Loosening A Noose

It's been one of those days where I've had a sudden and very unexpected epiphany. These are happening more frequently, and that's got to be a sign of doing something new that's right. Right? I was just browsing a list of articles by Bing Wu, a blogger who writes on many lightworking topics I want to know more about. I'm his new biggest fan, I think. The title of one of his self-help articles immediately jumped out at me. It was, "Help! I never seem to stick with anything." Well! Reading that article has given my self-esteem a major boost. It may take a while for me to fully assimilate the lesson, but I'm definitely moving in the direction of Bing Wu. Below is the reply I posted on his blog page:

"What a great perspective! This article wasn't what I expected, but definitely what I've been needing to hear for a long time, for a couple of decades, actually. If anyone ever asked me to list major themes of my life, at the very top it would read, "I never seem to finish anything I start." I've also been reminded of it by my parents (and other influential people in my life), and that takes me to a deeper issue of this undercurrent of guilt and sense of failure I've always lived with. I know people have always wanted me to be an expert or financially "successful" at any number of things simply because, from a very young age, I've demonstrated a natural ability or great talent for it, combined with the impression that I enjoy it. My answer has always been that the problem is I have an affinity for MANY things, too many to choose from, and my brain is in overdrive 24/7. That's probably also the reason for my chronic insomnia. But when you really think about it, is being perpetually curious and multifaceted a "problem" or a bad thing? No, it's not!! But I've let myself believe it is, and I've beat myself up needlessly for over half my half-century of this life. No more! I'm going to embrace this peculiar mind I've been given, and continue to pursue what draws me. Thank you SO, SO much for this article! This new perspective is going to become a mantra for me."

Titling this new blog entry of mine also caused a light bulb to go on over my head. I'm now wondering if this deep-seated choke hold I've allowed to permeate my life is also at the root of my ongoing throat problem. For nearly two years now (geez, that long?!), I've been bothered by a persistent sensation that there's something lodged in my throat, or that my throat's being squeezed. It comes and goes, but is frequent. Organic causes have all been ruled out by my physicians, who've done numerous diagnostic tests, and finally diagnosed the condition as globus, formerly referred to by the more offensive and non-P.C. name, "globus hystericus". No home remedies have had any long term effect. The only things I've been able to associate the sensation with are exposure to extremes in temperature, unconscious shallow breathing (something I've had a problem with for over a decade), and the act of brushing my teeth. Strange things that seem unrelated to me, but maybe someone else can give me am unbiased or more educated opinion(?) I'm sure I'll be writing more about this issue, as well as the outcome of following Mr. Wu's advice in future posts.

The Sweetest Communication EVER!

I'm short on time as I write this, and will probably have to come back and update it with more details a little later on today. In just a few minutes, I'm having a phone session with someone who's an experienced Light worker, well acquainted with angel communications since she was a child. My hope is that she can help me break through and get to the origins of mental and spiritual walls that have been blocking me for too many years. Originally, I went seeking for someone to do past life regression therapy, but I'm very open to whatever comes up and comes through as she and I talk this morning.

Oops! Already running out of time here, but I'll definitely finish posting later today, unless my world happens to get rocked in some other direction in the interim :)

Back. What an awesome session! I'll write my thoughts on it later, but right now finish the story of what transpired this morning. Our church has a beautiful, wooded nature trail close by called "Prayer Space." There are seating areas along the way, and my favorite spot has a wooden swing and gorgeous view of tall trees and a tiny brook. I've been going there in the early morning after getting my daughter off to school this week. The weather's getting cooler here, and it's just a perfect spot to find solitude, to read, meditate, pray, or just sit and commune with nature. My intent on this morning was to continue reading a great book I've gotten into by Carol Bowman, who's written extensively on the past lives of children. But once I sat down, I felt more like just trying to see if I could connect with my angels and guardians in preparation for my session.

