Dec 21 2014

No Sissies Allowed

Merry Christmas from Dana and Gracie

Bette Davis said, “Getting old isn’t for sissies.” While I don’t think I yet qualify as “old,” (whenever that is), I have passed through many of life’s stages. A year ago I was experiencing my first Christmas as a widow. I’d had a nice Thanksgiving with my daughters, but they had flown home by early December. I needed to have a quiet time put an end to My Goodbye Year (see post of 12/2013).

I pulled out a long-neglected manuscript (Proud Heart), and dove into one of the first stories I had written. I cleaned up some newbie-writing problems and enjoyed re-discovering my characters. The inspiration for the heroine had been my Grandma Rose. I am glad I finally published her story.

2014 was a year of new birth. In February, almost exactly a year from the passing of my husband, David, our younger daughter, Cary, gave birth to Noah David in Hawaii. After spending nearly a month in the Manoa Valley helping shepherd Noah into the world, I returned to my solitary existence in California. I now had three grandchildren, two in Missouri and one in Hawaii. I took stock of my life. The California house had been in my family since 1963. It was comfortable, but it was mighty lonely. I could spend years as my father and grandmother had done, living alone and waiting for people to visit. Oh, I had friends and many activities, but home is where the heart is and those grandkids are my joy.

So, I prayed and asked for a LOT of help to ready the house for sale and start a new chapter of life. My spiritual helpers were on it. A friendly, helpful , professional realtor came my way. (You’re the best Tom Fosmire!) A great handyman, Ron, appeared to patch, paint, and repair all the little upgrades needed to make the house market-worthy. Closets were cleaned, several lifetimes of photographs shipped to Missouri, and the barest of personal belongings kept. Several friends helped with the obligatory garage sale in July. By September a young couple ready to begin their life together had made an offer and I walked out of the carved wooden front door for the last time.

First stop was Missouri, where my cat and I settled into the top floor of my daughter and son-in-law’s lovely house. It’s a big house and I’ve been happy to pitch in with housekeeping chores, cooking, and child care. I’ve read the first three Harry Potter books aloud to six-year-old Will and specialize in funny faces in the mirror before tucking him into bed.

Several outdoor cats provide much feline drama and entertainment. I enjoyed the colors of fall and the first dusting of snow. I will enjoy my first Missouri Christmas and after the New Year I will be heading to Hawaii to ride out the winter in the tropics with Baby Noah.

I don’t feel old, but I do sense that every day is a gift and each year passes quickly. I begin each morning in prayer and meditation, sending love to friends, family, and the world. I ask for guidance and my spiritual “team” steers me in the paths I take. I am amazed at the grace I receive.

2015 is bound to be full of surprises. Where will I live? Will I make new friends? How will I lead the most meaningful life? Whatever happens, I am counting on Spirit to give me the courage I need to embrace challenges and definitely not be a “sissy.”

Blessings to all for the Holidays—

Dana Taylor

******

Enjoy my holiday stories

Dec 13 2014

Christmas Wishes from Jan Hunneybell

Thanks to Australian author, Jan Hunneybell, for sharing this lovely Christmas poem. Her fascinating book of singer John Denver’s spirit communication, Things That I Believe In, is available in the Kindle store. You don’t want to miss it! John Denver was surely someone who expressed the spirit of Christmas in his songs and life mission.

CHRISTMAS WISHES

If I could have a wish for Christmas, this is what I’d choose;
A day of peace and joy for all; no fight, no win or lose,
Just sweet content, acceptance and a star to light our way;
For lasting peace to fill each heart every night and day.

If I could have a wish for Christmas, just what would it be?
That love was wrapped within each present underneath the tree;
Not competition, whose is best, who spent the most on theirs,
But joyful giving, care, concern and boxes full of prayers.

If I could have a wish for Christmas, for what would I ask?
Flashy, fancy trinkets? Gadgets for each task?
No; I’d ask for cruelty to end and war to cease.
I’d ask for understanding and a way to perfect peace.

