Dear Fellow Adventurers,
I want to share with you my latest channeling communication, details on this channeling can be found by scrolling down. My dear friend, Barb, is recoverying from recent brain surgery which has brought me to feel extreme feelings of "loss." With my son's death in 2009, then our family dog Goldie, and most recently my husband David, I found myself wrapped in emotions of loss and the many questions this brings. I decided to ask during my channeling why and how do I deal with such feelings. Let me share with you now the insightful words:
I have to talk with you about Barb P. and my feelings about “loss.” How can I deal with all these emotions?
Always here Barbara…loss is a great awakening lesson. Loss has been in your life for many purposes. You are a beacon of Light on how to deal with loss…others follow your lead. When you react to loss, there is a factor you must consider…nothing is lost. No soul, no item of material worth, no natural thing can be lost.
On Earth there is a field of reality that says, “Pain must follow loss.” This field is a human quality developed over eons of time on Earth. In the beginning, people did not react so to their loss of another, or of things. As the Earth evolved, humans’ emotional states needed to experience the emotional cycle of all feelings. One of these is the feeling of loosing someone close, or loosing a material item of great value to them. Loss is merely a feeling…remember you can control your feelings Barbara.
After I left, you felt terrible loss…but now the loss emotion is not so strong. You have developed your life into a natural functioning pattern without me…and without others you loved who have passed to the Oneness. Your ability as a human being is to allow yourself the feelings, the emotions you have…study them, feel them, and allow yourself to release those emotions which no longer serve you. Your feelings of loss for Barb at this time is for what your relationship was, and could have been, had she not experienced the physical trauma she has recently. Hold your feelings to you now, experience them, study them, then allow yourself the gift of releasing what you no longer need as the time passes.
Remember it is you, not Barb that feels this loss…she is the stronger fighting for her life. See her as the great soul Light that she is…your pain will ease as you recognize her struggle as one she must experience to attain her mata [lesson].
Always with you...
Thank you for being with me dear readers,
Barbara~
December 16, 2012
November 17, 2012
News on my Channeling Adventure!
Dear Followers,
I know it has been a long time since I have posted on this Blog...sometimes, Life has a way of getting in the way of our plans. My year has been filled with sorting, sharing, selling and giving away many of David's material items. The months I have devoted to nurishing my memories of my life with my beloved David allowed me an even closer connection with him than I had expected. You see, I began to channel David's spirit.
In a dream he instructed me to go to my keyboard, close my eyes, and type the words he would place in my mind. First, I questioned myself, the dream, and that I could actually type with my eyes closed! But, I followed his guidance and have been channeling his words and answers to my questions about the other side of the material veil that separtes us.
I am not sure yet if all my channeled writing will become a book, a journal, or just notes; however, I will share some of the magical insights David is relating to me as posts on this Blog. Below is a response I received to my question: You talk freely about karma…it is a known law to most on Earth, but not everyone clearly understands it. Is it innate even though many do not consciously understand it?
The word karma is a good term for the cycle of learning which all incarnated forms experience. Karma is a magical element of learning, growing, and evolving with the Oneness. All soul Lights flow in-and-out of incarnations, in-and-out of matas, or lessons, reaching for continuance with the Oneness. And, the Oneness is also flowing, evolving infinitely. It is the great mystery of existence.
All incarnated forms and souls have the seeds of knowing the laws of karma.
It is up to them individually to learn and understand their karmic patterns in which to learn, grow, and evolve. If one does not give attention to the seeds of karma, patterns are lost in a continual downward spiral. However, if one nourishes those seeds, they will learn their lessons and progress toward a better understanding of their journey. We are all on our own path individually guided by our souls and our Soul Being, both in material form and in the Oneness. Paths cross many times between those who are in a soul family such as you and I.
Karma has been depicted infinitely. Some believe in a karmic debt, while others sense karma as a form of repentance. As I have said, karma is an action which reflects the magical element of learning, growing, and evolving with the Oneness.
Always with you...
That's all for now fellow adventurers,
Barbara~
I know it has been a long time since I have posted on this Blog...sometimes, Life has a way of getting in the way of our plans. My year has been filled with sorting, sharing, selling and giving away many of David's material items. The months I have devoted to nurishing my memories of my life with my beloved David allowed me an even closer connection with him than I had expected. You see, I began to channel David's spirit.
In a dream he instructed me to go to my keyboard, close my eyes, and type the words he would place in my mind. First, I questioned myself, the dream, and that I could actually type with my eyes closed! But, I followed his guidance and have been channeling his words and answers to my questions about the other side of the material veil that separtes us.
