Hands and Heart

"If nature has made you a giver, your hands are born open, and so is your heart. And though there may be times when your hands are empty, your heart is always full, and you can give things out of that."

---Frances Hodgson Burnett

FROM THE GLORY OF AN UNCAGED HEART

With hands of Love and Light
glowing and rocking
you shape and mold
the frothing fur of each layer.
You take broken and sundered vortices
and with chanted prayer and colored breath
make them whole.

Parched energies
lost among twisted canyons
are found
and with gentle hands
returned to protected silence.
There, spinning on stamping feet
they become the whirling dervishes
borne and held
within the thunder of each soul's matrix.

The gifts that you share
spring from the throne of compassion
and from the glory of an uncaged heart.
These gifts
shot through with gnarled veins of runic gold
speak in whispered words on the breath of angels,
shielding and guiding you
riding the wind from the far side of the veil.

The melody of each life you touch
sings its way up through ancient sunlight
till it spills over the cusp of a new sunrise.
From the root to the crown
this being radiates
in waves of sparkling colors
the blushed bloom of a jungle rose.
Its scented petals
wearing a necklace of morning dew
bows to the sun,
taking its first breath
of what could be.

You will walk your path
on the fresh crust of each new season.
Your path will ride
the curves and bark on the tree of life,
and with surrendered joy
discover unexpected beauty and fulfillment.
And now, as you look
through the panes of your soul
your path is calling to you
in a yearning
for the tidal surge of your next step.
The trilling notes of your song,
the crescendo of your life's symphony
on wings await

SO FLY.


Written for Jean Brumbaugh by Mel Samms-Overley on December 3, 2008

YES, WE CAN!

While we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt and those who tell us we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can.

Barack Obama
President-Elect of the United States of America

ANGELIC INSPIRATIONS ,VIBRATIONS, AND REMINDERS

Angels point us to those open windows that somehow linger unnoticed by each slammed door of opportunity in our lives.


From the beginning of our lives we are taught to walk, to speak, to run, to love, to receive, and to give in return. We are taught by people who know us well and those who don't know us at all. We are also taught by angels and by God.


Let us accept TRUTH, even when it surprises us, and alters our views. --- George Sand


When we BELIEVE in each other we act as angels, offering our confidence and the power of our FAITH. It is no small thing to look in another's eyes, straight and true, and say with sincerity, "I BELIEVE in you."


To HOPE is to fly. To fly is to DREAM. To DREAM is to BELIEVE. To BELIEVE is to DO. To DO is to give HOPE. To give HOPE is to fight the fight of angels.



(AN ANGEL BY YOUR SIDE: THOUGHTS FOR EACH DAY calendar)

LOVE NOTE FROM THE UNIVERSE

YOUR GIFTS ARE INNUMERABLE;
YOUR DEPTH IS INCALCULABLE;
YOUR PRESENCE IS UNFORGETTABLE.

YOUR TOUCH IS HEALING;
YOUR STYLE APPEALING;
YOUR POWER IS MIND REELING.

AND YOU ARE LOVED AND ADORED
ON A MOMENT-TO-MOMENT BASIS,
MORE THAN YOU CAN COMPREHEND.