I read somewhere a few days ago that, if one desires to know their spirit guide, you should speak aloud and tell them just that. So, my conversation there in the prayer space started out something like this: "Good morning to all of you, my guides, angels, departed loved ones, and all spirit surrounding me. I know you're there and with me at all times, surrounding me with love and direction, and I want to have more clear and intimate communication with you all. Please converse with the Light worker who is calling upon angels on my behalf this morning. I would so love to have you all acknowledge that I'm getting through to you here and now. Could you please give me a sign, just some sort of unmistakable signal that will let me know without a doubt that you're directing it to me?" I waited for a few seconds, and then added aloud, "And I'm going to just sit here and be patient!"

I sat, I listened, noticed nothing for about half a minute. Then my eyes were drawn up to a spot high in the trees where the early morning sun was visible. It appeared like a perfect yellow-white orb, but looked different somehow. As I gazed at it, very thin, but very distinct, lines began to appear around it. They were like rays, but instead of extending to my full field of vision, they ended at points all around the sun in a perfect circle. It looked for all the world like the iris of an eye. I kept watching as it seemed to move slowly closer to me and became more distinct. Yes, it definitely looked like an eye! I started to get a little excited and completely enthralled. It then drew back somewhat, and the orb of the sun seemed to transform into two separate, brilliantly glowing forms, identical and side by side against the blue of the sky. They looked almost like two thick candles with flames at first, but then struck me as looking more like beings of some sort, because the upper portions were round like heads. The edges of the two figures undulated and shimmered for a while. It was incredibly bright, brighter than any light I've ever looked at, but didn't hurt my eyes. After another half-minute or so, something very odd occurred. The figures began to fade, and a second "sun" seemed to shoot off from the original, slightly up and to the left. Suddenly, I was seeing two separate yellow-white orbs against the backdrop of the trees and sky. I was fascinated. I didn't dare look away for fear of missing something. It was as if I was witnessing the greatest show of my life, a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and I was glued to the edge of my seat.

I had no real concept of time at this point, no idea how long I'd been sitting there, and all I could do was say, "Woowww," and not move. Then, the second sun was suddenly gone. Now something new was going on. The "eye" was back, but now the rays were doing something different. They slowly began extending outward in five arc-like bands with wide spaces between them. There were two bands coming straight downward, one extending outward on each side, and a shorter, less distinct one going straight up. As I watched, the bands became more solid looking, and the result was a huge image that looked like an angel! Not your classic angel image, mind you, but giving the impression of a single being with definite flowing form. Crazy!

The "angel" stayed there for some time. Then, my eyes were drawn back up to just the sun itself, and this is the strangest part of the experience. There appeared there, in black silhouette against the stark whiteness, several figures, perhaps four or five. And they were moving about. I squinted and turned my head to various angles trying to figure it out, but things weren't staying still. All of the "activity" was taking place in just the lower half of what now was serving as a circular screen. Finally, things began to gel, and it was as if I was looking at a scene in someone's home, with people gathered together for something like a meal. I could make out a table-like form, which a couple of the figures looked to be sitting down at, while other figures seemed to be moving around it. Figures got up, sat back down. Some left the frame and came back seconds later. It was WILD, the oddest scene I've ever seen. Then I suddenly noticed some of the figures were waving. Who were they waving at, I wondered. They were waving at ME! Then they all started waving at once, as if one had told the others to wave so I'd know what I was seeing was what I thought I was seeing. At that point, I'm sure I had a crazy grin on my face, and I was giggling like a kid. This was more than I'd hoped for. I was thinking maybe the sign would be something like a butterfly landing in front of me. But, no, they did it up big. More than appreciative, I said loudly, "I see you!" Then a few seconds after that, remembering my manners, I shouted, "THANK YOU!!" And I waved back. The black figures then faded, the rays retreated, and I was once again alone in the stillness, just looking at the sun in its simple glory high in the trees. I gathered up my belongings then, more than well satisfied, and headed home.

We have not because we ask not; we ask not because we believe not!

"Most people have no idea how much impact they have on the world and all of humanity by the energy they produce with every thought, word, action, or inaction. Positive, loving intention can accomplish so much. When we determine in our hearts and minds to do good in concert with others, nothing can stop us. Truly! If we do nothing, the only change that will occur is that which the active, vocal haters perceive and speak into existence. Resist them with abundant love and positivity!"

