Both Kathleen Noone and her Sunset Beach alter ego Bette, definitely can be described as complex, multilayered women. Last year, however, Noone had an epiphany that forced her to take a look at one "layer" in particular: the spiritual one. "Something inside of me just snapped, and I realized that I had to be the most that I could be - not the least," the actress reveals. "I think that in certain periods of our lives you wind up asking yourself, 'What do I care about?' and 'What matters to me?' What I have learned - and am still learning - is that simply by asking these important life questions, your inner teacher will bring you to the answer." And ask she did.

Noone's decision to broaden her horizons was sparked when she received an invitation to the State of the World Forum. The event, held in San Francisco last October, gathered leaders in the fields of science, religion, politics and the arts together with active citizens who share a common goal: to create a new, global, human civilization.

"The forum was just extraordinary," Noone recalls. "It brought together individuals from more than 100 countries. The speakers were from diverse fields and points of view, and talking about how we can work together to improve the well-being of the entire planet." Among the notable speakers Noone rubbed elbows with were Mikhail Gorbachev, former Secretary of State James A. Baker, former U.S. Senator Alan Cranston, U.S. General Lee Butler and Richard Butler of UNSCOM (United Nations Special Commission).

Noone found what both Butlers had to say especially intriguing. "General Butler - a five-star geneeral, I might add - spoke passionately about ending nuclear armament," she says. "Richard is majorly involved in the still volatile situation in Iraq. To hear these men, who are truly men of peace, disucss the many alternatives to war, and suggest that we find them all, was very inspiring."

What the forum did for Noone was to help get her out of the what she calls "that narrow Los Angeles way of thinking. Here you're only as good as your last job," she laments. "The industry doesn't honor what's going on inside a person; it actually dishonors the fact that actors get older and actually have more knowledge. Instead of reflecting real life, it's interested in ratings and box-office figures." The actress feels that all isn't necessarily lost, thought. "Sometimes you see movies like Meet Joe Black and What Dreams May Come sneaking through," she says. "Films that are dealing with inner issues, and make you think on a deeper level."

The experience at the State of the World Forum parallels Noone's decision to return to school. "It's all kind of synchronistic, isn't it?" she asks. "Synchronicity will lead you to places where you want to go. By stepping into and being in a certain place, extraordinary things begin to happen." And they have.

Currently in her second semester at the University of Santa Monica, Noone is working toward her second master's degree. Her major: spiritual psychology. "The school of spiritual psychology has been around for about 18 years," she explains. "It was founded by Drs. Mary and Ron Hulnick. They have found that there are certain tools needed to fully listen to someone, and have incorporated them into their curriculum."

"What I have learned so far has been simply amazing," Noone continues. "From good listening can come good communication. What the Hulnicks are trying to teach are skills that really nurture human development. By staying immersed in the 'Hi, how are you?' stuff, things remain on a superficial level. What I am learning from this program is that by speaking from your heart, and from what's true to you, deeper levels of conversation can occur."

The program is definitely not your usual college classroom fare. "It's an intensive weekend workshop that occurs once a month, and focuses on lectures, workshop and interaction," she explains. "A certain theory is discussed, you are taught different skills to implement, and then you're put into a trio situation where you strategize and practice the skills." That requires all involved to play the part of counselor, client and observer. "It's experiental. And how else do we learn if not by experience?" Playing the part of observer has proven most thrilling for the actress. "I have witnessed people who are talking on a superficial level suddenly slip into a deeper dialogue. It's extraordinary to watch this transformation take place."

Noone stresses that her interest in spiritual psychology doesn't mean that she will shift into another career anytime soon. "I love what I do as an actress," she says. "I think that the skills I'm learning will be paramount in the industry I'm already in. In the world of actors and actresses, I feel the worst communication comes because everyone has an agenda, and doesn't want to speak the truth. What these people don't realize is that they are being left behind, because there's a new paradigm going on that needs to be reflected in their work."

The Hulnicks' school is something Noone hopes more people catch onto. "It's exciting because you can choose how to use the skills you're learning, be it for your regular life or a whole new area of interest," she says. "That excitement restimulates you into a new learning mode; learning is something that happens through the exchange of human spirit, not just from the dictation of words. The Hulnicks have discovered a program for the new millennium."

Though school and Sunset Beach keep her busy, Noone found time to take on another role, as magazine cover girl. "I was honored to be asked to appear on the cover of the premiere issue of Solamar, a publication that focuses on spiritual living," she says. "Solamar is about waking up to the divine nature in everyone, and from living from the heart so that life becomes an adventure. It has articles, discussions and people that focus on the conscious approach to the living of lives." The first issue, with Noone as its main feature story, is scheduled to hit the stands in August.

Noone has reaped external rewards from her internal journey. The latest of these is her recent Outstanding Supporting Actress Emmy nomination, an honor she chalks up to timing. "I think that when you go through a period of clearing on the inside, it manifests itself on the outside in some positive way," she says. "This truly is a wonderful gift."