JUST LIKE WE PLANNED.

~~~THE UNIVERSE
(http://www.theuniverse@tut.com)

COMPASSIONATE ILLUMINATION ANNOUNCES UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS

In October, Jean Brumbaugh of Compassionate Illumination presented the workshop, YOUR SECRET GARDEN: HEALING THE HEART, at the Bedford Arts Center. She wove several art forms into the content of the workshop, utilizing the painting “Miranda’s World,” by artist Robin Grass; the poem, “Finding the Lost Child,” penned by local poet, Mel Samms-Overley; and the song, “I Hope You Dance,” recorded by Lee Ann Womack . This month, on Saturday, November 15, 2008 she proudly offers the workshop, STICKS AND STONES: THE POWER OF WORDS, at the Bedford Arts Center from 4-6 pm.


Jean is offering events each month at the Bedford Arts Center for the purpose of tending to the bodies, minds, and spirits of all. Topics for presentations and workshops have not yet been decided; however, the following dates are scheduled for the events:

Sat., Nov. 15, 2008
Sat., Dec. 13, 2008
Sat., Jan. 17, 2009
Sat., Feb. 14, 2009
Sat., March 21, 2009

Each event will be held from 4-6 pm at the Bedford Arts Center

Reservations are requested!

$10 (covers materials and refreshments)

Please contact Jean at (814) 327-2435 to register!
Email: illuminata306@hotmail.com
Website: www.compassionateillumination.com


***Please make note of the dates and plan on joining Jean***






***********************************************************************************
JEAN IS INTERESTED IN HAVING A COUPLE’S WORKSHOP! PLEASE CONTACT HER AND LET HER KNOW IF YOU AND YOUR BELOVED ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE!

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JEAN’S
COMPASSIONATE ILLUMINATION

AT
BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV

FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

PSYCHIC FAIR
AND
ALTERNATIVE HEALING EXPO

ON
NOV. 8 & 9, 2008
10 AM - 4 PM

IN
The Ice House located at the corner of Independence St. and Mercer St.


Over 30 vendors will be featured! What can you find at THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT? The following modalities will be represented: essential oils; flower essences; hand and foot reflexology; sound, color, and light vibration; homeopathic remedies; iridology; meditation; reiki; astrology; crystals; dowsing; energy work; master alignment; numerology; shamanism; tarot; lectures; demonstrations; mini-readings; and hands-on-work! There’s something for everyone!

Admission: $3 per day
Workshops: $5 per workshop

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!







ASK JEAN TO COME AND GIVE ONE OF HER MOTIVATIONAL PRESENTATIONS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION!
She is available to do seminars, workshops, and inspirational talks!

---LOVE IS A LITTLE WHITE BIRD---

And it won't help any, it won't get us anywhere
it won't wipe away what has been
nor hold off what is to be
if you hear me saying
---LOVE is a little white bird---
and the flight of it so fast
you can't see it
and you know it's there
only by the faint whirr of its wings
and the hush song coming so low to your ears
you fear it might be silence
and you listen keen and you listen long
and you know it's more than silence
for you get the hush song so lovely
it hurts and cuts into your heart
and what you want is to give more than you can get
and you'd like to write it but it can't be written
and you'd like to sing it but you don't dare try
because the little white bird sings it better than you can
so you listen and while you listen you pray
and one day it's as though a great slow wind
had washed you clean and strong inside and out
and the little white bird's hush song
is telling you nothing can harm you,
the days to come can weave in and weave out
and spin their fabrics and designs for you
and nothing can harm you---
unless you change yourself into a thing of harm
nothing can harm you.

.....................................................................................

I give you the little white bird---
and my thanks for your hearing me---
and my prayers for you,
my deep silent prayers.

--- Carl Sandburg
"Little Word, Little White Bird"

What Happens When You Share Your Abundance

Catherine M. Kasper, in her book, ANGELIC ABUNDANCE: TREASURE MAPS, suggests that September is the perfect month to focus on the abundance in your life. She proposes the following:

Share your abundance. If you feel moved to, from your heart, share your abundance, for everything you give out comes back to you in some way. Send something out into the Universe. Watch to see it come back to you in any one of a number of ways the energy of love can take form!



I wonder what would happen if you shared your abundance today by......

Thanking someone for making a difference in your life

Giving your waitress two or three times the average tip

Surprising a stranger with a bouquet of flowers

Telling someone you noticed their act of kindness

Making a donation to a charity

Leaving pennies in a store that has a "Need a penny, take a penny" dish

Baking cookies and taking a dozen to your neighbor

Paying for a stranger's cup of coffee or ice cream cone or sandwich .......

Please share your abundance today!

With Abundance, Love, and Light~~~

Jean

Prayer For New Life

Dear God,

May I be pregnant with the expression of a new being: someone more magnificent than I have been;

More powerful than I have been;

Healthier than I have been;

More alive than I have been;

More at cause than I have been;

More tender than I have been;

More compassionate and merciful than I have been;

More full of love than I have been;

More tolerant, less judgmental than I have been;

More at one with myself and with all others;

More close to You, dear Lord, than I have been.

Amen


~~~Marianne Williamson

Doing Well By Doing Good

Doing Well By Doing Good
William R. Brody

Excerpted from a speech delivered by Mr. Brody to the graduating class of John Hopkins University on May 26, 2005.

