JERRY STOCKING IS A MODERN DAY THOREAU living in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in North Georgia with a view of our culture from the outside. Each day in his mountain retreat is an endless exploration of existence, consciousness, and feeling what it is to be a human being. Being present and mapping the terrain back to who we really are is Jerry's main occupation. His thirty-two acre farm creates an atmosphere conducive to introspection, opening, and playing, which are often lacking in our fast-paced world.

JERRY HAS TWO CHILDREN, Emily (21), Judson (16), and a cast of friends and players. There is a continuous stream of fascinating and interested people traveling to the farm. Home to various retreats, it has unlimited areas for wandering, ponds for dipping, rock gardens for Chi Kung, owls, deer, coyotes, great oak trees, a blueberry orchard, and a daily sunrise and sunset inviting reverence.

JERRY HASN'T ALWAYS LIVED IN THE MOUNTAINS. He used to live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and drive to work wearing a suit and tie. He was a successful financial consultant at Shearson Lehman Brothers. His past careers span the gamut of experience from owning two retail stores, to industrial designer, to selling investments. All of Jerry's occupations have some things in common: he was successful at each of them and all of his job changes required a greater commitment to people and an increased ability to relate effectively with clients and co-workers.

JERRY LOVES PEOPLE and is committed to finding out what is possible for "us" as human beings. His love of people and desire to contribute to them are apparent in his writings and seminars. Jerry is founder of a non-profit educational corporation, A Choice Experience, Inc., which focuses on exploring human possibility and gently exposing illusion. He also runs a publishing company, Moose Ear Press.

JERRY'S CREDENTIALS ARE IMPRESSIVE educationally, and experientially. A Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Jerry has been studying and using NLP for the past 18 years. He is an Associate Instructor of the ancient art of Chi Kung. He has done extensive training in other-than-conscious communication and no-fault psychology. He graduated in 1974 from Northern Michigan University with degrees in psychology and philosophy. Though still learning and exploring daily, Jerry has reached a point where he is ready to give back some of what he has learned in hopes that it will improve the quality of life for others. Jerry does personal coaching and leads several courses each year. His courses and coaching are a mixture of art and craft uniting mind and body into a personal pragmatic alliance.