to clarify in writing the exact nature of our Helper/Worker contract. This may be more important if we are also trained in other modalities.

However we proceed, we need to be clear about this with our Workers and clean about our boundaries. Here is a sample Helper Agreement that may be helpful in constructing your own contract with Workers:

A Sample Helper Agreement

From Pathwork lecture #204, What is the Path:

“This Pathwork is not psychotherapy, although aspects of it must necessarily deal with areas psychotherapy also deals with. In the framework of the Pathwork, the psychological approach is only a side issue, a way of getting through obstructions.

It is essential to deal with confusions, inner misconceptions, misunderstandings, destructive attitudes, alienating defenses, negative emotions, and paralyzed feelings, all of which psychotherapy also attempts to do and even posits as its ultimate goal.

In contrast, the Pathwork enters its most important phase only after this first stage is over. The second and most important phase consists of learning how to activate the greater consciousness dwelling within every human soul.”

As a Pathwork Helper, my goal is to help you activate the divinity that dwells in your soul. We will do this by drawing from the teachings in the Pathwork lectures. Our work together—whether in individual sessions, groups or classes—may include various spiritual practices including movement, meditation and journaling.

I am not a psychotherapist. I may advise a Worker with serious psychological problems (such as psychosis, severe depression, suicidal ideation or severe anxiety) to seek a licensed therapist. It is the Worker’s responsibility to find the appropriate care.

I am not a medical doctor. Nothing I say or suggest should be construed as medical advice. It is the Worker’s responsibility to seek and follow the appropriate medical care he or she needs.

Payment should be made at the time of each group or session. Please respect individual session times by giving 24-hour notice to cancel or reschedule whenever possible.

For the Worker: I have read and understand this agreement. Except in the case of gross negligence or malpractice, I or my representative(s) agree to full release and hold harmless [the Helper] from and against any and all claims or liability of whatsoever kind or nature arising out of or in connection with my session(s).

Name (print):____________________

Signature:______________________

Date:__________________________

 

More graceful endings

A solid Helper/Worker relationship can endure for decades. As long as our work remains evergreen, the Worker can continue to cover new ground. After all, the Pathwork Guide teaches that if we finish all we planned for this incarnation, material slated for our next life can be brought forward.

Over the arc of our journey with a Worker, we may cover a lot of territory. At times, they may become deeply attached to us. At other times, they may idealize us, resent us, depend on us, or eventually need to leave us.

Through it all, our underlying task has been to help the Worker establish their relationship with their own Higher Self. We are many things to a Worker, but ultimately, we are not the Worker’s source of healing—they are.

When, for whatever reason, a Worker decides it is time to move on, we need to let them go, and to do so gracefully. We do this by bringing our full attention to the letting go process. And we invite them to do the same.

Many of us, Workers and Helpers alike, have a history of leavings that left frayed edges. This is a chance to leave with consciousness and with care. We want to help the Worker walk through the closure process without needing to make us—or them—bad.

People sometimes do this to cut off uncomfortable feelings. This time, we invite the Worker to bring their feelings forward. It may take a few sessions for this to feel complete. Such a mature resolution is a gift they will carry with them, wherever they go.

Shine bright

It is important that we don’t hold our Workers to their history. Deep healing work will transform the way a person shows up in the world. Make space for them to grow and evolve.

As the Worker becomes more deeply anchored in the seat of their own soul, their light will shine more brightly. Bit by bit, they will find their way out of their dark inner mazes.

What a joy to watch a Worker become a healing light in their own right.

None of us, starting out, can sense how much pleasure, abundance and fulfillment are possible. We just need to find the courage—and the right Helper—to begin our journey of healing the hurt.

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