I am not sure yet if all my channeled writing will become a book, a journal, or just notes; however, I will share some of the magical insights David is relating to me as posts on this Blog. Below is a response I received to my question: You talk freely about karma…it is a known law to most on Earth, but not everyone clearly understands it. Is it innate even though many do not consciously understand it?
The word karma is a good term for the cycle of learning which all incarnated forms experience. Karma is a magical element of learning, growing, and evolving with the Oneness. All soul Lights flow in-and-out of incarnations, in-and-out of matas, or lessons, reaching for continuance with the Oneness. And, the Oneness is also flowing, evolving infinitely. It is the great mystery of existence.
All incarnated forms and souls have the seeds of knowing the laws of karma.
It is up to them individually to learn and understand their karmic patterns in which to learn, grow, and evolve. If one does not give attention to the seeds of karma, patterns are lost in a continual downward spiral. However, if one nourishes those seeds, they will learn their lessons and progress toward a better understanding of their journey. We are all on our own path individually guided by our souls and our Soul Being, both in material form and in the Oneness. Paths cross many times between those who are in a soul family such as you and I.
Karma has been depicted infinitely. Some believe in a karmic debt, while others sense karma as a form of repentance. As I have said, karma is an action which reflects the magical element of learning, growing, and evolving with the Oneness.
Always with you...
That's all for now fellow adventurers,
Barbara~
August 17, 2012
New Book Review
A new Book Review was just Blogged by a book reviewer for my recovery book Addiction: What's Really Going On? I have posted it below:
Addiction: What’s Really Going On?
Book ReviewAddiction: What’s Really Going
On?By Deborah McCloskey and Barbara Sinor, Ph.D.
Reviewed by Trisha Faye
Addiction: What’s Really Going On? tells the inside story of a methadone treatment clinic in Los Angeles, California in the 1990s. This book gives insight into the world of addiction and recovery; helpful for the addicted, those that work in the field, family members, and those fighting addiction issues in their lives or those of loved ones.
The book is co-authored by Deborah McCloskey and Barbara Sinor. Friends and colleagues through the years, they joined together for this joint effort. Deborah, Allie in the book, was the recovery counselor with the experience in the clinic and wrote copious notes. Barbara, Dora in the book and Dr. Sinor in real life, also specializes in recovery issues ranging from childhood abuse to alcohol and drug addiction. When Deborah’s battle with cancer ended her story’s getting published, Barbara stepped in to her friend’s aide and completed the manuscript and ensured the book’s publication.
Both women hoped to show the world of addiction and recovery in a balanced way, a world teetering between darkness and illumination. These two friends shared many similarities in their lives: Both have had the common desire to unravel the mysteries of addiction and its power over lives. Both searched holistically for answers. Both questioned society’s views on addiction. Both were passionate about their field. Both chose alternative ways to combat and deal with addictions whenever possible.
They were two human angels, filled with compassion for humanity. Barbara continues wearing her earthly wings, while Deborah now watches from another realm.
Jane, Eleanor, Rita and Katy, Daniel, Linda, Simon, Annie and more, all clients at the clinic, have their own stories. Some will scare you, some will horrify you. If you haven’t been around anyone struggling with addictions, some of the stories will make you feel like you’ve led a very sheltered life. I was amazed to hear how many families are addicted to heroin, sometimes three generations are clients at methadone clinics. Parents and children, uncles and nephews, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends; the dynamics of addiction seem to cross all lines.
Through Deborah and Barbara, you meet some of the clients and learn about their lives. You hear about how some of them came to use heroin. You learn about the trials and tribulations in their lives. Much of the time they are also coping with domestic abuse, jail (for themselves or a partner), children being taken away, financial problems, and a myriad of health issues. Some medical issues are secondary to drug abuse, some are related to the lifestyle associated with addiction, and some just associated with poor health. And, occasionally, you will read about the end of someone’s addiction due to their death, an unfortunate statistic in this gruesome fight.
Most of the clients you will meet in these pages truly want to find an end to the vicious cycle they’re trapped in. A few don’t; they are there to “play the system.” Your heart breaks for those that try to become clean and but do not succeed.
You cheer and applaud the success stories, however pathetically few compared to the numbers that are not.
I doubt anyone could read about the lives intertwined throughout Addiction and not have a greater understanding of the world of addiction, even if only to understand how much more there is to know and learn about the problem affecting so many lives.
