Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Want to Expand Your Consciousness? Work/Volunteer for Hospice!

Last year I was invited to do an interview with Eva Ravenwood that turned out to be the best interview I've had so far since my book first came out in 2005. Eva let me know that I could invite a guest on the show with me. I thought of Diane Goble, a remarkable woman who lived through a near death experience. During the show, Eva asked Diane to speak about her NDE. I was interested that Diane spoke about it as a tremendous expansion in consciousness.

As I look back on my years of work with hospice as a spiritual and bereavement counselor, I see that the entire experience was rather like a very gradual near death experience: I did not actually experience my own physical death, but I came so close to so many who were experiencing the dying process and the depths of the grieving process that much of it rubbed off on me. It was as if a part of me was having a taste part of the experience, too, and over time I received some of the gifts that a person who has a NDE typically receives.

The following are some of the gifts that I have received as I see it:

1. There is so much more than meets the eye.

2. Death is nothing to fear; it is only another doorway to another form of life, because life never ends. It simply transforms.

3. Everyone has a purpose in coming to Earth. Therefore, everyone and everything is special -- sacred.

4. We are all interconnected. Therefore, we are all one. God/dess, or the Infinite Intelligence is the glue that holds us altogether.

5. The more we tune into the magic and mystery of life, the more it is apparent in our lives. (Whatever we focus on expands.)

6. Our intuition can grow significantly when we honor it and use it to expand our purpose in life.

If you are desiring to grow spiritually, I highly recommend that you consider hospice work. You could start as a volunteer, as hospices are always looking for people who can volunteer with their patients and families. Just look up a local hospice in your neighborhood and contact the Volunteer Coordinator. She (or he) will be more than happy to explain how the process works. As you sign up for this, if you haven't done so already, you might want to look into getting a hold of a copy of my book, THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE!

Deep Blessings of Peace and Light to you -- as we move closer to more light (and spring!) each day, Dancing heart~~~

Monday, January 19, 2009

Hope and Joy Coming Back...

Thanks to a new friend, I attended the Seattle Unity Church for a Sunday service for the first time yesterday morning. There was a tremendous sense of energy and joy there -- a kind of buzz was in the air. People young and old were there to celebrate God/dess, spirituality, and the power of the imagination, in great diversity. A host of faith traditions were honored in the sanctuary with altars and tapestries above them representing a variety of world religions, too.

Then, last night I shed tears of joy as I watched pieces from the inaugural concert that took place in Washington D.C. at the Lincoln Memorial. What a powerful, auspicious, synchronistic time we are living through: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is being celebrated today, on the eve of the inauguration of our new and first black American President of the United States, Barack Obama! This is a time for celebration, joy, and hope throughout the world, a time when some long awaited dreams are becoming a reality in the new history that is being recorded. One could say that the world helped awaken our country to the powerful, spiritual leader we had in our midst, and now we can together -- the world over -- celebrate a new beginning.

I want to share with you a simple, beautiful poem has been spoken by Bryan Lynch since the election. I heard part of it quoted last evening on television, too:

Rosa sat so Martin could walk.
Martin walked so Barack could run.
Barack ran so our children can fly!

Enjoy the new and wonderful flight, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. Relatedly, here's a link to a New Song that my friend Sandi Kimmel has been singing. Please listen and pass along to your friends.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Words for the Bereaved -- Some Suggestions

Happy New Year~! I hope that you are enjoying the new energies of 2009. May this be a wonderful year of transitions -- with grace and ease, as much as possible. Speaking of which, I was asked to put some of my thoughts down re some of the best and worst things a person can say to someone who's lost a loved one. Here are some of my reflections on this:

Some of the worst things a person can say after a friend/acquaintance loses a loved one are phrases that assume things, such as "I know what you're going through," "You'll get over it," or "God never gives a person more than they can handle." Often, unintentionally of course, the friend wants to say what makes them feel better. So they try to fix the situation, whereas the person in grief needs comfort, consolation, and a listening ear. The grieving person usually appreciates simple "presence," a feeling that they can be held, cared for, and allowed to be exactly where they are.

Some of the best things a person might say are "I'm so sorry," "I love you (and your loved one who passed)," or "I'm very sorry that you're having to go through this situation. Is there any way that I can help?" Then make sure that you follow through when you get a response on how the person wants your help.

Sometimes silence is the best. The friend might simply give the grieving person a big bear hug and let them cry as much as they need. Then, they could let them know how much they're loved and that they will stand with them through this challenging time in whatever way they need. Intuition helps a lot here... gently let the grieving person guide the way, as everyone grieves differently, too.

A grieving person also needs to process what happened. Open-ended questions about what and how things happened are good, once they seem ready to talk. Questions like "What happened?" "How did (your loved one) die?" “How are you taking this all in?" "Tell me about how you're managing to cope with your loss?" can be helpful at this time.

Hope these reflections are helpful. Perhaps you have some comments or stories around this issue. I would be delighted to hear your reflections. Please be in touch. Have a blessed day, and year, Dancing heart~~~