There’s trouble at the North Pole! After five hundred years of snow, ice and polar bears, Mrs. Claus is ready for a change. But dear old Santa is pretty set in his ways. She may have to take drastic measures. Aloha Santa gives a merry new spin on the beloved Christmas characters with a fun verse and bright, charming illustrations.
Ho! Ho! Ho! and Mele Kalikimaka! It’s the time of year to share one of my favorite books, ALOHA SANTA. The book reminds me of the years I sang with the Na Leo Lani Chorus of Sweet Adelines in Honolulu. What a wonderful time we had spreading the Spirit of Aloha across Oahu. Aloha Santa began as a performance verse I created for a Christmas show. After hearing it, chorus members encouraged me to turn it into a children’s book.
Thanks to the wonderful artist, Jaana Baker, the story came alive through her illustrations. Aloha Santais a read-aloud family tradition for many families. Perhaps you can make it one of yours!
ALOHA SANTA is available at Amazon in both paperback and eBook. Order HERE today to spread the Aloha Spirit with your family and friends!
If you’re looking for a break from the harsh headlines of anger and aggression across the land, order a copy of The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tendernessby Gregory Boyle. “Father G” or “G Dawg,” as he is often called by gang members of the streets of Los Angeles, is the local Catholic priest and founder of Homeboy Industries. My introduction to Father Boyle’s work was his bestseller Tattoos on the Heart, which I reviewed back in 2011 (see review here.) Father Boyle offers employment, encouragement, and “extravagant tenderness” to the homies and homegirls of LA.
“What began in 1988 as a way of improving the lives of former gang members in East Los Angeles has today become a blueprint for over 250 organizations and social enterprises around the world, from Alabama and Idaho, to Guatemala and Scotland.” Homeboy Industries website
To get a good feel for the style and language of the book, watch this short video of Father Boyle speaking to a group.
In The Whole Language, Father Boyle weaves his philosophy of boundless compassion with poignant glimpses of the colorful men and women of Homeboy Industries, complete with salty language. Saints and sinners are quoted in a beautiful flow of prose that touches the heart and spirit. And despite best efforts and encouragement, the adversity of poverty, addiction, and mental illness still takes a high toll of death and destruction in Homeboy territory.
Yet, it is clear that Father Boyle has made a positive difference for thousands of people across LA and the world. His legacy has just begun. I recommend reading The Whole Language like a daily devotional, a few paragraphs a day to set your mind and spirit on a good course for the hours ahead. You just may find the Grace of God through the Power of Extravagant Tenderness for yourself.
The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness is available at Amazon.
It’s that time of year to enjoy stories with a Christmas spirit of love and joy. Through the years I’ve been inspired to write several tales for the holiday season. I invite you to relax and refresh your spirit with my creative offerings. ~ Dana Taylor
My very first novel is closer to my heart with each passing year. Taking the advice, “write what you know,” I based the heroine on myself, a natural healer who runs a health food store in a small Oklahoma town. The hero, based on my husband, is a no-nonsense lawyer.
“The Healer vs. the Lawyer. Energy healer, Persephone Jones, has a new neighbor in Peeler, Oklahoma—hot shot lawyer, Jason Brooks. They meet in June; it would take a miracle to bring these two together by Christmas. She bans white sugar; he’s a chocolate cookie connoisseur. She’s about saving Mother Earth while he protects the interests of Big Business. Their attraction is mutual, but disturbing. And life gets even more complicated when the whole town is caught in a conflict that pits these two on opposite sides of a political fence.Available at Amazon
Do you believe in angels? Here are three short stories featuring angels in various guises.
“Shiny Green Shoes”—Life was hard on old Route 66 in 1935 in Luther, Oklahoma. The unlikely friendship between Mazie McDonald, a poor black child, and Peach Knight, an aging white actress, brings hope to a town down on its luck and proves dreams do come true!
“Refiner’s Fire”— Inspired by an incident from the 2008 San Diego firestorms. Flamboyant California real estate agent, Dina Stein, doesn’t care that she’s spending Hanukah alone with her dog, Angel. Better than spending it with her ungrateful daughter and son-in-law. Funny how Mother Nature can change your perspective.
“Patty’s Angels”–Los Angeles, 1960. California is becoming a state of great contrasts. Downtown LA and the suburbs are only minutes, yet worlds, apart. A little girl named Patty brings people together, with the help of her celestial best friends.
Despite patriarchal push back, it’s exciting to see the rise of feminine influences. In my neck of the woods of Northern California we have emerging priestesses, earth mothers, clergy, and yes, political leaders. Female artists abound in all disciplines. To which I say, “hooray!” One of my favorite poets is Chelan Harkin of Washington, whose book, Susceptible to Light, I reviewed in 2021 (Delight in the Divine with Chelan Harkin). When I was asked to create a meditation for the Curious Soulwebinar sponsored by Helen Nibs of Ripples of Light, I included a fun poem from Chelan’s latest collection, Wild Grace.