There is a man who I'd like to tell you about. His name is Sandy Greenberg. In his youth, Sandy was a very good student, but he came from a poor family. And so he went to Columbia University on a scholarship and there he met his roommate who also was receiving financial aid.

Now while he was a sophomore at Columbia University, Sandy contracted an eye disease that eventually proved to be glaucoma. But the trouble was, it wasn't detected early enough, and as a result he became legally blind. I ask you all to imagine for a moment having been sighted all your life, and then all of a sudden being faced, in a very competitive school, with losing so much sight you could no longer read. This is what happened to Sandy Greenberg.

But something else happened to Sandy that may surprise you. Sandy said that when he lost his sight, his roommate would read his textbooks to him, every night.

So I'm going to put you in that position, in a competitive school like Columbia, or Johns Hopkins. If your roommate had a serious disability, would you take the time to read textbooks to him every night, knowing the more you spend time reading textbooks to your roommate, perhaps the less well you might do with your other activities? That's not as easy a question as it first appears.

But luckily for Sandy, his roommate did. And as a result, Sandy went on to graduate with honors. He got a Fulbright Scholarship, and he went off to study at Oxford. He was still quite poor, but he said he had managed to save about five hundred dollars as he went along.

His roommate, meanwhile, also went on to graduate school. One day, Sandy got a call from him at Oxford. And his former roommate said, "Sandy I'm really unhappy. I really don't like being in graduate school, and I don't want to do this."

So Sandy asked, "Well what do you want to do?"

And his roommate told him, "Sandy, I really love to sing. I have a high school friend who plays the guitar. And we would really like to try our hand in the music business. But we need to make a promo record, and in order to do that I need $500."

So Sandy Greenberg told me he took all his life savings and sent it to his roommate. He told me, "You know, what else could I do? He made my life; I needed to help make his life."

So, I hope you'll remember the power of doing well by doing good. Each of you, in your own lives, will be faced with challenges, with roadblocks, with problems that you didn't anticipate or expect. How you are able to deal with adversity will be influenced, to no small extent, by how you deal with others along the way. What you get will depend a lot on what you give. And that's the end of the story of doing well, by doing good.

Ah! I almost forgot. You probably are wanting to know who Sandy's roommate was. I think you've heard of him. Sandy's roommate was a fellow by the name of Art Garfunkel, and he teamed up with another musician by the name of Paul Simon. That $500 helped them cut a record that eventually became "The Sounds of Silence." Recently, we had the pleasure of going to Sandy's daughter's wedding, and it was Art Garfunkel who sang as Sandy walked his daughter down the aisle.

When you get to be my age (which, for some of you, is really old, (though it doesn't seem so old to me anymore), you will find yourself beginning to ask, did my life make a difference?

That's the day of personal reckoning. And I think the only way to face it is to consider, every day of your life: How can I do something for somebody else? How can I give back to others? It may be teaching, it may be becoming a doctor, you may be successful in business - no matter what your career path, there will always be the opportunity to give back. The chance will present itself to be giving of your time, giving of your money, but mostly, to be giving of yourselves, of your own heart and soul.

My hope today, as you commence to new beginnings, is you will always keep your eyes open for those opportunities to give and embrace them as your best sure way of doing well.

An Empty Canvas

Life in itself is an empty canvas,
it becomes whatsoever you paint on it.
You can paint misery, you can paint bliss.
This freedom is your glory.

~~~Osho, Indian Spiritual Teacher

"LOVE..."

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.
Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.
Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.

---Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Who Has Seen The Wind?

Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I.
But when the trees bow their heads,
The wind is passing by.

---Christina Rossetti

The Force of God

Rosemary Altea writes:

It is true that we cannot see the wind except when the leaves rustle on the trees, or when fields of long grasses dance, or tall poplars bend their backs. In other words, we can see the wind when it touches something. The force of God, the force of the universe, and the spirit world, is much the same. Sometimes it winds its way gently, softly, into our lives. Sometimes the force of it is so strong that it blows its way into our lives like a full gale-force tornado, knocking us off our feet and in a moment forever changing our way of being and thinking.

---You Own the Power

Catch and Release

Good Sunday morning to all! I was presented with several difficult challenges over the past couple of weeks which brought temporary discomfort and several empowering spiritual life lessons. I allowed myself to become entangled in the nets of others and, as a result, I felt trapped and restricted---Not a good feeling!

How many times in our lives do we allow the biting words and cutting actions (nets) of others to capture us and limit us? Is it as easy to remove ourselves from the nets as it is to allow ourselves to be captured by them? Actually, I discovered it was much more difficult for me to swim out of the nets than it was to swim in and proceed to entangle myself.

I struggled and strained. My human aspect was caught in the web of deception. It exclaimed, “Fight! Tug! Pull!” And, do you know what happened? It got worse. The moment I quelled my human-self and tuned in with my spiritual-self was the point when things began to improve. My spiritual aspect cried out, “This doesn’t make sense. You got yourself entangled! You know how to untangle yourself! It’s not that hard! Why are you making it so difficult?” Still, for a while I kept flailing and fighting. The saying “The more you struggle, the tighter it gets!” certainly applied.

“So, Jean, what did you do?” You ask.

I stopped.

I prayed. I meditated. I asked God to help me because I was so stuck that I couldn’t figure out how to release myself. The tangles were so tight that I could not loosen them. What a predicament! I needed help! I had temporarily fallen back to relying on my human understanding, rather than relying on God and His understanding.

I was directed to ask others to lift me up in prayer. And so, I emailed family and friends and asked them to pray on my behalf. The response was immediate! I was amazed as I saw email after email flood back to me, expressing love and support. Tears filled my eyes as my body, mind, and spirit felt the loving embrace of so many beautiful people….EARTH ANGELS. They gently whispered to me, “Let go, Jean. Let go. We have you. Let us help you.”

And so…..I let go.

And…..The nets fell away.

And…..I was released.

Allow me to offer up, as a heartfelt thank you to my prayer warriors, the story of a whale and its CATCH AND RELEASE. Consider yourselves nudged!

Thank you, my dear friends. May God Bless You!

With Gratitude, Light, and Love,

Jean

The True Story Of A Grateful Whale

If you read the front page story of the San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday, Dec 15, 2005, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.

The fifty-foot whale was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her her tail, her torso and a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallone Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her - a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around - she thanked them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same. May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate in the New Year- to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.

Blessed Are They That Mourn

Today is September 1, 2008. One year ago today my dear friend’s daughter died…the day after she celebrated her birthday. Three times this morning, the angels directed me to the same quote in three different sources:

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

---Matthew 5:4

The following inspirational passage is an excerpt from a beautiful book, written by a mother who lost her child. BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN; COMFORT IN THE ARMS OF THE ANGELS by Brenda Schmidt enables you to feel the loving embrace of God and the angels as your heart is held with healing compassion, light, and love. Brenda celebrates her ability to communicate with her son after his passing. She shares the joy of realizing her son continues to live on in spirit and celebrates the moments when she feels him and hears him. Yes, their relationship continues!

As a spiritual advisor and healer, I know that when we die our lives continue, just in a different form. Many of you have had experiences where you have felt, heard, smelled, and/or seen Spirit. Perhaps you just don’t tell others, preferring to keep it to yourself. Maybe you are afraid others will think you are really “out there” and fear being rejected. I encourage you to own your experiences and to give thanks for those precious gifts.

Grief changes us. It deconstructs, challenges, tempers, strips, hurts, breaks, and destroys.

And then,……and then, we emerge, after the ravages of grief with our broken hearts crying out to make sense of the unreal. There is new life. There are new beginnings. There is the dawn of the new day. We are forever changed.

May Brenda’s excerpt give you peace that passes all understanding and may you find comfort in the arms of the angels.

Holding Your Heart With Love and Light,

Jeanne

Brenda writes:

As a bereaved parent, I am on my own journey through grief. I give thanks daily for all the comfort I have received from God, his Angels, all my loved ones on both sides of the veil, my fellow bereaved friends, spiritual mentors and thousands of authors. Collectively, they have pushed me out of the black hole that is grief and into a new, whole and happy of life of peace and understanding.

I have learned that you do not “get over” the physical loss of your child or a special loved one, but you can develop a new, deeper, spiritual, visual---even physical relationship, that may seem impossible to anyone who has not pursued it.

To accomplish this, it takes time, millions of tears, sorrow, blackness, an unbelievable amount of pain and suffering, hard work, study, patience, understanding, compassion toward others and much prayer and assistance from above. This is “grief work.” Do it and the outcome can be astounding.

I will not say that I am no longer in grief or that I will ever be finished grieving the loss of my son. But the horrible emptiness has been filled with love and I am a new person. I develop and grow daily. The bad days are rare. The good days are better than ever. Life seems so different, so filled with love and so worthwhile. I know after seeing the darkest night, the light of life shines so much brighter.

It is my hope that each of you will also eventually find a level of happiness; although different from your life before grief; still rewarding in ways that are as yet, unimaginable.

In the last three years I have spoken with hundreds of people walking the path through grief and my heart aches as I absorb and understand a bit of the pain each one is living with. Each day I learn of tragedies more intense than my own. I am truly amazed at the capacity of the human spirit. There are too many people experiencing the excruciating pain of grief. Each individual has a special relationship to the one they have lost and each is unique in their suffering. We must find our own way out of these depths of sorrow. The climb is not easy, but with perseverance and help, anyone can survive the worst loss---which is their own.

My love and prayers from the bottom of my heart and soul go out to all of you that suffer the seeming endlessness of grief. There is hope. There is relief. There is peace. There is happiness. I hope that with these thoughts and exercises we can push you a little farther down the path---out of darkness and into the light.

Peace be with you,

Brenda Schmidt

Goosebumps Are Godbumps

I want to share a passage with you today from ANGEL WATCH: GOOSEBUMPS, SIGNS, DREAMS AND DIVINE NUDGES, by Catherine Lanigan. I remember when I finally began to realize the connection between goosebumps and the presence of God, His angels, as well as other representations of Spirit.

My clients often hear me refer to goosebumps, Godbumps, zaps, buzzes, etc. as confirmation or the presence of Spirit. I thought perhaps some of you would enjoy reading the passage below and reflecting on the times when you have felt these bodily responses and reactions. I encourage you to begin paying attention to the loving signs you are given when you ask for God’s guidance and presence in your life. Too many times we limit and or restrict God with our self-limiting beliefs. (Spirit is tapping me at this moment! Confirmation!)

Goosebumps are, after all, the knowledge that the divine is at hand….For good or ill, to let us know we’re safe or to advise us of wrong choices, goosebumps help to move us back onto our divine path. They are instrumental, but only insofar as we pay attention….One of the reasons for our being so slow on the uptake is that we don’t explain our actions and efforts in spiritual terms. How easily we pass off the divine as “coincidence” or “mistakes” or “unexplained.”

….There is always an explanation, if we are willing to look deeply enough for the answer….It takes faith to believe that we are all worthy of divine love….

….And the next time you feel the hairs on the back of your neck rising to attention, stop and ask yourself if what you’re doing is part of your divine path. If someone relates a story to you and goosebumps spring up across your forearms, that is confirmation of the truth. Use those goosebumps, along with your gut feelings, hunches and twinges at your heartstrings, to know when to trust and who to trust. When you’ve said your prayers and the heavens did not open up and lay the answer out in script for you to read, remember to listen with your inner ear to the words of your loved ones around you. Listen to the suddenly familiar song on the radio whose title might be the answer to your prayer.

You’re being contacted every day and night. But are you watching? Trust that your guardian angels are guiding you, every step of the way.

May you have many blessed experiences with Goosebumps/Godbumps!

With Love and Light,

Jeanne

Teach Your Children

The most important thing that you can teach your children is that Well-being abounds. And that Well-being is naturally flowing to them. And that if they will relax and reach for thoughts that feel good, and do their best to appreciate, then they will be less likely to keep the Well-being away, and more likely to allow it to flow into their experience. Teach them the art of allowing.

~~~Esther and Jerry Hicks

(Excerpted from a workshop in Milwaukee, WI on Wednesday, July 5th, 2000)

Compassionate Illumination

Today Spirit directed me to pull one of my books off the shelf and take it with me to my doctor’s appointment. The book was PEACE, LOVE + HEALING: BODYMIND COMMUNICATION & THE PATH TO SELF-HEALING: AN EXPLORATION, written by Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.

I have had so many wonderful experiences where Spirit has pointed me on my path and lovingly waited for that fabulous instant when the realization hits and the understanding flows forth, providing me with a huge “Ah ha” moment! I trusted that there was a reason I was taking this particular book and that a very special moment was on its way to me!

So, as I sat in the waiting room, I said to Spirit while my book was closed, “What is important for me to pay attention to in this book at this moment?” I randomly opened to page 88 and was greeted by three lists. The first list read WHAT I KNOW, the second list read THEREFORE, and the last list read PLEASE KNOW. I was immediately pulled to the last list and began to read.

I want to share this with you because I believe it will help you to help yourself and to help others as well. You see, this list was compiled by a man who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and was told by those in the medical community that he would be dead within three months to a year. He was informed that “his chances were small, the radiation he was undergoing useless, and he was sure to have terrible side effects from the chemo (this last at a time when he still hadn’t shown any)….”

He refused to give into the negativity and the hopelessness. He refused to stop living. He refused to allow others to dictate his experience. His Spirit sprung into action and he owned his power by writing out “Edwards’ Credo” and taping it to his wall, addressing it to “any new physician on my case”:

PLEASE KNOW:

1. I know you can help me in a positive way if you want to. But please remember that my life belongs to me, those I love and those who love me.

2. My wife and I are convinced that good medicine is more than protoplasm. We also believe in the body’s mental powers and the help we can get to bring all of these resources to bear on my problem and to help you help me.

3. I have much to live for and I am trying very hard to do whatever I can mentally and physically to make whatever you prescribe or do as effective as possible.

4. I personally know of people with what I have who have done well despite the poor odds. I intend to also, by buying as much good time as I can for me and those I love. Perhaps we can do even more. That is why I am here. Otherwise I would not be.

5. There is hope in my heart. Do not do anything to encourage its replacement with pessimism or bitterness, for it will inevitably lessen my comfort level and worsen my condition.

Now, allow me to move ahead, to 30 minutes after I read this and was in the examining room, door open, while the nurse was organizing the papers in my folder. I was sitting, waiting patiently, when I became aware that I could overhear one of the physicians, who happened to be on the phone in his office, speaking to one of his patients. It was obvious she was scared and in the process of making a big decision which would impact her health.

This man was human. He was warm, considerate, aware, caring, and fully present for her during a scary time. He answered her questions, didn’t push to end the phone call, and reassured her repeatedly that she had to make the best decision for herself. He asked her if she had any other questions! The conversation ended with honor and respect.

I sat on my exam table, pondering the immensity of the gift the man had just given that woman. And, I decided I had to thank him. Yes! He needed to know that someone noticed his loving heart. So, I told the nurse I was going across the hall to tell the doctor he had just done a good job. She called out his name to let him know I was coming.

He looked up from his desk with a look of surprise as I whisked into his office. “I’m sorry to bother you,” I said, “but I just overheard your conversation and I want to tell you I am proud of you.” I reached out to shake his hand. He looked stunned and smiled gently, extending his hand. We shook hands, looked at each other with knowing smiles, and then I quickly walked back across the hall to wait for my doctor.

So, what was that? Hmm….What was that?

THAT, my dear friends was a man practicing COMPASSIONATE ILLUMINATION.

Our Deepest Fear

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?'

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

~~~Marianne Williamson

Return To Love

A Gentle Reminder

Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least.

~~~Goethe

Visitor's Feedback About Bella Woods Experience

On August 20, 2008 J.'s email read:

Hi Jean. I just wanted to drop you a line and thank you for all your words of wisdom and compassion. I truly felt better on the way home. Pretty drained, but better. I guess that just means I have further to go, and I will! Bella Woods was exactly where I needed to be and I'm so thankful that I listened to that voice that said I should go. You are a great blessing and a true inspiration to listen to what is calling you. I look forward to talking with you in the near future. Once again, my many thanks!!!

Sincerely,
J.

Making A Difference

One day a man was walking along the seashore.
He noticed that during the night
many seashells and starfish had washed up on the shore.
Thoroughly enjoying the morning sun and cool sea air,
the man strolled for miles along the sand.
Far off in the distance, he saw a small figure dancing.
The man was joyous that someone was celebrating life
in such a grand and uninhibited manner.
As he drew closer, however ... it became apparent
that perhaps the figure was not dancing
but was repeatedly performing some ritual.
Approaching the small figure, the man noticed that it was a child.
The girl was methodically picking up starfish from the shore
and tossing them back into the surf.
The man paused for a moment, puzzled, then asked ...
"Why are you throwing those starfish?"
"If I leave these starfish on the beach," she replied,
"the sun will dry them, and they will die.
So I'm throwing them back into the ocean
because I want them to live."
The man was silent for a moment, impressed with the child's thoughtfulness.
Then he motioned up and down the miles and miles of beach and said,
"There must be millions of starfish along here!
How can you possibly expect to make a difference?"
The young girl pondered the man's words for a moment,
then she slowly leaned over, reached down,
and carefully picked up another starfish from the sand.
Pulling back, she arched the starfish gently into the surf.
She turned to the man and smiled.
"You may be right," she said ...
"But I Made A Difference For That One!"

Author Unknown

I'm Sorry

The other day, I stopped by the local gas station to fill up my vehicle’s gas tank. I was just beginning to pump the gas when I noticed a father and his two young children, both under age 5, hurriedly walking into the store. I smiled to myself, remembering some of my early harried parenting moments with my children, Becca and Ben.

The little girl radiated pure light. Her simple, pure, unadulterated innocence naturally beamed outward from her little body. Her steps were energized and fully alive. Joy! She was filled with joy! Her spirit was dancing! This, I observed, was prior to them entering the store.

I was still pumping gas when I saw the three exit from the store and enter the parking lot. Sodas, chips, and candy bars were now in tow. The little girl, guiding and directing her brother’s movements, had a noticeable furrow on her little forehead. Her distress was blatantly visible. Her steps were disjointed and she seemed off balance. Where had her joy gone? What could have happened in just two minutes?

I felt her spirit “reaching out” to her father’s spirit. Yet, he was deliberately not looking at her. He had disconnected himself from her in order to teach her a lesson. And, oh what a lesson this man was teaching his child!

“I’m sorry, Daddy.” She offered these words from the center of her little heart, wholeheartedly and sincerely, hoping for the gift of her father’s forgiveness. I don’t know why she was apologizing. I have no idea if she had literally done something worthy of issuing an apology or not; however, she was in need of being seen and heard.

“No you’re not,” he coldly chided her. He did not look at his child. He was intentionally abandoning her when she needed him the most. The man was cool, in control, and his ego was running amuck. I reminded myself to be still, to witness, to hold her little spirit with love, and to pray for them. Come on, little one. Own your feelings. Take your stand. Own your power. Her little body, previously strong, alert, full of energy and life was now wilting before my very eyes. Her small shoulders now dropped and curled inward…..I thought her chest would cave in from the weight of her father’s words on her heart. Heaviness. Oh, the heaviness.

Her heart, overflowing with emotion, would not be denied. Honestly, respectfully, apologetically she offered, “Yes, I am.” The words quivered as they vibrated outward and upward from her tender spirit.

Again, he did not respond.

I watched her as she checked herself. She looked down at her body, questioning whether or not she was visible. I witnessed her “check” her father, looking up at him with expectation and anticipation, only to be confused by his inability to see her. She did not understand. She was afraid. She was angry. Come on, sweetheart. Speak your truth. Own your feelings.

This little soul, with big round blue eyes and smooth waves of long blond hair, paused. She looked within, listened to her spirit’s prompting and responded, “How do you know I’m not sorry?” The words rang out into the air loud, clear, and true. She was not challenging her father. She was simply asking. She knew what she was feeling.

She waited for his response.

There was none.

Nothing.

No thing.

He aggressively whipped open the car door and nonverbally gestured for the kids to climb into the vehicle. They obeyed, crawled in, both parking in their assigned spots. The little girl’s final resignation was more than I could stomach. Her light had just been extinguished. My eyes began to fill with tears.

That final scene was one of the most sorrow-full scenes I have ever observed. I witnessed the disconnect and deep distress as they engraved themselves on that precious, vulnerable, newly forming heart. I had just seen the little girl’s body, mind, and spirit progressively shut down.

As I watched them drive away I repeated her question.

“How do you know?”

Mother Gives Feedback About Daughter's Session

"Thank you so much for seeing ___today. She said she felt so much while you were working with her. When you had your hand over her third eye, she saw colors, and was just about to tell you that when the Lion told you to stop. You were so right about the problems she has articulating things, and the digestive problems, AND the breathing problems. She has had asthma since she was about 1 yr. old....She would like to schedule an appointment with you pretty soon to do the past life regression thing....I think one of the biggest things you do for people is to help them know they are special and unique, and important! It's nice to know that we are truly noticed by the universe.

You are a treasure on this earth.
Thank you."

FEEDBACK FROM CLIENTS

On July 11, 2008 S.'s email read:

...I wanted you to know that I felt FANTASTIC after our session last night! Like...I don't know if I have ever felt that good in my whole life. Physically, I was just walking on air, and Spiritually, wow! I have been thinking constantly of all the things you told me, especially the affirmations. I couldn't stop talking to everyone about how amazing you are. You totally ROCK!....Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for being the person you are, and thank you for giving up teaching English!

I still feel great since our session, especially at that place in my back that you worked your magic on. It has been really hurting for about a month, and I just hadn't gotten around to seeing a chiropractor. It's amazing how you zeroed in on the exact spot that hurt, even though I hadn't mentioned anything to you about it! I am learning to open myself to receive abundance, thanks to you. YOU are a big blessing in my life! Thanks so much!


On June 14, 2008 H.'s email offered:

It was nice to see you again. I must admit you confirmed something for me today. In recent years when something seemed true I would feel certain sensations. Today it hit home. Yeah, these sensations are really what they mean. Talking to you after everything you said it was like boom, boom, boom. Okay, I'm not crazy. So, thank you.

I must also say I'm still not 100% sure what part the fairies are to play in my life but I do know they are there. My flowers in my yard are beautiful. Things have appeared for me and I'm not sure how they got there. I couldn't find a ring and I asked them to help me find it. Within a week it showed up on top of a jewelry pile. I give them thanks by leaving chocolate and a shinny wrapper in my garden. I told my sister of this and she asked the fae into her yard. She left a gift of chocolate in a shinny wrapper. An apple tree that has never produced had blooms this year! She also said her flowers have never looked more vibrant.

....Thank you for helping me to find a peace. When I get back I would like to schedule an hour session. You bring out the best in me.

Thank you and Bless You

Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Melody Beattie

JEAN'S GRATITUDE CHALLENGE

Friends,

I invite you to consider whether or not you practice an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE on a daily basis. Developing an attitude of gratitude WILL change your life. Are you a "glass is half-full" or a "glass is half-empty" type of person? Are you an optimist or a pessimist? You are probably saying, "Jean, what difference does it make?" IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. Why should you make the time to focus on gratitude? Because what you focus on GROWS!

I want to challenge you today to begin keeping a GRATITUDE JOURNAL. Write down at least 5 things each day for which you are grateful. Celebrate the gifts you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch! Accept my invitation to practice an attitude of gratitude and you'll soon understand that A LITTLE GRATITUDE GOES A LONG WAY!

With Gratitude,
Jean

JEAN'S GRATITUDE JOURNAL
JULY 13, 2008

1. I am grateful for the flowers in my butterfly gardens!
2. I am grateful for music!
3. I am grateful for the precious words, "I love you."
4. I am grateful for new beginnings.
5. I am grateful for Tyler's Mystic Moon.
6. I am grateful for the book, THE MAGIC BOX, by Egan Sanders.
7. I am grateful for having buttermilk pancakes (with peaches, blueberries, and real maple syrup) with my father and my sister.
8. I am grateful for my blessed life.
9. I am grateful for giggles.
10. I am grateful for the gift of the present.