I posted the statement above to my Facebook wall earlier, and it was met with a deafening silence. I can post all manner of silliness to FB and get a slew of replies, but post something a little out of most people's comfort zone, a bit mystical, or with a slightly different slant on what they've been indoctrinated in, and you lose them. Yeah, fear of the unknown and fear of ridicule's a big part of it. Some may agree with you, but aren't yet willing to sign on for others to see that. Some just think you're nuts. But I'm convinced that the majority just think that's a Pollyanna perspective on life that has no basis in reality. And as long as they don't believe it, they won't participate or bother to learn more about it. So, where does that leave the rest of us? Are we to just trudge on in our relatively small numbers and hope and pray for the best? Or are we to be bolder and speak the truth as we know it as often and in as many places as we can? I have my own answer. it does have a cost, but I'm going with it anyway. What's your answer?

Stepping Out

When one reaches a certain stage in spiritual evolution and development, a decision has to be made. There's an acute awareness of the fact that you are accepting into your life a reality that others will suppress or reject. Some of them will also reject or try to suppress you. You make them uncomfortable, or confused, or downright angry or fearful. At the very least, they will meet you with silence or emotional distancing, because they don't want to "go there," and wish you wouldn't either. But you have to. For you, it becomes a matter of no choice. And you accept the price, because worldly acceptance is nothing in comparison to the joy that's felt by living genuinely and more intimately with our Creator in a knowledge bestowed on you that is undeniable.
~ LJB

God Willing

When I was in my teens, like most people, I couldn't make a whole lot of sense of God, at least not from what I'd been told and what I witnessed as the reality of the world around me. The two things seemed completely at odds. Getting to a place where I feel otherwise has been a very slow progression, until recently. Then, it just spun off in a new direction based on personal experiences and encounters with others who shared them.

To anyone who doesn't feel a connection, I'd say it's not something that can be forced. There's a bible verse, John 6:44, I believe, that I don't fully understand, but it's food for thought. Basically, it says one can't "find" God. God has to initiate the process, and at the appointed time. I think a person has to be at a point in their life where they're ready to receive God. If you're not feeling drawn, you're not ready, and most of what you hear God believers say will seem a bit hollow. It's not a matter of God playing favorites; rather, it's a respect on God's part of the free will He's given to every single one of us. He'll never force dependence on Him. If we want to go our own way, He's going to let us. If we need to explore other ways of being in the world, or want to feel self made/improved, He'll let us. But if we find ourselves at the end of a dark and lonely road, everything having failed us, and even if we're on our death beds, He's there.

I used to feel incredibly distressed about people I cared for not knowing God in a personal and intimate way, not being able to experience what I and others do in the now. But I now understand that there's no set schedule or deadline for a soul to make it to any destination. There's only growth. And time is only something God's given us in this earthly realm to provide a backdrop for the organization that's required for us to live together here as we learn. Life on earth is nothing but a school of lower learning. JMO

Howard Storm, Former Atheist (Part 1 of 5) on Near-Death Experience

Accepting Spiritual Gifts

Every person who comes to know God personally will be blessed by Him with certain spiritual gifts to be used for His kingdom purposes. The bible tells us that He gives many to some, fewer or one to others, but we can all rest assured that He equips us with the gifts we need to fulfill our specific mission in this life. Only now, at age fifty, have I come to terms with and graciously accepted my own spiritual gifts, which happen to be those of knowledge, prophecy and discernment. I have to say, these gifts can be extremely difficult to bear at times, and especially when they're most at work. At those times, there will inevitably be a communicative action required on my part in regard to another individual, who may or may not know me, may or may not be receptive. There's a lot of mental and emotional wrestling involved. I had to learn the hard way that holding and bottling up what I receive is the absolute wrong way to go. Intense depression, anxiety, and immune system disturbances were the resulting fallout for over a decade. I thank God for the beautiful, mature women of God He's placed in my life to affirm my gifts, and provide support and encouragement. Using their own spiritual gifts, they have helped me to appreciate what I've been given and to start getting beyond my natural reticence with strangers. But there's no better encouragement than delivering a message to one it's intended for, and then seeing the joy or fruits of that discovery. Obedience can be hard at times, but when God chooses you for a task, He expects you to carry it out. But He also promises to be right there with you!