The verses of Wild Grace veer between passionate, playful, and painful. Harkin takes iconoclastic swings at male dominated images of Deity. She shakes her fists at patriarchal authority, encourages women to release their pent-up Divinity, and kicks chauvinists to the curb. Here’s an intriguing example ~
THE HOLY WORD “SHE”
I don’t think God has a vagina or has ever had a penis.
But to use that holy word, “She” to describe the divine is the sweetest shorthand to overturn everything.
She is gloriously subversive She is radical— Meaning essential, of the roots.
Rather than up and out, She brings us down and in.
She brings us into the fertile lands of our bodies, into the intersection of ancient wounds and wisdoms.
She is what motivates our untold stories into their telling.
She is what germinates truth.
She speaks of a God that understands Mothers.
She undoes a power-over paradigm and describes power that comes from a cracked open heart.
She knows feeling is essential to reverence.
She restores tears to worship.
She honors pain as much as purity, the sullied as much as the sanctified.
She is the vastness of the oceans, She is the soft fire of the moon.
She is the revolution birthing in our hearts.
My meditation, Beautifully Bold, is offered here for your enjoyment. It begins with opening the Chakras and then unfolds with imagery to inspire the listener to become their best Beautifully Bold self. Included is a playful selection from Chelan Harkin’s Wild Grace. Listen and enjoy!
One morning in 2018 on the day of a lunar eclipse, I was standing in my lovely Manoa Valley apartment in Hawaii when the strangest thing happened. A small optical illusion appeared before me of a round bubble that suddenly popped and disappeared. Immediately after that, the vision in my right eye blurred. No pain, no eye redness. But my vision resembled looking through a shower curtain.
Of course, I immediately began an Internet search and discovered it was a fairly common occurrence, a tearing of a delicate membrane. Later in the day, I happened to gaze into the setting sun, which actually showed me the jagged opening behind my eye. Now, a normal person would have gone to an eye doctor. Instead, I sat down in meditation to get intuitive direction. The message I received was surprisingly straightforward:
This is unfortunate. The strong energy from the lunar eclipse triggered a weakness in your eye and caused the break. It will get better and heal, but it will take time. We will guide you along the way.
Originally published in 1990, the MAP protocol was developed by Machaelle Wright of the Perelandra Center for Nature Research in Jeffersonton, Virginia. It is very simple, yet profound. Wright offers a concise how-to instruction to connect with two specific nature spirits, The Great White Brotherhood, Masters of Ancient Wisdom, and your higher self. References to The Great White Brotherhood are traced back to the rise of New Thought in the mid-1880’s and the founder of the Theosophical Society, Helena P. Blavatsky. They’ve threaded their way through the New Age movement and are seemingly more in touch than ever with human beings, if a simple Amazon search for them in books is any indication. Personally, I think of them as spiritual physicians who are helping us from the Otherside, but I suspect that’s an extremely simplistic viewpoint.
I’m not going to detail the protocol, as I think it would be unethical to lift that from Ms. Wright’s book. However, the process is easy and requires nothing more than time and intention. Back in 2018, I unfurled my yoga mat, laid down, and went through the mental protocol for the healing sessions. My memory of those sessions has gotten vague from the passage of time, but I was faithful in following the protocol on quiet tropical evenings over several weeks as time allowed. One night stands out in my memory. Lying on my mat, I felt a small, buzzing on my right temple, like an invisible drill or laser performing a psychic surgery on my eye. It seemed like I was surrounded by a spiritual medical operation team. A vivid imagination, you say? Perhaps, but my eye got better in the ensuing months. In fact, today my vision is better than it was before the incident. Back then both eyes were so near-sighted, I’d worn glasses since middle school. Now, my right eye sees distance so much better, I rarely wear glasses except to drive. My left eye is still as near-sighted as ever.
Okay, fast forward to 2024. What with the pandemic, moving to California, crazy politics, and, well, life, I hadn’t thought about MAP in years. Then this spring, I acquired a bothersome virus going around that went on and on. Just when I thought I was getting better, a family crisis further lowered my immunity. On April 11, I got up from a nap and my left ear was totally clogged, my hearing very impaired. Though I had no pain, having my head filled with fluid was tiring and annoying in the extreme. Not to mention being half deaf. I tried all my holistic tricks, but nothing seemed to help. Then dizziness set in, which made me actually go to a doctor. The diagnosis was good news/bad news. No infection (good news). Diagnosis: dysfunctional eustachian tube, for which there isn’t simple medical treatment (bad news). Back to the Internet. People shared their experiences with dysfunctional eustachian tube. Many talked about having it for YEARS! What?….No.
So, back to the energy medicine drawing board. I went to a pricey Reiki healer. We had a great time and my general health improved, but not my ear. I discovered the Enhanced Energy System I so loved in Hawaii, is now available nationwide. I went for a two-hour session in San Jose. My ear seemed a little better, but far from healed. Finally, I remembered the Medical Assistance Program, MAP.
I got out the little blue book, rolled out the yoga mat, and went into the protocol. The first session lasts an hour, a time for the spiritual physicians to assess, diagnose and designate the right medical team. That sounds so strange, I know. But, I had nothing to lose. Plus, my sensitivity to energy has enhanced through the years. Whereas before I mainly had faith that “something is happening.” Now when I open a MAP session, I know something is happening.
As I call in the connection prescribed in the protocol, I can feel the energy. I literally jump and jerk with it. Physical healing energy manifestation is nothing new at this point. It happens all the time when I am in Reiki sessions. There can also be changes in the air, like waves of coolness, which I call “angel energy.” Once I began the MAP sessions, the ear got incrementally better. Instead of being clogged all the time, it varied in intensity. Then, it was much better after lying down but filled up if I bent over too much. Then, over the course of two days, it completely healed. No clog, hearing restored. Yea!
I’ve decided to keep the MAP sessions as a regular part of my health regime. For one thing, they are restful and enjoyable, lulling in the healing energy. A dose of healing energy is rejuvenating. Plus, there are always things to work on–physical, mental, and emotional. I highly suggest reading the book to discover all the ways working with a spiritual medical team can enhance your daily life. You, too, for under $20, can work with your personal wise and wonderful spiritual medical assistance team! 😊
Isn’t synchronicity fun? In 2018 I attended a casual church meeting and found myself chatting with a stranger named David. He said, “I’m reading the most fascinating book. It’s written by a Catholic priest who helps departed souls cross into heaven.” That was how I found my way to Father Nathan Castle’s book,Afterlife Interrupted: Helping Stuck Souls Cross Over, which I found fascinating and reviewed. (SeeConversations from the Afterlife.) Father Castle has spent most of his career in college campus ministry. But about once a week, he receives dreams, often of violent or sudden deaths of various people who are now “stuck” in a purgatory level of the afterlife. He later meets with prayer partners and opens himself up to lend his voice to the departed person who is ready to move onto another heavenly realm. The prayer team assists in that process. The book remained in my mind, and I often recommended it to friends.
Fast forward to 2024. I am now working as Assistant to the President, Dr. Yvonne Kason, at Spiritual Awakenings International (SAI) and we are getting ready for the big SAI Conference 2024. Father Castle is on the roster of scheduled speakers. Yvonne assigns me to host Father Castle’s session, which I find very exciting.
I immediately purchase Afterlife Interrupted, Book Two, which I find as thought-provoking as the first book. The plan is I am simply to introduce Father Castle and let him make a presentation. But it turns out, that isn’t really his style. A few minutes in, he asks if Yvonne or I would ask him some questions and turn it into more of conversation. Well, my excitement level skyrockets. This is like asking a 12-year-old girl if she would like to have a conversation with Taylor Swift. Father Nathan exudes a rare combination of joyful spirituality, humility, and wisdom. An impromptu interview ensues between Father Castle and me–which I think went well, but I’ll have to wait for the video to see.
We explored some of the material of Book Two. Through the years, Father Nathan has helped some 500 souls cross over, so curating the stories to include in a book, requires prayerful consideration. The criteria seems to be, what can the living learn from the dead? There’s certainly comfort in discovering that no one dies alone. Everyone has a guardian angel who helps them along, often quickly leaving a violent scene. There are teams of helpers providing aid and care as people adjust to the afterlife. Free will is respected. Everyone is at their own stage of soul development.
One of the stories we discussed concerned, Nadi, an Iraqi man, who died in a sectarian massacre of Muslim against Muslim. Nadi’s lesson seemed be that dogmatic beliefs are small-minded illusions of separation. He comes to see the Oneness of beliefs across the earth. When he is ready to move on, a beautiful flotilla celebration appears for him on a river. His father welcomes him aboard a boat, and they sail away.
All of the stories are moving and relay significant life lessons worth pondering. The final two are tales of suicide, one of a band singer, Bea, from the 1930’s who was sexually exploited by the men in power. Once she becomes pregnant, she “takes matters into her own hands” and ends her life. Rather than being condemned for her decision, she is met by the ineffable Margaret Hamilton, forever-famous as the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz. Hamilton is a sympathetic guide who knew the dark realities of male domination of the entertainment industry. Bea moves to a better reality than she left behind.
We get another glimpse of suicide through the experience of Bob, who leapt to his death during the Depression when life just seemed too difficult. However, Bob’s difficulties didn’t disappear. He brings foggy despair with him to the afterlife and must deal with that before he can move on. He receives patient spiritual and emotional counseling until he is ready for another level. Ultimately, his advice to the living is to not lose hope. It was hopelessness that drove him to suicide, the proverbial “permanent solution to a temporary problem.” He urges people to seek help and rediscover hope.
Afterlife Interrupted, Book Two is a compelling peek into the heavenly realms, offering valuable lessons to the living. Father Nathan Castle continues his work with college students and is often a guest at spiritual conferences and podcasts. He also hostsThe Joyful Friar podcast which “explores the soulful, the meaningful, and the mystical.”
I’m so grateful for that casual conversation in 2018 that led me to meeting Father Nathan Castle in 2024. Ah, sweet synchronicity.
