By Bruce Tracy, Ph.D.
     It’s been the greatest pleasure of my life to have discovered the life-healing teachings of Vernon Howard and to be learning to apply them in my daily life. His clear, no-nonsense instructions for cleaning clutter out of my life have shown me, gradually and over years and years, how to drop harmful ties to negative people in my life; how to move beyond a lifetime career that, although satisfactory in many ways, wasn’t as suited to inner development as what has replaced it; how to upgrade my living environment — moving from a large city out to the country; and how to begin putting the Truth first in my life.
     Naturally, this entire process of self-transformation is ongoing, and I wouldn’t at all say I’m “out of the woods” yet, not by a long shot. But the path lies clear before me and at last I know what I must do to maximize life-freedom for myself in the years ahead.
     When first encountering these powerful teachings, I was embroiled in all the usual personal and professional relationships and obligations — many of them running my life and telling me how to feel instead of me being in control of them. Not so much now. While still finding myself ensnared by false so-called duties to groups and individuals, I can nevertheless think more clearly toward the cries of the world for my time, energy and money. I can stand back more from situations and better evaluate where my own true benefit lies instead of just automatically falling under the spell of others.
     This same power of clear sight taught by Mr. Howard has done good work in my career path as well, twice now showing me how to flat-out quit otherwise excellent and secure jobs I held in my previous (decades-long) profession in order to move into other lines of work that allow me to support myself from home — a much more pleasant circumstance all around. Amazing how truly practical these wonderful teachings are, for they also showed me how I could leave the noise and danger of modern city life and escape to more rural surroundings — something I’d only dreamed of before; and now I can’t imagine putting up with urban crowding and crime ever again. (“Satan loves the big city and detests the small towns,” as Vernon once said.)
     The prospect of putting Truth first (like what Christ said about the Kingdom of Heaven) is beginning to seem more possible to me with every passing year in these New Life studies. Occasionally I can glimpse what Mr. Howard must have done himself and to “step aside” in small ways from all that I’ve considered to be “me”, “my” life, “my” needs and wants and demands and to investigate what it might mean to “let go and let God.” It’s something I can sense the utter rightness of, something beyond all pleasant-sounding phrases and religious slogans, and something I’m beginning to want much, much more of — thank God!
     Vernon’s proclamation of individual liberty that he taught and lived has never been so vitally important as it is today. That’s the legacy that any of us can absorb and call to life within ourselves and then learn (ever more, day after day, without ever stopping) to enjoy the actual benefits thereof. Not just a clever philosophical slogan, “Cosmic Power” is a living reality we can each experience for ourselves. 
     A “New Life” — which is more needed than anything else in this weary, reeling world — can be ours:  a personal possession beyond all others, the answer to every cry of the heart, the answer to any and all questions and the utter end at last of all nonsense. Yes, that’s how the teachings of Vernon Howard help me in my daily life — healing the wounds of the past and fears of the future, straightening what’s been twisted and pointing me (if I’m willing to go) towards that effortless, peaceful state we’ve all yearned for — and eventually getting us “home before dark.” I encourage all readers to test his instructions for yourselves, for if you do, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

By Sherry Day
     For many years I was completely lost and confused about how to handle everything in my life — the failed relationships, angry people I would encounter at work, my finances, etc. Someone always presented a solution for my problems, which always failed to provide a lasting solution. I might find a tiny bit of relief for awhile, but the feeling of desperation always came back.
     One day, I dropped to my knees and prayed to God “Please show me what’s wrong with me.  Why am I in so much pain? Why are there so many problems in my life?” Shortly after that, I came across the greatest gift I have ever received: Vernon Howard’s teachings! From reading his books, listening to his tapes, watching the DVDs and attending the New Life classes, my life began to change.
     One of the first things I noticed was that my mind is actually the enemy! It is not on my side but is working against me. I realized with a shock that my own mental chatter was driving me crazy. I needed help turning these ‘mental movies’ off. One of the first principles I applied in my daily life was the ‘Slow Down’ exercise. From the moment I got up until the very end of the day, everything was rush, rush, rush. This rushing was causing one negative thing after another to happen. The spilled coffee, the lost keys, the anger and irritation that would explode at the slightest challenge. Just by slowing down, I could see and understand how I was giving over precious moments of my life to negativity.
     I work in the medical profession where I do encounter difficult and angry people all of the time. I had no idea how to handle these patients. No matter how hard I tried I would get angry too which of course only made matters worse. By the end of the day I was emotionally drained. Why was I allowing angry people to drain my energy? How could I apply Vernon Howard principles in this area of my life?
     I chose to use two exercises that really appealed to me because though I knew my old nature would protest, I sensed that applying these particular principles would lead to a lifting of the heavy burden of my own anger. The first principle is to let the other person win and the second is to turn the attention back on myself at the crucial moment of confrontation. In the past, I was always depending on myself. I wanted to win the argument. I wanted to be right. I wanted to fight and win! By turning the attention back on myself, I was able to see what an angry person I am.
     I know that I have a lot of work to do before all of the difficulties in my life are conquered, but the gratitude for having found these teachings can’t be expressed in words. My heart knows that I’m finally on the right track.

By Dave Netherton
     To begin to explain how New Life has helped me I would have to go back to my teenage years. Back to the time when high school students are approaching graduation and making plans for what comes next.
     About that time I noticed that something was starting to bother me. It seemed that while almost everybody I knew had a detailed plan, I didn’t have a clue! One friend had decided to go premed at the State University after which he would intern in the big city and then start a practice in a certain specialty. Another friend was to attend junior college for two years before traveling in Europe for a couple more and then returning home to marry her high school sweetheart and start a family. And so it was. Practically everyone else had figured out what they were going to do. I secretly wondered what was wrong with me.
     Many friends and acquaintances made “suggestions” as to what I should be doing. And they explained them quite convincingly; to the point that I should seem foolish not to go along with them. So eventually I chose one and went ahead to college.
     I graduated from college and traveled abroad for several years before returning to the United States. I had kept in touch with many of my old friends and would run into them occasionally. It now seemed to me that everyone else had a head start in life on me. They already had families and had established successful businesses and careers or had made a name for themselves in some other way. I felt like I had missed out on something.
     I began to notice as I would talk with old friends though that several of them had been divorced once or twice, and some of them were nasty breakups. Others with seemingly perfect marriages didn’t seem all that happy. Several had struck out on their own in search of fortune and fame only to return years later penniless and bitter. A few ended up in substance abuse rehabilitation and a few more needed to go there. I began to notice a sense of desperation and despair in them. None of them looked or acted like they were contented.
     Years earlier I had been given a book by Vernon Howard. I believe it was Pathways to Perfect Living. I read it and moved on, not having understood much of it. That didn’t bother me much because underneath it all, I thought I already knew everything anyway. (Old habits die hard).
     But now as my life was moving along I went back and reread it. It started to make sense of what I was seeing in the world all around me. It explained what was going on and why my friends’ best laid plans didn’t seem to be making them happy. At times it seemed like Vernon was speaking specifically about me.
     As I read on, I noticed that most of what he wrote was in fact true. The stories were entertaining and each had a lesson. As I continued to read I saw that he was right about more than I originally thought. I began to suspect that he was right about everything! I was fortunate enough to have heard him speak in person and it was clear that there was something very unique about him. Here was someone who UNDERSTOOD LIFE. He knew me better than I knew myself. In fact he understood all human kind! And he had made the extraordinary effort to
communicate the lessons of life through his books, tapes and lectures.
     He told us to take what he taught and to prove it for ourselves. The more I did the more I saw it was true. I now have a much better understanding of the world in which we all live. I understand our purpose here and have been told what we should be doing. LIFE HAS FINALLY BEGUN TO MAKE SENSE.

By Regina Netherton
     It’s so very interesting how this all works. I remember hearing a whole talk by Vernon on Understanding. He said that was all we needed. I remember seeing an inner reaction of disappointment and resistance. It seemed to me (actually, to the false self, but I didn’t know that then) that there were so many more things needed. But (1) by persistence, (2) by continuing to study, (3) by breaking thought and trying to stay awake, (4) by remembering to ask for higher help, (5) by keeping notes nearby to help us remember to do the work, and (6) by practicing self-release when we are nervous or in pain, everything gradually changes. Our attitudes change, because we now see that understanding really is what we need. Now, there is nothing in life more rewarding, more exciting, than gaining more understanding.
     Taking a truth statement like the following one, writing it down, and working with it helps understanding to grow. “THE FEW HUMAN BEINGS WHO FINALLY MAKE IT OUT REFUSE ABSOLUTELY TO POINT THE FINGER OUT THERE.”
     If, instead of sleeping my life away, I will work with the basic principles to watch what is going on inside every minute and not say “I” to whatever is there, and not try to change it, but to shine a light into the inner darkness, it then becomes more clear that there is a sly impostor, a pretender, and many dragons (demons) within that are running and ruining my life. I have been calling them me, but they are not me. This is what separates us from who we really are. This is the only problem any of us has. It’s like a movie projector sending out scary scenes that we think are real. It is very exciting to become a better detective and to expose the hoaxer, the hypocrite, the insolent impostor, the pain causer, and in the process, to get our life back.  Indeed, if we are honest about what we see, and will go through the hell of becoming conscious of the unconscious (e.g., fear, worry, anger and much more) we can change what we are getting, and we do have a chance to solve the Mystery of Life. Nothing is more practical.
     “Understanding the mind is everything, that is, seeing what is going on inside and knowing it is not me.” The trouble is, I don’t work hard enough and I fall back to sleep! And there are still many parts which would rather sleep and parts that want to be lazy. So I have to see I can’t do anything for myself except to ask Heaven to keep me awake and to do for me what I can’t do for myself. And then I must try to work all the harder, which appears to be a paradox but really isn’t.
     It is truly thrilling when one sees that by really doing the work, outer problems start to disappear. What was a giant crisis for me recently became a little molehill by following the instructions of turning my attention to the inner condition and staying with the pain, the fear, the inner chaos. By not trying to find an answer to the problem with the thought-self and by practicing self-release, I can move up the mountainside. Amazing, isn’t it, that nearly everyone rejects these principles, our only true friends?
     Vernon gave us a chance for something incredible. Here’s how unique it is. Vernon said he doubted if 10 men in history have gone this far (DVD #35 — Five Steps to Sanity & Certainty). How far? He said it takes many years of going through the stages of giving up calling oneself either a right or a wrong person, of not calling it ‘me’ at all, and of “finally approaching the stage of sanity and certainty, where there is no you there anymore.” Vernon offered us a chance for a new and eternal life, but we have to persist and to put these Truth Principles first every day.

By Judy Poston
     One of my favorite Vernon Howard quotes is, “Life is not a race to be won, but a school for your higher education.” Giving myself a daily exercise to do helps me to remember to apply the principles in every aspect of my life — at work, at home, in relationships with other people and in relation to myself. Just a simple phrase, sentence or story makes it clearer to me that each experience has a spiritual lesson in it that can be used for my personal growth.
     As an elementary school teacher, my workplace provides an especially good environment for self-seeing and for working on myself. Trying to teach kindergartners while keeping order in the classroom is a real challenge! A teacher once asked Vernon Howard “How can I use these principles in my job as a teacher to help the children?” He said with great emphasis “You be an example of rightness to those children!” I’ve never forgotten that directive but if I do allow a little imp of negativity to enter in, I can use these principles to learn and to grow. Perhaps I see irritation rise up within me when a child misbehaves in the classroom and I’m tempted to express that feeling outwardly. I am capable of seeing the irritation take me over and I’m capable of separating from it. The separation itself is a call to a higher power for help.
     If I’m very alert, I can see and feel the unwanted state arise, separate from it and even drop it so that it doesn’t create a wave of negativity that goes out into the atmosphere of the classroom. Of course this doesn’t mean that I’m not firm with the children. It simply means that I don’t impulsively fall into an irritated or angry state but that I handle the challenge consciously. This work is all about submitting to the lessons that life is trying to teach us. And in yielding to the lesson, life becomes new and different and much more enjoyable. Thank you Vernon for showing me how to use everything to grow.

By Alice Steincke
    It starts in the morning when I first wake up. I use the exercise to know my feet are touching the floor. This is a helpful reminder to stay awake the rest of the day.
    On going about my day, I ask myself “What can I learn about myself today?” “Do I let outer events take me into negative moods or do I study my reactions to see that I am the one creating the problem?”
    Shopping is a wonderful place to see these principles at work. I ask myself “Do I really need it and can I afford it?” If the answer is an honest ‘No’ to either question, I don’t buy the item, saving both time and money.
    The principle of a simple yes or no answer to a question asked by someone is another great time saver and helps in keeping imagination from carrying me off into long needless explanations, boring the other person and draining energy from both of us.
    If I make a mistake and find myself in a negative mood, I need not feel guilty or condemn myself but remember that I can drop my anxieties and live a free life.