Have you ever heard of 'Chicken Soup for the Soul Day'? It is 'A celebration about you!' A celebration of who you are, where you've been, where you're going, and who you will be thankful to when you get there!
What a fabulous idea!
I asked readers to share their stories and have been totally overwhelmed. You will be inspired, you may shed a tear like I did, but most importatly their stories show us all how we can be lifted out of pain and despair and make positive changes to our lives however low we feel.
I hope you enjoy reading them ... click on each picture to be directed to the inspirational stories
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"Take your oxygen mask off NOW" - David Rabone
"Take your oxygen mask off NOW" boomed in my head, my heart and every cell
of my body.
It was January 2006, and I had just received a colonoscopy at Ninewells
Hospital in Dundee. I was in the recovery room, surrounded by a multitude of
patients who had just received a similar invasion. A young nurse, taking my
blood pressure, looked at me with a horrified gaze. I demanded that she let me
see the reading, and of course she refused but I was adamant, claiming that this
was my body and that I had a right to know. So she turned the machine round so
that I could view my abnormally high pulse rate.
Within a few seconds I was surrounded by half a dozen nurses, all with
confused and panicked expressions on their faces. I guessed that this was not a
normal experience for them. One considerate nurse pulled the curtains around my
bed, I guess so as not to panic the other patients, and I remember thinking, "At
least I can die with some privacy". I was left alone behind the curtain for a
few minutes, all the while my heart refusing to slow down. I remember thinking,
"My heart is beating almost five times a second". Fear set in as a headache
began to appear.
If you've ever experienced a colonoscopy you will know that the bowel is
filled with air so that the camera, on the end of what seems like a very long
tube, can view what's going on inside you. So, logic will tell you that that air
has to find its escape somehow. Yes, indeed, you fart it out. And so there I
was, my heart beating 285 times a minute to a cacophony of flatulence. Looking
back it is quite funny, to myself at least, but at the time I was in a state of
terror. How much more degradation could I withstand?
"I'm not going to die to a chorus of farts" I said. "God, help me!" I
demanded.
Then something really quite remarkable happened. As the headache became
more intense, a deep sense of calm began to take hold of me, a feeling of peace
embracing the fear that my heart might stop beating at any moment. In that state
of surrender a very clear message of "Take your oxygen mask off NOW"
reverberated throughout my body and mind. Without hesitation, I removed the
mask, and within a few minutes my heart rate came back to normal levels. End of
crisis.
Another time where I received a message so clear that I had no choice but
to comply was in the summer of 2013. It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a
state of anxiety. My business wasn't really heading in the direction I was
wishing and willing it to go. I was a serial procrastinator with an
ever-increasing sense of failure seeping deeper into me with every passing day.
My website was very amateur, and clients were few and far between. I wasn't
really allowing myself to get out there and be authentically me. I was hiding
myself away, for fear of judgement and rejection. I was distracting myself from
facing the truth, and very real possibility that my healing journey was all just
a waste of time, that I was a fraudster and didn't know what I was doing. Let me
digress for a minute.
You may know my story already. But if you don't, I will give you a brief
version of my life over the past 13 years. I was diagnosed with HIV in 2003,
whilst living in London. At the time I was being taught by Master Aiping Wang, a
very powerful and wonderful spiritual teacher. I began my teaching with her in
2001, and two years into that my life fell to pieces. I fell to pieces. The good
thing about falling to pieces is that you can rebuild yourself, fresh from
scratch. So in 2005 I moved back home to Scotland to be with my family, not
knowing if I was going to live, or die. I was a mess. A few months later, I
found myself in Brazil at the feet of John of God, almost begging to be healed.
Since then I have visited Brazil eight times, as well as developing my self
through learning NLP, Life Coaching, Hypnotherapy, Theta Healing and Light Grids. I saturated myself with technique, but still not satisfied by what I was
learning. Don't get me wrong, these techniques and modalities are wonderful. I
just had reached a point where I had had enough. There must be something I could
do to help reveal the sense of fulfilment I was sorely missing.
On this Sunday morning I had had enough. I felt lost, a feeling of total
despair exploding from my chest. Then in a flash, I received guidance, and it
was so real that I knew I shouldn't ignore it.
So I stopped doing what I was doing, and began to meditate. Within a few
minutes, I knew I had to stop even this. Within minutes I was guided to watch a
spiritual teacher called Gangaji, on YouTube. There are many videos of her
online, and so for five hours I watched and listened to her, consuming every
word, every teaching and message. Her teaching was basically STOP. DO NOTHING.
Of course, I was blown away by this whole message. It was such a validation of
the inner knowing that had whispered loudly in my heart just a few hours before.
That Sunday morning changed my life, it changed the way I work, the way I
communicate and the way I see the world.
