As a 16 year old volunteer candy-striper at the local hospital, working in convalescent  homes to put myself through college, and then stints as an RN working in Intensive Care, Labor and Delivery, Emergency Room, acute Coronary Care, and rehabilitation units,  I have seen death firsthand and I have witnessed births. Those who have had similar experiences will agree that these are profound moments. Something happens that is outside the ordinary realm of our day to day life.

In the mid-70’s I began studying metaphysics, ancient religions and their spiritual practices, and meditation.  My first experience with meditation was as a volunteer for an experiment on meditation being conducted at UCLA.  I was randomly assigned to the “meditator” group.  Having no experience whatsoever, and given bare minimal instruction, I sat in the darkest room I could find and tried to “empty my mind,” whatever that meant!

Since the early 80’s I have extensively studied the then new field of psycho-neuro-immunology, now called the field of neuroscience. In the Neurology practice, in addition to instructing patients on behavioral and cognitive techniques to help with pain control, anxiety, stress and sleeping difficulties,  I incorporated subtle energy medicine techniques such as acupressure, and “laying on of hands” to enhance the individual’s own healing power.

Training in the traditional Western “medical model” with the professional experience of working in various medical specialties, coupled with decades of metaphysical studies and knowledge of subtle energy medicine know-how,  provide a unique perspective that bridges science and spirituality.

I was in Crete the week of March 25, 1999 directing Power Places    international conference with the theme of “Life, Death & Beyond.”   Neale Donald Walsch, author of “Conversations with God’” was the keynote speaker.  During the conference days wisps of memories of what had occurred the moment Grandma Rosie died seventeen years earlier started to seep through.  Those memories made me extremely uncomfortable.   I felt what had happened made me “strange and weird.” Yet there was a deep longing to want to remember what occurred.

One afternoon I was having lunch with Neale and decided to say something.  I figured if he was the person who had “Conversations with God,” he’d be the one to speak to! So we’re sitting there eating and I start to tell him that I was having memories come up of a strange experience I had when my grandmother died.  Something I’d repressed for years as it was just too weird.  I think I said something to the effect that I took her to the OtherSide.

For a few minutes I struggled to put into logical sentences what I didn’t understand myself. For the most part,  Neale slowly kept eating his lunch, briefly glancing at me every moment or so.  I quickly ran out of anything else to say.  Neale put his fork down and said something to the effect if I wrote it he would look at it.

I abruptly left the table, went to my room, sat down and took some hotel stationery out. I still remember glancing at the blank sheet of paper as the pen hit its mark and the first sentence came pouring out, unbidden.  My pen took on a life of it’s own as most of the first chapter came out that afternoon, as is. 

That led to writing remembrances of other personal “shamanic transformative” occurrences.  Experiences that would be considered by most to be outside the realm of ordinary day to day life.

These episodes include a 5 year old beloved patient dying in front of me as a young nurse of 19, and a fellow 7th grader committing suicide.   Experiences at ancient mystical sites such as the Great Pyramid, and the Temple of the Sun at Machu Picchu, and a chapter about telepathy and communications with two treasured pets. Then there’s my eye-witness account to a “near death” experience of a group member outside the ancient 2,500 year old temple at Edfu on the Nile.

I admit many of these experiences sound really out there and could be misconstrued as the ramblings of a schizophrenic psychotic.  However, people in my life, personally and professionally, consider me a psychologically balanced person and of sound mind.

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