But yet, is there anyone who does not fight addiction in one form or another? In the book, Deborah (as Counselor Allie) points out to one of the clients that humanity itself is prone to addiction. She points out how most people tend to park in the same spot, or take the same route to work everyday. Our routine and everyday habits may be more closely intertwined with other habits than we ever knew.
To that, I add my own examples, such as the Diet Coke I spent so many years trying to “kick.” Ten years later – and for the third time – I think I finally have the “habit” broken. But sometimes, all it takes is one and I am right back to where I was before. Other habits many of us face: Chocolate, Sugar, Fast foods and fatty, greasy foods.
Addictions come in so many forms. However, the Diet Coke, or chocolate, is legal. Although it’s not good for us, the effects on our health and our lives are relatively minor compared to the havoc that heroin, alcohol, or other drugs can bring. But, just because it’s legal and socially acceptable, that doesn’t mean the rest of us are any better than those fighting the devastating villains of illicit drugs or alcohol. We’re all human; we’re all in this together. [Added as my own reviewer opinion.]
Through her years as a counselor, Deborah discovered that the reality of a methadone clinic is not what the text books had taught her. Juggling her own personal struggles of her marriage falling apart and her mother’s health deteriorating until her ultimate death, Deborah maintained her compassion and her desire to make a difference despite the human, ethical and bureaucratic limitations. Barbara shows Deborah in the light of a truly caring person, someone I wish I could have met on this earthly plane.
The boundaries of my sometimes small, most-times-sheltered, world have been broadened since reading Addition. My heart is filled with an ache in trying to see the addict’s struggles in a new light. My heart is filled with joy, knowing there are caring people in this field, such as Deborah and Barbara, giving of themselves, their energy, their love, and their healing.
My life is richer from meeting the clients in the pages of Addiction. I recommend this book to anyone struggling with addiction, loved ones of those addicted, and those sober and straight. It will touch your heart and teach you lessons you did not expect.
Addiction: What’s Really Going On? tells the inside story of a methadone treatment clinic in Los Angeles, California in the 1990s. This book gives insight into the world of addiction and recovery; helpful for the addicted, those that work in the field, family members, and those fighting addiction issues in their lives or those of loved ones.
The book is co-authored by Deborah McCloskey and Barbara Sinor. Friends and colleagues through the years, they joined together for this joint effort. Deborah, Allie in the book, was the recovery counselor with the experience in the clinic and wrote copious notes. Barbara, Dora in the book and Dr. Sinor in real life, also specializes in recovery issues ranging from childhood abuse to alcohol and drug addiction. When Deborah’s battle with cancer ended her story’s getting published, Barbara stepped in to her friend’s aide and completed the manuscript and ensured the book’s publication.
Both women hoped to show the world of addiction and recovery in a balanced way, a world teetering between darkness and illumination. These two friends shared many similarities in their lives: Both have had the common desire to unravel the mysteries of addiction and its power over lives. Both searched holistically for answers. Both questioned society’s views on addiction. Both were passionate about their field. Both chose alternative ways to combat and deal with addictions whenever possible.
They were two human angels, filled with compassion for humanity. Barbara continues wearing her earthly wings, while Deborah now watches from another realm.
Jane, Eleanor, Rita and Katy, Daniel, Linda, Simon, Annie and more, all clients at the clinic, have their own stories. Some will scare you, some will horrify you. If you haven’t been around anyone struggling with addictions, some of the stories will make you feel like you’ve led a very sheltered life. I was amazed to hear how many families are addicted to heroin, sometimes three generations are clients at methadone clinics. Parents and children, uncles and nephews, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends; the dynamics of addiction seem to cross all lines.
Through Deborah and Barbara, you meet some of the clients and learn about their lives. You hear about how some of them came to use heroin. You learn about the trials and tribulations in their lives. Much of the time they are also coping with domestic abuse, jail (for themselves or a partner), children being taken away, financial problems, and a myriad of health issues. Some medical issues are secondary to drug abuse, some are related to the lifestyle associated with addiction, and some just associated with poor health. And, occasionally, you will read about the end of someone’s addiction due to their death, an unfortunate statistic in this gruesome fight.
Most of the clients you will meet in these pages truly want to find an end to the vicious cycle they’re trapped in. A few don’t; they are there to “play the system.” Your heart breaks for those that try to become clean and but do not succeed.
You cheer and applaud the success stories, however pathetically few compared to the numbers that are not.
I doubt anyone could read about the lives intertwined throughout Addiction and not have a greater understanding of the world of addiction, even if only to understand how much more there is to know and learn about the problem affecting so many lives.