Let me be clear about the message of stopping and doing nothing. This is
easy to interpret as a promotion of sitting back, being idle and trusting that
life will land in your lap. This isn't what it means. For me, it means stop
thinking, stop identifying with life situations, beliefs, values, concepts and
ideas of who you think you are, and just be. Be still, be silent, and revel in
the power that reveals itself from the mysterious depths of nothingness, an
emptiness so full of potential. This same message was given to me by Aiping Wang
before I became infected, but I was so full of myself that I couldn't understand
what was being shared at that time. So my experience with Gangaji allowed me to
experience something so rich and beautiful. For five full days I experienced
life like never before. Everything and everyone was bathed in a soft velvety
richness, a deep peace embalming every expression around me. It was truly
wonderful.
So what is the point of my telling you this?
All too often we ignore the soft whisperings of our soul, of our guides, or
angels, or whoever is on the other side of the veil, supporting us. I see that
it is so easy to live by the stories of who we think we are, of who we wish to
become. In this mental and emotional hypnosis, it is so easy to become
en-tranced by the notion that somehow we are not good enough, not pretty enough,
not talented enough, not tall enough ... Oh this list is endless. Basically, we
move through life in a bondaged state, claiming that we are just not enough.
Our stories, our dreams, our wishes, our perverse versions of past events,
our judgements and opinions just keep us in a busy-ness of mind, perpetuating
this pretence that we are something other than what we are. It is so easy to
fall prey to the allure of a better future, or to heal a damaged past, all the
while missing what is here right now. Of course, I talk of the NOW, the present
moment where an awareness of stillness lies dormant, waiting to be discovered.
This is what I accessed, and continue to access more frequently. In these
moments of deep stillness and peace beyond understanding, a surrender and
acceptance of life appears, an awareness of something so much more powerful than
what appears on the surface of life. In these moments, the whispering guidance
is heard. And in those moments opportunities for change are there for the
taking.
In those two instances I shared with you where I had reached a point of
danger and despair, I believe I reached a state of inner surrender, where my
guidance could be heard. The reason I share these two occasions with you is
because I acted on them, and because of those actions, my life was saved and
transformed. How many more messages have gotten lost in the barrage of thoughts
in my undisciplined mind? How many opportunities have I missed while rehashing
old memories of how I was damaged by life, or by projecting my mind into a
utopian future where all my hurts have been healed?
I have learned to be more present to what is here now, no matter what that
is, no matter if it is wonderfully joyful or horrendously desperate. This is how
I now live my life, and how I work with clients. It is how I write and how I
heal.
One cold wet morning I stood waiting for the bus wrapped up in my duffle
coat, minding my own business after my daily morning swim. An old man stared at
me and looked intently into my eyes, I raised my head in acknowledgement
expecting a similar response and yet his gaze remained fixed on me.
"What's wrong son?" he quietly said,
"What do you mean?"
"You can't fool me, I can't read or write but I can see and I see sadness son, great pain."
"I'm ok mate, I don't know what you are talking about." I responded.
The bus pulled up and I got on and sat with my face turned away, wondering,
is it so obvious? Is that what people see?
He was right of course and had captured my life at that time; I was so sad
and so alone and felt lost in so many ways. Almost 30 years later and I still
remember how the old man had seen through me and into my heart.
A year before, my brother in law had committed suicide. My brother had been
a father figure to me in many ways and after losing him, I carried that grief
around with me, everywhere I went. On that particular day, the old man reminded
me that it hadn't gone away.
A few Years before that aged 19, I held my mom in my arms after she had had
a stroke and was scared and needed comforting. I quietly consoled her as she
slept and little by little over the coming months, she recovered, however the
experience had left its mark on me.
Worse still was to follow, as the realisation of the fragility of our lives
was brought home to me in the most devastating of ways over the next few
years.
At this time I was in a relationship that wasn't working and one that was
draining any self worth I had. I had a 2 year old daughter and I was scared to
leave the relationship for fear of not seeing her but I was pushed to the point
of no return. I went back home to my parents as the stress was so bad that I had
actually lost control of my bodily functions and could not control my bowels.
This will tell you the measure and amount of stress I was under, all
accumulative over many years.
I told my Dad, I was struggling and he said "Well, if you come home, how
much will you give your mother for housekeeping?" In that moment I knew I had
nowhere to go, except back to the stressful situation I was living in.
I carried on for a while however I was having panic attacks and was
diagnosed with chronic anxiety. I was in fight and flight mode daily and
eventually I cracked and was forced to leave the terrible situation I was in.
Once more and I went back to my parents house, although I desperately wanted to
go back to my daughter and it broke my heart.
That night at my parents, I had a bath and my legs went numb, I couldn't
actually feel my legs and my body had pins and needles all over for 72 hours. I
was in such a state, emotionally and physically thinking that there was no way
out, I had given up and I thought everything was lost.
Sometime after I noticed a lump in my groin. I hobbled down to the doctors
who took a look and said, "I will give you a prescription for some anti
inflammatory cream, put it on and if it doesn't go, then come back and see me
again".
