Blue Star Visions

Jan 30

Interview with Iva Kenaz, author of The Witch Within

By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Book Review, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

I just finished reading The Witch Within and greatly enjoyed the main character’s journey both physically and spiritually. The following is an interview with the author.

Iva Kenaz author.

What inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve been fascinated with storytelling since childhood. I wrote many simple hand-written books and in my teenage years I wrote a three-part novel about past lives. I often had repetitive dreams and visions in which I experienced stories from another person’s point of view and felt compelled to note them down. I keep returning to these dreams for inspiration. Writing is something very magical and sacred to me. I believe that it’s a divine communication between the author and the worlds beyond.

What is The Witch Within about and what is the major theme?

The Witch Within is set in 16th century Bohemia and is about a sixteen-year-old gifted healer, Talitha who has been charged with witchcraft.

Talitha escapes to the abandoned Cursed Lands and seeks the ancient cave of her ancestors where her grandmother lived. In the mystical woods, she starts to remember her ancestral lore of healing and magical symbolism and receives guidance on how to survive from the local spirits. But then she is captured by two men who were sent to bring her back to the local justice. One is a brute, but the other one is fatally attracted to her.

After Talitha manages to escape them, she finds her ancestral cave, but also another one at the highest peak of the forest where a group of refugee women have established a camp. By facing both the dark and bright side of her kin, Talitha learns that what she thought was her curse, may yet become her gift.

The major theme is survival, both in physical, emotional and spiritual sense. It’s about overcoming one’s fears and limitations and becoming empowered using primordial inner wisdom.

The Witch Within

What kind of research did you do for the book? What made you pick the 16th century in South Bohemia?

The story is inspired by repetitive dreams and visions I used to have and partly by a book called The Secret History of Czech Lands (by A.Cesal,O.Dvorak and V.Matl) that focuses on the long-gone mysteries of my home country.

During the 16^th century the witch-hunts became more serious all over Europe but I decided on that period mainly symbolically, as the story is made up and thus remains a fantasy.

I was also inspired by the beautiful magnetic countryside of South Bohemia, particularly mountain Kleť, which could translate to Cursed or Mountain of Curses. In the middle ages many landscapes of South Bohemia were feared and some of them even drowned under lakes and ponds. People considered them cursed and haunted, however, those places had rich pagan history and concealed the wisdom of Celtic, Slavic and Germanic tribes.

How does Talitha, the main character, grow and change in your book from her experiences?

Talitha starts off as a gifted healer but she has a very low-self esteem and feels guilty about the death of her brother. She believes that her choice of herbs caused his death. It’s only once she manages to heal one of her captors that she realizes she is truly able to save lives.

Eventually, she also becomes initiated in the magical and healing power of runes and a part of her soul that used to be conscious of such ancestral mysteries begins to re-unite with her present self.

Her spirit is also greatly tested by the shadow side of magic but in the end Talitha learns to understand that the witch within her might not be a curse but an actual virtue.

What writing project are you working on now?

I’ve been working on a stand-alone sequel to The Witch Within that focuses on Talitha’s granddaughter, Berkana, and delves deeper into the mysteries of the natural spirit, runes and sacred geometry.

Iva Kenaz’s Bio.

I’m an indie author and a devoted student and practitioner of Sacred Geometry, Astrology, Tarot, Runes and Channeling. My novels are mainly visionary/metaphysical and are greatly influenced by spirituality, symbolism and philosophy.
In June 2014 I published my first novel The Witch Within and later that year also a personal confession titled My Melancholic Diary. I studied screenwriting at a film university in Prague, FAMU and MA Creative Writing at London South Bank University. Currently, I’ve been working on a stand-alone sequel to The Witch Within as well as doing a research for my non-fiction book about archetypes in storytelling.

Here is Iva Kenzaz’s website.

http://www.ivakenaz.com/

share this:

Jan 22

0

Shadows in the Sand, Fantasy story by Michael Diack
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Book Review | 18 Comments

Shadow in the Sand by Michael Diack

Shadows in the Sand is a fantastic fantasy story that is reminiscent of Tolkiens. The following is an interview with the author.

What inspired you to become a writer?

Writing has always made me happy and I’m motivated by a personal sense of achievement not a financial one. It’s great to see your hard work pay off by having one of your own books in your hands.   I still have a day job that I love and that pays the bills, but it’s great to have a hobby.