But yet, is there anyone who does not fight addiction in one form or another? In the book, Deborah (as Counselor Allie) points out to one of the clients that humanity itself is prone to addiction. She points out how most people tend to park in the same spot, or take the same route to work everyday. Our routine and everyday habits may be more closely intertwined with other habits than we ever knew.
To that, I add my own examples, such as the Diet Coke I spent so many years trying to “kick.” Ten years later – and for the third time – I think I finally have the “habit” broken. But sometimes, all it takes is one and I am right back to where I was before. Other habits many of us face: Chocolate, Sugar, Fast foods and fatty, greasy foods.
Addictions come in so many forms. However, the Diet Coke, or chocolate, is legal. Although it’s not good for us, the effects on our health and our lives are relatively minor compared to the havoc that heroin, alcohol, or other drugs can bring. But, just because it’s legal and socially acceptable, that doesn’t mean the rest of us are any better than those fighting the devastating villains of illicit drugs or alcohol. We’re all human; we’re all in this together. [Added as my own reviewer opinion.]
Through her years as a counselor, Deborah discovered that the reality of a methadone clinic is not what the text books had taught her. Juggling her own personal struggles of her marriage falling apart and her mother’s health deteriorating until her ultimate death, Deborah maintained her compassion and her desire to make a difference despite the human, ethical and bureaucratic limitations. Barbara shows Deborah in the light of a truly caring person, someone I wish I could have met on this earthly plane.
The boundaries of my sometimes small, most-times-sheltered, world have been broadened since reading Addition. My heart is filled with an ache in trying to see the addict’s struggles in a new light. My heart is filled with joy, knowing there are caring people in this field, such as Deborah and Barbara, giving of themselves, their energy, their love, and their healing.
My life is richer from meeting the clients in the pages of Addiction. I recommend this book to anyone struggling with addiction, loved ones of those addicted, and those sober and straight. It will touch your heart and teach you lessons you did not expect.
More about this book can be found on my web site: Inspiration for Recovery
Reviewed by Trisha Faye
Addiction: What’s Really Going On? tells the inside story of a methadone treatment clinic in Los Angeles, California in the 1990s. This book gives insight into the world of addiction and recovery; helpful for the addicted, those that work in the field, family members, and those fighting addiction issues in their lives or those of loved ones.
The book is co-authored by Deborah McCloskey and Barbara Sinor. Friends and colleagues through the years, they joined together for this joint effort. Deborah, Allie in the book, was the recovery counselor with the experience in the clinic and wrote copious notes. Barbara, Dora in the book and Dr. Sinor in real life, also specializes in recovery issues ranging from childhood abuse to alcohol and drug addiction. When Deborah’s battle with cancer ended her story’s getting published, Barbara stepped in to her friend’s aide and completed the manuscript and ensured the book’s publication.
Both women hoped to show the world of addiction and recovery in a balanced way, a world teetering between darkness and illumination. These two friends shared many similarities in their lives: Both have had the common desire to unravel the mysteries of addiction and its power over lives. Both searched holistically for answers. Both questioned society’s views on addiction. Both were passionate about their field. Both chose alternative ways to combat and deal with addictions whenever possible.
They were two human angels, filled with compassion for humanity. Barbara continues wearing her earthly wings, while Deborah now watches from another realm.
Jane, Eleanor, Rita and Katy, Daniel, Linda, Simon, Annie and more, all clients at the clinic, have their own stories. Some will scare you, some will horrify you. If you haven’t been around anyone struggling with addictions, some of the stories will make you feel like you’ve led a very sheltered life. I was amazed to hear how many families are addicted to heroin, sometimes three generations are clients at methadone clinics. Parents and children, uncles and nephews, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends; the dynamics of addiction seem to cross all lines.
Through Deborah and Barbara, you meet some of the clients and learn about their lives. You hear about how some of them came to use heroin. You learn about the trials and tribulations in their lives. Much of the time they are also coping with domestic abuse, jail (for themselves or a partner), children being taken away, financial problems, and a myriad of health issues. Some medical issues are secondary to drug abuse, some are related to the lifestyle associated with addiction, and some just associated with poor health. And, occasionally, you will read about the end of someone’s addiction due to their death, an unfortunate statistic in this gruesome fight.
Most of the clients you will meet in these pages truly want to find an end to the vicious cycle they’re trapped in. A few don’t; they are there to “play the system.” Your heart breaks for those that try to become clean and but do not succeed.
You cheer and applaud the success stories, however pathetically few compared to the numbers that are not.
