Home arrow News arrow CCH News arrow The Man, the Myth & the Mountain
The Man, the Myth & the Mountain
Written by Tony Gilmour   

Max Lyndon Baker
Max Lyndon Baker
“The Man, the Myth and the Mountain”…  

A Tribute to Max Lyndon Baker

It was my great pleasure to be able to attend the CCH 10th anniversary on the deregulation of hypnotherapy, and to give thanks to the many people that made this possible, but there was one special reason for my attendance, to honour my good friend Max L Baker.

“A gentle man”, were the words used to describe Max by many who paid tribute. A man, a gentle man, almost a myth to those that haven’t ever met him, and a mountain of wisdom, kindness and generosity to all that know him.

Ian Hayward presents Max Baker with the above portrait painted by Tony Gilmour of and for his friend and mentor
Ian Hayward presents Max Baker
I was first introduced to this wonderful man at the Academy of Hypnotic Science, and Max became my teacher. Little did I know then that, not only would Max teach me about hypnotherapy, but he would also take me on a journey of self-discovery. Descartes told us “I think, therefore I am”. Jean Paul Sartre would see the error in this with his insight. “The consciousness that says I am; is not the consciousness that thinks”. When you are aware that you are thinking; that awareness is not part of thinking, it is a different dimension of consciousness. Max would turn this into an experience. He would say, “Find the gap between two thoughts, open the gap and see reality, the “I am”; beyond the conditioned mind, beyond the ego self, beyond the illusion”. The impact of this statement may have been lost for many in its simplicity, but for me, the student was ready, and the teacher had appeared.

Max would give a lecture on Quantum Consciousness that would take something esoteric and make it more tangible for me.  It takes a great teacher to take something so profound and wrap in a cloak of simplicity. Max became my teacher, my supervisor, my mentor and my friend over the following years, always weaving philosophy into psychology as though they were one and inseparable. Max would gently prod me to find the answers to my questions within myself, and these answers would gradually appear as common sense, but common sense is not that common. It was good to see Max honoured for his contribution to our industry, those that are humble are not often recognised.

Tony Gilmour pays tribute to his mentor
Tony Gilmour pays tribute ...
Max’s wife Betty passed away last year. On my last visit to Max we were admiring her oil paintings. Max, knowing I also painted in my spare time asked me if I had any use for some canvas boards that Betty hadn’t finished or hadn’t been happy enough with to frame. He also gave me Betty’s painting easel. As usual, I walked away from a visit to Max with far more than I had expected. A few weeks before the CCH meeting I was looking at Betty’s canvas boards seeking inspiration for my next painting and feeling a bit reluctant to paint over Betty’s work when the thought came to me, lets put it out to the quantum consciousness.

… and Max Baker listens
… and Max listens
What would Betty like me to paint, and then it came to me, the thing dearest to her heart, Max. The photo I used for the portrait came from a wonderful DVD produced by Ian Hayward and Sylvia Bennet. Max L Baker, My Life and Hypnosis. I felt it fitting that the person to present this painting to Max on behalf of everyone in the industry be Ian Haywood, the person responsible for creating a wonderful documentary DVD on a great mans life and his hypnotic techniques. There is no greater gift that you can give than wisdom.

To a wise old character, Max L. Baker, we will always be in your debt.
 
< Prev   Next >
[ Back ]
© 2009 Council of Clinical Hypnotherapists
hypnosis.org.au