Nov 29 2015

My Top 10 Favourite Spiritual Books

I was recently asked to list my top ten favourite books for someone who was looking to create a Christmas list for herself. She knew I’d read a few (ahem) books over the years, and wanted to know what I would recommend. I listed 15 for her, and realised that others might be interested in some book recommendations too, but for my blog, I have grouped the books into different categories. These ten books are general spiritual books for all aspects of life; I will post book lists specific to creativity and health soon.

I haven’t included any links, I’m not making any money from these recommendations, and I’m pretty sure you can get them all on Amazon.

I’ve written a little story to go with each book, so you might want to grab a cuppa and get comfy! Continue reading →

Feb 16 2015

Revealing Inner Wisdom

A beautiful Earth Angel called George Hardwick, who is on a mission to help others to make a living giving their gifts and living their passion, held an incredible free training session last night, called Revealing Inner Wisdom. It was centred around the experiences he’s had recently, where he has been writing letters to his soul. Please do check out his ten letters on his website, they are truly beautiful.

He mentioned in the session that he had been inspired by the way I write my novels, which is to just allow the words to flow through me, without plotting or planning or thinking too much about it. As he says – everyone can do this, not just me or a select few people. Everyone can connect and converse with their soul, with God, just as Neale Donald Walsch did in his Conversations with God books.

I wanted to share with you the training session which is now available on replay on YouTube, because I think it is well worth watching. Also, during the session, he invites you to write to your soul, and I want to share with you what my own soul said to me, in the hope that it may help you, and inspire you to converse with your own soul.

[youtube http://youtu.be/AkyceLl3Yp0]

My question to my soul:

Dear Soul,

Why do I still feel so small?

With love,

Michelle.

The response:

Dear One,

Because you are a single drop of the oneness. Or so you believe. Yes, you are a single drop, but you are also the entire ocean, within that drop. Everything that is, exists within you. Everything. You are infinite, you are eternal, you do not begin or end, you are everything and also nothing. You are big and small, amazing and ordinary. You are all of it. There is nothing you are not. So you can choose to feel small, because you are. But you could also choose to be big. Because you are that too.

It comes down to choice. You can choose to be the powerless victim, or you can choose to be the force for change. You can choose to be successful, or you can choose to be a failure. You can choose what your definition of failure and success is. What do you choose? If you are everything, then you can choose to bring out any qualities you desire. Want to be driven, motivated, excited, enthusiastic and organised? Then simply shift your focus onto those qualities that already exist within you. Because I promise you, they are there.

Want to be abundant, healthy, loving, joyful and responsible? They’re there too! It’s all within you. You are the entire ocean contained within a drop. But it’s up to you which parts of yourself wash up on the shore of your reality and are manifested into your life. If you want beautiful shells, polished glass and unusual pebbles to be washed up and revealed to the world, then focus on those positive things. If you focus on things you do not want, you will just as easily find your beach full of plastic debris, old cans and other rubbish.

If those things are currently there, then have a beach clean-up day, and clear the way for the gems to appear.

So what will you choose to manifest? Oysters filled with pearls? Smooth driftwood in interesting shapes? Or soiled nappies and supermarket carrier bags?

Choose now. Choose every day. Choose every minute. Clean up. Keep choosing. What you are, who you are, can change in the instant you make a new choice. Choose.

See you on the beach,

Love always,

Soul

Jan 5 2015

My Top 5 Favourite Spiritual Movies

When it comes to entertainment, I would much rather watch a movie that inspired me as well as made me laugh or cry, and I think there are a lot of amazing Spiritual movies that more people should watch. Not because they are necessarily the best movies ever made, but because they have an impact.

Here are my top 5 favourite spiritual movies, and a little bit about why I like them.

Conversations with God

This movie is about the true story of Neale Donald Walsch, who wrote an angry letter to God, and then received the reply. He asked God to tell him what it took to make life work, and God responded. Neale has gone on to write many more books, and he holds retreats and talks around the world. Having met him in person, I can honestly say that he is the most humble, kind and generous man I have ever met. Which makes being able to watch a part of his life story even more special.