How did you come up with the idea for the Shadows in the Sand?

I used to work in Oman in the middle of the desert.  I was there for nearly five years on a seismic crew looking for oil and gas.  Everything in Shadows is inspired by the Omani landscape: the rolling dunes, the rugged mountains, the lifeless voids of endless flat terrain and, of course, the snakes, scorpions and other creepy-crawlies!

The world you have created is very detailed how did you come up with it?

I am inspired by the environment I live in.  I’ve had a lot of good feedback about the descriptions of the landscape and that’s because I essentially lived in the world of Shadows in the Sand.  I sweated in the heat, felt the hot, desiccating wind and I know what’s it like to be alone on top of a sand dune with no sound but your own breathing.  I consider myself very lucky to have experience an environment like Oman and in this modern world of big cities and hectic noise, it was very other-worldly to be in terrain like that.  I think my descriptions are strong but character dialogue is something I need to work on for future novels.

How do you come up with good names for your characters and beasts?

Again, some of the names have an Arabic feel to them while others are normal Western-style names.  I actually find it hard to think of strange names for the beasts and I usually just write a list down while a little half-drunk and then see if they make sense when I’m sober!

This is part of series called Empyria. How many books are in the series and how do you plot your books?

There are actually only two books, the final being The Light and The Glass.  I found the second book much more fun to write as I had already set up all the plot in book one.  So book two is basically one non-stop epic of huge battles and life-changing scenarios.  As for plot, I have a general sense of where the storyline is going but I’m never too detailed.  I usually find that when I’m in the ‘zone’ and writing thousands of words each day the book just takes on a shape of its own.  However, that’s not to say it is perfect as it’s usually editing that is the very hard part and ironing out the plot-holes you find and sticking points.

Do you know the ending to the series?

I must be honest though, the ending to Book Two does leave open the possibility to writing more.  I never actually specified how large the world of Empyria is as I only talked about the one continent.  Perhaps there could be another land, inhabited by other monsters or another race, on the opposite side of the world.  That’s the great thing about writing fantasy, you are unrestricted and there is no limit to the scope of your imagination or world-building.   I know I said I’m not motivated by money but the truth is it also costs a lot to self-publish if you’re putting quality work out there.  A good thousand dollars for paying an editor to proofread your 75,000 word novel and then the cover design.  I’m simply not making the sales from Empyria to justify writing a third and paying to have it edited again.  I appreciate that’s negative talk but you have to prioritize everyday life and rent!

What fantasy authors have inspired you?

I’m a huge Tolkien fan.  I think my entire bookcase is taken up by almost all his works.  It’s incredible how one man created so much detail and even a language.  I also find that Tolkien’s books are the only ones I regular re-read and never get bored of.  As a child I also enjoyed Brian Jacque’s Redwall series about heroic mice and other animals taking on the evil rats and similar foes!

Michael Diack

Author bio:

My name is Michael Diack and I’m from the UK, but currently living and working in Denmark.

I studied geology at the University of Manchester and, after graduating, I was lucky to find a job in the Middle East working for a geophysical company.

My favorite authors are Haruki Murakami, JRR Tolkien, Markus Heitz and an Italian author called Niccolo Ammaniti. I love fantasy books but I’ll read almost any genre that catches my eye, yet it is the world of Middle-earth that fills up my bookcase.

I released my debut novel, The Super Spud Trilogy, back in April 2012 as a paperback and e-book for Kindle. Book 4 of the Super Spuds – Over Land and Sea, was released on Kindle in December 2012. In July 2013 I branched out from writing about magical crisp packets and released Shadows in the Sand, the first part of my fantasy series Empyria – a survival story set in a dystopian world in the desert.

I’ll happily interact with any readers through Twitter, my website or on Facebook.

share this:

Jan 07

0

Writing Red Willow’s Quest led to unexpected revelations
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Writing | 13 Comments

Every novel has a story behind it—a reason the author felt drawn to write it. When I started writing Red Willow’s Quest I decided to write a fantasy story of a young woman on a spiritual quest. I began writing the story as fantasy because it was close to the genre I’d used for my other novels.