If I could have a wish for Christmas underneath the sun,
I’d ask for everyone to understand that we’re all one,
That every hurt we do to others we do to ourselves,
And painful hurts can’t be undone by presents on the shelves.

If I could have a wish for Christmas hoping all would hear,
I’d ask for kind and loving ways to last all through the year,
For all to know that how you treat each other matters more
Than mistletoe and Christmas trees or wreaths upon the door.

If I could have a wish for Christmas I would wish for you
That happiness, content and kindness bless you all year through,
That true forgiveness fills your heart, releasing you from pain,
And freed from all resentment, you feel joyful once again.

If I could have a wish for Christmas and the year that’s new,
I know the greatest gift I’d choose to have and give to you.
I’d gift you with true peace of mind and free your troubled heart,
Then, cleared of negativity, a shiny bright new start.

If I could have a wish for Christmas, I would heal the Earth;
The lands, the seas, the hills and trees would undergo rebirth,
And people would all see each other from a different view,
With love and light, a wondrous sight, and start to live anew.

©Jan Hunneybell, 1 Dec 2003

Janice Hunneybell is an inspirational spiritual writer. Her books, ‘Things That I Believe In’ and ‘All You Need Is Love’, are channeled spiritual communication from John Denver, who shares his views and philosophy of life and meaning. ‘Things That I Believe In’ was first published in 2008 and is now a kindle e-book. It has been popular with people who want to understand more about life and spirituality. It is easily read but informative and has brought great comfort to people dealing with grief and loss. ‘All You Need Is Love’ was published as an e-book in January 2014. A paperback edition is planned later in 2014 along with collections of her poetry, talks, songs and essays. After a career in administration, Janice chose to follow a path of spirituality, writing, healing (Reiki Master), channeling/mediumship and teaching, giving talks and facilitating workshops on spiritual development and inspirational writing. Born in London, England, Janice now lives in the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne, Australia with her husband Gordon and a slightly deranged but very sweet cat. An indulgent mother and grandmother to two adult children and four grandchildren, she also seems to have been adopted by a variety of local wildlife including possums, magpies and kookaburras…

Visit the Janice Hunneybell Page at Amazon.com

Dec 6 2014

Beware of Dream Stealers

Raise your spirits with these stories of hope, family, and a touch of the angelic.

Shiny Green Shoes: 1935 was a hard year on old Route 66. The unlikely friendship between a young, black girl and an aging white actress brings hope to a town down on its luck.

Refiner’s Fire: Nestled in her beautiful home in the San Diego hills, Dina Stein is determined to celebrate Hanukkah even without her ungrateful daughter. Getting caught in a natural disaster isn’t on her agenda.

Patty’s Angels: 1960, Los Angeles. Downtown LA and the suburbs are only minutes, yet worlds, apart. A little girl brings people together, with the help of her celestial best friends.

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords Apple Store Kobo

Enjoy the opening to SHINY GREEN SHOES from HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

New Orleans 1958

High-heels echo across the deserted stage floor. Set pieces surround me, ghostly illusions of imagination, waiting for lights and music to call them to life. I like the quiet time, before all the noise and energy and magic swirls in the air like the trail of stars from Tinkerbell’s wand.

Now, in the sanctuary of my dressing room, I lock the door and recline on the wide sofa—wide enough for my generous hips and impressive bosom. Surrounded by musty theater smells, dangling costumes of feathers and satin, I gather myself, find myself, remember myself.

An actress can get lost in her characters, confused by playwrights’ emotions. Being big, black and beautiful isn’t easy. I lean back on the comfy cushions and conjure the other Mazie, the hidden Mazie that only a few can see. A scrawny, gangly child uncertain of her place in the world, overlooked in the struggle to keep mind and body together.

In the quiet, that Mazie comes to me.

My gaze travels across the room to the row of shoes, each one placed under the matching costume, a final accessory to set off the gown and flash under a shapely long leg. The younger Mazie is agog with wonder and delight. So many pretty shoes, dazzling rainbow colors made just for a Mazie foot.

Lord, Lord what miracles you have wrought on this wide-eyed child of the South.