Earthquake, tsunami, and devastation in Japan

Prayers for the people of Japan. During this troubling time, I can't help but be reminded of prophecies by men like Edgar Cayce, "the sleeping prophet." Over sixty years ago, he had a vision that a great part of the island of Japan would go under water. Further, he had pretty grim predictions about the western part of the United States and the northernmost part of Europe. Cayce was a Christian man of God, a healer, and someone whose prophecies should be difficult to ignore.

What do you see when you meditate?

I took up meditation in addition to my regular prayer life a few months ago, and it's been quite an experience. I created my private sanctuary/prayer space, and it's very calming place to be. With my relaxation music, candles, and trickling fountain, I can really enjoy a good book, and see familiar bible passages in a completely new light. But when I meditate in the darkened room, something happens that's mysterious to me. I begin to view a slide show, of sorts. There are dozens of still images in succession that last a few seconds or less, and don't seem to have a particular pattern. But somehow they also feel distantly familiar. Scenes from rooms in various eras and foreign landscapes appear, interspersed with abstract compositions. Many contain brilliant colors and artifacts I've never seen in the natural world, and often they're so beautiful and intriguing that I wish I could hold onto them long enough to transfer them to canvas.

I've got a secret...

I don't really consider myself to be a psychic, but increasingly I'm having prophetic dreams and sudden, strong messages about the state of a person's health when I look at them. Yesterday, a young woman from our church, a vocalist I've never met face to face before, confirmed for me that she's fourteen weeks pregnant. It was a titillating moment for me, because about four months ago I told my kids I sensed she was about to become pregnant. It was a very odd moment when I got that message. We were in the middle of singing the first song during our praise and worship time, and her appearance, her aura, was very different to me. What came to me very strongly was that a soul was preparing to come into her life in the form of a new child, but her body wasn't fully prepared for it. I got the sense that she was anemic, and that the baby she'd be carrying would be very strong and robust. It actually concerned me because, though energetic and a powerful singer, she's a tiny thing. The message I got loud and clear was that she needed to start getting more rest, eating well, maybe even let go of a few responsibilities, to allow her body to prepare for this physically demanding child. I immediately told my kids what I was sensing, because the feelings were so overpowering, and I could seem to focus on nothing else.

What happened next was rather unusual for me. I began to feel compelled to tell this young woman what I knew, and to advise her that she should begin pampering herself a bit, perhaps taking short naps daily, and to heed the urging of her husband or anyone else who'd tell her to slow down a bit. I wasn't sure what to do with that information, and became a bit distressed. Not knowing her at all, it would be very weird to the both of us for me to just seek her out and advise her on something so personal; yet, it was a supernatural and commanding voice that was telling me to do so. It wouldn't let up! Finally, after I let a few days pass without that urge subsiding, I decided to send her an e-mail. Though I was direct and specific in the message, I left it unsigned, lest she meet me or discuss it with a mutual friend, and think me a crackpot. After getting it out, I felt much better, and could stop perseverating over it. But every Sunday afterward, when I'd watch her on stage, I'd think of the pregnancy and smile. It was as though the baby and I already had a relationship, a bond and sweet secret between us.

What was so cool about this experience was that she ultimately told me about the pregnancy herself, on the phone. Though we've attended the same church for three years, this was the first time she and I had ever had a conversation! How the conversation came about: a month ago, my daughter expressed a desire for private voice lessons, and I put out a feeler on the church's social networking site. I got an e-mail a few days later from our praise & worship pastor, advising me that this young woman gave lessons and urging me to contact her. I did so immediately by e-mail, and she and I came to a schedule agreement for my daughter to begin three weeks later. Yesterday, she confirmed the appointment an hour beforehand by i-Phone. But she called me a half-hour later, sounding a bit stricken, as I was on the road to get my son. She began apologizing profusely because she'd been detained, and hated to come off unprofessionally from day one. It was then that she revealed to me that they were at the obstetrician's office, with a minor concern, because she's pregnant. And thrilled. What a setup! I told her it was absolutely no problem. We postponed the lesson by a half-hour, as her student normally scheduled for the next slot had canceled (coincidence?). When we finally got together, there were hugs all around. And everything with the baby is just fine, which I'd been assured of. Maybe some day in the future, when we're better acquainted, I might feel comfortable sharing the back story with her. But, for now, I think the little one and I will keep our relationship a secret :)