However, after writing several chapters, I realized the story resembled a culture very similar to the Plains Indians. I debated with myself about starting over and writing the book as a Native American story. While I pondered this, I started reading a manuscript. It seemed as if the universe was speaking to me, for this story was about a woman who remembered her past life as a Native American woman. I wondered if my story was based on my past life as a Plains Indian.

I had to take my daughter to her flute lesson, so I put aside the manuscript and went outside. There in the yard I found a hawk feather standing straight up in perfect condition. On each of the next two days I found another hawk feather in the yard. For me finding three hawk feathers was a significant spiritual sign that I should start over and write the story as my past-life recall of being a Native American maiden.

Drawing of three hawk feathers

Later, I heard a talk by a spiritual leader who said to some Native Americans the cry of a hawk meant clear spiritual vision and flying above the mundane world. This was further confirmation that I was on the right track.

Once I’d made the decision to write about my own past life, memories of that life started coming through especially as I began researching the Plains Indians. All the research I did opened the door to this past life and my memories began to flood through that revealed much about that lifetime. However, I didn’t know the exact time period or place where that life happened, nor did I know what tribe I’d been part of.

I knew that the story took place in the mountains, so I started out by figuring out what mountains range I lived in. Through my readings and looking at photographs, I soon realized that I had lived in the Rocky Mountains. I had always felt a deep affinity and love for the Rockies that I now realized came from that life. As a child my family spent many vacations camping and hiking in Glacier National Park. Later as a young adult I backpacked in the Rockies. On these trips I always felt at home.

My research also revealed that I was a Shoshoni Indian. Their culture, clothing and food matched what I remembered from that life. The Shoshonis: Sentinels of the Rockies clarified that this was where some of the tribes lived.

The time period where that life took place turned out to be fairly easy to establish because Red Willow and her companion go to a fort on the mouth of the Big Horn River. Research revealed that in 1807 John Colter and Manuel Lisa built a trading post called Fort Raymond in that location. The fort was only in existence for one year. John Colter was one of the men who was a part of Lewis and Clark’s expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase. He built the fort after the expedition was completed.

A draft of a map of Red Willow’s journey

More pieces of the puzzle of that lifetime fell into place as I continued researching, such as figuring out which people attacked Red Willow’s village. When I traveled out west, I also found out that a name I thought I’d made up for a tribe was the real name. I’ll talk about these discoveries in the next post.

Here is a review of the book by June Rouse that was published in The Monthly Aspectarian:

If you’re looking for a yarn that keeps you guessing, Red Willow’s Quest, a story of an Indian maiden who was anything but tractable, provides adventure, romance and food for thought in striking settings throughout the early West. . . . As a mark of a fine craftsman, Heidi Skarie’s telling of the story keeps readers engaged. . . . Red Willow’s Quest not only is a good story but a primer in learning to follow your dreams and listen to your heart.

If you’re interested in buying the book, Click here to link to Amazon.

share this:

Dec 29

0

A Unique way to Find a Loving Relationship
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Book Review | One Comment

How to Find Love

Lyndra Hearn Antonson’s recently published book, How to Find Love: A Spiritual Approach, focuses on finding a loving relationship, although anyone can benefit from reading it. It’s full of good stories and techniques to help you live a happier life.

Lyndra is a love relationship and life coach with many years of experience helping people nurture healthy, loving relationships. Her approach is a spiritual one for finding love. She used the tools in her book to find her current husband and have an amazing marriage. She wants this for the reader as well. Lyndra goes on to say, “You are love. The truth is, you are a divine spark of God. . . . There’s nothing about you that needs to change in order for you to be loveable and loved.”

The book is divided into five chapters: Prayer, Intuition, Dreams, Synchronicity and Gratitude. In each chapter Lyndra introduces the topic, shares stories (many from her own life), and then gives techniques to try.

The first chapter is on Prayer. Lyndra’s definition of true prayer is listening to God. She says “Life’s changes are opportunities to learn more about love.” Over time she began to see blessings came to her even through adverse circumstances.

An exercise she gives in this chapter is to write a letter to God, sharing the challenges in your heart and on your mind, and then let God write back.

Another exercise she gives is to sing the word HU, a beautiful prayer to open your heart. HU is a love song to God.