I doubt anyone could read about the lives intertwined throughout Addiction and not have a greater understanding of the world of addiction, even if only to understand how much more there is to know and learn about the problem affecting so many lives.
But yet, is there anyone who does not fight addiction in one form or another? In the book, Deborah (as Counselor Allie) points out to one of the clients that humanity itself is prone to addiction. She points out how most people tend to park in the same spot, or take the same route to work everyday. Our routine and everyday habits may be more closely intertwined with other habits than we ever knew.
To that, I add my own examples, such as the Diet Coke I spent so many years trying to “kick.” Ten years later – and for the third time – I think I finally have the “habit” broken. But sometimes, all it takes is one and I am right back to where I was before. Other habits many of us face: Chocolate, Sugar, Fast foods and fatty, greasy foods.
Addictions come in so many forms. However, the Diet Coke, or chocolate, is legal. Although it’s not good for us, the effects on our health and our lives are relatively minor compared to the havoc that heroin, alcohol, or other drugs can bring. But, just because it’s legal and socially acceptable, that doesn’t mean the rest of us are any better than those fighting the devastating villains of illicit drugs or alcohol. We’re all human; we’re all in this together. [Added as my own reviewer opinion.]
Through her years as a counselor, Deborah discovered that the reality of a methadone clinic is not what the text books had taught her. Juggling her own personal struggles of her marriage falling apart and her mother’s health deteriorating until her ultimate death, Deborah maintained her compassion and her desire to make a difference despite the human, ethical and bureaucratic limitations. Barbara shows Deborah in the light of a truly caring person, someone I wish I could have met on this earthly plane.
The boundaries of my sometimes small, most-times-sheltered, world have been broadened since reading Addition. My heart is filled with an ache in trying to see the addict’s struggles in a new light. My heart is filled with joy, knowing there are caring people in this field, such as Deborah and Barbara, giving of themselves, their energy, their love, and their healing.
My life is richer from meeting the clients in the pages of Addiction. I recommend this book to anyone struggling with addiction, loved ones of those addicted, and those sober and straight. It will touch your heart and teach you lessons you did not expect.
Addiction: What’s Really Going On? tells the inside story of a methadone treatment clinic in Los Angeles, California in the 1990s. This book gives insight into the world of addiction and recovery; helpful for the addicted, those that work in the field, family members, and those fighting addiction issues in their lives or those of loved ones.
The book is co-authored by Deborah McCloskey and Barbara Sinor. Friends and colleagues through the years, they joined together for this joint effort. Deborah, Allie in the book, was the recovery counselor with the experience in the clinic and wrote copious notes. Barbara, Dora in the book and Dr. Sinor in real life, also specializes in recovery issues ranging from childhood abuse to alcohol and drug addiction. When Deborah’s battle with cancer ended her story’s getting published, Barbara stepped in to her friend’s aide and completed the manuscript and ensured the book’s publication.
Both women hoped to show the world of addiction and recovery in a balanced way, a world teetering between darkness and illumination. These two friends shared many similarities in their lives: Both have had the common desire to unravel the mysteries of addiction and its power over lives. Both searched holistically for answers. Both questioned society’s views on addiction. Both were passionate about their field. Both chose alternative ways to combat and deal with addictions whenever possible.
They were two human angels, filled with compassion for humanity. Barbara continues wearing her earthly wings, while Deborah now watches from another realm.
Jane, Eleanor, Rita and Katy, Daniel, Linda, Simon, Annie and more, all clients at the clinic, have their own stories. Some will scare you, some will horrify you. If you haven’t been around anyone struggling with addictions, some of the stories will make you feel like you’ve led a very sheltered life. I was amazed to hear how many families are addicted to heroin, sometimes three generations are clients at methadone clinics. Parents and children, uncles and nephews, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends; the dynamics of addiction seem to cross all lines.
Through Deborah and Barbara, you meet some of the clients and learn about their lives. You hear about how some of them came to use heroin. You learn about the trials and tribulations in their lives. Much of the time they are also coping with domestic abuse, jail (for themselves or a partner), children being taken away, financial problems, and a myriad of health issues. Some medical issues are secondary to drug abuse, some are related to the lifestyle associated with addiction, and some just associated with poor health. And, occasionally, you will read about the end of someone’s addiction due to their death, an unfortunate statistic in this gruesome fight.
Most of the clients you will meet in these pages truly want to find an end to the vicious cycle they’re trapped in. A few don’t; they are there to “play the system.” Your heart breaks for those that try to become clean and but do not succeed.