What My Children Have Taught

As I read "Embraced By The Light," the true account of Betty J. Eadie's guided journey through heaven, my mind keeps tracking back to the realization that our children, at the soul level, are our brothers and sisters. For myself, I've been acutely aware for years that I've been "raising" children whose souls are more mature than my own in many ways. In fact, that's one of the things that I hold out as support for the existence of God and universal laws that go far beyond our comprehension. By all rights in the earthly realm, the children we bear should not possess more wisdom than we do while under our care. But often they do! Who among us hasn't marveled at the countenance of a young child who seems to have an "old soul?" One of the revelations Eadie receives is that a heavenly collaboration goes on, in which we choose our own earthly families to grow within, and each of us has our own mission and reason for choosing the state we're born into. If you have a child, take some time to reflect on what he or she has helped you learn. In what way(s) have they contributed to your growth as a person, by virtue of who they are or the challenges they've brought to bear? For my own part, I've been taught bravery, loss of fear, the value of unflinching loyalty, the great pleasure that can come from the smallest of accomplishments, the magnitude of a spoken word. There's more, and still more to come.

The Desires of My Heart

I really do believe that God hears and answers prayer, and the more I learn about the angels and spirit guides He provides to assist us in the earthly realm, the more I take to heart God's instruction to us to ASK FOR WHAT WE WANT! Truly, I've never been a "gimme" sort when it comes to prayer, at least not for material things. I pray for good health, for discipline, for the covering of those I love, etc. But now I'm giving a lot of thought to what my heart's greatest desires are for the time I have left here on earth. I'm mindful of the fact that I should be careful what I ask for. What I think I want or need may not be what I expected or find that I can handle once I receive it! The key, I think, is to never ask for anything that's not in keeping with God's plan for how we should love and care for one another, and how we should care for the rest of His Creation. My homework for tonight will be to make a list!

A Must Read Book!

I've recommended a lot of books in the past, but right now 'Soul Survivor' is at the top of my list. I first heard about the story of James Leininger and his parents on a show about miracles. They only skimmed the surface of this amazing account. I got the book from the library yesterday, and couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. If you're someone who refuses to believe in reincarnation, for religious or other reasons, I challenge you. Be brave enough to read this book! It will not only make you think thrice, but will make you want to delve into many more accounts, which are out there. Bruce Leininger spent years and thousands of dollars researching, and traveling all over the country to meet and interview dozens of people, just to prove to himself that his toddler son didn't have a past life as a fighter pilot shot down in World War II. In the end, the man who refuses to alter his religious beliefs unless he has hard, indisputable facts, proof supporting every, single detail, is forced to secede.

Makes My Day

My daughter, who’s about to turn fourteen in a couple of days, has the sweetest spirit. One of the most endearing things about her is the way she outwardly and whole-heartedly expresses gratitude for even the smallest things. She will hunt me down in the house to say “thank you” for something like doing laundry. Once, she even called me late at night from a friend’s sleepover to say, “Mom, I meant to thank you for helping me pack and driving me over.” As a parent, I never cease to feel a bit of joy in those moments, even though she thanks me a dozen times a day. I think it has to be the same for God. He blesses us continually in ways we usually take for granted, but I know He never gets tired of hearing us thank Him, for things both great and small.

A Sweet Memory

I was just telling a writer friend a story from my past that I think others will enjoy. In 1995, I gave birth to a daughter who lived just thirteen months. She had Patau's syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality that typically results in multiple birth defects and either miscarriage, stillbirth, or, at most, death within the first year of life. Kyndall was different. Though premature, she refused to die in the NICU, responding and improving each time my young son would sing to her. Her thirteen months of life were challenging, but precious. She was a determined, happy baby, and her spirit touched everyone who came in contact with her, especially the many doctors and nurses who cared for her. I'm convinced that she saw angels when she looked out her bedroom window, because she'd smile and giggle, something she never did for any of us. And when it was time for her to leave us, during her final day on earth, she waved goodbye to everyone who came in and spoke to her. It was so incredible, because we'd been trying to get her to wave for months, but she never did until that day. She could barely breathe in the final hours, but that tiny hand kept waving away until she fell asleep and quietly crossed over.

