Title Obsession
Over time I have promised Barrie Louise-Switzen to write an ongoing column for The Woman's Connection. The only thing that has stopped me, was finding a title. As I searched for the appropriate title, I began to wonder if Abigail had a whole bunch of letters sitting around for years wondering what to call her column? Imagine all that information and advise waiting to be shared and yet neglected because Abigail could not come up with an appropriate title for her column. 
Finally one day, as not to interfere with the process of someone's sacred journey, Abigail gives up the search for a perfect title and begins publishing her weekly column by starting out with two simple words... Dear Abby. Most times we obsess so long on the obvious that we begin to lose the clear vision of the simplicity that life offers. Our life is truly a sacred journey. With that in mind, I begin this column very much like Abigail did with two simple words. Two simple words that imply the meaning to the experience of life itself.... Sacred Journey. 

Sacred Journey
Is reality the dream or is the dream reality...

We have all had the experience of peaceful sleep, restless nights, vivid dreams, astral visits and gifts of prophecy from elder spirits of another dimension. Yet many of us neglect to acknowledge these experiences and write them off as just a dream. Those of us that are fortunate to have awakened the light within are also those who are able to interpret these dreams and understand their existence. A dream is more than a mere manifestation of some shear bizarre dimension. The state of dreaming is a pure connection between heaven and earth. The dream is a message connecting the mind, body and soul. A message, which if correctly interpreted, becomes a manifestation of reality itself. 

Long ago, a very wise and enlightened spiritual teacher once asked me if I believed that life was the existence of reality or if the dimension of the dream state was reality. I initially shrugged this question off and believed the answer was purely simple. Surely, that which I could physically feel was that which was real. Later on I would learn that not only was my perception of reality wrong, but I also learned a very valuable lesson. Never shrug off a question from an enlightened spiritual teacher as something purely simple. 

Dreaming of the Journey...
The Five Sacred Stones
Suddenly the dream becomes vivid, not like other dreams. Immediately I become aware that I am traveling in another dimension. The colors are vivid and I can clearly define and recall each and every aspect of what I see. I approach a stone castle for what seems to be a simple business meeting. Lured to this majestic location, those that join me wonder how it is that I know exactly where it is I am going. Familiar as it all may seem, I realize the experience is new to me and I begin myself to wonder how easily I have stumbled upon the location of this sacred site.  
Inside the stone castle I meet up with a colleague who is being honored for his accomplishments in his professional field. The room begins to fill with all the people I have ever known and loved, who now join in the celebration. I leave the crowd for a minute and enter an octagon room in which a large screen begins playing. I watch what appears to be a movie of my life; I recall the film in its entirety as if I were once the producer of this film. However, as I leave the room, I can no longer recall any aspect of that which I have just viewed. 

Heading away from the celebration, I begin to explore the majestic castle. I walk out the back gate and follow a dirt trail, which leads to an endless field of green, thick grass. Sitting in the grass a young and beautifully tall blonde women sits playing with a small beige and white dog. She asks if she can help me and I reply yes. "I am lost and I am trying to return to the castle where a wonderful celebration is occurring." I ask if she knows of the stone castle that sits on a hill. She smiles and says, "why of course", as she points behind me to the majestic stone castle. "You must simply return back on the same road you came down." Turning around, I see the castle behind me and I suddenly realize I was still on the same road. Looking now at how simple that seemed I begin to wonder why I even thought I was lost. She tells me she will join me along the way, so that I will not get lost again. 

As we approach the castle, we begin to climb the stone stairs to the back entrance. The women comments on the gown that I am wearing. "You look like a princess", she states. Feeling honored by her comment I look down at the elegant black gown and respond by telling her that a true princess should be wearing white. She corrects me by saying that what I am wearing is appropriate for this elegant occasion and she is glad that I have finally found my way home. 
I thank her for helping me back to the castle and ask her to join in the celebration. As I look in her eyes, I suddenly realize that she is filled with enlightenment and is truly an angel. As we enter back into the celebration, I see my colleague who says, "I was watching you the whole time you were lost. I saw you from the top of the castle." I jokingly say, "so if you knew where I was, why didn't you call me on my cell phone and tell me how to get back?" He assures me that he was never worried about me that I was protected and he knew I would return safely. I begin to introduce him to the women who assisted me in finding my way back. Suddenly their eyes meet and he realizes that he knows who she is. Astound he says to me, " Don't you know who this is?" and I reply, "Yes, she is an angel". 

The women then asks me to open my left hand as she begins to give me five secret gifts. My colleague watches and listens as she continues. She begins by telling me the meaning of each secret as she places a small stone in my hand. The first stone is a rose quartz, followed by a black onyx, a square shaped tigers eye, a tear shaped snowflake obsidian, and finally a small blue triangular piece of turquoise. 

As she places the turquoise in the palm of my hand it begins to slip off. She catches it, places it once again into my palm and tells me to hold on to this stone, as it is the most important secret. She closes the palm of my hand tightly so the stones will remain with me and then she disappears. I immediately realize I have forgotten the secrets, yet I continue to keep each of the five stones with me.

I walk back into the room where the celebration continues. Far across the room, I see my colleague who is surround by those who continue to honor him for his professional achievements. I know that he cannot hear me from far across the room, but I also know that he is constantly aware of my presence. Catching his eye for one brief moment I silently move my lips to say, " I told you it was going to turn out wonderful". Understanding exactly what I mean, he smiles.
Now it is time for me to leave, and although the celebration continues I begin to exit the stone castle. Everyone asks me why I am leaving so early. I tell them I must get back and like Cinderel la I begin to walk briskly down the halls of the castle. Hearing nothing but the sound of my taffeta gown as it flows, I cascade down the hallway. As I turn around to look behind me, I begin to notice construction workers covering the top of the high ceiling to the bottom of the stone floor with a white gauze like veil. Now even though I want to look back, I can now no longer see.
Suddenly and abruptly I awaken, jolting back into my body like a flash of lightening. 
Unlocking Sacred Symbols

Many times as we travel on our sacred journey, we wonder what it is that life has in store for us. We hope that we are following the path we are meant to be on, however sometimes we begin to contemplate what the future has in store for each and every one of us. Along our journey we make decisions daily that not only affect us individually, but also affect the greater whole of those around us. This becomes particularly important in the work environment.

Sometimes we may find ourselves loving with a passion the profession we have chosen, but so many obstacles prevent us from completing the job the way in which we dream it could be. A dream, which in reality benefits the greater whole. It is so easy to quit and give up during such trying times, but the road that is rough makes the journey more of an accomplishment and ones life more sacred for having chosen the difficult path. 

If only we can be told or warned of the future. If only we could be guided gently back onto our sacred path by a message. Imagine the comfort in knowing that we will eventually be able to accomplish the purpose of our sacred journey and that everything will indeed turn out wonderful somewhere just a little further down the road?