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It was 1995 when Conversations with God: Book One practically fell off the shelf at the bookstore one Sunday morning and all but hit me in the head. I skimmed a few pages, headed for the checkout and then to my office, where I read late into the night. Neale Donald Walsch does a marvelous job of leading his readers right up to the point of self-discovery. So I recognized that on the next page "God" was going to tell me that I, too, was divine. Even though I was prepared for the revelation, I wasn't prepared for my reaction. I cried. Buckets of tears. Certain that my little inadequate self was unworthy of "divinity" and certainly not "god-like." About six months later, I decided to see whether CwG had a website. It was the early days of the Internet. I had a sloooow DSL line (fast by dial-up standards, I suppose). Search engines were equally sloooow. It took some time before I pulled up the site. Only to discover that there was a CwG retreat in Baltimore the next week. It was Friday night. The retreat started Sunday night. I knew I was meant to be there. Only one hitch: the retreat was sold out. Desperately, I dialed the retreat coordinator's number again and again, only to get voice mail. But I finally got word that there MIGHT be one space open due to a cancellation. Without confirmation of my place (everyone from CwG was out of the office heading for Maryland), I told my stunned employees to carry on with my ad agency and I hopped on a plane. It all happened in less than 48 hours. Of course, the retreat was inspired. I have been to many, many CwG retreats since then, but that one stands alone, as a bright spot in my spiritual memory. Fifty of us in the room with Neale, who was just launching his spiritual oddessey. Frank, approachable, warm, wise. The retreat was everything I expected and more.
For a long time, there was only one CwG retreat "ReCreating Yourself." But I craved more -- an advanced version. Finally, in August 2003, it arrived. In the form of an email, asking for potential retreat facilitators to teach the CwG principles and bring the world to Humanity's Team. I signed up that day for the 90-day (vs three years) intensive FasTrak program. I graduated from the FasTrak program in the spring of 2004, with a dozen other facilitators. Neale promised to make an appearance at my first CwG retreat (I am now qualified to present "ReCreating Yourself"). But our schedules have been off kilter for a year. It will happen when it is supposed to happen. In the meantine, my life continues to be guided by CwG principles: "We are all One, " "There is enough." "There's nothing you have to do." The work is reflected in my own retreats and workshops.
There are those who believe Neale wrote his books right out of his head, rather than speaking directly to God and transcribing the conversation. They are certainly entitled to their opinion. My only question to them is: Who was it that put the words in his head in the first place? And who is it that puts the words into mine? And yours?
Today I use the Conversations with God principles in my life coaching, my retreats, my workshops and my writing. It's not blatant. You won't hear me 'preaching the word.' That's not what CwG is about. In fact, it's an amalgam of many spiritual teachings. But it was the precipitating factor that put me on my current path -- one I love traveling!
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