The second chapter on Intuition focuses on learning to sense something without using rational thought. What is your gut feeling? In Lyndra’s case, her intuition told her a relationship wouldn’t work out, but she didn’t listen and went through unnecessary pain. Later, she learned to follow her inner guidance to greater happiness.

This chapter features a technique where you ask your intuition to guide you on every decision you make and then see the results.

The third chapter is on Dreams. Here Lyndra talks about receiving guidance through dreams. To be more open to receive this guidance, she suggests keeping a dream journal and asking questions before bed.

The fourth chapter is Synchronicity—those incidences when things in our lives line up miraculously. We may think it’s just a coincidence, but it’s really Spirit working in partnership with us. An exercise you might try is to look for the miracles in your life.

The fifth chapter on Gratitude is about having an attitude of thankfulness and appreciation. This attitude includes the challenging experiences we go through because they are learning opportunities. As an exercise, try keeping a gratitude journal. Each day write down a list of five or more gifts you’re grateful for.

I enjoyed reading about Lyndra’s spiritual way of looking at and finding a loving relationship. I’ve been fortunate to have a loving marriage for thirty-nine years, yet I use some of these techniques to keep all my relationships strong.

Have you had any guidance-related dream experiences you’d like to share? Ever seen synchronicity at work in your life? Have you tried keeping a gratitude journal? I’d love to hear your stories.
share this:

Dec 12

0

What Makes a Good Book Cover?
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Writing | 21 Comments

One of the most important things an indie author can do is to design an attractive book cover. A reader often decides if he or she is interested in buying a book within a few seconds. The first thing that attracts their attention is the cover. The next thing is the title and then the back cover copy if it is a paperback book. If it’s an eBook, the reader will look at the book description on the site selling it.

Now days the cover must look nice for a paperback book, and it must also translate well as a small photo, both in color and black-and-white for its digital release. If it has too much going on in the picture or too many words, it will not show well in the small photo shown on sites like Amazon.

Some authors design their own book covers using sites such as Createspace, which has design tools for making your own cover. Unfortunately, sometimes when an author makes his or her own cover, it doesn’t look professional.

The cover needs to let the reader know what kind of book it is and be artistically appealing.

For my book Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge, I searched online to find book cover designers. Then I looked at each designer’s covers until I found one that I liked. I decided to go with one of the designers on Deranged Doctor Design. Their prices are reasonable and you don’t pay them until “you love” the cover they design for you. You start by giving them a description of the characters and book.

Here is the first cover draft they made for my book. I liked the photo of the woman looking directly at the reader. Studies have shown that people spend more time looking at faces than objects. I also thought the blue color was nice. But also I found obvious problems with this draft.

First of all, the title was incorrect: The book is Star Rider not Star Raider. Another problem was it looked like a romance rather than a science fiction book. A third problem was the author’s name was hard to read and I didn’t like the color pink for the title.

I went to Amazon and looked through book covers and sent several to Deranged Doctor Design to show examples of science fiction covers I liked. I told them the cover needed a spaceship and an outer space scene.

They worked on it and sent me draft two. They added the spaceship, changed the color of the title from pink to red. I liked the changes, but still wasn’t sure if the color of the title was right. I also wanted the hero to have longer hair and I didn’t want him to be wearing a white undershirt.

As part of my process, I showed the cover to some friends and family to get their opinion. One of the things my brother noticed was that putting “Star Rider Series” on the cover repeated the words Star Rider. I decided it would be better to delete that it was part of a series. The men also didn’t like the pink title cover even when it was darker.

Here is draft three. The designer made an attempt to do what I asked and made the man’s shirt black and his hair longer. Unfortunately, I didn’t like how his hair looked and thought the title was too dark. I also had viewers comment that the woman’s four fingers on the back of his neck looked strange. Overall, however, the cover was getting much closer to what I wanted.

For draft four they changed the man’s hair back to how it was originally, took out the woman’s fingers, changed the title to a variegated lighter blue. The author’s name was also variegated. I accepted this copy.

Later however, I noticed that the title seemed distorted when it was shrunk to a smaller size. I also checked how it looked in black-and-white as many readers would see it on digital readers. It looked distorted that way as well. To accommodate this anomaly, the designer changed the variegated letters for the final version when they created the back cover.