I returned home that night with my prescriptive cream however slowly became
increasing ill and in the early hours I hobbled around to the hospital who
prodded and poked me for 12 hours whilst all the time I was getting sicker and
sicker.
I don't remember anything else until the next day, waking up in hospital
and hearing that I had had an operation to remove a growth.
I was kept in for a couple of days and told me they had sent off something
for a biopsy to the lab and I was to go back home and rest; they would call me
back in to give me the results.
A few weeks went by and my girlfriend announced she was 3 months pregnant.
My hospital appointment had come through for the same week that we found out the
news.
Aged 26, I sat in front of three members of hospital staff, two nurses and
a consultant. "We have found something unusual" the consultant said, "but if
you're going to get cancer, this is one of the best ones to get as although we
can't cure it, we can control it."
I am not sure if I took in any of what he said, I don't really remember
much, only that a Macmillan nurse would come around and see me and we would
begin treatment as soon as possible.
A few days later I went back to swimming but my immune system was so low
that I caught athletes foot. It began to spread into an infection and I was
hospitalised for two weeks on intravenous antibiotics as this had aggravated the
lymphoma. I think it was at this point it really hit me how ill I was.
I had 2 year old daughter, a son on the way and no money. We were given a
cooker and a bed from a charity as I could no longer work and ours had broken; I
felt ashamed and very depressed.
In me, began to stir a will to live that became so strong. I been told that
statistically that I had a 60% chance of surviving 5 years.
I did find a way, or rather it found me. I found solace in Yoga, meditation
and natural therapies. The first person I rang for help was a woman who went on
to write a book about love. However here was a valuable lesson about hypocrisy,
I rang her and said I needed some help, that I was unwell and she said "Yes, you
can come and see me, it will be 50." I said I have no money and that was the
end of that conversation.
As I was so stressed at the time I was on a 140 mg of betablockers daily,
to control my chronic anxiety, however they didn't even touch the sides. I
didn't want to go home as my home life was so bad and had no where really to go
and get some peace, so I sat in a hospital spare room no bigger than a box with
my walkman and a relaxation tape that I listened to for hours alone.
I also went to the local cancer support group within the hospital and I was
the only one remaining after 2 years of those people I originally met. Again I
was to use this as motivation to co-create a sanctuary for anyone who wants to
come and have some time to themselves and have HOPE.
I won't go into the details of my recovery here, as part of that has been
documented on my website. All I will add is that it was 7 years in the making,
with some miraculous coincidences. I grew stronger and although my nature has
always been the same, I changed dramatically.
I had fallen into my calling and as I began to use the skills I had learned
in that time, I set up a holistic therapy practice at The University Of
Birmingham. I had gained diplomas in nutrition, aromatherapy, reflexology,
massage, EFT, NLP and so much more, however the real diploma was in the
experience I had lived through.
I had also started teaching Pranayama Yoga which was to become the
foundation for my living and perhaps at the time, the single biggest influence
in my life.
After working for some time in a hospice as a volunteer, I learned what
really matters in life and it was around this time that my relationship with my
ex broke down completely and I moved out.
5 months afterwards, my son became so ill that he began to waste away and
dropped to 5st in weight. At his weakest point, he was robbed of his car,
attacked and beaten up by three drunken addicts who eventually were caught and
sentenced to two years imprisonment. He was 17 years old.
The battle to keep my son was long and exhausting and in the time that
followed he had several operations. He had abcesses on his spine, septseamia,
mrsa and chrons disease however that was just the beginning.
I held onto a philosophy I teach with every fibre of my being and although
some of those days and nights were the longest and most painful I had ever
known, within those years we had some miraculous and incredible beautiful
moments.
I battled for my son to be granted a certain protocol over the next 5 years
of which perhaps a month never went by without us being at the hospital. I gave
all I could give and developed a closeness with my son that became so connected
that if he smiled and was ten miles away I knew.
My son came out of hospital for the last time as an in-patient, after being
in for another 3 weeks. The same day I buried my dad.
Because of all of the doors that closed in my life, I have opened mine to
create a healing sanctuary known as Birmingham Holistic Health Centre for you,
who are no different from me.
26 years on from my diagnosis of non hodgkin's lymphoma, I am perhaps more
driven now than at any other time. I am happy that I can offer those who need
it, a resting place just like I did and often still do. That place is Birmingham
Holistic Health Centre.
If you are reading this and going through a terrible time, let me tell you
something I used to tell my son. When he was 15, I would say "This is just page
15 of your life and page 16 will be different and like the best stories you
read, there is drama, loss, gain and so much more. It is so important to see
your life as a story and if you are hurting to know that there is more of the
story to come.
Over the last 26 years, working with thousands of individuals, I have
learned how to forgive, what compassion is, how powerful we really are and what
true humility is. I have also learned that we cannot do this alone and I have
been graced by a few who still remain my close allies in this life.
You are not alone and have an open invitation to come and visit me and our
centre anytime.