Chapter One

Luther, Oklahoma 1935

My fascination with shoes began with a bright, green shiny pair winking at me from the shoe store window Mama and I passed everyday on the way to the Knight house in the white part of town. Until that day in my eighth year in 1935, I had no idea such wonders existed. The ugly, stiff-leathered hand-me-downs that came my way pinched my toes and made me awkward. I shucked them ratty old things the first sign of spring, running free until winter frost forced my feet into confinement once again.

We lived in Luther, Oklahoma, which survived the woes of the Depression and dust bowl by clinging to the life line of Route 66. My family survived by our work ethic, strong backs and a faith in the Almighty.

As the youngest child in a family of six, I’d learned to lurk and stay out of everybody’s busy way. With a quiet demeanor—believe it if you will—and a vivid imagination, I trailed behind Mama in a day-dreamy world, far richer than our hardscrabble reality. So, when I saw those bright, green shoes, my imagination danced and twirled as I stood mesmerized by their glowing beauty.

“Mazie June,” Mama said, “quit your dawdlin’. We’ve got a mess o’ work to do.”

“Mama,” I said. “I’m gonna have me a pair of shoes like that some day.”

Mama glanced at the treasures in the window and pursed her lips. “Who do you think you are–Shirley Temple? People like us wear plain work shoes. Times is hard and the sooner you realize you gotta earn your keep in this world, the better. I don’t know where you get all your fancy ideas, but you best set ’em aside. Wishing for what you can’t never have only breaks your heart.”

Mama grabbed my hand and dragged me down the street toward the Knight house.

***

Shiny Green Shoes is part of HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords Apple Store Kobo

Dec 3 2014

Manifesting Benevolent Outcomes

Part of “Supernal Living” is developing a conscious spiritual connection to manifest the life you want to live. Life doesn’t just happen. It is created by our thoughts, intentions, and choices. It is influenced on many levels, both physical and spiritual. Learning how to connect with your spiritual partners and develop those partnerships can break old patterns and result in amazing changes of circumstances. “Supernal Living” means learning that you’re not alone and consciously co-creating with Spirit your life, day by day.

Two books I’ve read lately deal with manifesting positive outcomes. The Gentle Way: A Self-Help for Those Who Believe in Angels by Tom T. Moore reveals asking for “Most Benevolent Outcomes” from your guardian angels. Benevolence is defined as a kindly disposition to promote happiness and prosperity through good works, or by generosity in and pleasure of doing good works–an angelic work description if I ever heard one. For everything from parking spaces to airplane connections, developing the practicing of voicing requests for a MBO, can be a very positive habit to develop. An example of an MBO would be “I request a most benevolent outcome for me safety going to and from school.” or “I request a most benevolent outcome getting through rush hour traffic safely and quickly.”

Esther Hicks/Abraham talks about “segment intending,” to consciously plan positive outcomes for every part of the day. The structure of asking for “Most Benevolent Outcomes,” simplifies the concept of segment intending. The Gentle Way is easy reading, perhaps lacking in spiritual depth, but certainly giving many examples for taking charge of your life and connecting with your spiritual team.

If you’re looking for something with a little more meat on its bones, Wayne Dyer’s Wishes Fulfilled: Mastering the Art of Manifesting pulls in several philosophies along with Dyer’s life experience to illustrate how to “change your thinking, change your life.” Much of manifesting deals with visualizing events as you want them to go. If The Gentle Way illustrates how to approach the small moments of daily living, Wishes Fulfilled takes on the bigger challenges like careers and relationships. All Dyer’s books reflect where he is in life at the point he is writing the manuscript. During the period he wrote this one, he was dealing with a diagnosis of leukemia and met Mira Kelley, a past life regressionist. The book digresses from manifestation into his experience with healer John of God and his sessions with Mira Kelley. For me, those were the most interesting parts of the book–not to mention the pictures of orbs that have started appearing in photographs taken of Dyer, especially at speaking engagements. But the subjects of orbs is for another post.

If you’re looking for a solid book on manifesting positive outcomes, Wishes Fulfilled is a good place to start.

