Last Sunday I was able to listen in on the conference call with Mick Quinn and it opened 
a whole new perspective on how I saw Integral living, Evolutionary Enlightenment and 
our value structures. I fully admit I wasn't sure how it all fit together and when I asked 
myself what my values where I was a little confused unless you used the word priorities
instead. I was blown away by the simplicity of what Mick was presenting. Looking at it
from a coaching point of view he was able to tease out the conscious or unconscious
value structures that exist within us and by putting them into a single hierarchy of
values you can concretely see what your position is. I saw for the first time how very 
clear and simple Andrew's teachings had made my life as I saw the Single Hierarchy
I drew on a dry erase board. It looked something like this:

Single Hierarchy of Values

The Five Tenets where a sub hierarchy of the Evolutionary Development Value. I also 
saw that the first value was actually the only value and that I was merely interested 
in the care for the second two because there was a "loving" consciousness directing 
it. I felt compelled to tease out a Single Hierarchy for my 11 year old daughter, Cora. 
It was utterly amazing the conversation my husband and I had with her while 
creating this hierarchy. I started with the Four Quadrants (I/We/It/Its), listing each 
thing important to her that she spent most of her time and efforts on. It looked like this:

In the I category she listed:

In the We category she listed:

In the It category she listed:

- Exercise
- Eating good stuff
- Looking Good

In the Its category she listed:

When she put it into a single hierarchy it looked like this:

What struck me was that this was an accurate picture of her values as evidenced by
her daily life, what also struck me was that she was so excited about this. If there was 
any confusion as to what was important to her it was now all laid out in front of her 
on the dry erase board. Her hierarchy also had a distinct 2nd Tier taste (spontaneity
/flow/integral) to it. Just for curiosity sake I asked her to compare her hierarchy to 
mine and asked her what was different and why. She noticed that the I category 
was missing in my single hierarchy. She was a little puzzled but started to 
reason it out. She said: "The I category is gone because all of those things listed
(Confidence/Aware/Kind/Loving/Good Mannered) are now there naturally and so 
are not on the list anymore." Compared to her list what she said was correct, then 
I told her that the I category that was "missing" on mine was actually in the 

1. Evolutionary Enlightenment value because that value reflected all Four Quadrants. 
She understood!! Jason and I were stunned!

I had asked Mick Quinn about using this to help children to identify their value 
structures and he said something very important. Values will be passed down 
from parent to child, and from culture to child. If you can identify what your values 
are and create consistency, dependability and simplicity when it comes to living 
them you create a place where the child can relate to you better no matter what 
their age. For a relationship to be free from all unnecessary emotional, personal 
and psychological conflict you need to have shared values at the post-post 
modern level.

I thought what he said summed it up pretty darn well.

Tilin Foster                
(as posted: Single Hierarchy of Values in Evolutionary Parenting with Cora )

From: Cindy Duryee, Seattle.

Thought I'd share just a few other things that continue to happen with me...  I look 
and feel ten  years younger (really!), I am being guided as to what to eat to be healthy (including large amounts of  fruit, LOTS of water, and organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible).  I have already shed five  pounds and am feeling lean and vital.  
And, I spent the entire day on Monday JOYFULLY cleaning my  meditation room and 
house - a physical manifestation of the entire cleansing process. 

[To read more from Cindy, please see the end of this page]
 


From: Luisa Fernanda Nino, Ontario, Canada.

What an inspiration! I am very thankful to have had the chance to preview this book.  
Of all the sections I have ever read, Chapter 9, this is the most impactful, strong, and 
clear. I  finally understood what meditation is all about: not acting on your thoughts. 
I finally understood  how using the discipline of selective action frees the world from 
the ego in you. I finally understood,  exactly and clearly how to act (or perhaps better 
said not act) on simple thoughts. With the example  of the thoughts of toys that are 
no longer useful, I finally understood how selecting a single guiding  principle to 
always rule your actions, can guide you to take actions only aligned with that principle
until it becomes a discipline. For whatever reason, this chapter totally connected the 
dots for me.  Last night I worked non-stop until midnight, such was the impact of this 
piece! I couldn't stop until  it was complete. Thank you for giving the world clarity 
about the ego and how many of our thoughts  can be simply disregarded.  
Thank you very much for this clarity!  ~ Luisa.



From: Debora Prieto, Spain.

When I first met you, I never could have imagined how important this “coincidence” 
was going to be, and how amazing my life was about to become from that day. The 
sense of overwhelming loss I had when we met was the same sense I had, in reality, 
for all my life. It was so great that even when I had a little hope for a better life, I 
never imagined that life could be as full as I know and live now. I always knew that 
there had to be something better than the “normal life” I witnessed all around me. 
I always was looking for something but I did not know what I was looking for, until 
I first met you. What was really interesting to me was simply that you were a person 
who was here just to write a book, who left behind him all that he spent his whole 
life building.  That was enough to hook my interest, but at the same time your 
eyes were saying to me, There is something more to life. Do you know this?

[To read more from Debora, please see the end of this page]



From: Patricia Hampton, San Diego, California.

As I continue to read your book I am stunned and awed by its insightfulness. I have 
been somewhat of a wandering sadhu and a "spiritual harlot" for 40 years and have 
never seen such depth of understanding of the subconscious (conditioned) mind. 
(I even took in a one-year hypnotherapy school to try and understand myself). Also, 
you indicate a direction out of the conditioned mind, without elaborate techniques. 
I can't tell you how grateful I am to find your teaching. It has made so many things 
clearer for me.   I thought that it would be impossible to reprogram all the years of 
the past and each minute  dysfunction. I knew clearly how thinking got you there, 
but didn't know how to get out of the trap.  Even without yet knowing the exercises 
you give, except the stillness body meditation, just rising  above the conditioned 
mind with "I am free" is a relief. Now I know not to get dragged back into  the 
conditioned mind. I just re-read Chapter 10.  I really like the planetary analogy 
and artwork.  I think the gurus had it all backwards, body stillness should be first,
 as you suggest. For me, it all hinges on As soon as you admit that you are free, 
you are. 



From: Lynnda Pollio: NYC

I just got back from the gym where your book was bouncing around in my head 
and I think, for me, what rang truly unique from other books similar to Power 
and Grace was the idea of attentive action. So many of these books live in the 
ether. It's about affirmation, thought and surrender. Ultimately it's the 
responsibility of the spirit - not us. Your book puts the responsibility clearly in 
our hands but provides powerful tools to help the reader. We can think and 
pray about everything else but ultimately we must take conscious action for 
our lives to change. Accepting this responsibility is HUGE and in doing so shifts 
all other energies to support our action. Thanks! You've motivated me to take 
action in my own life instead of waiting for the and pray about everything else 
but ultimately we must take conscious action for our lives to universe to do it 
for me...



From: Rogier in NYC

Mick Quinn is blasting a path to psychological/spiritual integration and obliterating 
the old dualistic misinterpretations of the teachings of the Buddha and Jesus 
respectively. My path definitely is ACIM, but I'm enjoying your work tremendously. 
Very interesting how a different way of saying things, which essentially are familiar 
really shook me up, and right now I'm quite clear that just reading, 
proofing your material has been like a breath of fresh air.



From: Ann, Colorado.

Your writing has given me cause to re-evaluate my perceptions of life. As I read 
about conditioning, I wonder if some conditioning isn't necessary to give humans 
a framework in which to experience their world.  However, we have taken it to the extreme of believing that it is all and everything. We often make a similar 
mistake with language. Language is a tool humans created to convey ideas. But we
have come to fancy the tool more than its purpose.  These superficialities of life 
create the veil that keeps the light from shining through.

From:  Bill Dowling, Illinois..

I have been on the path for many years and have to admit that I had grown 
somewhat cynical, especially of a writer who is twenty-five years my junior. I was 
quite shocked at first to find out much clarity the values section of this writing 
brought to my decision making process.  I always knew that I had different 
values to do with different parts of my life, but I had no idea the extent to 
which the ego manipulates this, keeping me from sustaining joy in my life. 
That shock turned to humility and for a time I could actually see the possibility 
of my own freedom. Then the humility was overrun by fear. But this time it was 
becoming clearer to me that this was the ego rushing back in to try and take 
control of my life all over again. This time though I have learned to be equipped 
with a very valuable tool that allows me to to go about my day in peace, with 
one watchful eye on the ego and its long list of fears and desires because now 
I know what it is I am looking for. For years the ego was in charge of quest for 
freedom and I did not even know it. I know when I have to make a decision I 
now have to choose to place my desire for joy first, in front of the ego and its hankerings. And, yes, it screams, it fights, and then it stops!
The result is none less than magical.  Thank you.

From:  Jessica Franks, Montana.

How lucky we will be to have a touchstone for the knowledge Mr. Quinn has 
gained in his life.  He has performed no miracles thus far, except for showing 
others that they can.  How often do we want to manifest change and get stuck 
in analysis?  I know personally the impetus that Mick Quinn can be in one's life - 
a catalyst for the most simple and most powerful changes.  His words are not 
dogma, not ritualistic, not empty promises.  They are the purest call to attention 
it has been my delight to receive. My life has changed because of me, because 
of Mick Quinn. 



From:  Belinda Ramos, New York.

The material was direct and concise. The teacher exhibited enthusiasm for the 
subject and the participants. He provided a cohesion from the abstract dream 
to the tangible road to reality. Lots of reference sources were given which 
allows for different styles and personalities.



From:  David Oakley, New Jersey.

Your inspiration has triggered a series of non-stopping thoughts, goals and subsequent actions. From the center of my passion and appreciation, Thank You 
for that first wonderful conversation...
You have unleashed and unchained my essence and now I must bring it out into 
the sunlight.  Again, Thank You!   




From: Wendy Silverstein, Long Island, New York.

I was thinking this morning about some of the doors you have enabled me to open 
by myself. I was thinking back on one conversation we had a few years ago—we 
were talking about the incorrect ways in which I was identifying with the presence 
of certain thoughts that appeared in my mind. Thereafter I just started adopting a 
new position of objectivity in relation to these particular thoughts. When I think of 
all of the adventures that I have had since that conversation, I realize what a 
wonderful gift you gave to my daughter and I, and you did it just by causing me 
to ask myself a question. Thank you for the wisdom, insight and light that you have
 brought into our life. 

From: Mike DiFluvio, New York, NY.

I so much enjoy reading your letters! Little chance Mick that I would fail to read
your E-mail as I find it just about the only true... non-political or self serving mail I 
receive these days! I am so impressed and interested in the words you create into sentences as they awake my internal consciousness and thought. Not only do I 
read your messages, but yours are about the only ones I read many times...to make 
sure I really understand your point, as I attempt to find the value when placed in my
own life...with it's own issues be them personal or business or whatever...it is good!

From: Tara Fleig, Washington State.

We've been trained that any kind of psychological analysis of ourselves takes years 
and is a long grueling process, and even then most people are no closer to inner 
peace than they were when they began.  The same goes with the path of enlightenment.  
Maybe we've all been wrong and it really doesn't need to be so arduous...        



From: Maria Chella, Santiago, Spain.

I wish to thank you for the simplicity and clarity of the meditation instructions!  
Today I saw a great light in a vast emptiness. I went towards it, yet in a moment the 
light became an arrow and it came to me. It crossed right through me, and then I 
was full of light as if I were rising, both in the universe, and as the universe. Yet 
I never lost my unique point of perception. There seemed to be no difference
between the observer and the observed. I even wanted to cry - not for the pain, 
but for the overwhelming sense of emotion. It was very strong. Now I am "new", 
like a rose. But this experience was different from the first one that happened, just weeks after I began meditating. I cannot remember that experience at all, because 
I was ‘gone’ for 50 minutes. I don’t know where, and I cannot tell you anything about 
it - only that when I opened my eyes time had advanced one hour.

The kind of emotion in this latest meditation is impossible to explain with words. 
What is clear, though, is that I now know of a great sorrow - that other people do not 
know of this potential in themselves. Because of this, I am sure about my job from 
now to the end of my life: to help people who do not know that this kind of joy and
completeness is possible, to be able to know for themselves.
It was a gift from the universe, and now I have to respond to it.
 


From: Cindy in Seattle.

Thanks to your suggestions and encouragement, the depth and clarity of my meditation sessions have changed considerably.  I am practicing stillness meditation daily for over 
two hours at a stretch now and am going deeper into the experience of emptiness than 
I've never been before.  I now feel a strong connection, or flow of energy, between the front and back parts of my brain and along my spine, when I meditate.  And, amazingly, 
I have experienced what I can only describe as a full-body "orgasm."  I'm not sure quite what to expect next, but am remaining open and remembering to relax into myself 
and not evaluate the experience as it is happening.  Any other suggestions or comments are welcome.

All is progressing well here with me.  I find I am able to maintain “consciousness” for longer periods of time during the day, although it is somewhat more difficult when interacting with others.  

When I do, however, I can see clearly the ego/conditioned self behind my motives 
and emotions.  Talk about enlightening!  As a result, I have begun making some real progress with long-time conditioning - specifically my “perfectionist” tendencies.  I can 
see now how the ego in its effort to gain approval will go to any length.  As this awareness 
of my conditioned-self increases, it can sometimes be a little overwhelming, but I am learning to be gentler with myself.  As I gain more experience of my True Self in meditation, I am able to see the “disturbances on my surface” for what they are, and that 
they are not what I AM.  This realization is truly liberating…

I had my own opportunity to practice enlightened communication this weekend with my step-brother.  Our relationship, which has been very caught up in ego in the past, has begun to evolve.  Honest communication from a place of Love has brought about more change in an hour than years of built-up resentment and concern about confronting him and hurting his feelings...

We just returned from our trip to Portland, so I now have some time to write and fill you in on what has been going on with me…

I continue to receive insight regarding how things “really are” – insight that goes behind intellectual thought and is more a “knowing”.  I understand now the challenge of trying to put it into words, as something is invariably lost in the translation.

The tremendous joy of the first couple weeks has somewhat faded in intensity but, when not strongly present, it is still in the background. I find it requires fine balance to maintain it while interacting with others who have not had the experience I have had.  I have to be ever “mindful” to not fall into old patterns, but am able to go for much longer periods being aware of my “real self” watching my thoughts.  I am finding that as negative or critical thoughts arise, I am usually consciously able to reject them or refrain from expressing them to others (a big step!).

I can see now that time spent alone in meditation or mindful, silent activity is the best way to bring the joy to the surface, and I suppose that it is like learning to ride a bike – the more I practice, the easier it will become! 

I have such an appreciation for the preciousness of each day now, and certainly a greater sense of urgency (?), excitement (?), responsibility (?) with respect to progressing on my spiritual path and making the most of the time I have left in this life.  But, at the same time, I know that everything is unfolding as it should…  

Now I can tell you the GREAT news and a little about what has been 
transpiring here....

I have had the most AMAZING week.  In short, I’ve had a transforming 
experience – an awakening.  It’s like everything in my life converged on 
Wednesday, May 11.  It unfolded as the most beautiful, awesome, effortless 
day of my life.  Since then, I have been filled with profound Joy and wonder.
I have lost all fear.  My daily, waking mind is the calmest and clearest it has 
ever been.  I smile all the time.  Everyone has noticed the change in me.

All of a sudden, the words of The Four Insights from the sample chapter have 
taken on new levels of meaning for me. I understand what you are saying 
beyond the words themselves.  The light has GONE ON!!!!

I attribute my awakening to several things:

1)    The work I have been doing with the book.  
2)    Over a year of daily meditation practice.
3)    My classes at the Vajralama Buddhist Center.
4)    The direct intervention of my spiritual guide. 
5)    A recent severe respiratory infection.
6)    The fact that I was completely alone with 
       nothing but my thoughts each day during my illness.  


Somehow through this illness, I was guided to watch each and every thought 
very carefully.  I came to see how filled with fear I was and how this directly 
contributed to my illness.  I embraced the illness for the “friend” that it was 
in giving me the opportunity to finally face this and to see what an illusion my 
fear was.  I was in prolonged meditation throughout the week and asked for 
healing and help to finally break through.  At the culminating point, as I began 
a meditation, I felt a powerful surge through me.  It left my body all at once 
and I felt thoroughly at peace and cleansed.

From that moment on, my life has unfolded in perfect ease and Joy.  Literally, 
in one day, every one of my concerns disappeared and EVERYTHING fell into 
place. All the right phone calls came, the right people appeared at the right 
time, etc., etc. Amazing instances of connection appeared.  Signs were every-
where.  It was all of a sudden OBVIOUS to me how supportive life is!

I could go on forever, but you KNOW what I am saying.  I just want to say 
thank you for the work you are doing and to let you know that it has contributed 
directly to this breakthrough in me.

Blessings to you,

Cindy 

From: Debora Prieto, Spain.

I am a very curious person and, of course, I said yes to this question - and to the treasure which was hidden behind it. What I can say is that the personal situation I was living in at that time - now when I think of it - looks to me like another lifetime; it is like I cannot recognize that person and I cannot understand how I could live in that way. At the same time it is like that all happened light years ago.

You taught me to be truly still for the first time in my life. When I understood, after that early meditation experience, that it doesn’t matter who you are at all because, when you are in the same place you are before you were born and after you die, you realize that there is nothing missing. There is no gender, no age, no color, no feelings, no thoughts, not even a body - just peace and stillness. After an experience like that you understand how stupid it is to waste this lifetime being always in a struggle with others and, what is worse, with yourself. Finally, you understand that it doesn’t make sense.

Your perception of life is different too (very different). After the work of The Four Steps, in which you learn how to know what is ego and what is "FOR LIFE", you can break all your ties and you begin to live. You realize how big it is to live without all the problems that your mind can build up without your permission. After that, your life experience is completely peaceful and you look at others’ lives, and the endless rambling of the mind, as a mere spectator.

And all the wishes and desires you had before disappear. You are full, you don’t need anything more, and the wanting dies. You enjoy every moment as if it was the last, and you are not worried about that. Your job is now to show to the others how to arrive to this point, and you never again complain about the things you have to do for this goal. It doesn’t matter how many hours you have to work at something to obtain this outcome, as you are always happy. This does not mean that you don’t get tired, or you don’t ever have a headache, but what it means is that you are going to work as hard as you can for one more free person in the world regardless of your own effort and the fact that you are happy or not with that situation.

It is impossible for you to engage with another if there is not a reason. You can’t engage with a person who is lost in ego if it is not to show them this beautiful road. This does not mean that you cannot buy bread or go to a restaurant, but from now on you are going to be very selective with your relationships. You no longer will have relationships that cause unnecessary suffering to you – ones that many people experience by their own choice.

We all have a past. It doesn’t matter what yours is, because in a little time it will be just a shadow, and after a while completely irrelevant. But if you have this book in your hands, believe me, don’t let it go. You don’t have a promise - you have LIFE in your hands - and even if you find some thorns on your journey, the outcome is unbelievable. The peace and stillness will be so within you that you indeed will never more have even one thought that you did it the wrong way.

I died and was born again, and this time you were my mother and my educator. And for this reason, thank you Mick. Thank you for showing me how to live in constant joy, and what real love truly means, and the only way is to show everybody who is willing to listen to you that joy is the only way to live.

It was as if I was asleep for 31 years; sometimes my dreams were more “alive”, but mostly I was just “dead”. During this long dream, I was the perfect daughter, the perfect wife, the perfect friend, and the perfect and courteous worker. At the same time I was an alcoholic and drug addict - more comfortable with the night than the sunlight of the day.

I never was me.

The worse part of all this is that I was so asleep from conditioning that I never realized this, and I always had an answer when somebody asked me who I was!

One day I chose to change.  Something inside me told me that I was empty and losing my life. My choice also meant that I said goodbye to my husband and forgot the drugs. I started to live by myself and didn’t meet any more with my old friends. I didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew what I didn’t want.

Then the Universe moved and sent to me the answer. The answer was you and your wisdom. What I remember more from you were your eyes full of light, and from that moment I was very intrigued to know what it was behind those eyes.

I learned who am I through meditation, I learned what I wanted through the values exercises, and I learned how to recognize the conditioned mind and not get trapped in it. I knew what I really wanted was to learn to really love - LOVE with capital letters. I learned what it is to just Love, because there is only one way; the other kind (romantic love) doesn’t exist. Love life; love others.

That meant at the same time that I had to leave many things behind - almost all my life. It was hard work, but my life before was hard enough, so really there was nothing to lose. In reality I didn’t have anything, and at the same time I was full.  It was like something inside me was screaming to get out - to be free.

Now I am full; my life is plentiful with the normal things of everybody’s life. But they are nothing and in second place. I can enjoy every moment, and I love to see who I am. I mean a lot in the Universe and at the same time I mean nothing in the Universe. That is all I have to know and I am happy with that.

The only thing I have to say now is, “Thanks, Mick,” because I was dead and you gave me life - the real one. I couldn’t ever live again as a puppet. You opened my eyes and my mind, and you showed me the peace and the way and something more important: How to walk this way, because I was completely blind. Thank you for being my guide.

There is nothing more you can do now, only be a guide, many more people need a guide as I did.

And of course my answer to the Universe is to do the same thing with anyone who will listen and say that there is life - a full life - and show everybody who is brave enough, and who has suffered enough, how to walk this path because the outcome is the paradise of life. NOW. 

Thank you again, Debora

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