I love the word 'serendipity'. My mom said I even used this wonderful word
as a child!
This act of finding something valuable when you are not looking for it
occurred when I was 31 ...
A personal trauma had rocked my world and I had become a shadow of my
former self. My husband had died very suddenly aged 34, leaving me a young
widow at just 30. The shock had affected me on a deep level. I couldn't
sleep. It was like I was frozen. I decided to study Indian Head Massage to
try to relax my stressed mind. I enjoyed the course but still couldn't
sleep.
"I know something that will ease your insomnia. Have you ever heard of
Reiki?". One of the students, Carmel, was looking at me with kind eyes. She
invited me to her house to have a 20 minute taster of Reiki and a cup of tea.
She explained that I would lie on a therapy couch and she would place her hands
over my head and body to ease and release the tension that I was holding in my
head.
I liked the feeling of heat from her hands ... It was soothing and I fell
asleep. I went home and slept soundly for 2 hours. I knew that I had come
across something that would start me on my journey to recovery. I found
Reiki.
In 2002, I decided that I wanted to learn Reiki so that I could 'share the
wonder'. Whilst studying level 2 Reiki, I became friendly with a group of the
students. One of them had a party at their house. It was at this party that I
met Stuart Morris ... It was another serendipitous moment!
Stuart told me about his healing journey and I knew instinctively that I
could trust him. I knew he could help me along my healing journey. I decided
to have healing treatments from Stuart. He helped me in so many ways with his
sessions of reflexology, massage, EFT and postitive affirmations. He has been
such a fantastic catalyst in my own healing journey. Bereavement is such a
powerful emotion!! Stuart has helped me to work through all the layers.
In 2010, Stuart Morris opened up his dream centre 'The Birmingham Holistic
Centre'. He asked me to offer Reiki Sessions in his unique centre. I started
to offer Reiki sessions on a Tuesday and absolutely loved it. In 2012, Stuart
asked me if I would like to help him to manage the centre. I was honoured by
his request. There is something very tranquil about the centre and just being
there has healed me on many levels.
We have all been to the 'University of Life'. We deal with life's trials
and tribulations on a daily basis. When I was 30, I was loving life running
our catering business and tea room. Eamonn's sudden passing tripped me up. I
couldn't deal with all the emotions and became stuck in grief. Thankfully, I
found Reiki and the Birmingham Holistic Centre. I had a fantastic support
network from my family and friends. Stuart Morris was a catalyst in my healing
journey.
In 2009 I married Clive. We met at our local chocolate factory Cadbury's.
He has also embraced Reiki and we both have a great interest in the healing
ability of crystals.
When I look back on my life since my very first steps on the spiritual path
I am astounded to the point that I sometimes wonder if it really is me for I
have done things which I would never have imagined possible at that time.
17 years later, I am in the process of making a film based on My book, The
Sacred Order Of The Magi.
Pinch me someone!
In my first year of embracing the spiritual path knowing zippidy doodah
about any of it but knowing that I wanted things to change, I embarked upon a Heal Your
Life Teacher Training course based on Louise Hay's famous book and life skills.
Within three months of that course, I was sitting with that amazing woman in her
beautiful home in San Diego presenting the children's programme Hay4Kids that I
had written. Even now, I am in awe of the speed of the events.
Then I discovered Angels which took my love and seeking of them to train
with Doreen Virtue in America and Glastonbury. I presented Hay4Kids in Virginia
Beach in the US. So many wondrous, awe-inspiring events and people I have
encountered since that day in the Spring of 1996 when I met a lady who told me
she was a Buddhist. Until that point I thought that all I knew about Buddhism
was the Dalai Lama and Richard Gere however on reflection I recalled that having
to choose a religious belief as a project topic at my all girls Catholic
Convent, I had chosen Buddhism. Not surprisingly I was the only student to do so
but was The Universe prompting me even then?
Carol and I worked together and began to have lots of chats about her
faith. During one of these chats, Carol introduced me to the concept of
chanting.
'Try it for a hundred days', Carol said. 'That's what we say to everyone
who wants to change things.' So I did and the rest as they say is history!
The chant that Carol gave me is:
To chant this enables the participant to balance their lives to the rhythm
of The Universe. How beautiful. I have recommended this chant to many people who
found themselves at a crossroads as I was when I met Carol.
I tell them how the chant changed my life. I tell them the meaning of the
chant which I believe allows our unique and personal magnificent spirit to shine
forth and blossom. Aside from the various sites dedicated to this form of
Buddhism I have only read about it in one other book which is Cosmic Energy by
Anne Jirsch.
Anne calls Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, The Miracle Chant and I couldn't agree
more.
My journey with the Angels, Sacred Sound and
Music - Rosemary Stephenson
I was brought up within a very musical family, on a farm, just on the
border of South Cheshire and North Staffordshire, South of Manchester.
Mow Cop was the name of this small village and very much into Methodism.
Many outdoor musical renditions were performed on the hillside of Mow Cop Castle
and in the many Methodist Churches in this small area.