Here’s hoping you manifest many benevolent outcomes!

Dana Taylor

*****

Read how I found the Supernal Life in Ever-Flowing Streams

Nov 21 2014

Discover Healer Barbara Becker

Enclosure: A Spiritual Autobiography reads like a flower, growing from a bud and unfurling into a beautiful blossom.

Barbara Becker is a healer, psychic, and teacher. Like many people, she may have been born with rare spiritual gifts, but discovering those abilities to reach other dimensions takes a life time of exploration. She deals with the “real” life challenges of relationships, job decisions, illness and all the rest that come with the human experience. Along the way, she senses there is much more to her than society would lead her to believe. Enclosure reveals the teachers she encountered, the many challenges experienced, and the ultimate surrender to Spirit to guide her life.

As a resident of Phoenix, she took advantage of the spiritual teachers around her. From Tai Chi to Reiki, she follows her path, growing in spiritual wisdom, while also facing personality flaws to correct. This is a story of spiritual courage. One of my favorite sections recalls her trip to Peru and all the mystical happenings in that legendary land. Ultimately, she takes her place as a healer of the unseen energies being activated on the planet. She is a Light Worker working out her life mission.

I enjoyed this book, taking my time with it. Writing a spiritual autobiography is not easy to organize or communicate. Barbara balances the highlights of her spiritual life with the earthly issues. As the saying goes, we are spirits having human experiences, and we all have to deal with the earth-bound human side of lives every day. Barbara Becker’s story offers encouragement for those seeking a spiritual path that goes beyond the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Pick up your copy at Amazon. It’s free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers and reasonably priced to other. Be inspired with Enclosure: A Spiritual Autobiography, an Indie Spiritual Book Award Winner.

Barbara Becker is a former critical care nurse, who now works with the angelic realm, teaching, guiding and channeling healing for clients. She lives in Arizona. Visit Barbara Becker Healing

Nov 15 2014

Take A Spiritual Development Class

A few months ago I had a very strange experience with a painting. I was unloading it with a batch of other paintings for an art show. Every time I looked at it, images came into my mind of fashionable people from the 1950’s. A woman with red lipstick, upswept hair, and a cigarette holder came into focus, along with sounds of a cocktail party.

During the course of the weekend, the strange impressions kept beaming to me, every time I glanced at the painting. As it turned out, the painting was done by an artist named Tyrus Wong who is best known for his work on the Disney film, Bambi. He had a long career in the entertainment industry in Hollywood. It had been painted in the 1950’s. It might have hung on a wall in the Hollywood Hills. Had I pick up some sort of “vibes” from the picture?

That experience led me to a spiritual development class on psychometry–the ability to hold an object and receive information about past owners or events associated with it. The class, taught by Debbie Nuccio Durrough, allowed me to explore the multidimensional ability of psychometry. The participants all brought various objects to be tested by the others. We wrote down our impressions. As it turned out, I have a knack for psychometry.

Spiritual Development classes are popping up all over the country. I’ve taken classes in spiritual painting, meditation, energy healing, spirit communication, and the ” five clairs”–clairvoyance (seeing), clairaudience (hearing), clairsentience (feeling), clairalience (smelling), and clairgustance (tasting). (Read more about the clairs at The Scrying Bowl.)The point of taking such classes is to become a more multidimensional person. It’s not to be the next great guru or soothsayer. Most of us are only using a fraction of the abilities we possess. Being able to tap into higher dimensions of information makes for a much richer living experience. As a person of faith, I feel the classes have brought me in better communication with the Creator and my Spiritual Helpers.

I know there’s a certain fear factor in this. People are afraid they’ll get involved in something dark. I say choose wisely; follow your intuition. Check out the picture of the teacher. Do you get a positive feeling? There have been times I’ve decided against a class because it didn’t “feel” right. On the whole, my experiences have been positive, enlightening, and fun. Don’t let unfounded fear keep you from exploring and being the best you can be!

Thanks to the power of the Internet, classes are easy to find. Do a Google search or look for like-minded groups at Meetup.com. Join the Supernal Adventure!

Blessing to All–