You cheer and applaud the success stories, however pathetically few compared to the numbers that are not.
I doubt anyone could read about the lives intertwined throughout Addiction and not have a greater understanding of the world of addiction, even if only to understand how much more there is to know and learn about the problem affecting so many lives.
But yet, is there anyone who does not fight addiction in one form or another? In the book, Deborah (as Counselor Allie) points out to one of the clients that humanity itself is prone to addiction. She points out how most people tend to park in the same spot, or take the same route to work everyday. Our routine and everyday habits may be more closely intertwined with other habits than we ever knew.
To that, I add my own examples, such as the Diet Coke I spent so many years trying to “kick.” Ten years later – and for the third time – I think I finally have the “habit” broken. But sometimes, all it takes is one and I am right back to where I was before. Other habits many of us face: Chocolate, Sugar, Fast foods and fatty, greasy foods.
Addictions come in so many forms. However, the Diet Coke, or chocolate, is legal. Although it’s not good for us, the effects on our health and our lives are relatively minor compared to the havoc that heroin, alcohol, or other drugs can bring. But, just because it’s legal and socially acceptable, that doesn’t mean the rest of us are any better than those fighting the devastating villains of illicit drugs or alcohol. We’re all human; we’re all in this together. [Added as my own reviewer opinion.]
Through her years as a counselor, Deborah discovered that the reality of a methadone clinic is not what the text books had taught her. Juggling her own personal struggles of her marriage falling apart and her mother’s health deteriorating until her ultimate death, Deborah maintained her compassion and her desire to make a difference despite the human, ethical and bureaucratic limitations. Barbara shows Deborah in the light of a truly caring person, someone I wish I could have met on this earthly plane.
The boundaries of my sometimes small, most-times-sheltered, world have been broadened since reading Addition. My heart is filled with an ache in trying to see the addict’s struggles in a new light. My heart is filled with joy, knowing there are caring people in this field, such as Deborah and Barbara, giving of themselves, their energy, their love, and their healing.
My life is richer from meeting the clients in the pages of Addiction. I recommend this book to anyone struggling with addiction, loved ones of those addicted, and those sober and straight. It will touch your heart and teach you lessons you did not expect.
More about this book can be found on my web site: Inspiration for Recovery
June 29, 2012
What is Recovery?
"Inspiration for Recovery can come in an instant....no need to search for it. It will arrive inside--a moment of knowing--to awaken your senses to your true Self." ~Barbara Sinor, Ph.D.
My son, Richard, used to say, "Recovery is nothing but a moment in time when I feel normal." In his life, Richard was 'in recovery' many times. He would call himself a "recovering alcoholic" at these times. At those times, I assumed him had recovered his true Self again.
This question is a good meditation: What do you recover, or uncover, when you choose to stay sober and straight for a period of time?
Blessings,
Barbara~
Tales of Addiction
"Inspiration for Recovery can come in an instant....no need to search for it. It will arrive inside--a moment of knowing--to awaken your senses to your true Self." ~Barbara Sinor, Ph.D.
My son, Richard, used to say, "Recovery is nothing but a moment in time when I feel normal." In his life, Richard was 'in recovery' many times. He would call himself a "recovering alcoholic" at these times. At those times, I assumed him had recovered his true Self again.
This question is a good meditation: What do you recover, or uncover, when you choose to stay sober and straight for a period of time?
Blessings,
Barbara~
Tales of Addiction
June 20, 2012
New Beginnings
Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty;
not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
~Charles Dickens
Who has experienced a traumatic event in their life? Who has experienced the loss of a loved-one? Who is experiencing the beginning of a new relationship? Or, a new job? We all know that New Beginnings can happen in a instant. By giving ourselves permission to begin a new day, a new path, a new way of thinking--we can choose to begin again. We experience New Beginnings many times in our lives. Take a moment to look at your own life, your past experiences. Think about the new ways in which you have needed to begin again many times throughout your life.
New Beginnings can happen when you:
--Began a new job or career
--A new diet or exercise program
--A new relationship
--A new kind of worship or meditation practice
--A new school or educational training
--Welcome a new pet into your family
--A new baby is born
--The death of a loved one is experienced
--Are challenged with a new health issue, or
--You have recently been married, separated, or divorced
Each time we journey on a new path to experience a New Beginning, it is important to consciously allow ourselves to review, process our emotions--especially forgiveness--and learn to accept our new path. Before we move toward a New Beginning, it is also important to learn the Lessons from our past experience. One way to do this is to ask ourselves questions such as:
What do I know now that I did not know before this experience?