In conclusion, be sure to ask other people’s opinion of the cover. Does it grab their attention and entice them in? Look at the image both large and small to see if it looks good both ways. Find a designer you can afford and who is willing to make the changes you want. Look at other covers they’ve designed. Look at covers in your genre, both online and in bookstores. Creating a good cover is a key element in marketing your book.

Here is the final version of the front and back cover. Deranged Doctor Design did a great job of designing an appealing cover that catches the eye.

share this:

Nov 27

1

Blessings and Gratitude
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | photography | 12 Comments

Thanksgiving here in the United States is a good day to reflect on all the blessings in our life and what we have to be grateful for. Sometimes we overlook the smaller blessings like being able to breathe and move and think. The gift of life itself is the greatest blessing. Other blessings include family, friends, our pets, uplifting music and the beauty of the world around us.

Often we aren’t aware of our blessings until hardship comes. We take the ability to breath for granted until we are sick and have difficulty breathing. When we open up our consciousness we have a greater awareness of these everyday blessings and then want to give back to the world around us.

One evening as I was driving down a dark highway I realized that I was going a little under the speed limit. I started to speed up when I saw a deer. I slowed as it darted right in front of my car and bound across the road. Then I noticed another deer on the shoulder of the road to my right. It was about to cross. I felt a split second of fear that it would leap in front of my car and then I passed it.

I thought little more about the incident, but later on I read a story about a bus driver. He was on his route when he saw someone on a bike who was about to fall into the street right in front of his bus. By some miracle the bike righted itself and the bus driver didn’t hit the biker. The bus drive was aware that this was a blessing in his life. The bike rider and he had both been protected. When I read the story I realized that I’d also been blessed and protected. I could have been in a serious accident if I’d hit the deer and the deer could have been injured. How often are we protected and we don’t even realize it?

I wanted to share a few things I’ve been blessed to see.

The photo at the top of the page I took recently at the conservatory at the Minnesota Zoo. It was one of those rare moments where I was able to capture a shot without any people in the room.

One of the things I enjoy about being up at my Mother’s cabin on the North Shore of Lake Superior is that you can see the sunrise across the water. Here is a photo I took this fall.

One spring day I saw a fawn that was hidden in my backyard. I was sitting at a table eating with my husband and a good friend when I spotted it bedded down in the hosta plants.

Last spring my husband and I went to Switzerland and visited a friend. I took this shot when we were hiking in the Swiss Alps.

This shot I took on the same trip. We went for a walk on Lake Geneva and came across these swans.

Thank you for reading my posts and being a part of my life. Do you have any stories of blessings you have received that you’d like to share? I always love to hear your stories.
share this:

Nov 11

0

Coincidences: Messengers of Truth
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Book Review | One Comment

At the MN State Fair

This fall I went to the Minnesota State Fair with my husband and Asher, our one-year-old grandson. We took Asher to see the farm animals and afterward sat down to color a picture. A woman came over and said the picture could be entered in a contest.

When I told her my grandson’s name, she said, “Is he Nick’s son?” Turns out, she used to work for my son-in-law. Thousands of people were at the State Fair that day. What were the chances we would run into someone who knew Asher’s father?

Coincidences happen regularly in our lives, but are we paying attention to them? In a book I read recently, Maisie Dobbs by

Maisie Dobbs

Jacqueline Winspear, the main character is a detective in 1929 who pays attention

to coincidences in her line of work. As the story progresses, we learn that Maisie worked for a wealthy London aristocrat when she was thirteen. Her employer, Lady Compton, soon realized how bright Maisie was and had the young woman’s education nourished by Maurice Blanche. Under his influence “Maisie had taken to pondering just about everything that happened in the course of a day, seeing coincidences and patterns in the life around her” (p. 101).

Maurice takes her to see Dr. Khan from Ceylon, a man of wisdom and insight. From Khan she learns to sit in deliberate silence and still the mind. Later that skill serves to help her stay calm when she becomes a nurse in the Great War, serving on the front line. “But for now, Maurice Blanche told Maisie, it was no small coincidence that she often knew what a person was going to say before he or she spoke, or that she seemed to intuit an event before it had occurred” (p. 108).

The story moves seamlessly through the past and present. In the present Maisie tries to solve her first case, which appears to be a simple case of infidelity. Instead it leads to a much deeper mystery that takes her back to the horrors of war and has her dealing with her own unfinished past.

