JOHN GALUSHA:

On the morning of October 23, 1996, my best friend and partner for the last 16 years, John Galusha, passed on. In a life dedicated to helping others, John not only touched the lives of thousands of people but also had a profound effect on all who knew him, whether they knew him well or just briefly. I do not know of a single person encountering John whose existence was not bettered through their association.

John was born 77 years ago in Pueblo, Colorado. He was raised on a farm, in a time and community where life was simple. Where people were not sure where their next meal was coming from let alone have the comforts so many of us now enjoy. You either worked on a ranch or farm, or in the local steel mill. Life was hard, but nothing hardened or embittered John Galusha. He took pleasure in all things around him. With great interest he drank in everything. I know this by the way he would talk to me about things during that period of his life. I remember he once described the making of barbed wire at the steel mill, a subject I previously would have imagined to be boring beyond belief. Yet the way he talked about it I found myself not only interested, but actually fascinated. It was not so much the subject, but the enthusiasm with which John observed the world around him that intrigued me. The overpowering image I got from his stories was a strong, lean, tough young man who embraced life, whose attention was ever outward, not stuck in the introverted "head chewing" that so many of us occupy much of our lives doing. But the thing that fascinated John the most was people. John loved people, was deeply interested by them. He enjoyed watching them, listening to them and observing them, but not from some judgmental point of view. It was like a child watching a butterfly.

In the methodology of Idenics, a system that John developed many years later, the cornerstone of the subject is its nonjudgmental application, something that takes most practitioners some time to gain proficiency at doing. How John was able to do this so effortlessly has always amazed me. I think the application of Idenics is just an extension of the way John was naturally. He operated this way before Idenics, not only in the previous facilitations he delivered but also in how he dealt with people in life. He did not have to learn to be this way or really discover it, it was the way he always was. But it took time for him to recognize something that was as natural to him as breathing, and then learn to communicate it to others who exist in a world where such an application is so unnatural, even alien.

Having such an intense interest in people, John could not help noticing the misery and mental anguish that people were experiencing and he wanted to help them. But part of his unique character was that he did not consider he knew anything about people. This consideration, and his non-judging attitude, may be in part attributed to the fact that John did not have much personal reality on the mental difficulties that most of us experience. I remember once talking with John, and bringing up for discussion the difficulties people have with regard to how others think about them. He said that he was aware that people had such issues, but at the same time had trouble imagining it since he had never experienced such a condition himself. I recall being severely taken aback by his casual comment. I thought to myself, "What planet is this guy from who's never experienced feeling bad about what others thought of him!"

Wanting to help people but not considering he knew anything about them he looked to others for these answers. Perhaps someone else knew what "made people tick" and he could learn from them how to help others. John now embarked on a career that would span the next 45 years of his life.

In 1951 John ordered a book being advertised in a science fiction magazine. The book was "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health". His interest was not in resolving personal conditions, but in the possibility of helping others. He read the book once through, then again more thoroughly, and then started applying what he had learned with others and soon had his first auditing practice. In 1952 he went to Wichita to do the first Dianetics course being delivered by L. Ron Hubbard. After the course he stayed and began working with Hubbard and continued doing so as Hubbard moved to other cities such as Phoenix, Philadelphia, Camden and Washington DC. During these years John worked very closely with Hubbard in both technical delivery and research. John assisted in the training and processing areas of Hubbard's organizations as well as the supervision of technically specialized events such as the early Congresses, ACCs, and the first Philadelphia Doctorate Course which was delivered in Phoenix. Even though he was right in the middle of technical developments and delivery, John was content to be in the background and simply do his job. Being there, when the majority of the subject of Scientology was researched, he had no attention on being recognized for his contributions. It was as if part of him was in the center of an exciting time, yet another part of him was on the outside looking in, quietly observing. His interest was not in the politics, organization or finances, just in what he could use to help others. And as long as he felt he could do this according to his own integrity, he stayed. During his time on staff, John continued to deliver his own auditing on the side, a practice the Scientology organization frowned on. But Hubbard never interfered with John doing this. In fact, when Hubbard was too busy to audit his own clients he would send them to John.

In 1958 John married Hubbard's personal secretary, Mildred Louise Deen. Milly was not only a very beautiful woman but an extremely competent one. Having once been Lyndon Johnson's secretary while Johnson was the Senate Majority Leader, Hubbard had had himself a jewel of an assistant who helped him in the structuring of his early organization. But her employment with Hubbard only lasted until 1960, when she and John moved back to John's home state of Colorado where they proceeded to raise a family. But John never gave up working with people or learning how he could do more for his clients. He continued his own auditing practices, participated in the first two Saint Hill Special Briefing Courses delivered by Hubbard in England, and started the first Scientology mission in Denver. But as the organization of Scientology became more rigid, John backed off. He operated on the fringes helping people as he could according to his own ethical standards.