Why was it important for me to learn this truth or lesson?
Do I need to forgive others or myself before I move forward?
How have my emotions changed since this event?
This brief paragraph from the journal “A Women’s Journey” sheds a Light on this inner process:
Lessons in Moving Forward
Numerologist Christine DeLorey states: “Stop holding your past at arms length as if you are afraid that it will catch up with you. It's meant to! Let it! The past is filled with knowledge and experience, and what it has to teach you needs to be accepted into the present. Only then will you be able to feel, sense, and create what you want.” When renewal and New Beginnings are at hand, we need to clarify what has worked for us and what has not, so we can choose only what takes us forward on our journey. As we allow winter to unfold and spring to shine upon us, we can identify the dead wood which can be removed from our life.
We all have the ability to make minor, or even major breakthroughs, any time we choose, now may be the right time for you. Use your freedom of choice to draw your new life to you. In their book Ask and It is Given, Esther and Jerry Hicks write of our ability to use our freedom of choice and direct our thoughts to manifest our reality:
One of the hardest things in life is feeling stuck in a situation that we don’t like and we wish to change. We may have exhausted ourselves trying to figure out how to make changes, and we may have even given up on a certain area in our life. However, each new day offers us the opportunity to renew our resolve and to declare to the Universe that we are ready for change. Sometimes, we may say to ourselves that we have tried, we have struggled, and we still have not found a way to begin again after experiencing a shift in our life. If this is true for you, allow yourself to be open to support and guidance from the physical loved ones around you, and also the non-physical masters, teachers, guides, and angels that are always with you. State your intention out loud in prayer or meditation--keep it positive and simple, such as: ”I am creating the changes I need at this time.” Making this declaration to the Divine Universe, and to yourself, may be the remedy for any stagnation you may be experiencing.
Many times, it is difficult to understand, even with hindsight, how the choices we have made in the past have created our current situations. It is a good idea to examine the “story” we tell ourselves about how we arrived in our present situation. If we tend to regard ourselves as having failed at a task or situation, this will block our ability to allow ourselves to succeed. We have the power to change the story we tell ourselves by acknowledging that we have done our best.
With insight, information, and support, we can acknowledge that we have made our best decisions for our life in the past. We can remember the many positive moments on our path to this present moment. We can also recognize that we have learned from our experiences, this will help us determine what our current choices might be, and how to go about making them. When we do this kind of inner work of viewing our past, we make it possible for the future to be based on a positive self-assessment. This inner-shift may allow us to exit the cycle we have been on which keeps us stuck in past behaviors or emotions.
Today, you can declare to be the day you will end negative habits, cycles, or patterns. You can declare this day that you will move forward from past emotional pain, anger, and guilt. Today, you can enter into a new way of being. Today, you can declare this day to begin searching for the Lessons of past experiences--learn from them, and move into the present!
A Personal Note
Many of you know that my son passed away a few years ago and my husband also made his transition last year. I have used these tools which I share with you to uncover my own New Beginning. It has taken me about a year to realize how important they really have been. Right after my son’s passing, I unconsciously kept myself very busy. I was not ready for a New Beginning without him. Not only did I need to take care of all his arrangements, paperwork, finances, and consoling our family--I chose to continue the busy-work of writing a book I had started several months earlier. In hindsight, I realize how keeping myself occupied with writing, and getting the book published, kept me from the important steps of reviewing, accepting, and working with forgiveness that I needed to in order to move forward with my life. When one year had passed and the book was released, I took the time to do this inner work.
When I was ready, I asked myself the important questions about my emotional loss. I asked myself what lessons did I learn from both my son, and from his leaving this physical earth before me. I learned there is no right way to love an alcoholic…only that you must. I learned compassion is sometimes elusive, but always within reach and is a potent healing agent. I recognized the changes I needed to undergo within myself, my relationship with my husband, and my career.
Realizing how important this inner work had been for me after my son died, I knew I must follow through with this same emotional clearing after my husband passed away. I am still doing this process. I know I am beginning a new phase of my life. I am learning how to breathe deep again. I am doing the inner work of asking myself questions to help unfold my deepest feelings. I am searching my past, receiving answers, and starting a new life journey.
Something to Do Each Day
Remember the famous quote by the philosopher Kierkegaard? It went something like this? “Life can only be understood backwards, however, it must be lived forward.” My interpretation of this quote is: “We can learn a great deal from our past experiences, but we must live our lives today to co-create our tomorrows.”
To help you move forward onto your soul’s New Beginning Journey, here is a meditation/visualization you can enlist each morning before getting out of bed. To experience this meditation now, read below then put your feet flat on the floor and close your eyes as if you are just waking up:
Your heart speaks for your soul with every beat. Listen as this whispering beat repeats: be...gin, be...gin, be...gin, be…gin.
Then open your eyes and accept these gifts of Love, Light, and Life… and Begin a New Day!
Love & Light,
Barbara~*This article was published in the "Recovering the Self" Journal April 2012
June 18, 2012
Hello Everyone!
After a long respite from the events of last year, I am returning to share my thoughts, journaling, dreams, ideas, and adventures with you once again.
Since my life has been all about "change" these past several months, I found these words to post. I hope they can offer you the comfort they have me.
Change can enter our lives silently....
“We all see things about ourselves, our relationships, and our world that we want to change. Often, this desire leads us to take action toward inner work that we need to do or toward some external goal. Sometimes, without any big announcement or momentous shift, we wake up to find that change has happened, seemingly without us. This can feel like a miracle as we suddenly see that our self-esteem really does seem to be intact, or our partner actually is helping out around the house more. We may even wonder whether all of our hard work had anything to do with it, or if it just happened by way of grace.
We observe, consider, work, and wonder, tilling the soil of our lives, planting seeds, and tending them. Sometimes the hard part is knowing when to stop and let go, handing it over to the Universe. Usually this happens by way of distraction or disruption, our attention being called away to other more pressing concerns. And it is often at these times, when we are not looking, in the silence of nature’s embrace, that the miracle of change happens.” ~The Daily OM
After a long respite from the events of last year, I am returning to share my thoughts, journaling, dreams, ideas, and adventures with you once again.
Since my life has been all about "change" these past several months, I found these words to post. I hope they can offer you the comfort they have me.
Change can enter our lives silently....
“We all see things about ourselves, our relationships, and our world that we want to change. Often, this desire leads us to take action toward inner work that we need to do or toward some external goal. Sometimes, without any big announcement or momentous shift, we wake up to find that change has happened, seemingly without us. This can feel like a miracle as we suddenly see that our self-esteem really does seem to be intact, or our partner actually is helping out around the house more. We may even wonder whether all of our hard work had anything to do with it, or if it just happened by way of grace.
We observe, consider, work, and wonder, tilling the soil of our lives, planting seeds, and tending them. Sometimes the hard part is knowing when to stop and let go, handing it over to the Universe. Usually this happens by way of distraction or disruption, our attention being called away to other more pressing concerns. And it is often at these times, when we are not looking, in the silence of nature’s embrace, that the miracle of change happens.” ~The Daily OM
February 07, 2012
iTunes Now Downloading My Books!
FLASH!!
Now you can download three of my healing inspirational recovery books on your iTunes account!!
Just click on the link to get my books delivered to your iPad, iPod, or iPhone to read at your leisure!!
Love & Light,
Barbara~
January 24, 2012
New Beginnings
Hello my dear friends and Happy New Year...
As most of you find a new beginning for this new year, I too am finding my way. January has always been a quiet reflection time for me, and it is so this year.
With the skies grey and the rain washing away my fears and doubts, I sit to reflect upon the past year and move into the reality of a new.
Many times as we adjust to thinking of new beginnings, we turn inside to ask our inner-most Self if we are on the "right" path. One way to do this is with the use of divining tools such as the Rune stones, Tarot cards, or Astrology and Numerology readings. If you also enjoy these ways of inward searching, please share your results with me in the comments below.
It is a time of growth for our planet as we approach an expansion of awareness never felt before. A time of restructuring our very cells to the core of Life. Allow yourself to look within and feel this growth, this moving toward a wholeness for our Earth....
Blessings to you all in this new year, new beginning of 2012!
Barbara~
As most of you find a new beginning for this new year, I too am finding my way. January has always been a quiet reflection time for me, and it is so this year.
With the skies grey and the rain washing away my fears and doubts, I sit to reflect upon the past year and move into the reality of a new.
Many times as we adjust to thinking of new beginnings, we turn inside to ask our inner-most Self if we are on the "right" path. One way to do this is with the use of divining tools such as the Rune stones, Tarot cards, or Astrology and Numerology readings. If you also enjoy these ways of inward searching, please share your results with me in the comments below.
It is a time of growth for our planet as we approach an expansion of awareness never felt before. A time of restructuring our very cells to the core of Life. Allow yourself to look within and feel this growth, this moving toward a wholeness for our Earth....
Blessings to you all in this new year, new beginning of 2012!
Barbara~
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