Mystical Changes

From my book, Whispers From the Soul: The Divine Dance of Consciousness by Don and Linda Pendleton:

Do we know what kind of changes are taking place within us, moment to moment? Do we feel that we have control over those changes–so that we may make the decision, “This change would be good but that one would not.”

So, is it sometimes good to change, sometimes not so good?

Do we really wish to change the self or are we more interested in changing someone else?

Changing the “other fellow” seems to be the more common desire–but all true change must occur within the self–in the way it came for astronaut Edgar Mitchell and his “peak experience” after which he never again saw this world as he had known it before.

Joseph Campbell defines it this way. “The peak experience refers to actual moments of your life when you experience your relationship to the harmony of being.”

What is it that all of us need to “change” in order to feel that sense of oneness and an intimate relationship with the divine? In a word, attitude. There is no need to change our clothes, our occupation, our religion, our politics–or anything else other than the mental attitude. It has become a cliche of sorts to say of someone that he/she has an “attitude” problem. We have “attitude adjustment” hours at local bistros in recognition of the usual stress and strains commonly experienced in our every day lives. Of course, there is no need to take refuge in alcohol if our attitude is healthy all the time.

For all of us, a mere change of attitude can be the most healing experience–and maybe we can even achieve a “peak” if we ever learn to do it right. A neurosis is characterized by a stubborn resistance to change. In the rapidly changing world of today, it may be very healthy for all of us to accommodate change in a realistic way, to strive for resilience of attitudes and to merely relax a little when the tempo of our world seems to be getting a bit uncomfortable. We might take some small comfort from the wisdom of Heraclitus who remarked many centuries ago, “There is nothing permanent except change.”

It is those mystical experiences that leave an impact on us, often deep enough to be life changing.

Have you had a life-altering mystical experience or experiences?


Carolyn Myss is a medical intutitive and a best-selling author. Her latest book is DEFY GRAVITY: Healing Beyond the Bounds of Reason.





~Linda

Life After Life, and NDEs

Last night, best-selling author, lecturer, and researcher, Dr. Raymond Moody was a guest on George Noory’s Coast to Coast AM Radio Show. Dr. Moody is a medical doctor and has a Ph.D. in philosophy and is most noted for his expertise and research into “near-death experiences,” a term he coined in the seventies with his classic book, Life After Life. In 1975, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler Ross wrote the Foreword to his book with these words: "It is research like Dr. Moody presents in his book that will enlighten many and will confirm what we have been taught for two thousand years -- that there is life after death." At the time Dr. Kubler-Ross was also doing her own work in the area of life and death.

The discussion with George Noory was, of course, about near-death experiences. But he was also there to talk about his upcoming book later this year, co-written with Paul Perry. Moody’s book Reunions: Visionary Encounters with Departed Loved Ones, was co-written with Paul Perry. Perry has also co-written a number of books including several written with Dr. Melvin Morse on NDEs, and with Dannion Brinkley. I’ve always enjoyed the writing of Paul Perry that seems to come through in those mentioned books.

Dr. Moody has for years researched Near Death Experiences but he said he has recently become more confident about the reality of life-after-death because of what he calls, “shared death experiences.” In other words, bystanders who are at the death bed of a loved one have reported seeing a light, the appearance of a tunnel, deceased loved ones, spiritual beings, and even co-participating in the panoramic life-review of the person who was passing away.

He stated they are in effect, “empathically co-living the dying experience of those that are close to them.”

Doesn’t that sound absolutely extraordinary and fascinating? Not only will it be interesting reading the book by Moody and Perry, but then hearing others who will come forward with their own experiences that occurred at the time of death of a loved one.

And people will come forward as they did and have done about their own NDEs or other spiritual experiences when they realize it is safe to do so, and not be thought “crazy.” We’ve all seen that happen in recent years with the acceptance of spiritual experiences, including angels, spirit guides, mediumship, communication with the Other Side, and past lives. And I must say, the media has helped with that as has professionals, such as Doctors Moody, Kubler-Ross, Weiss, Morse, Dossey, Chopra, among others.

The new book, Between Two Worlds: Glimpses of Eternity Through Shared Death Experiences will be published in the Fall of 2010.

From the Paul Perry Website:

“In this truly groundbreaking book, New York Times bestselling authors Raymond Moody, MD, and Paul Perry search for the answer to mankind's oldest question, What happens when we die?

“They have searched for the answer before by examining the compelling stories of those who have had near-death experiences. This time they examine the stories of those who share the death experience with a loved one. In this book you will read jaw-dropping stories of people who unexpectedly find themselves leaving this earth as loved ones die and following them "into the light" where they see dead relatives and beings of Light before returning to their place on earth, convinced of a life after life.

“This book provides convincing evidence that we survive bodily death, and takes a giant step forward in afterlife exploration.”

After watching the interview of Dr. Raymond Moody by Paul Perry, you can download a PDF of the first chapter of their new book here.





Not only do I enjoy reading about life after death and the other spiritual phenomena, I also enjoy researching and writing about these kinds of spiritual experiences in my e-courses, e-books and my print books. The latest of those would be my e-book, How Thin the Veil: 150 Years of Spiritualism, if your interested in reading more.

150 Years here in America, so, what’s new? We just need facts, ma’am. Then we’ll believe it.

~Linda

Emotional Sponge

"NO is a complete sentence." ~Judith Orloff, M.D.

Dr. Judith Orloff identifies an empath as an emotional sponge. She writes: “World–class nurturers, empaths are highly sensitive, finely tuned instruments when it comes to emotions. Because they interpret the world intuitively, they tend to feel everything (sometimes to an extreme) and can therefore fall prey to stressful emotions, anxiety, panic attacks, and depression, especially if they don’t set and maintain boundaries. The right mix of intellect, feeling, and groundedness can help them get centered.”

Are you an emotional sponge, taking it all in?

Are you too emotional?

Have you learned to put up boundaries?

Have you learned to release stress and anxiety?

Have you learned to be compassionate and loving without taking on the emotions of another?

Here is a short video of Dr. Orloff describing an emotional empath.

~Linda

"Who I Was Born to Be"

And though I may not
Know the answers
I can finally say I am free
And if the questions
Led me here, then
I am who I was born to be

Lyrics, Who I Was Born to Be, sung by Susan Boyle. Songwriters: Johan Fransson; Tim Mikael Larsson; Tobias Lundgren; Audra Mae.

I'm not sure if this inspirational song was written especially for Susan Boyle but it should be her theme song. It is a beautiful song full of so much meaning. Thank you, Susan and thank you songwriters. It is on her new CD.

I would like to borrow that as my theme song for the new year, 2010--I am Who I was Born to Be!

