An Autobiography
Alice Konyves

My life career of over thirty years was spent in the money management business on Wall Street, all at one investment counseling firm that employed approximately ninety people. I ran the day-to-day operations of the firm as Director of Operations, which incorporated most firm responsibilities including Personnel Management. At the time when my firm was sold in late 2000, I was responsible for 77% of existing employee hiring; most of whom were long-term employees of five years or longer. Additionally I was the Chief Information Officer, literally bringing my firm into the computer age and by 2000 we were on the third successive state of the art computer platform. Every platform we brought up came up the first time and worked flawlessly.

During my years in business the major life interests of my "other side" were studied and practiced while not at work. These interests consistently included heavy duty reading on a variety of subjects, attending meetings and seminars and a commitment on my part to keep an open mind no matter what I came across in life. I studied history, the arts, the human condition, alternative healing, writing, teaching and getting in touch with my spirit. This was my quality time that energized me and sustained me. It also started me on my very special journey within my spirit, first finding and consoling my "inner child", promising her that I will not abandon her ever again. During the last few years of my employment my unhappiness escalated with my firm's management. I was no longer willing to support hypocrisy, lying, raging greed, negativism, mental abuse and a generation of leaders who laughed at honor, honesty, integrity, and who punished those who were smart and produced quality work.

In June of 2000 I signed up and participated in an eleven-day "Vision Quest" in SW Colorado and in the Utah Canyonlands. I never heard of Vision Quests before so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. In short, a Vision Quest is just what it's called. One goes out into the wilderness questing for visions. The journey includes three days of fasting, only water, alone at a quester selected sacred place somewhere near or further away from base camp. The guides who lead the group of questers through this experience are well seasoned, educated and highly trained spiritual people. They know how to reach into one's well fenced-in spirit, trigger the locks and as the doors of the heart and spirit open, as the sacred wounds of our lives show themselves, the negative blockages and energy flow out like a raging flood. (Next)