I met John in 1980. Like John, I had had my own career working closely with Hubbard in the upper echelons of the Church of Scientology in the 1970s. But unlike John, I had been quite embroiled in the politics, organization and management areas of that organization. My purpose was to help people, but for years the majority of my time was spent battling the insanities of the organization. My last effort in this uphill battle was in 1980. I had put together a project whose success depended on having a very special person with unique technical expertise. From all the research done, the only person who met these qualifications was a man I had only previously heard about. That man was John Galusha. I went to John and asked for his assistance. He agreed, and we began on a very special partnership and adventure that would continue for the next 16 years.

My father once told me that a partnership was the most difficult relationship to maintain, even harder than a marriage. I do not doubt this as I have seen the trials many people in partnerships have had to go through. But I feel I have been somewhat blessed in this regard. In the 16 years I worked with John there was never any real disagreement, argument, or upset. He did his job and I did mine. There was a complete trust on both sides. I always completely trusted John in the wearing of his hat. I cannot say that I always trusted myself in how I was wearing my own hat, but somehow, he trusted me. I cannot tell you the number of times I confide in John about doubts in my work, desperately wanting advice. But never did I get "feedback" or advice. That sort of help or opinion was not in the man. What I got was a question, a facilitation that encouraged me to take a look, and things got better. I realized early on in our relationship, that John was a very rare individual. I knew that it was not only a privilege to know him, but a great privilege to work with him. I knew that I might accomplish my purposes in helping others by connecting with this unique person. I believed that if I could create an environment where John could do his work, unabated, great things might be achieved. This proved to be a correct action. John blossomed and made astounding breakthroughs. Unfortunately, at the this time of his passing, the magnitude and results of his work have only begun to be realized in the world. But I will continue to do my utmost to communicate with, service and deliver to people only in a manner true to the integrity of John's work.

John Galusha was a simple man. He had his simple pleasures in life. He liked reading and read a lot, gobbling up nearly everything he could lay his hands on. He immensely enjoyed working with his hands on almost anything from fixing an engine to welding a several ton piece of machinery and was always interested in how the material things in this universe work. He did not strive for wealth and success or fame and recognition. He really did not care about any of these things. But what he did care about was his life's work which was helping others.

In all the years I knew John, he never had a vicious or bad thing to say about anyone. Sure there were things people said and did that he did not agree with, but not once did I hear him verbally attack any of these people. There was much that Hubbard did and said that John obviously had strong disagreement with but I never heard John speak ill of the man. Many people have asked John what he thought of Hubbard. John's response was always very simple. A comment like, "He did what he did. I liked him and considered him a friend." I recall many years ago a reporter who was writing a book on Hubbard came from England to interview John. After maybe 20 minutes the reporter came out of the interview very frustrated because he could not get John to spill any "dirt" on Hubbard that he could use in his book.

Looking back, I can see that John tried for many years to prepare me for his leaving. Eight months ago John became unexpectedly ill. Those close to him tried desperately to figure out what was wrong and help in his recovery. John accepted all assistance graciously and without question or resistance. Though, what may have been somewhat frustrating to those around him, he also accepted his illness in the same manner. He did not complain, he did not desperately seek to find an explanation or cure. This response had at times puzzled me, and trying so hard to "get him well" sometimes frustrated me. But I can see now that at the end of John's life his caring for others was as unwavering as it had been throughout his life. He let us scamper around doing what we did. But we were also allowed to prepare for his eventual passing as each of us had to do. It is never easy to except the loss of someone you are close to. A quick and unexpected passing can spare an individual the pain of an impending death but can also be quite a shock for those left behind. I once asked John for some advice on raising children. What he told me was one thing that he had done: "I tried to always take those actions that I thought they would best respond to." Perhaps he also tried to accomplish this with the people he was leaving.

Among all the people I have known in my life, I never met one as devoid of ego as John Galusha. But this is something John would have never said about himself. He was always looking. I happen to know that John had one personal desire in his life. It was not fame and fortune. It was something many have referred to as "enlightenment". It was never a subject he tried to cram down anyone else's throat, and only one that he was perfectly willing and excited to talk about if asked. John was the most "enlightened" person I have ever known but he did not consider himself to be "enlightened". But just before passing, I had greeted him by asking how he was doing. John said something to me that brought me great joy. He said that he had recently let go of any ego that he had still been clinging too.

From time to time over the past few days I would find myself weeping. Partly I cry out of loss of my friend. But most of all, I cry because of the deep and profound effect this wonderful man has had on my life. I will greatly miss you my dear friend, and I wish you the very best.

Mike Goldstein
25 October 1996

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