A year after Kyndall passed away, we were blessed with a second daughter. From the time she was old enough to understand, we showed her photos of Kyndall, and explained that she'd had a sister, now in heaven. She would often speak of Kyndall and ask us questions about her. When my daughter was two, she started asking me to tell her "Kyndall stories" at bedtime. She wanted them to be about the two of them playing together, and I'd create scenarios off the top of my head. While I told them, she'd stop me from time to time and ask things like, "Are we wearing pretty white dresses that match? Are we wearing bows in our hair?" I'd affirm that they were. She'd have the most contented smile when she drifted off to sleep.

One morning, when my daughter was not quite three, she was sitting in the dining room waiting for breakfast I was making in the kitchen. I looked through the doorway and saw her smiling and waving. We were living in a townhouse at the time, and there was a walking path for residents of our cluster running alongside the decks. I asked her who she was waving at, thinking she could see a neighbor she recognized through the french doors. But, very matter-of-factly, she said, "Kyndall. She's sitting in the tree." I walked to her side and asked her where she was looking. "Right there, on that big branch," she says, pointing. I saw nothing, so I asked her if Kyndall was hidden behind some leaves. "No, Mama! RIGHT THERE! Don't you see her waving??" I admitted I didn't see anything, and my daughter began to get upset and tear up. "Mommy, she's RIGHT THERE!!" I finally told her Kyndall was probably there just for her. I have no doubt whatsoever that she saw her sister waving in that tree. It was the sweetest moment. We've had a ficus tree in our house for many years. One day, soon after that event, I gave my daughter a small picture of Kyndall, one of her sitting cross-legged, and let my daughter cut it out. I placed it in that ficus tree, and it's been there ever since, over ten years now.

The Age Of My Soul

For many weeks now, I've been consumed with the desire to better understand my own soul, and where I am in terms of spiritual development. If you've never encountered individuals who impress you as having "old souls," you may not immediately know what I'm referring to, but please read on. You may find something in the following passages of interest or benefit to you and your own life.

Since she was an infant, I've recognized my daughter as a very old soul. She's been both a challenge and a real joy to parent. As a young child, she was very sure of herself, independent and headstrong. She didn't really take to being parented. All that changed when she started kindergarten, and found her place in an atmosphere of learning. She became a different child. Overnight, she turned into a child who was mature, extremely intelligent, quiet, curious, tenderhearted, and incredibly perceptive. Now in her early teens, she exhibits a quiet confidence, doesn't like to call attention to herself. But peers are very drawn to her and often seek her opinions. They view her as funny and wise, and she's extraordinarily disciplined and spiritual for her age. I've come to feel that she's here to teach me more than I'm here to teach her. In short, my daughter is my role model.

So, I started researching the notion of old souls, and came upon the following description of soul stages by Jose Stevens. I see aspects of myself in both the "mature" and the "old" souls, and assume I'm working my way from one to the next. For the sake of clarity in this writing, I've omitted the descriptions of the lesser evolved souls. Below are the two stages I'm concerned with, where I recognize both traits that I need to work on, and others I feel are very descriptive of me in my current incarnation:

THE MATURE SOUL
MATURE SOULS challenge the young soul's desire to "have it all." It is a hard cycle that demands seeking answers to life's tough questions. They are attracted to gentler faiths, such as Quaker, Unitarian, or Buddhist. Mature souls are not as open to the occult as old souls. They look for and question the motivation for all of life's actions. They often continue with inappropriate relationships - perhaps believing that through self-sacrifice, or tough lessons they will ultimately prevail. Often they can't shake their sense of duty. Mature souls suffer from stress related illness that sometimes results in schizophrenia, psychosis and a higher suicide rate than other souls. [Edgar Cayce, "the sleeping prophet," emphasized the role that `stress' plays in not only physical illnesses but also mental illnesses; he believed it was `stress' that wrecked havoc on the brain chemistry/balance]. But they're smart enough to seek professional help without urging. Mature souls often make huge contributions to knowledge - particularly philosophical and scientific. But altogether they don't necessarily have the drive for fame, many still achieve it. They're emotionally high maintenance.

