Spiritual Guidance and Grace: Ask Maureen
And welcome to the month of June.
A little reminder: As you know our walk to the Forest of Bowland takes place on the 5th of this month. If you get a wiggle on there’s still time to join us 🙂
In this month’s article I would like to continue to share with you a few more authors who have had an influence on my thinking and practice. They all turned their lives from chaos, and confusion, to become the people they were meant to be. Someone said being our true selves, is when, our only desire, is to serve others, with no thought of gain, or influence or favour.
Some of you dear readers may be familiar with the names of these authors, and their work. I only ask that you keep an open mind and heart; and only take that which resonates within your being, as true for you.
These authors all have demonstrated that through grace, and self-investment, time, patience, self-love and understanding, were able to make those changes.
Because of sharing their personal and often painful experiences they in turn have helped countless thousands to do the same.
Another amazing common denominator they share is that none wanted, sought, or expected for any amazing spiritual gifts and insights to be given. And each of them, were able to come up with identifying how their thinking patterns, action, and emotions, impacted on their own health and well-being, and how, thoughtless behaviour, words and actions can badly affect others. Creating many avoidable illnesses and ailments.
For example, Louise Hay discovered that holding onto anger and resentment at them, her parents, caused her cancer. By doing the mental work, changing her diet, and utilising alternative therapies she cured her cancer. After all she had written about positive thinking and now had the opportunity to put her beliefs into practice. So, whenever she wrote or spoke to another, she could do so with absolute conviction.
Louise was a model in her younger years and travelled widely with her titled husband. She reports in her book “You can heal your life”, how she felt so insecure. She would spend hours plucking her eyebrows in the belief that they would somehow bring her perfection. Louise describes how harsh her young childhood and home-life was, a traumatic incident occurred when she was molested by what she describes as a “old winey”, She told her parents about her attacker, only to be punished for telling such awful lies.
Low self-esteem, starved of love and affection, Louise left home at the tender age of fifteen, she could no longer take the beatings, and hard labour.
And like most young people who have suffered such trauma, she grew up with the belief that she was unlovable and worthless. Despite being very attractive, her pattern of thinking attracted the wrong kind of man into her life. Until she met her husband. And in her words. Just as she was relaxing into married life and starting to believe that good things can happen, he divorced her for another; reinforcing the belief that she was unlovable.
Encouraged by a work colleague she attended a meeting, a little voice told her to pay attention, the talk was on metaphysics. Louise felt compelled to learn as much as she could on the subject. She attended a summer vacation at the Maharishi’s International University Fairfield Iowa, where she studied many interesting subjects Including meditation.
As she learned more, she was able to let old mental patterns of thinking go. Demonstrating that what negative beliefs we learn and accept to be true about us, by our parents, teachers, siblings, and other significant adults, can be challenged, unlearnt, and replaced with a more positive realistic belief. In other words, she no longer believed the messages that were given her by her brutish stepdad, past lovers, and so-called friends. She learned that she was of value, of worth, and deserving of a good and happy life.
Louise became a metaphysical teacher, and slowly took on clients. Through her practice, she realised that people held onto old beliefs, that prevented them from moving forward in life. She found ways to help her clients move through their stuck ness. She helped them to let go of old habits of thinking. And replace them with more realistic ones, that will serve them, instead of stagnating them.
She was using her spiritual knowledge that comes from within, whenever we meditate, we become still. We access inner wisdom and knowledge. The secret to tapping into it, is to simply, take the time out to sit in silence.
Let your higher self-guide you. Listen to that small inner voice that gently provides you with the answers that you seek.
Did not our Lord tell us. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you.
Louise went on to become a worldwide best seller. Her tapes and books have helped thousands make the necessary changes to their lives, including mine.
Louise has left the planet and returned home but her work remains, and if you want to make changes, then this book is a great one to start with. Enjoy!
Spiritual Guidance and Grace: Ask Maureen
The next author is Carolyn Myss, last name pronounced like mice. Carolyn describes herself in ‘Anatomy of the Spirit’ The seven stages of power and healing. as a hard-nosed journalist who refused to meditate, or even listen to anything metaphysical. She describes drinking coffee by the gallons and smoking like a trooper.
Her story is another example of how by God’s grace, the power of the spirit can come in and change us. Not like St Pauls journey on the road to Damascus, but in a more subtle way.
Carolyn gave up journalism and went into the publishing business. Although she still lived the lifestyle of a journalist. Then one day she noticed that when a colleague was talking about a sick relative, she would intuitively know what was wrong with them. Her friends and colleagues told their friends, about her abilities and soon she had people asking for a reading on their health issues.
She found too that she could tell just what the problems was when speaking to them on the telephone. Unsure why all this was happening. She feared that she might get her diagnosis wrong. She did not treat them, only advised them on what she was picking up.
One day a lady came for a reading. Carolyn hesitated she was wondering how she could tell this lady she had cancer and it had spread to other parts of her body. The lady seemed impatient, well she demanded. I’m so sorry started Carolyn you have cancer and. “oh I know that she retorted what I want to know is why”?
As Carolyn shifted uneasily in her chair trying to avoid this dreaded question, she felt herself shrinking, and fading into the background, as this mighty energy started to take over her. She found herself speaking though did not formulate the words. The speaker went on to tell this woman the story of her life and how all her anxieties, worries, lifestyle choices had contributed to her illness.
Carolyn watched and listened observing what was taking place. And when he had finished as she perceived this was a male, she begged that the woman would believe it was her who had spoken, as she didn’t know how to explain just what had taken place.
The woman sat back in her seat and thanked her. “Now I can accept this” she said, “thank you, you, have given me peace.” She got up and left. Carolyn never saw or heard from her again. Reeling from the experience. She sat a long time deep in thought at what had just taken place.
It was not until she met Dr Norman Shealy, a medical doctor, that her work took off in another dimension. Soon, he was referring patients to her for a diagnosis. He encouraged her to learn anatomy, a subject she was not familiar with, which aided her accuracy. They formed a partnership and have worked closely together as both friends and colleagues.
Carolyn has gone on to write several more books. She has appeared on many television programmes, and like Louise become a successful writer and healer.
Both, women, had no idea that their spiritual gifts laid dormant. All spiritual gifts are given before we are born. You cannot earn them; they lie like a seed dormant in the soul. It takes prayer, meditation, and faith for them to blossom.
Faith sometimes challenges us, and takes us into unfamiliar territory, and experiences. As I wrote in my last article. The truth cannot be fettered like a dog by a 10ft chain. Each of our authors were influenced by what we might term our higher selves, or spirit guide, some may even say their Holy Guardian Angel, or spiritual helper. Notice how their change came to pass. Each were at a crossroads in their life. Carolyn was not happy with her life, even though she had no money worries, and her publishing business was thriving, she felt something was missing. Louise was searching for a bigger meaning to her existence and found it, in a most extraordinary way. We might never experience what they did, but that does not mean that we are not guided. Think of the synchronicities that have taken place in your own lives. When we keep an open mind.
My next author’s story is totally different and profound. Dannion Brinkley had what we now term as a near death experience NDE. The subject was hardly known or spoken of. Today there are countless thousands, all over the globe who are reporting of their own NDE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYeMTBc14tY
Like Dannion they report having some major physical trauma, or accident, and leaving their body. Only to view themselves in that given situation and observing the scene below them. Conscious awareness is registered, being held in loving bliss, and feeling no fear, is common. Many have wonderful experiences, in the realms of spirit world. Each remember with absolute clarity the events. And often come back with spiritual insights, and abilities.
Dannion Brinkley, stands out for me. I read Dannion’s NDE account some decades ago, in his book ‘Saved by the Light,’ the true story of a man who died twice and the profound revelations that he received during his NDE. Not long after his bestselling book was out, it was turned into a movie.
Proclaimed dead by the medical profession, when struck by a lightening bolt. His experience was life changing. During those 28 minutes, when no vital signs were recorded, his body was left on a trolley waiting to be taken to the morgue, when a friend who was late arriving noticed him take a breath.
During those minutes he tells us of his experience in the spiritual realms. He had a past life review, where he was shown his life from birth to the moment of passing. He tells his readers that the spirit people, who were with him, during his review did not judge him, but were loving and understanding towards him. Formerly to this experience Danny, would describe himself as a mean bully, who had picked on younger, less abler kids, and people all through his life. He got to feel the impact of his actions, behaviour, and words, feeling their pain and emotions. When he returned to his body. His recuperation took two years, so badly burnt and damaged was his body and internal organs. Then extraordinary events showed up in his life.
He had pre-cognitions, premonitions, he only had to touch a person to know that person’s true feelings. He turned his life around. He knew he had to make amends for the sake of his soul. He set about trying to right his wrongs. Of course, people cold-shouldered him, they were wary of this bully, making it almost impossible for him to make things right.
He grew depressed, and isolated himself, until he saw an Ad in a local newspaper on Near Death Experiences by Dr Raymond A Moody. He decided to go to the meeting. He shared his story, and the Doctor helped him to understand what had happened to him. He showed Dannion how he could be of service in another way. Firstly, by sharing his experience, and second that he was not the only one to have an NDE. Dr Moody has interviewed hundreds of people who have had NDEs. He recorded them in his book Life after Life, and the sequel The Light Beyond.
Dannion, works in a hospice. Here he helps the dying to cross over peacefully. He shares his experience of love and acceptance in the spirit realms when we leave this life. The spirit guide who was with Dannion told him that ‘Who we are, is the difference that Love makes.
An interesting final point is that notably all NDEs share a commonality.
- They all felt pure love and acceptance, being cradled in this amazing peace on passing.
- Beings of love and radiance surrounded them, sometimes as a guide or other form, friend, family member, or pet.
- There was Karmic structure like a life-review with absolutely no judgement.
- All returned with renewed spiritual grace.
- And in most cases were told it is not their time and must return, a few had a choice to stay or go. All chose to return.
Those who come back go on to become better people, parents, partners.
Some have amazing talents and gifts of healing, painting, composing music. Starting their own therapeutic practice. The dormant spiritual gifts I talked of earlier.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading about these authors as much as I have enjoyed sharing them with you.
I would like to continue this subject in a follow up article.
*Please contact me if you have had a NDE I would love to hear your story. Perhaps it is the first time that you reveal what has happened. I assure you that you will be received with thoughtfulness, and no judgement. *
Email me @maureenkoyne@aol.co.uk
Until next time, Dear friends, look after one another, and remember a problem shared is a problem halved.
Maureen xx
You can make a 1-1 appointment with Maureen or come and speak with here on our next “Day of Healing” at Crosby Library. https://lifebalancestudio.co.uk/healing-days/