My musical background began from the church. My paternal grandfather who
conducted a brass ensemble was also choirmaster, then my father after him, as
well as being a singer. My mother was organist and an accomplished pianist in
the area. My maternal grandfather was also a professional violinist. Little
wonder my life has been centred around music. Most of the family played a
musical instrument at professional level and were members of Fodens Motor Works
Band. There were always regular musical gatherings at our house.
I was always singing as a child. My first impromptu solo performance
happened when I was 2 and a half years old for the church anniversary, much to
everyones surprise including my mother and also my father, who was conducting!
I must have been listening to everyone singing when I was taken along to the
rehearsals over the previous weeks.
On the day of the service I suddenly burst forth with a solo at the top of
my voice. I don't think anyone knew what to do about it so they just let me
sing. When people came in the early evening for a repeat performance i decided
not to sing a note. In fact I fell asleep. I think maybe my first performance at
this early age had taken its toll on me. Thats children for you!!!
As I grew older music was still a big part of my life. This music was to be
my healing therapy which helped me to face the very difficult situations and
challenges I was to experience throughout my life, though I was oblivious of
this therapy at the time.
I went to college to study music, piano and voice. I had always been aware
that some invisible force was directing and guiding me in everything I was
doing. I was having many visions and spiritual experiences which I didn't
totally understand at the time and it was not until 12 years ago that I had the
confirmation of what had been happening to me when I attended the Teacher
Training, Angel and Ascension 3 week intensive course in Bergerac, South France
with Diana Cooper.
I went to a meditation evening and heard someone play a single crystal bowl
which took me straight to the Angelic Realms, every cell of my body began to
tingle and I knew immediately these were to be my new set of musical
instruments. I also had a knowing that I had played these instruments before at
concerts in Atlantis. I began to run workshops and healing sessions and had
amazing results.
I recreated, guided from spirit, Celestial Light Healers with the Masters
of Light and began to organise Events all over the country, especially Angel
Awareness Day with Diana.
Suddenly in 2010, I was stopped completely and was diagnosed with very
painful severe osteoarthritis by the hospital consultant and was to have an
operation within a few months.
I was in total shock. My wonderful healer dog Telsa, who had been working
as my healing partner and had recently passed to spirit, came every night for a
week to lie on my bed, she was healing me. After this time she told me she had
done all she could and now, it was up to me. During this time I was lying at one
side of my bed in severe pain and at the same time I was being cocooned by
Spirit to write the C.R.O.S.S, Crescendo Reiki Of Sacred Sound Healing course
with Thoth! It was like being out of my body, in two separate dimensions at the
same time.
Spirit had told me it would not be good to have metal in my body because of
my sound work. When I went to see the consultant and he showed me the x-ray of
my diseased hip joint I asked him for an alternative joint which used ceramic
and plastic with only part metal. In the meantime I began to look for herbal
remedies and used my sound healing with my voice and crystal bowls on myself.
After a couple of weeks I was beginning to feel a difference so I persevered and
by the time of the operation I was so much better.
As the date had been organised for my operation I went to hospital
wondering if I should really be there, especially as the other patients were so
much worse than I was. I felt a bit of a fraud.
I had my theatre gown on. It was just an hour before my operation was due,
when the anaesthetist came to see me and said he was going to inject my spine
for the operation. I said that I had arranged for a full anaesthetic and that
was what I wanted. He said patronisingly "you will be fine my dear". He looked
at me with cold eyes and smile and as he did this, I recognised him, which sent
shivers up my spine and a clear remembrance of a past life experience during WW2
flashed infront of me, when he had been part of a Nazi team experimenting on me
and others without anaesthetic in German clinic/hospital? I went into total
panic and said to the angels, "if I am supposed to have this operation you will
have to calm me down and make me ready for this".
Within 20 minutes one of the medical staff came to tell me they hadn't
enough time for my operation as the patient before me had taken longer than
expected and they had run out of theatre time. He said they would ring me the
next day with an operation date for the following week.
I jumped out of my hospital bed, got dressed and was out of the hospital
like a shot. I decided then that I was not to have the operation. This gave me
the inspiration to carry on doing what i could to heal myself. When the
Consultant's secretary telephoned me the next day, I said I wanted to postpone
the operation for now but would like to see the consultant in 3 months
time.
I saw the Consultant the following December. He couldn't believe it when I
walked in. He asked me what I had been doing. I told him about the sound healing
and rose hip and he seemed very interested and curious. He told me to continue
what I was doing and if I was ever in pain in the future contact the hospital to
see him.
Wow this was the start of my new life!!!
I felt exhilarated even though I
wasn't sure what the future would hold. I was on a mission with the Angels for
my healing and that is all I could think of for the moment.
I began teaching my new CROSS sound course together with my other teaching
courses and Events and didn't looked back.
It is now 5 years since I was diagnosed with an x-ray for severe
osteoarthritis.
Two years later in 2012, I went on a trip to Israel, Jordan and then Egypt
where I climbed Mount Sinai, singing and playing my crystal bowls at the top of
this truly amazing place!!! An experience I will never forget!
Earlier this year i went to see my son Joe's best friend, who is a
chiropractor, for a session. He took an X-ray of my hip and it looked totally
different and most of the diseased part had disappeared.
To me this was my personal living proof of the sound healing and herbal
treatment I was working with. I feel well and truly blessed.
Founder and Teacher of CROSS Crescendo Reiki Of Sacred Sound, Healing
System
Founder and Teacher of Celestial Sacred Sound Certificate...practical sound
course
Master Facilitator of Gaiadon Heart (www.gaiadonheart.com)
Angelic Reiki Master
Author of TELSA, published by Findhorn Press
________________________________________
Walking the path of life's miracles - Angel Alison Ward
Imagine hearing the words; 'today is the day you're going to die ... I've
planned it all'. I was given that clear intention twenty years ago by my
previous partner and father of my 2 year old son Sam. What followed was a
sustained and horrific beating and knife attack - all in the presence of Sam, my
bay whom I was meant to protect.
I am unable to put in words the emotional torture that followed the attack
that I now call The Awakening. The ripple effects caused by one person's actions
were huge and varied in its contents. Marriages broke up, debt accrued, ill
health followed it wasn't just at our door!
Personally, my whole life was ripped apart; damaged yet strangely re-born.
I lost my home, job, friends (apart from two dear ones who followed their LOVE
through), peace of mind, sense of hearing and well being. I was a victim of post
trauma for several years following the awakening until I heard the words 'The
best form of revenge is happiness'. Those words unlocked my happiness potential
and incidentally coincided with my growing sense of spiritual connection
following an angel visitation, when I was at my lowest ebb and planning to end
my life.
At first I looked externally for help via counsellors and psychiatrists,
child psychologists but all were useless bar one amazing expert who helped Sam,
thank God! I then decided that I had the tools of happiness and wellbeing within
me so I started to access them by using really simple practices. This was not
fed to me by reading books from self development gurus; I was the only guru who
could reach me. Practice followed on a daily basis which formed a natural
discipline and a new positive default.
Every day I gave myself the gift of time in silence, five minutes grew to
ten, then more. Noticing that peace-full-ness returned and resumed in those
moments gave me the impetus to listen to the inner-tuition from within. I
started to take action from these clear instructions. One such step was to look
in the mirror, right into the windows of my soul; the eyes. Simply to say
'hello'.
At first the resistance was so strong, I swore at the disgusting reflection
back. Funny how we perceive so differently from others isn't it?
Over time I was able to accept the changing form from within, this
acceptance grew to liking the reflection and the person named Alison then it
grew to loving her . Now twenty years later, I openly embrace and celebrate my
reflection even with the grey hairs and wrinkles!
As life progressed and healing developed, a business naturally occurred
through the practice of Reiki (1998), Crystal therapy (2005) and Angel Therapist
(Trained by Doreen Virtue Phd 2005). My natural ability to counsel, channel and
assist others resulted in my sharing these gifts in my self developing practice.
Now 16 years on I have a thriving international practice, author of 2 books
(well 3 but I've not had it printed yet) with many people from around the world.
My inner tuition has created opportunities and visits in Dubai and USA.
One gift that became apparent was my gift to channel source effortlessly. I
simply get out of the way and allow the teachings to channel out of my mouth to
the recipient. I have observed with awe at the ego and how it performs in each
person I meet. It's a cunning fox, a slippery fish and a naughty toddler at
times but when one works with the ego, a peaceful stand-off ensues drawing
respect from each side. You see the gifts once found, owned and nurtured grow
and develop bringing in further gifts to inspire others in need of receiving
them. They are totally unique and varied but all designed and created to be of
true service to others.
Most of my week is now filled with writing, (we're in Spirit and Destiny
Mag in Feb 2015 and Chat Its Fate in Jan 2015) as well as mentoring a vast range
of people and conditions/situations to Bring them back to them; their true self.
My first book Awarded By Angels shares the amazing and miraculous journey
of the Awakening and the recovery whilst Bringing You Back To YOU shares the oh
so simple tools that I practice every day and every moment.
Today I am a happy 50 year old woman who gets absolute pleasure and
fulfilment by sharing her gifts with the world, my life is not without
challenges, we are human and not meant to hit perfection but there is always a
huge sense of peace underlying everything that I do and be-come. I do not live
in the past, forgiveness has given me peace. My story is simply there to be
shared to hopefully inspire YOU the reader into action. Put simply my learned
philosophy is :
Awarded By Angels is available on Kindle, we'll be releasing a second
edition next Summer in paperback and Bringing You Back To YOU is available
directly via me at angelalisonward@live.co.uk, shortly to be available on Amazon
but not on kindle.,
On the 23rd of November 2008 I received a call that no parent should ever
have to take and a call that would change my life forever.
I remember having to go and break the news that night to my eldest daughter
who was incredibly close to her brother. It was the hardest thing I will ever
have to do in my life, each family member being devastated by the news. That
night I remember lying on the bed with my Mum we just held each other all night,
I must have eventually fallen asleep for a short time because when I woke for a
split second I couldn't remember - then the reality hit me - Richard was gone.
I don't know how I got through the following weeks. I think at that point I
was just existing in my own little bubble away from everybody. My focus was on
the funeral and nothing else as I wanted it to be perfect. Making all the
arrangements for the funeral was very emotional. The hardest part was choosing a
resting place for my son. You see as a parent you shouldn't have to do this its
not how life should be. Finally on the 23rd December my loving son Richard was
laid to rest.
Christmas Day came and I managed to cook for all the family we raised a
glass for him and presents were opened I felt numb but I knew we had to make the
effort for my younger daughter Holly who was 3 years old at the time. New Year
was awful I remember staring up at the sky through my bedroom window crying
listening to all the fireworks exploding and people celebrating seeing the New
Year in and thinking how much I wanted to hold Richard and tell him how much I
loved him. Feeling so sad that he should be here celebrating the New Year
too.
Later that January I was made redundant. I felt very isolated and lonely.
You see everybody had gone back to leading their normal lives and there was me
trying my best to just get through the day. My youngest daughter Holly was my
reason for getting up everyday, as there were many days I just wanted to stay in
bed and forget the world.
January 2013 was when my whole life changed. As I had mentioned previously,
I had had various jobs and they just didn't feel right for one reason or
another. I needed to take time out and decide exactly what I was going to do and
that's exactly what I did ...
I awoke at five o'clock one morning and it came to me 'Holistic Therapy'
- that was it - that's what I was going to do. I jumped out of bed, ran downstairs
and proceeded to jump about the living room shouting 'Yes that's it! that's what
I'm going to do!' If anybody could have seen me they would have thought I was
mad. It was at that point that my life would change for the better.
I completed
my Reiki I and II followed by a diploma in Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology and
a diploma in Reflexology. I became a qualified therapist in May of this year and
decided that I wanted to start my own business but wasn't sure what I could call
myself. Then it came to me again one morning 'Rei-Flex - A Time For You' it
made perfect sense a wonderful combination of both Reiki and Reflexology and
with life so stressful for us all we don't make that time for ourselves and we
should!
My life has changed in lots of ways, I now have a positive outlook and
appreciate life, my family and friends, and I never take anything for granted.
And yes I do miss my son everyday, and there isn't a day goes by when I don't
think of him. But the biggest tribute I could do for my son Richard is to help
those families who are experiencing the awful loss of their loved one support
them and let them know they are not alone. And offer help to people who maybe
dealing with stressful situations and support them through difficult times
too!
I wanted to share my experience of how Reiki and Reflexology transformed my
life from being in the depths of darkness to finding the light of love and life
again!
There has always been a sense of wanting to know about other worldly things
throughout my childhood and teenage years. I had a few experiences where I
would hear voices and be freaked out by some occurrences when I was very young.
This is why I believe the real empathic, intuitive and sixth sense psychic abilities that I have now,
were blocked for many years.
Indeed, I found much of my early life very challenging, if not very hard at times. I was often locked in controlling, domineering and sometimes
cruel experiences, which meant I really didn't safely start opening up until mid
2003 at the age of 34.
The trigger for this began after I had received some Angelic healing from a
friend, who came to my aid when a ten year relationship ended, I had a cancer
scare, and I was finding it hard as a temporary secretary and needing permanent
work. Added to all this, my father became very sick with lung cancer.
During this Angelic healing I saw and experienced the energy of what I now
have come to realise was Archangel Michael. I started experiencing visions
which would help me know what was coming, or to help make crucial decisions.
Two of these visions included a message informing me that I was going to
sell my house and told me when, and because it was so accurate it gave me
confidence to move out and rent a flat in Birmingham City Centre before the sale
had completed, in the hope of regaining my life back.
I also had the vision of my father's passing two weeks before it actually happened. The vision came to me as I was in the shower, washing my hair. I feel it was showing
me I would be there when he passed. It turned out that I barely made it on time to the hospice, due to
horrendous traffic. I decided to run out of the taxi for the last
stretch with this vision giving me hope that I would be there in time. I literally got there with minutes to spare, before he passed. It was then I
realised the vision was of this moment. Confirmation came in the form of a white feather which floated down as me and my sister held onto my dad as he took his last breath.
Moving on from these events, much happened in the next few years, I truly
did start to go out and live again, forming a new relationship, being attuned to
a healing modality, learning to read the tarot, studying Counselling and
Philosophy, and beginning to meditate.