THE OLD SOUL
OLD SOULS live and let live. They seek the route of least resistance...they're individualistic and usually easy going. They have an inner knowing of the waste of time in pursuing fame and fortune and therefore create the appearance of being "laid back." Old souls are highly competent - even in roles they don't particularly like. They tend to choose work that is pleasant and undemanding, leaving them free to pursue their desired goals easily...unless the job adds to the spiritual search. They may or may not seek higher education... but definitely will seek it if they sense it's needed for their chosen path. Old souls create confidence in animals. And their choice of medical care tends to be alternative and holistic. Old souls are here to teach others their spiritual understandings. Their philosophies and writings are simple and easy to read. Old souls religion is far reaching and has no label. A grove of trees is a sacred place to them. They seldom cling to dogma and prefer personal spiritual practices. However, old souls are wise enough to be discreet in their religious practices and know how to pass in public undetected. They focus on searching for the spiritual truth and have a finer sense of knowing what is true than any other souls level. Old souls all over the world share the experience of emptiness and a longing for that feeling of home.

I recognize so much in those descriptions, thoughts that run through my mind continuously. The one that struck me most, and that well encompasses the rest, is that I experience many periods of feeling emotionally isolated and having a longing for my "real" home. And it's true that I often feel I must keep hidden a large part of my spiritual life, even among those I hold most dear in the midst of my outward religious practices. I know they won't share, and may even have a fear, of my most deeply held beliefs and knowing. I intuit that many will feel I'm a little 'out there' and misguided, because they cling to the comfort of what they've been taught to believe. I understand that many have no desire to look further, almost as if they'd be opening a can of worms, or be putting themselves in danger of misguidance by a guileful enemy. That, I must respect. We are all on a journey, and all have the right, the responsibility, to learn as we go along. And that personal walk is sacred.

Gender Of The Holy Spirit

I've been reading questions posed to Christian Andreason, a man who's had one of the most dramatic and compelling near-death experiences on record. Someone wanted to know what God's gender seemed to be. Christian's response was that God does embody both male and female in one sense, but is better described as transcending gender as we think about it. What was more interesting was Christian's revelation that he perceived the Holy Spirit to have a more pronounced 'female-ness' (my word). That seems right to me, somehow. And it actually makes it easier for me to relate to the Holy Spirit as a constant presence in my daily life. If the Holy Spirit's given to us as a comforter, a helper in difficult times... I gotta say, I was a daddy's girl, but (like most people) if I was sick, in doubt, or down and out, I called out for my mommy!

Howard Storm (Part 1 of 5) former atheist - near death experience (NDE) ...

A Life Changing Book - "The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven" >>

I can't recommend any other book on near-death experiences more highly than this one by Kevin Malarkey and his son, Alex. And I've read dozens. What sets this one apart is that it happened to a six-year-old boy. The scenes he relates, and the messages he brings back from the other side are both astounding and reassuring. His survival from what was essentially a decapitation in a car accident, and the prayer warriors and angels sent to surround Alex' family is a miraculous story in itself. Believers will have a hard time putting this book down, and will want to share it. Non-believers, if convinced to read it, can't help but come away from the story profoundly affected, and with a new perspective on both death and living life on this side.

Check out the website to read the first chapter in PDF form online,
order the book, and watch the trailer from the upcoming movie!

http://www.theboywhocamebackfromheaven.com/

Say, What, Governor??

From AltNet:
Speaking to a large crowd Monday at Montgomery's Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church — where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached — Bentley said that "if you're a Christian and you're saved ... it makes you and me brother and sister," according to a report in the Birmingham News.

"Now I will have to say that, if we don't have the same daddy, we're not brothers and sisters," he added, according to the paper. "So anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother."