GATE Philosophy (click buttons on the left to learn more about each letter)

When we conjure up an image of a gate, we see an object that simultaneously opens into areas that are cherished and expansive, keeps perceived dangers at bay, and holds in things that are meaningful, even sacred to us. It is the meaning, or intention, that we bring to the gate that provides its primary function. This intention guides us in ways that we may not be aware of; when we begin to feel certain emotional states, we are discovering the 'gate' between the conscious mind, or our known thoughts, and our unconscious mind, or the thoughts we don't 'hear' but that influence us directly, and deeply. Opening this gate enables us to create a flow between the conscious and unconscious mind; it helps us to bring our unconscious influences into the light of awareness, or consciousness.

As our consciousness opens, we realize that joy, love and gratitude exist to encourage the behaviors that elicited them; it is as if they fuel themselves. We also realize that pain, discomfort, anger ,etc. exist to motivate us to change so that we can return to a state of joy, love, gratitude, contentment, etc. Once we allow this into our consciousness, we perceive a shift in intention of our own gate; it allows us to see discomfort as a force that can lead to positive change, not just an experience that keeps us stuck in suffering.

For those who resonate with its concepts, the GATE acronym is a powerful tool in guiding decisions and improving life experiences.

The GATE model is one of many that may be helpful in bringing structure to chaos, mindfulness to fear, or resolution to conflict. Never allow any one person to dictate what is right or wrong for you--not me, nor anybody else; rather, listen to those you trust, take their ideas (such as the GATE) into consideration, then make a decision based on your experience and intuition.

The GATE is an acronym representing 4 components of healthy living (Genuineness, Awareness, Trust, Empathy). While each letter is an independent concept, each letter also has traits of the preceding letters (Empathy is built from G, A, and T; Genuineness is built from A, T, and E, and so on...).

Each concept is first applied to the self, then to others, as when growing towards freedom and happiness, we naturally turn inwards via thought and meditation to seek direction, motivation and meaning. For this reason, the GATE is designed to help us remember that self-care (in each area, for example) is not selfish -- it is necessary in order for us to meaningfully connect with others.

Click on each concept for more detailed information . . .