However none of this quite prepared me for what was about to happen in
September 2007. The new relationship I had been in, which in itself was really
quite dysfunctional, ended with him meeting someone else and getting engaged to
her within weeks. Couple this with a fall out with a couple of friends, and I
felt like the world was turning on me. I felt humiliated (apparently this is a
great tool of awakening, to breaking down the ego, to truth and from your own
illusion).
I had what I now see as a dark night of the soul. I almost had a
breakdown, and everything I thought my life was about, was being turned upside
down, and as the illusions fell away, the true me began to be revealed, my
old self was dying, and the time for me to walk the path of
self-realisation, had truly arrived.
I began to heal my inner child, and the woman that suffered so
much and hid her wounds with her smiles, laughter and lipstick began to disappear. The
journey has been about becoming more of who I was meant to be, and my smiles come
now from a deeper inner sense of peace, serenity and joy, my purpose, my loving,
serving and being creative, and so many other things. Most of which are only
made wonderful and precious by those who seek my help and services, and by my
relationships with my friends and close family.
You see in order to become who you truly are, you have to lose everything
you are not ....
And the journey is about revealing who we truly are, the
becoming is the awareness of that, but we are already there to begin with, it's
just covered by stuff like beliefs, conditioning, expectations, experiences, and
the cultures we are born into.
When you are able to move beyond these, the true revelation is that you are spirit
manifested in physical form, and you will go back to being pure spirit when
this physical life has come to its end.
Until then what are you going to do to
make this life count? What will you do to evolve, to become what it is possible for you to
become. To make a contribution and a difference, to make it count ...
So I ask
myself "what are you going to aim for and take a step into?" It's a
very good question, and one I am still working on, as this journey unfolds, it's wonders to experience, express and enjoy.
Sarah Page - www.helperangel.co.uk is offering year ahead psychic readings
for December and January for 40, as a special offer to Health & Happiness
readers.
There is also a new meet up group for those who are on the journey like
Sarah and want to meet with other like minds. So please take a look and join
www.meetup.com/Sutton-Coldfield-Soul-Evolve-Spiritual-Meetup-Group to see what
events, socials and gatherings are occurring.
Especially take note of the monthly Soul Evolve Groups, these will be
gatherings for spiritual and personal development . Happening happen the second
Tuesday of each month the first one is 9th December 2014 - 7pm - 9.30pm, at
Wylde Green Community Hall, Emscote Drive, Sutton Coldfield, B73 5NE. It costs
10 per person or bring a friend and they only pay 5 (or share the 15 cost
between you). More details can be found online, or contact Sarah direct at
helperangel@hotmail.co.uk for further details.
___________________________________
You are not alone
Learn to embrace life for all it is and accept pain as part of life and let
it build our character, let it make us stronger and more compassionate people.
Let us experiment with a philosophy and prayer and if you do you will come to
understand in this life we are each connected to each other in ways we never
really contemplated before and even more amazingly to something else that will
answer us every single time through synchronicities, coincidences and in fact in
way that only means anything to you but in a way that will say "You are not
alone".
I went for lunch with a friend of mine who started out as a client, Julie, at
the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham. As we sat chatting enjoying our cup of tea
and cake, we suddenly became aware of a robin peering in at us from outside the
window.
The robin just sat perched on a branch looking into the window and the
conversation turned to Julie's husband, Eamonn, who suddenly passed away a few
years prior. He suffered a cardiac arrest one morning in what seemed like
another ordinary day. Eamonn had left for work as he normally did and never
returned aged just 34.
Julie came to me for treatments shortly afterwards and was numb from the
shock and little by little over a period of years rebuilt her life, she is now a
practitioner of Reiki and is now also the manager of our centre.
Seeing the robin outside the window made her speak about Eamonn as he used
to collect miniature robin statues. Julie said he loved robins.
We finished our lunch and walked around the gardens and came to a bench and
sat down. We chatted some more and then we noticed another or possibly the same
robin as he flew onto a little branch onto a tree next to the bench and again
Julie reminisced about Eamonn and then the robin flew from the branch to the arm
of the bench and then on the ground in front of Julie.
We laughed but even more remarkable then he jumped onto Julie's toe and
stayed there not just for a minute or two but for 25 minutes!
When I say you will get confirmation that you are not alone I know that it
will always be a way that you understand and Julie knew the significance of this
meeting with the robin.
A little add onto this story came this year as Julie and myself attended a
workshop at our centre and near the end of the day, Deb Marshall who is the
medium who works at the centre was also attending this workshop, said "I have to
tell you something, there is a little Robin outside the window and he is puffing
his chest out and trying to get our attention and he is saying "Tell them I'm
here, tell them I'm here!"
Deb did not know about the story of Julie and the robin and the
significance of this stopped me in my tracks and certainly and most importantly
gave Julie confirmation that "I am with you and you are not alone"
Isn't that amazing and I guess as with all these stories they will be open
to interpretation but for me there is no doubt Julie had been answered and my
advice to anyone is to keep looking for the coincidences in your life as this is
one of the ways how life answers you in sometimes the most simple but profound
ways.