Are you who you were born to be? Have you reached that understanding in your life?

~Linda

Soul Reflections

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy New Year

“The soul should always stand ajar,
Ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.”
~Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

“Follow your bliss.”
~Joseph Campbell (1904-1987)

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
~Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)

“The whole of life, from the moment you are born
to the moment you die, is a process of learning.”
~Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986)

“Learn from the past be prepared

for the future, live in the present.”
~Buddha (568-488 B.C.)

Our life is what our thoughts make it.”
~Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180)

“It better befits a man to laugh at life than to lament over it.”
~Seneca (4? B.C.-A.D. 65)

“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”
~Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993)

Happy Holidays

Make a Smilebox slideshow

An Octopus and his Coconut Shells Home, Fear or Wisdom?

This is absolutely amazing....an octopus who apparently can think, reason, about making and having a "home," helping to ensure its safety and sanctuary on the sea floor.

In watching this octopus so determined to create his safe haven, brought to mind these words from Dr. James Martin Peebles, spirit guide. Here he is speaking of the illusions of separation and fear.

“It is human nature to desire safety and sanctuary. The instinct for survival does not belong only to humans, it is a part of nature, too. But the fear of not having security–safety, can disable one on their journey if too much emphasis is placed upon it. Yes, it is natural to want to be safe from harm, to find sanctuary away from the tribulations of life, but often in struggling to ensure those desires, one may pull away, retreat from life and in doing so, the illusion of separation again rears its head. Fear can make one's life stagnate, unproductive, lonely, and painful. If one can welcome those fears, face them head-on and embrace them, then they will disintegrate like the ashes of a burning log. Now fire can bring fear–a hot flame that is licking up the walls of your home–but from a different perspective, flames generated under an oak log can fill the room with warmth and comfort, and when either fire burns out, and you pick up the cool ashes which remain and let them sift through your fingers, they disintegrate as they fall to earth. So it is perspective.” Excerpt from Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom by Linda Pendleton

Apparently, as Dr. Peebles indicates, it is not only our nature to desire safety and sanctuary but the instinct for survival is in nature. Is it possible that we do not give enough credit to animals and invertebrate that they can manipulate and chose to do things or creatively use objects to better ensure their survival.

I find it fascinating. We’ve seen the chimpanzees use tools, and other mammals and birds, we’ve seen the grieving of elephants and other animals, and now the determination of an octopus to build, surely another indication of how life, ALL life, is connected and is a part of the Universal Creation.

This Footage of the Veined Octopus, Amphioctopus marginatus, showing sophisticated tool use behavior was filmed by Dr Julian Finn of Museum Victoria. Reported: Finn, J.K., T. Tregenza and M.D. Norman. (2009) Defensive tool use in a coconut-carrying octopus, Current Biology, Volume 19, Issue 23, R1069-R1070, 15 December 2009.

~Linda

Love and Life Eternal

“Our largest challenge of this life experience may be to achieve unconditional love. That just may be how we ‘earn our wings’ as we journey through life eternal. Obviously, love is the most vital element of all human expression whether experienced in this physical dimension or some other. Our wings of time are woven into the fabric of eternity by those universal threads.”
~Don and Linda Pendleton, “Whispers From the Soul”

~Linda

Life Between Lives, and Before, a Look at Reincarnation

“An old soul is nothing but a very slow learner.” ~Favorite joke of Spirit Guide, James M. Peebles, from To Dance With Angels by Don and Linda Pendleton

Michael Newton, Ph.D is the Founder of The Michael Newton Institute for Life Between Lives Hypnotherapy. He is author of three books on regression therapy: Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives, Destiny of Souls, and Life Between Lives Hypnotherapy.

I believe his work is similar to psychiatrist Dr. Brian Weiss, whose books I've read and recommend.

Here is part one of an interview of Dr. Newton. You can find the rest of the interview at youtube if you’d like to hear more.

~Linda

Liam Herbert’s Wearable Sculpture, Jewelry

“I believe in unconditional Trust that a Higher Power, 'GOD', is nurturing our lives.” ~Liam Herbert, Artist




See his beautiful and unique jewelry at his website.

I have the silver "Rising Joy" Pendant and I love it!

~Linda

The Gift of a Beautiful Voice, Susan Boyle

This post doesn’t really have to do with angels, at least not those in heaven, but it does have to do with the angelic voice of Susan Boyle. I just bought her album and it is incredible, beautiful. What a voice Susan has! So clear, so crisp, and such a range. I can hardly listen to her without having moist eyes.

Her story is so touching....a woman with a beautiful voice that not very many knew about until she had the guts to appear on British television to show the world she had talent. And boy, what talent she is now sharing with the world.

Fantastic! What a great Christmas gift her album will make, so stuff your stockings with the beautiful songs of Susan Boyle.

Linda

Angelic Wisdom

"The more you increase your communication, the more present

you will know the pleasures of Earth." –The grand spirit, Dr. Peebles

Spirit Guide, Dr. James Martin Peebles had this to say about his Second Principle, Increased Communication with all of life everywhere, and with respect, in my book, Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom: The Spiritual Psychology of the Grand Spirit, Dr. Peebles by Linda Pendleton

Excerpt from CHAPTER SIX:
THE SECOND PRINCIPLE, INCREASED COMMUNICATION



Now, within this principle, we speak of increased communication with all of life everywhere. Life is made up of the human, and all the creatures who roam the earth. That includes the birds who sing for you and nibble at your garden; the four-legged animals who you have domesticated, and the ones who roam wild; the insects that you swat away as they buzz around your head; the bountiful vegetation which covers the land; and the many life forms who live in community with you on Planet Earth; and, it includes the Planet Earth, herself. She is alive and vital. All of it deserves respect.

Have you talked to a tree recently and told him how startling and impressive his brightly colored leaves are? Have you told the beautiful wild daisy in the field how beautiful she is? Have you spoken to the fish who swims in the water and told him how sorry you are that you have allowed his fresh water to become polluted? Have you asked the ants who have invaded your kitchen to find their way to the outdoors? Have you blessed the rich soil which allows your garden to produce food for you? Have you smiled at the stranger who passes you on the sidewalk?

Those are a few examples of how you can increase your communication with life.

Respect comes from the heart as does love. With loving allowance for all things to be, in their own time and place, and increasing your communication with respect for all life everywhere, you have incorporated self-responsibility. If you take personal responsibility for your place upon the planet, and understand that you are an integral part of the planet, then how can you not love and respect all of life everywhere and in every form?

That brings us back to the God-essence. If all is of God, including yourself, then communication with God is only natural. And so is communication with one another, each a part of God–and again, a spiritual being. And we, on this side of the veil, are spiritual beings. It is all one gigantic world, and only endures an illusion of separation–separation from God, or man, or spirit. So why would one not expect communication to take place with all within that gigantic world?

Many of us on this side of the veil are eagerly awaiting your communication. We often come to you in your dreams, and we also come to you when you ask for guidance or support in your prayers, meditations or waking state.

When you reach out your hand, we take it in ours and dance the dance of angels. We love to give you an echo, because in that echo you can hear yourselves, you can be energized, and moved in your hearts and souls. It is at that moment that the dance of love begins and within that dance you have declared permission to shout your truths and sing out your songs.



Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom © Copyright 2000 by Linda Pendleton.

Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom was an EPPIE 2002 Awards Finalist, awarded for excellence in electronic books. At Amazon in tradepaper and Kindle.

Pope Benedict and the World of Art

Pope Benedict XVI met with more than 250 artists today at the Sistine Chapel in Rome. The gathering of hundreds of painters, sculptors, writers, actors, and musicians, held beneath the vaulted ceiling of the chapel painted by Michelangelo, received inspiration from the Pope in his effort to “renew the Church's friendship with the world of art."

My cousin, Sylvia, in Vienna, Austria emailed me today to let me know of the event as it was being broadcast from the Sistine Chapel on her Italian television station. Sylvia wrote this:

“I just tuned into my Italian channel Rai Uno and there is the Pope in the Sistine chapel speaking to artists from all over the world. He is speaking in Italian so I looked it up and found he wants a closer relationship with all artists with the church or religion. He told them, we need you. It has been 45 years since the Vatican or the Pope has met with artists.

The cameras are frequently flashing on the art in the Sistine chapel, on the ceiling, on specific frescos.

The Pope has a white robe on and a huge gold cross on his chest.

The commentator just said il Pappa is saluting certain artists present at the meeting.

Now they are showing the outside of the chapel in the square. The sun is shining and it looks like a good day.

I see in the audience there are many men and a few women.

Now, he is giving his blessing. Patri et filitu et Santus. Father Son and Holy Spirit.

Now, they are inside the Sistine chapel again. The frescos look so bright and fresh. It is amazing. There must be artists touching them up to keep them looking this bright.”Saturday's event marked both the 10th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's 'Letter to Artists' in 1999 in which he spoke of the Church's "need for art," and the 45th anniversary of Pope Paul VI's original meeting with artists in 1964. The invitation to today’s meeting went out to 500 artists regardless of religious, political or stylistic allegiances.

In recent years the Vatican has seemed to pull away from the art community and has had some controversy with artists including Dan Brown’s best-selling book (and resulting movie), The Da Vinci Code. In hopes for reconciliation with the artistic community, the Vatican's new culture commissar, Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi seems to be driving the efforts for the Church to again support the arts.

According to a quote in the New York Times: “Benedict made ‘a cordial, friendly and impassioned appeal’ to the artists, calling on them to be ‘fully conscious of your great responsibility to communicate beauty, to communicate in and through beauty.’”

According to the Catholic News Agency:

“In a moving address he [Pope Benedict] challenged the artists, as ‘custodians of beauty,’ to be ‘heralds and witnesses of hope for humanity.’”

The Pontiff explained this phenomenon, "thanks to your talent, you have the opportunity to speak to the heart of humanity, to touch individual and collective sensibilities, to call forth dreams and hopes, to broaden the horizons of knowledge and of human engagement."

“He asked them to ‘be grateful, then, for the gifts you have received and be fully conscious of your great responsibility to communicate beauty!’

“The Holy Father expounded on the need for beauty in the world as a source of inspiration, happiness and unity.

“’Beauty, like truth, brings joy to the human heart, and is that precious fruit which resists the erosion of time, which unites generations and enables them to be one in admiration,’ he said.”

“Encouraging those who filled the Sistine Chapel to seek out opportunities to share this beauty with others, he advised them not to be afraid ‘to approach the first and last source of beauty, to enter into dialogue with believers, with those who, like yourselves, consider that they are pilgrims in this world and in history towards infinite Beauty!’”

“He added that they must not view this as a weakness, explaining that faith ‘takes nothing away from your genius or your art: on the contrary, it exalts them and nourishes them.’”


I did notice Sylvia’s comment that there were more men than women. Hmmm....



~Linda
P.S. Thank you Syl....

Love is the Word

"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life:
That word is love."
–Sophocles (c. 495–406 B.C.)

Gothic Angels

At Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France,

Photo © Copyright 2009 by Sylvia Stites

My cousin Sylvia and her husband Tom were on a visit to Paris for a few days from their home in Vienna, Austria. Again, she was on the lookout for angels to photograph so she could send me one this time from Paris.

Yesterday she emailed me angels she photographed in the interior pinnacle of the Sainte Chapelle, and a photo of a statue of St. Michael with his foot on the devil. This was on a building in the city of Paris.

Sainte-Chapelle ("Holy Chapel"), 13th-century Gothic chapel located within the Palais de Justice complex on the Ile de la Cité in the center of Paris, was erected by Louis IX, king of France, to house the Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the True Cross, precious relics of the Passion.

At Sainte Chapelle, Paris, France
Photo © Copyright 2009 by Sylvia Stites

She included this information on Sainte Chapelle from Paris, Eyewitness Travel Guides. Main Contributor: Alan Tillier 1997...: “Ethereal and magical, Sainte Chapelle has been hailed as one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of the Western world. In the middle Ages the devout likened this church to a "gateway to heaven". Today no visitor can fail to be transported by the blaze of light created by the 15 magnificent stained-glass windows, separated by the narrowest of columns that soar 15 meters, 50 feet, to the star-studded vaulted roof. The windows portray over 1,000 religious scenes in a kaleidoscope of red, gold, green, blue and mauve. The chapel was built in 1248 by Louis IX to house Christ's purported Crown of Thorns and other relics. The Crown of Thorns decorates the pinnacle as the symbol of the first relic bought by Louis IX.”

I love that she is able to send me these angel photos from these incredible ancient European Gothic chapels. The last angel she sent was from Milan, Italy and I wrote about our Angel Connections.

Archangel Michael and the devil, by Francisque-Joseph Duret, centerpiece of the Fontaine Saint-Michel.
Photo © Copyright 2009 by Sylvia Stites

~Linda

Eyes on the Skies, Looking for Extraterrestrial Life

Last week the Vatican concluded a five day conference involving scientists and church officials on the subject of future discoveries of alien worlds and alien life, especially intelligent life, and the implications of those discoveries on science and religion.

Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, astronomer and director of the Vatican Observatory in Rome, said, "Just as there is a multitude of creatures on Earth, there could be other beings, even intelligent ones, created by God. This does not contradict our faith, because we cannot put limits on God's creative freedom."

Some of the media reports seemed to indicate that this was the first interest the Vatican had shown in alien life but that is not so. There has been a long-time interest by the church in the idea that intelligent life may exist in the universe.

In May 2008, in an interview In regards to extraterrestrial life in the universe, in the Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted in the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

"How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?" Funes said. "Just as we consider earthly creatures as 'a brother,' and 'sister,' why should we not talk about an 'extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation."

Funes said that such a notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be God's creatures. Ruling out the existence of aliens would be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom, he said.

Here is the blog I wrote in January 2009, Extraterrestrials, Vatican’s Observatory, and UFOs. And again, I ask, “Are we being prepared to know the truth about extraterrestrial life as many in the UFO community believe?”

EYES ON THE SKIES

One cannot help but wonder exactly what the Vatican knows about extraterrestrial life, and is not saying. I’ve often wondered why for centuries now, they have been so interested in the heavens. I don’t mean Heaven, we all know they have interests there, but I mean the heavens: the solar system, the cosmos, the stars, the universe or universes ... and extraterrestrials? Yeah, those guys.

The Vatican’s Observatory, a few miles from the Vatican at the Papal Summer Villa, Castel Gandolfo in the Alban Hills overlooking Lake Albano, a small volcanic crater lake, is one of the oldest astronomical institutes in the world. The Vatican’s interest in astronomy can be traced to Pope Gregory XIII who had the Tower of the Winds built in the Vatican in 1578. Pope Gregory XIII had called on Jesuit astronomers and mathematicians to study the scientific data and implications involved in the reform of the calendar which occurred in 1582. It appears from that time forward the Vatican has manifested an interest in and support for astronomical research.

The Tower of Winds is a three-story building rising up from Vatican Palace, and decorated in celebration of the accomplishments of Pope Gregory XIII’s calendar reform from the Julian to Gregorian calendar, which took away ten days during the month of October and made adjustments to leap years and is now the favored calendar by most.

In 1891, Leo XIII founded the Vatican Observatory (Specola Vaticana) and chose the Tower of Winds as its seat, and its roof was substituted with a flat terrace to allow astronomical observations. For more than four decades astronomical research was carried out, including an international program to map the whole sky.

Pope Pius XI had the Observatory moved to Castel Grandolfo. There at the modern observatory, entrusted to the Jesuits, three new telescopes were added in the mid-1930s, the installation of an astrophysical laboratory for spectrochemical analysis, and expansion of research programs on variable stars, carrying on the work of mid-nineteenth century Jesuit Father Angelo Secchi, the first to classify stars according to their spectra. In 1957 with the installation of a Schmidt wide-angel telescope, research was extended to other topics. In recent years, month-long summer school in Astronomy and Astrophysics for a small number of students from around the world is taught by eminent scholars invited for the occasion. The school has become a biennial event in the Observatory’s programs.

Castel Gandolfo’s library contains more than 22,000 volumes and possesses a valuable collection of rare antique books including works of Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, Kepler, Brahe, Clavius, and Secchi.

There is also a unique meteorite collection that is being researched for clues to the early history of the solar system.

As modern time increased the population of Rome, the skies above the Observatory again became too bright and in 1981, the Observatory founded another research center, the Vatican Observatroy Research Group in Tucson Arizona. They now have access to all the telescopes at Tucson’s Mount Graham International Observatory.

The 10,713 foot Mount Graham, northeast of Tucson, Arizona surges up from the desert floor giving the appearance of a giant island in the sky, the site upon which the Vatican Observatory has established its own powerful telescope to scan the heavens, operated in conjunction with Mount Graham International Observatory. The International Observatory also houses telescopes operated by the University of Arizona.

One may wonder if the Vatican is mounting a search for God–or maybe for the Virgin Mary as she travels the cosmos leaving a "sign" in the skies to be recognized by we humans here on the Earth plane.

It seems that the Vatican is searching for neither–or, at least, that is not their announced intention. However, according to a story in the London Daily Telegraph, the Reverend George Coyne, then director of the Vatican Observatory, is quoted as saying, "The church would be obliged to address the question of whether extraterrestrials might be brought within the fold and baptized. One would need to put some questions to him such as: 'Have you ever experienced something similar to Adam and Eve, in other words, original sin? Do you people also know a Jesus who has redeemed you?'"

In a syndicated Knight-Ridder News Article in late 1992, columnist Steve Yozwiak reports that the Reverend Chris Corbally, a staff astronomer and project scientist in Tucson, said that the possibility of encountering alien life raises profound theological questions. "Surely, it would be fascinating to have a real encounter with another intelligence," Corbally stated, adding, "We would be open to that sort of thing."

This has to be seen as a gigantic leap forward for a church which, in ages past, executed scientists such as Giordano Bruno (1600). Pope Clement VIII ordered that the "impenitent and pertinacious" heretical astronomer be burned at the stake for insisting that our Earth was not the center of the universe. Bruno believed in an infinite universe and a multiplicity of worlds.

In contrast, to show how far the Catholic hierarchy has come, Pope Pius XII, in an address in 1951, stated, "The more true science advances, the more it discovers God, almost, as though He were standing, vigilant behind every door which science opens."

And again: In 2000, Pope John Paul II had to issue a formal apology for all the errors of the Church over the last 2000 years which apparently included the trial of Galileo and the burning of Bruno, among other events. The Church was a little slow in recanting their sins, I would say.

Today, of course, our scientists are not at all reluctant to discuss the possibility of intelligent life beyond the earth and are even unashamedly seeking communications from those other worlds.

In regards to extraterrestrial life in the universe, in May 2008, in an interview by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

"How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?" Funes said. "Just as we consider earthly creatures as 'a brother,' and 'sister,' why should we not talk about an 'extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation."

Funes said that such a notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be God's creatures. Ruling out the existence of aliens would be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom, he said.

Monsignor Corrado Balducci (1923-2008) was a high Vatican official, a Catholic theologian, a parapsychologist, expert on Demonology and an author. He made several statements during interviews on Italian television about extraterrestrials and attended conferences. He stated, “There are already many considerations which makes the existence of these beings into a certainty. We cannot doubt. Even if we say that among a hundred of these phenomenon there are only... even if we said that 99 were false and that one was true, it´s that one that says that some phenomenon exist.”

He often proclaimed that extraterrestrial contact is a real phenomenon. Balducci provided an analysis of extraterrestrials that he feels is consistent with the Catholic Church's understanding of theology. Monsignor Balducci emphasizes that extraterrestrial encounters "are not demonic, they are not due to psychological impairment, they are not a case of entity attachment, but these encounters deserve to be studied carefully."

The Jesuit Father and astronomer Fr. Angelo Secchi (1818 - 1876) wrote: “It is absurd to claim that the worlds surrounding us are large, uninhabited deserts and that the meaning of the universe lies just in our small, inhabited planet.”

The apparent reconciliation between church and science seems to reflect the spirit of Albert Einstein, who once stated, "The cosmic religious experience is the strongest and noblest force behind the driving force of scientific research."

Ironically, the Vatican's six-foot diameter mirror telescope, one of the most accurate in the world, is poised near the New Mexico border, a mere 150 miles (or just a few seconds of supersonic flight) due west of White Sands–which has been a bee hive of UFO activity since the early atomic tests in that region–few more publicized than the incident at Roswell in 1947.

In 1992, as reported by the Dallas Morning News, a 73 year old Texan, Wesley Nunley, living on the outskirts of Dallas, built a UFO landing strip, which he proclaimed U-F-O LANDING BASE 1, with two-foot high letters painted on concrete.

So the Vatican and the scientific community had better watch out–they had a competitor. While the "eyes" of the scientific/theological world are focused so far out into the vastness of the universe, they may miss the fly-by of the extraterrestrials on their way to Texas or other places which give them a nice landing strip. There in Texas, less than a thousand miles distant from Mount Graham, that Texan had not lost sight of any bets, though. The landing pad on his property also reads, "WELCOME LORD JESUS."

So maybe the Vatican knows something we don't.

Or do we?

But it definitely seems the Vatican is dropping hints here and there that we are not alone, and they want us to know that.

Preparing us? Could be, but most will not be surprised. Will we?

Check out this newest video. The BBC has been allowed into the Pope's Observatory at his Villa Castel Gandolfo outside Rome. The Catholic priests who run the centre have strong views on everything from life on other planets, to whether the Star of Bethlehem actually existed.


~Linda

Our Path to Inner Peace

Our hearts know the path to happiness and inner peace.

Spiritual practices such as meditation and prayer remind us of what we already know.


When we forget our heart's message and fall into life's ruts and crevices, we feel unfulfilled and unhappy.


We get depressed and anxious. We have blurred our perspective, forgotten the bigger picture, and lost our way.


The remedy is simple. Take the time to remember your divinity, your spiritual nature. Remember why you are here.


~Brian L. Weiss, M.D.,


Author of Many Lives, Many Masters; Same Soul, Many Bodies; Through Time into Healing; Only Love is Real; Message From the Masters; Mirrors of Time

~Linda

"Every Corner of Creation"

In his sensitively insightful Earth In The Balance, former Vice President Al Gore wrote, “It is my own belief that the image of God can be seen in every corner of creation, even in us, but only faintly. By gathering in the mind's eye all of creation, one can perceive the image of the Creator vividly. Indeed, my understanding of how God is manifest in the world can be best conveyed through the metaphor of the hologram.”

~Linda

A Stand Against Hate Crime

"We must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones but to break spirits. No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love." ~President Barack Obama, while signing the new Hate Crime Legislation

The new law adds acts of violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to the list of federal hate crimes.

~Linda

Messenger: Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs, New Book

“I believe that peace becomes possible when we choose to make peace an attitude and a habit. I believe that the reality of peace begins within each of us….”
~Mattie J. T. Stepanek, (1990-2004), Just Peace, A Message of Hope



I received an email this morning from Jeni Stepanek, mother of Mattie J.T. Stepanek, announcing her new book to be released Monday, November 2, with her appearance on the Good Morning America show. Her book, Messenger: The Legacy of Mattie J.T. Stepanek and Heartsongs, is not a book by Mattie, but the first book ABOUT Mattie's life, written by the person who knew him best, his mother, Jeni, who shared him with all of us. Mattie was a young poet, philosopher, and peace maker, who lived a short life but while here he gave us the wisdom, the vision, the poetry and essays, from a brilliant, yet young, mind who knew about love, peace and joy, despite his struggle with a terminal neuromuscular disease.

Mattie left this world days before his 14th birthday, but not only did he leave us with his books of poetry, but with memories of his beautiful smile, his wisdom of an old soul, his humor, his love, and his belief that peace was possible.

I will never forget Mattie, will never forget his smile and the sparkle in his eyes. For those of you who do not know about Mattie, please read my review of his Heartsongs books, including the last one he wrote with former President Jimmy Carter, Just Peace, A Message of Hope.

Jeni’s book is now available at Amazon. The Foreword is by Maya Angelou. If you want to know more about an angel, visit Mattie’s website.

“Peace is possible. It can begin simply, over a game of chess and a cup of tea.” ~Mattie J. T. Stepanek, (1990-2004)

This video song, a tribute to Mattie, He Was Just Like Me, was written and recorded by his young friend, Madison Cross. Madison is the daughter of singer, songwriter, Christopher Cross.





~Linda

A Consideration of the Human Experience

“Why are we here and what is our role in the ever-expanding reality of being? To question is the basis of all understanding, so join in the search for meaning and find that place wherein all of your answers for all of your questions may be realized!” ~Greg Pendleton

Greg Pendleton has published his book, What About Me: A Consideration of the Human Experience. Available at Amazon in tradepaper and Kindle

“Why has our world become such a crazy, unmanageable place? What is my role in its current state of affairs, and how can I be instrumental in the needed changes ahead? This book seeks to provide you, the individual, with these and many other answers to be found in your investigation of the mystery of Life.”

Greg Pendleton is the son of Don Pendleton. Greg, like his late father, explores the human experience and the steps to reawaken oneself to the true realities of life in order to find love and happiness moment to moment.

Greg's blog

~Linda

The Cosmic Breath: Metaphysical Essays of Don Pendleton

“Is there a reason for the existence of the world? This is perhaps the most basic question of metaphysics.” ~Don Pendleton


Don Pendleton’s Metaphysical Essays dramatically explore the human experience and the spiritual meaning of existence. In Don’s inspirational examination of religion, science, and philosophy, his findings are thought-provoking, inspiring, and, perhaps, even transformational for the true seeker.

Don Pendleton (1927-1995) was creator of The Executioner: Mack Bolan Series, Joe Copp, Private Eye and Ashton Ford, Psychic Detective Mystery Series. He published more than one hundred novels and has sold nearly two hundred million copies world-wide in more than twenty-five languages.

He wrote the nonfiction A Search For Meaning From the Surface of a Small Planet, and with his wife, Linda Pendleton, co-wrote the popular books, To Dance With Angels and Whispers From the Soul.

Don Pendleton considered himself to be a metaphysical scholar and although most of his writing career was devoted to fictional works he often wrote essays of his metaphysical ideas and beliefs.

Friend and fellow writer, Jon Guenther wrote a tribute on his blog to Don Pendleton on the 14th anniversary of Don's death, which was October 23, 1995.

The Cosmic Breath is now available at Amazon and will be available for the Kindle in a few days.

(Update) the book is available at Kindle.

~Linda

Dumping Emotional Garbage

“Guilt drives people to be deaf, dumb, and blind to their own drives, hopes and fears and wants, bias and prejudices therein.” ~ Spirit, Dr. James Martin Peebles, from Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom by Linda Pendleton



I was speaking with a friend today about feelings and letting go of the past. You know, dumping the garbage that one can tend to hold onto. So that brought to mind the late Dr. David Viscott, Psychiatrist—his books, his radio show, and his TV show.

I very much admired him and did know him on a social level. I had read his first book, The Making of a Psychiatrist, published in 1972, and then a few years later, in the late 1970’s, I found Dr. Viscott’s book, The Language of Feelings, to be insightful and it gave me a greater understanding of the dynamics of feelings, of emotions.

“Anxiety is the fear of hurt or loss.
Hurt of loss leads to anger.
Anger held in leads to guilt.
Guilt, unrelieved, leads to depression.”
~David Viscott, M.D., The Language of Feelings

And here from my book, Three Principles of Angelic Wisdom, Chapter 12, Dumping the Garbage:

More than a hundred years ago, Dr. James Martin Peebles wrote in one of his many published books, "The oak remembers not each leaf it bore; and yet each leaf and bough and brawny limb help to make up the towering tree. Many of the acts and minor events of our lives have died out, or cease to echo in the memory chambers of our souls; still, their results live in our characters. Let then, be forgotten! It is not wise to brood over the broken rounds of the ladder our feet just pressed. The summit of the temple is to be reached. Direct the eye upward, and press forward towards the higher altitudes of heavenly truth and wisdom.

"The toiling seamstress remembers not each stitch she took in the garment; and yet, every stitch helped to make up that garment; and so each thought, word, purpose, and deed, help to make up the real life of the soul; and backward-looking memory, tracing the effects, may--ay, must construct a mirror before which we shall be necessitated to stand, face to face with ourselves...We weave the moral garments in this life that shall in quality clothe us when entering the future state of existence."

I asked Dr. Peebles about that and he told me: “Hmm, much wisdom there, indeed. I did not refer to events as lessons as I now do but I would suppose my meaning is exact. Life is an upward movement toward heavenly truths, a remembering so to speak of our spiritual nature, a fulfilling of our soul, and it is true that every thought, every movement, every action and deed, become part of our very soul, at least in a deductive sense. It is the reflection in the mirror which enables one to have new understanding of self. I still agree with all that I wrote as one has to let go of the backward-looking memories in order to continue on a smooth path toward enlightenment. There is no point in retracing or brooding over where one has walked. The movement is forward and upward. To stop on one broken round of the ladder and to not step beyond to the next, stifles. Do you understand?”

I said to him, “Perfectly. I also opened this chapter with one of your more recent heavenly quotes which I think you are familiar with.” (the quote at the top of this posting).

Dr. Peebles: “Ah, yes. When one becomes blinded to life, closed to the echoes, the beauty of life becomes absent, silent, and fear takes hold. Fear of diversity, fear of love and intimacy, and the illusion of separation becomes overwhelming. Guilt disables, lowers self esteem, reduces hopes, kills dreams, destroys creativity, alters the ego to the point that self worth suffers tremendously. So what do you do about it? You release it by realizing that you don't need it any longer. It becomes a lesson learned. When you accept that you created that place, you also realize that you can create another place, one free of guilt, full of joy, full of love.”

“When one is faced with looking at all that garbage, what many refer to as baggage, recognize that it no longer serves you. And in all probability, the person who may have been the reason for your baggage, that is, in your own mind, has probably not even given you any thought, or the event any thought, so why do you continue to carry it with you? Remember, your world is your very own perception. You have the choice to perceive it as you wish. And if you wish to be the victim, so be it. But if you wish to be the pilot of your life, the one at the wheel, so to speak, then consider that you can shift your perception, let go, forgive, and move forward.”


In this video Dr. Viscott reads from one of his excellent books, Emotional Resilience: Simple Truths for Dealing with the Unfinished Business of Your Past, published not long before his untimely death at the age of 58.

~Linda

UFO and Alien Information

Today I go from angel connections to UFO and alien connections.

UFO researcher Billy Booth is webmaster of one of the Internet's largest UFO web sites, UFO Casebook Website. It is an excellent UFO site overflowing with information, sighting reports, documents, research, videos, photos, a forum, and newsletters.

BJ Booth is often called upon to evaluate UFO sightings. He has also spent many years researching UFO photographs and video film. He is known as an expert on UFO crash accounts, and had given his opinion in several books on the subject. He has been a guest on many UFO radio and television programs. He has written more than 400 articles on UFO and alien sightings. He is a longtime member of MUFON, the Mutual UFO Network.

I recommend his website and there is so much information available I would suggest bookmarking it as you will want to visit often to discover all the information available there, and it is updated often.

~Linda

Angel Connections

Photograph © Copyright 2009 by Sylvia Stites

Do you suppose the love and appreciation of angels can be in our genes? I’m wondering about that.

I always felt connected to my first cousin, Sylvia when we were young, although we didn’t spend a lot of time together during those early years. And then our lives went in separate directions for more than forty years, and just this spring Sylvia got in touch with me via one of my websites (thank goodness for the Internet and email). She and her husband, Tom live in Vienna, Austria, and recently retired from teaching. Sylvia taught school for forty-two years around the world; early on in the U.S, but for the most part in places such as Pakistan, Indonesia, South America, and Vienna. They are now retired.

It so happens Sylvia has a love for angels like I do. They just returned home to Vienna from a vacation in Switzerland and Italy. Syliva took this photograph of an angel for me. It is on the exterior door of the Duomo di Milan, a Gothic cathedral in Milan, Italy.

Duomo Milan is the largest Gothic cathedral and the second largest Catholic cathedral in the world.

By the way, our grandparents were born in Sicily. Our grandfather, Calcedonio Spera came to America when he was about eight years old in 1882, and in 1895 went back to Sicily and married our grandmother, Antonia Barcia and they both came to America.

~Linda

Bombing the Moon

Photo Copyright 2009 by Ted Grussing

I just realized my last post was my Post 100 on World of Spirit! Where does time go? Already well into October and it seems like the holidays were just behind us a little bit.

When my husband, Don and I wrote our book Whispers From the Soul, we had a chapter titled

The Natural Acceleration of Change with the opening Section, The Quickening.

A quick review of the recent history of change in the last 60-70 years just in America, will reveal a current pattern of natural and manmade disasters girdling the nation, from civil unrest and violence, devastating earthquakes and fires to the hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and floods, occurring in virtually every region of the country...and even elsewhere within the world.

These are examples of the inconstancy of the human experience on this planet. It would perhaps be proper to state, then that change is the most compellingly natural state of existence throughout the universe. Without change we would exist within a totally static universe in which there would be no meaning to existence itself.

So why is it that most of us resist change with such tenacity and insist that "things" remain the same as they always have been? "Things" have never been "the same" in this world of time and space.

Change is a necessary state of being--whether we are thinking of a rock or a tree or a human being. Continual change is a mandatory state of all existent elements everywhere. The very planet beneath our feet could not survive without constant activity. In the cosmic sense, our planet is very much alive, very much involved in the process men call evolution--as is the entire manifest universe.

It is well to keep in mind that the basic stuff of which our bodies are made is precisely the same as the basic stuff from which was made the most distant star. We are of the universe and we are subject to the universal laws which keep the whole production functioning.

In speaking of the cosmos, I must say I do not feel good about NASA attacking our Moon in the coming hours. Is it always our nature to invade, to bomb? Think about it. What if some alien civilization out there in the universe decided to send a rocket our way to see if they could get a splash of water out of our blue planet? Don't get me wrong, I think man should have gone to the Moon again long ago, and call it conspiracy theory if you want, but I often wonder why we have not. What is it that our government does not want us to know, or to see?? But to send a $79 million dollar space craft crashing into the moon to stir up some dust to see if there is any water mist seems a waste of good money.

Some might say I'm not being visionary or looking for environmental answers for the future. Maybe not, but I'm not happy about this event. I am in favor of space exploration, but only with respect, and for some reason this does not feel like respect.

Do you have any thoughts on that?

Do you suppose this happened in Arizona when some off earth beings were looking for water in the desert? (well, they did find a 1,406 pound meteorite nearby, apparently not a rocket).

Meteor Crater, Northern Arizona

Photo Copyright 2009 by Ted Grussing

~Linda

History of Alternative Spirituality in America

“Self-trust is the first secret of success.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I read an interesting interview in the September 28 edition of Publishers Weekly Magazine with Mitch Horowitz, editor-in-chief at Penguin/Tarcher Publishing, and an author, and scholar. Tarcher’s list has always had a significant number of New Age, New Thought books. Horwitz has published some of the leading titles in world religion, metaphysics, philosophy, and spirituality. As a writer and speaker on metaphysical topics, he has appeared on television shows such as The History Channel, Montel Williams, and various radio shows such as Coast to Coast AM. His articles have appeared in various magazines.

He is author of Occult America: The Secret History of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation.
In the interview with PW, Horowitz was asked what political and religious values characterize today’s New Age movement. He spoke of the very diverse nature of New Agers, geographically and demographically but that they do seem to hold in common belief systems such as “liberal politics, the equality of all religions, body-mind-healing and the principle that our thoughts to some extent can influence outer circumstances.”

He went on to say: “they also believe that you can obtain spiritual understanding without belonging to a specific faith or religion, and there is a lack of emphasis on membership in a particular congregation or an allegiance to a particular doctrine. They move freely among religious movements and ideas, and believe that humans have some kind of intuitive faculty, and that it is possible for the mind to evolve to some kind of higher level. It is a theology, an ethics, a psychology and an outlook. In terms of politics, they tend to associate with various progressive political movements. And this is not a recent thing. Politics and esoteric spirituality grew up together in America. When Spiritualism began to sweep this country (in the 19th century), it created the first opening in the modern world for women to serve as religious leaders, in that case as trance mediums. So you had a tremendous crossover between the Spiritualist movement and the Suffragettes and voting rights activism. This was a civic, spiritual movement that provided an opening for women both politically and religiously. New Age has always been reformist.”

I discovered that to be so true while doing research on Spiritualism in the 19th century that I’ve done over the years and recently for my latest ebook, How Thin The Veil! 150 Years of Spiritualism. There was a merging of the Spiritualist movement with women’s rights but also with the abolitionist movement. Many of those leading Spiritualist, men and women, were interested in equality, religious and otherwise, were progressive and visionary and I believe a big part of the forward movement of America.

Although we often use the term New Age, there is really nothing new about it. Our country was founded on progressive and visionary ideals.

Mitch Horowitz had an interesting answer to this question by PW: “You also write about the positive-thinking approach that characterizes much of the esoteric, or New Age, philosophy. Do you see a vein of that in the mood that brought President Obama into office?”

His answer: “Yes. The positive-thinking approach is in the groundwater of our country. People who would never think of themselves as New Agers embrace the idea of positive or motivational thinking. This viewpoint arose partly out of transcendentalism. In 1870, Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote an essay called Success in which he discussed the power of enthusiasm. That aspect of the American character is so basic it travels across all our religious or political lines. Barack Obama identified Emerson’s essay Self-Reliance as an influence on him. This tone of positivism is a key part of American spirituality.”

Horowitz’s book sounds like a good look at the founding of America around the mystical elements that have moved us forward through the years to today.

I believe you can read more of his interview here, and more about him at his website.

~Linda

New UFO Documentary, History Channel; and UFO eBooks

This Sunday evening on the History Channel is the two hour documentary on UFOs, I Know What I Saw. From the History Channel Website:

“Director and host James Fox assembles the most credible UFO witnesses from around the world to testify on the subject and share their experiences and observations. Air Force generals, astronauts, military and commercial pilots, government and FAA officials from seven countries gather at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to tell stories that, as former Arizona governor Fife Symington states, "will challenge your reality." These accounts reveal a behind-the-scenes U.S. operation whose policy, in the eyes of some observers, seems to involve confiscation of substantiating evidence from close encounters--to the extent that even Presidents have failed to get straight answers.”

“The most compelling film on the subject to date.” ~Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut

It should be an interesting show. I’ve had two sightings, and a few more that were not very significant. But once you have a sighting, or in some cases contact of some sort, it does tend to make you a believer that we are not alone in this universe, and that we may be under observation by off-earth beings—or gads, even guinea pigs of extraterrestrials.

If the show sparks some interest of wanting to read more about the UFO phenomena you might want to look into the ebooks I recently wrote, The UFO Phenomena: The Cosmic SOS, and the free ebooks that go along with the purchase of The UFO Phenomena: The Cosmic SOS.

Are we alone in the universe? Many people do not believe we are. A recent U.S. National Roper Poll showed seventy-two percent believe that our government is not telling us all it knows about UFO activity. Another CNN-TIME Poll showed eighty-percent believed the government to be hiding knowledge of UFOs.

Nearly half of Americans believe UFOs have visited earth in some form. And a Roper Poll conducted by the SciFi Television Channel indicated one in seven has had a UFO Experience. What do you believe? What do you know?

The UFO Phenomena: The Cosmic SOS
Chapter 1 ~ Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Chapter 2 ~ UFO Flap
Chapter 3 ~ The Cosmic S.O.S.
Chapter 4 ~ Reverberations
Chapter 5 ~ To the Rescue?
Chapter 6 ~ Flying Triangles in the Skies
Chapter 7 ~ Amber Orbs Over the Red Rocks
Chapter 8 ~ Off-Earth Beings
Chapter 9 ~ Messages From Beyond?

Embark on an exploration and discussion of extraterrestrial life. Let this eBook serve as one of your guides. Could the Earth's much needed healing be part of another planet's mission? Do astronauts know of extraterrestrial life forms? Together, we can begin to unlock long held secrets and mysteries about extraterrestrial life.

Free with Purchase:

Crop Circles in the Fields, Objects in the Skies, and Creatures in the Bedroom
by Linda Pendleton

This 97 page e-book is packed with a collection of compelling articles and credible firsthand accounts of sightings and experiences intended to shed light and insight into Crop Circles, UFOs, and abductions. Articles by Dr. John E. Mack; Nuclear Physicist and UFO Investigator, Stanton Friedman; Crop Circle Researcher Nancy Talbott; and more. Also find astonishing photographs of recent crop circles, courtesy of Lucy Pringle and others.

Have we been visited here on earth? If so, since when? Could Crop Circles be a message to us? If so, what might that message be? What are crop circles theories? How is a hoax (i.e., man-made) crop circle identifiable from the real thing? Has anyone or thing ever been caught in the act making crop circles? This eBook examines these questions and provides intriguing responses, as it explores life beyond this planet and contemplates our connection to it.

Also Included:

Read about my UFO sightings Here and Here.

~Linda

Emotional Eating

Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward. ~Jasmine Heiler

We’ve all heard the term comfort food, and each of us probably have our “favorite” comfort food, such as ice cream, chocolate, or some favorite food that may have a significant memory attached to it. And with that warm memory comes a warm and cozy feeling when enjoying that particular food. Often that particular food may be a food full of calories—sugar, fat, etc.

Dr. Judith Orloff has an interesting perspective on over-eating. It is often said that emotional issues can play a role but I don’t believe I have heard it explained in regards to those of us who are intuitive and consciously or unconsciously use food as a buffer against negative energy.

Do you do that at times? ...maybe after a phone call from a family member or friend that seems to have lots of negativity...and after ending the conversation do you head to the kitchen for a “snack?” Or after a disagreement with someone?

~Linda

Comparison of Channelings From Spirit Guides, Part One

Truths and Other Truths
A Comparison of Channelings From Spirit Guides
By Linda Pendleton
Part One

Are you among the eighty-two percent of Americans who believe in an afterlife? In recent times, the numbers have been increasing for those who believe they have had communication from a loved one on the Other Side.

And what about angels and spirit guides? Nearly seventy percent of Americans believe in the existence of angels as messengers of God, and nearly half believe they have their own guardian angels or angels. Are you aware of your angel or guide? If so, do you communicate or receive signs from them?

It would seem the religious/spiritual instinct is innate within humankind, as though a template for the experience had been programmed into our genetic structures that govern human expression. Within the innate religious or spiritual instinct are experiences that might be classified as miraculous. But, are many of the events or experiences actually miracles or no more than ordinary occurrences?

Reports of extraordinary and astonishing events attributed to a supreme being or a divine power will be found in virtually every world religion, every culture, and probably within every human mind from primitive times right up into the modern age. Many cultures do not regard miracles or paranormal events as anything extraordinary but merely the natural workings of a natural world. Most cultures who share that idea have well-formulated spiritual beliefs that have been carried forward from generation to generation, throughout history, and many of these cultures have evolved highly sophisticated belief systems.

When one reads the history of cultures, it is very apparent that there has always been a “knowing” within mankind that evolves into understandings that we are, indeed, spiritual beings and that life does not end with the death of the physical body. Mankind has always looked to the heavens in a search for answers. I have often wondered why that is and the answer I have come up with is, no matter our religious upbringing or belief system, we have an innate knowledge within, a knowledge that we are much more than a physical body having a life experience. We are temporarily using a physical body for an ongoing spiritual life.

So in taking those ideas of an innate spiritual connection it should appear absolutely normal for one to have communication with the Other Side, with angels, spirit guides, and loved ones who have left this physical dimension.

Channeling spirit is the receiving of messages from the Other Side – the spirit world, through the various classic psychic avenues such has mediumship, trance-channeling, clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and intuition. The receiver is an open line, a conduit, similar to what one could consider an open telephone line or radio receiver. Although channeling or mediumship has always been with us, in recent years it has gained more attention through various movies, literature, and television shows, featuring psychic mediums such as John Edward, James Van Praagh, Char Margolis, Rosemary Altea, and others.

Shirley MacLaine was one who helped to get the idea of mediumship, past lives, and even UFO phenomena out of the “psychic closet” and into the mainstream with her book, Out On a Limb, the resulting movie and other books, and her many television appearances. Even though there were often overdone jokes about her spiritual experiences, it did open the “closet” door, and for many, it was a “new” look at what was possible—and within the norm of the human experience.

We all have intuition, and for some it is more pronounced, such as it might be with the aforementioned psychic mediums. But all of us have the capability of communicating in various ways with those on the Other Side. Sometimes, all it takes is trusting in our intuition and being open to the possibility of contact.

I’ve put together a collection of quotations from various spirit guides through their channels/mediums. It is very noticeable how they “ring” of similar ideas, wisdom, and truths.
Probably of these listed spirit guides or the mediums who work with them, it would be Edgar Cayce who probably stands out as the most profound and the “clearest connection” to information coming from the Other Side.

I have noticed that many people either began or enhanced their spiritual journey by reading the fascinating story of Edgar Cayce and his psychic gift, There is a River, The Story of Edgar Cayce written by Thomas Sugrue, and published more than sixty years ago.

Dr. Christiane Northrup, M.D., best-selling author and frequent guest on Oprah, had this to say about Cayce: "The story of Edgar Cayce has inspired me from the time I was 12 years old. As one of the first well-studied medical intuitives, his work and his life helped blaze the path for the future of medicine."

Not only did he blaze the path of future medicine, but he gave understanding and acceptance of mediumship, and also of reincarnation, as his readings focused very much on past lives. And with his work in that area, and several other books written about him, he awakened America to reincarnationist thought.


Read PART TWO, The Channelings


Copyright © 2008, 2009 by Linda Pendleton