The book is the first in a best-selling series about a lady detective. It is also a historical novel and coming-of-age story. But what I found really interesting is the way Maisie uses her unique abilities to help solve the case and how the case is part of a deeper pattern that helps her face her past and move on.

The book reminded me of the larger patterns in my own life, such as running into a woman who knew Asher at the State Fair. We can call chance happenings coincidences, but what if they are anything but a coincidence?

Have you experienced a coincidence that led you to see there’s something beyond your everyday life? I’d love to hear your stories.

Asher at the State Fair at the Horse Barn

share this:

Oct 22

0

Unity Day – How One Gorilla Can Unite the World
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Art, Book Review | 2 Comments

Today’s post is on Joy Dey and Nikki Johnson’s new book One Gorilla. The book has an important message about treating others with kindness and lush watercolor illustrations.

October is National Bullying Prevention month and October 22 is Unity Day – a day to wear orange, and unite against the bullying that causes 1 in 10 kids to drop out of school.

Unite Against Bulllying

Our take on this is to promote kindness in children before bullying ever becomes an issue. We all know it’s good to be kind and help each other out, but it’s good to be reminded that those acts of kindness really do pay forward. An act of kindness costs the giver so little and yet can make a huge difference for the receiver. It can start to change the whole climate of the “jungles” we all live in, be they tropical or urban.

Our latest children’s picture book, One Gorilla, is our take on this and a great way to sit with a kid www.sitwithakid.com/onegorilla.php (see what I did there?! That’s our logo!) and talk about how their day went.

Cover of One Gorilla
By Joy Dey and Nikki Johnson

The lush watercolor paintings in One Gorilla depict an angry, eerie jungle…

Leopard attacks. . .

…that gets brighter and happier as one act of kindness.

His heart goes out to the chimp…

…spreads through it.

But what if he turns her right side up?

Nikki Johnson, the illustrator, is a signature member of the Lake Superior Watercolor Society. The paintings are done onYupo paper, which lends itself to Nikki’s wild and free style.

So! Celebrate Unity Day with us – wear orange, give someone a compliment, and check out our book!

Thanks for hosting us Heidi! You are one of the kindest people we know.

share this:

Oct 06

0

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Book Review, Past lives | One Comment

Enemy Women

I recently read a book about the Civil War entitled Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles. The novel is about an aspect of the war I didn’t know about. In Missouri, southern guerilla fighters fought the Union. In response, the Union declared Missouri under martial law, sent in the Union militia and denied the citizens their constitutional rights. In Missouri martial law continued for two years after the war.

The militia used their authority to steal from local people and burn their houses. After three years of war almost the only people left in Missouri were women and children. Some women were accused of aiding guerilla soldiers and were arrested, then sent to prison or hung. Under martial law, the women weren’t entitled to a trial nor was any evidence needed to arrest them.

Each chapter in the book begins with an actual letter or newspaper article written at the time of the Civil War, relating what was happening in the story. This added an element of realism. The novel is well written with detailed descriptions and a spunky heroine who is imaginative and outspoken.

The story is about a brutal period of time and follows the experience of Adair, an eighteen-year-old Missouri woman. Her widowed father remains neutral during the war, but three years into it the militia comes to their farm. Adair’s brother, who has a crippled arm, sees them coming and hides. Adair’s father is beaten and arrested by the militia. The soldiers then steal the family horses, livestock, possessions and try to burn down their house.

After the militia leaves, Adair and her two younger sisters travel north on foot to find out what happened to their father.

When they arrive at a northern post, Adair is denounced as being a Confederate spy and sent to prison in St. Louis. While imprisoned, she’s interrogated by Major Neumann. He tries to get her to reveal information about the Confederation. Instead she writes about her life on the farm in Missouri, which doesn’t include anything about the war.

Over time Neumann falls in love with her, but she gets seriously ill and he is transferred to active duty. The story then follows both their adventures and is well worth the read.

The American Civil War took place in the 1860s. Some people who fought in the war have now reincarnated with memories of it. As children, they might have had nightmares of the suffering they experienced or caused others. They may remember injustices on a subconscious level and still feel anger and hatred toward the North or South.