The Shift

The Shift is an odd movie to begin with, in that it’s a movie about the making of a documentary. A film crew go to a retreat to film Wayne Dyer, talking about how to make the shift from ambition to meaning in life. As he talks, you then meet other people who show his teachings through their lives and actions. My absolutely favourite thing about this – aside from the many insights – is the soundtrack. I adore it. Watch it for that reason if nothing else.

In Your Eyes

I rented this one on Vimeo when it was first released last year, and it’s now available on Netflix (I will be watching it again) It’s more of a paranormal romance story, but it has a lot of spirituality in it. It’s funny, touching, and I really enjoyed it.

The Way

I have watched this movie so many times, that I feel like I have too, walked the Camino, though without getting the sore legs and blisters on my feet. The story is of a man who has to go to France to collect the remains of his son, who has died in a freak accident while walking the Camino. He then finds himself taking his son’s place, and walking the way, taking his son’s ashes with him. I love the music in this one too, and I love the experiences he goes through on his journey. One day, I may even walk the Camino for real.

Eat Pray Love

I’ve watched this move a few times, I love Julia Roberts, and I love watching Elizabeth Gilbert speak too, she did an excellent TED talk (which will feature in a post coming soon) I love the transformation she goes through, and how she goes through each phase in different parts of the world, in her attempt to find herself. It also makes me want to visit Bali even more!

I will put a list of the Spiritual Movies I would like to see on tomorrow’s post. What are your favourite Spiritual Movies? Do you have any suggestions for me?

Mar 28 2013

I had a conversation with God…

… in 2007, and was told that I would one day meet Neale Donald Walsch. At the time it seemed like a crazy idea, I had no means to go to America or even to one of his events in the UK. I put the notebook away and soon forgot about the conversation. About a year later, I had moved to New York to work as an Au Pair, and was reading all of the books in the Conversations with God cosmology. I looked online one day and realised that Neale was doing an evening seminar in the city.

It was a brilliant evening, and the whole time, I felt like there was something I had forgotten, but couldn’t think what it was. I got my book signed by Neale, and then left, all the while knowing that I should have said something, though what, I didn’t know.

A couple of months later, I found the conversation in my notebook, and I realised that God’s prediction had come true. At that moment I decided that I would have to meet Neale again, so I could tell him.

Fast forward 5 years – just last week I attended the Spiritual Renewal Retreat with Neale in Medford, Oregon. It was an incredible 4.5 days, I met so many amazing people, a lot of whom I am keeping in touch with, especially my fabulous buddy, Molly 🙂 The retreat included a lot of people sharing their stories, and I told Neale about my conversation, and about meeting him in New York. I wanted to thank him for doing a free retreat, (they do one free one per year) as it made it possible for me to attend, seeing as I only needed to find the air fare.

Me & Molly

The week was made even more special by the live and beautiful music of Cathy Bolton. She had a song for every topic discussed, and brought a few tears to our eyes with her angelic voice. I love my CD that I bought, it may well become the soundtrack for my next book 🙂

The week flowed perfectly thanks to the wonderful CWG staff, Will, JR, Annie, and many others. Janine, a wonderful lady who runs a programme to bring books to prisoners, called Freedom Inside, was running the book stall there. I loved what she was doing and so offered to send copies of The Doorway to PAM to any prisoners who would like to read it.

It was a truly transformative retreat, and I am so glad that I went. Hearing the CWG material from the man who wrote it made it come to life. And having it applied to the situations of those in the room helped everyone to see how it applied to them and their lives. If you have yet to read any of the Conversations with God series, I urge you to pick up a copy of Book 1. You won’t regret it 🙂

I am now spending another week in Medford, exploring the towns and lakes and mountains that surround it. I’m staying with a lovely couple who live here, who are very kindly hosting me through couchsurfing.org.

This holiday has given me the break I desperately needed, and in April, when I return, I will have the energy to get on with writing! I have set myself some crazy tasks – more info on that to come…