Some people attend reenactments of the Civil War, visit Gettysburg, read books about Civil War battles or watch movies on it. They are drawn to the war because of their past lives, even if they don’t consciously remember them.

This world is a spiritual school and through experiences, such as war, we learn to become more loving, compassionate beings. All the lives we have lived are meant to polish us as Soul and help us reach greater levels of love and compassion until we eventually return home to God.

Do you have strong feelings about a particular place and a particular time? Can you see how this might connect to a past lifetime? Have you had especially vivid dreams about your possible role in that lifetime?

share this:

Sep 26

0

Conscious Women –Conscious Lives by Darlene Montgomery
By heidi.skarie@gmail.com | Book Review | No Comments

Conscious Women-Conscious Lives

Conscious Women –Conscious Lives, Powerful and Transformational Stories of Healing Body, Mind & Soul complied by Darlene Montgomery is a collection of remarkable stories written by women. These heart-felt stories show how these women met with some of the challenges of life with courage and gained spiritual insights and wisdom.

The chapters include such topics as Healing Journeys, Living Your Dreams, Losing a Loved One, and New Beginnings.

Several of the stories stood out for me. One was by Linda Anderson who wrote Learning to Receive about her experience with breast cancer. To support herself in her journey, Linda formed a group of friends she called Circle of Angels who would bring her meals, take care of her pets, give her rides to the doctor and support her emotionally.

Linda realized that she felt unworthy of asking for help. Her problems seemed miniscule in comparison to others. Now she was given a lesson in having cancer and learning to receive.

Linda said, “I had to learn to ask. I had to learn that asking means surrendering to what life brings and trusting that whatever comes your way is perfectly designed for you. I had to learn that I was worthy of receiving and that when others give, they grow and glow. I had to learn that on some spiritual level, I had even asked for cancer in my life, because this was how God would shower me with divine love and teach me to receive it.” P. 21

Another story was by Frances Blackwell titled Love Never Dies. France was driving her car one day when she saw a man laying in the middle of the road. When she stepped out of her car, she felt the presence of God. She could see that the man had been hit by a car and ran to a nearby house and asked them to call 911. She returned to the man and sang HU, a love song to God. The man stopped spasming and asked her to let his family know what happened. Another man stopped by and recognized the injured man whose name was Stan and so they were able to contact the family.

Stan died on the way to the hospital. Frances felt a strong connection with him and so went to the funeral. Later she had a chance to talk to Stan’s wife and bring her comfort.

A few weeks afterwards Frances’ husband went into the hospital. Her experience with Stan’s accident eased her way when she realized her husband was dying.

Frances said, “I am grateful for the gifts these experiences have brought me. I’m discovering that love- all love- is God’s love. And every act of giving with a loving heart brings us closer and closer to learning about a love for all life.” P. 83

She ended her story with a poem:

Celebrate life! Dare to Love!

Love endures

Love doesn’t change.

Love lives forever. P. 84.

The third story I wanted to share is titled The Making of a Miracle by Ann Archer Butcher. At the time Ann was teaching high school in Cincinnati in a program for disaffected students who weren’t achieving their potential

Ann wanted to make them feel like they had control over their lives and give them personal power. On her wall she put a quote loosely attributed to Paul Twitchell.

“Miracles I can do in a minute. The impossible takes about three days.”

One Friday afternoon the students asked for examples of the quote from Ann’s own life. She told them that you have to ask for what you want and add “If not this then something greater.” P. 59. Then they needed to surrender to the outcome.

The students wanted to make a contest out of this idea. Ann told them she wanted a hot air balloon ride, but couldn’t afford one, so it would be a miracle if it happened. She then imagined what the ride would be like.

That night in the laundromat she bought a raffle ticket for needy children. The next morning the phone rang and Ann had won the prize, which was a hot air balloon ride the next day. When she arrived at the site of the ride there were media people there. Her interview was shown on TV and seen by many of her students.

Monday morning Ann told her students, “You have to admit, this is my dream and desire manifested in a way none of us would have expected.” P. 62. She went on to say that after this happened her students were ready to learn and to listen.

These three stories are just a few examples of the many remarkable personal revelations in this book. The stories inspire the reader and help us see how we can find our own inner strength and guidance. Men as well as women will enjoy this book

Have you had a challenging experience in life that you grew from? I’d love to hear your stories.
share this: