Elizabeth Hepburn...The Blog

Love in our Society

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 12:45:00 -0500

I was about to name this piece Violence in our Society, but no. That word alone elicits such dark energy and we need Great Light at this time. Due to two healing experiences in my life – healings that delivered me back to vibrant aliveness instead of into a grave - I've become a staunch advocate of this Energy that we all share. I'm talking about the Universal Energy within which we all live every second of our lives. It moves the tides in the oceans, blooms the flowers in Spring, beats our hearts and breathes us, to name just a few of its life sustaining attributes.

Each and every one of us is responsible for the Energy in and around our bodies. We create the quality of this Energy by the thoughts we're thinking and the feelings they engender.

Currently, it's seems our World has gone mad. And though I'm acutely aware that the majority of the peoples on the Planet are loving, caring and compassionate, our minds and hearts and souls have been being assaulted by fear and confusion. Now, right now, we must take a stand for Love. Not romantic love, but the essential Energy of the Universe, Love.

We simply cannot afford to be drawn into the anger and hatred that's being spewed forth. Honor your precious Energy and use It only for good. There's a wealth of goodness around us at all times, we need to tune into that. If you're still watching the news, be there and send Love out to whatever you're viewing. Feel that there's a powerful flow of Love pouring from your chest cavity (metaphysically referred to as the Heart Center). Commit yourself to that Love – live there. Decide to be a blessing everyday, wherever you go. In our own corner of Life we can be adding Light to the darkness relentlessly. Every little bit helps.

We are Body/Mind/Spirit Beings. Choose now to emphasize Spirit – that's the most important part and will guide you to the actions your body must take. And, use your brilliant mind to Imagine. We can be healing our World unceasingly by visualizing Peace – praying for Peace – meditating for Peace. John said it in the '70's: "Imagine all the people living life in Peace". Let us please Imagine. Let us be The Love. This is our job right now. Accept the mantel.

Francis, the Healer

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Tue, 6 Oct 2015 10:18:00 -0400

I don’t know that Pope Francis would think of himself as that, but I surely do. Before he arrived on our shores on Sept 22nd, he wasn’t even on my radar. Of course, I knew of Pope Francis and his eschewing the worldly trappings of his new role, and his deep compassion for the poor and infirm and the children. But the day he landed in Washington, DC, and was escorted around the city, my heart was enthralled. When I think on that week, I remember the milestone addresses to Congress and the UN, and at Ground Zero, and the beautiful Masses he offered, but mainly my consciousness embraces his rides through our streets and the love and compassion pouring out of his eyes and hands, his entire being. So healing - right off the TV screen. And millions felt it. The energy in our country was glorious.

I’m reminded of a study done years ago by a Harvard Medical School professor, David McClelland, PhD, from which the term the “Mother Teresa effect” emerged. McClelland demonstrated how the power of love could make the body healthier, by showing a group of his graduate students a documentary of Mother Teresa lovingly ministering to the sick. Before and after the screenings he tested the levels of Immunoglobulin A - an antibody which combats viral infections in their saliva. The IgA levels rose significantly even in many of the students who thought Mother Teresa was too religious or a fake. He subsequently discarded the film and simply asked the students to think about times when they felt loved and cared for, and times when they were loving to others. The IgA levels rose again. McClelland admitted that he’d aborted colds with this technique (me too) and he became an advocate for the role of love in modern healing. Me too.

One of the greatest lessons I learned from my spiritual teacher, Hilda Charlton, was that the Universe and everything in it is energy, Love being the most powerful. We were all extravagantly showered with the energy of compassionate love which poured from Pope Francis as he moved through our cities’ streets that week. He was blessing and healing us whether we were consciously aware of that or not. My gratitude knows no bounds, dear Francis, and I rest more and more in my conviction that Love Heals.

Pope Francis - What A Blessing

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 08:56:00 -0400

We’re all being mightily blessed. And I’m so grateful.

Love heals is a constant theme for me and for the past three days, we’ve seen Pope Francis sharing his boundless love and caring and joy in DC and NYC and through TV to everyone on our Planet. And today he’s in Philadelphia.

My heart is overflowing with appreciation for his generosity. When I think of the tens of thousands that have gathered to be near him, I feel there’s great hope for our human condition. Obviously in the midst of our raucous, cynical, often violent world, many are still drawn to pure goodness. This is beautiful beyond measure. This is very good news.

Hilda “Hit”

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 13:20:00 -0400

I was outside at the river wall this morning, to greet and listen to my guidance.

I’ve been feeling a bit wifty the past week and this is not ok with me, though I realize everything is purposeful and this is probably a message for me to chill. Yesterday I’d listened to a *Hilda recording that I’ve had for several years. It’s what she calls a Healing Concentration and she lovingly and powerfully guides the listener to sending golden Healing Light to every part of the body. I felt fabulous afterward and vowed to do this daily to assist me through this current malaise.

This morning I felt she was there with me and she encouraged me to share what came to me, even though it’s similar to another recent blog, which, I'm happy to report, has been helpful to me and many others. However, it's always appropriate to follow Hilda's advice, so here she is. Feel that she’s speaking to you. She is.

I’m with you, darling. You must keep focusing on the Light. Walk in It; shower in It; let It shower you. Feel Its vibrant aliveness soaking into all your pores, saturating your bones and muscles and ligaments and joints and organs – all the vital systems within you – respiratory, circulatory, digestive, eliminatory. Let the Light saturate your brain, bringing it brand new Life – new neuropaths – new connections – great clarity and creativity. Feel Light vigorously flowing through you – washing away the old and depositing New Life within every cell and atom of you. Yes, Elizabeth/Betsy get into your computer and share this soon as a blog, a podcast – wherever you can.

Hilda called me Betsy most of the time. That’s the name I grew up with. I never liked it and started using part of my real name, Elizabeth, in the mid '80’s. On my birth certificate it says Mary Elizabeth.

Much of what followed this morning was personal, but she ended with a message that seems right-on for all of us. Re the healing Light flowing through our bodies:

Now do it. Be it. Receive. Relax and Receive constantly. We’re always with you. We’re here to assist you in this fine endeavor. Smile and know that you are not alone and that you are indeed getting better every day and night. Your job is to know that. Blessings to you always. Know that you are loved.

I firmly believe that as we wake up, embrace ourselves with Love and take exquisite care of our body/mind/spirit system, life will be Better and Better.

*I met Hilda in1976 and though she left her physical body in ’88, she continues to be my spiritual teacher.

Blessings Abound

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sat, 1 Aug 2015 12:01:00 -0400

I’m walking in the park this glorious morning and bounding down the path towards me is a little beagle. I say “Hi, there” as he passes by and notice that he’s stopped and is coming back. He reaches up and licks the fingers of my right hand. Ahhhh - How blessed am I this beautiful morning.

Daily Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 14:16:00 -0400

This morning I was struck by what I feel are thoughts held by many, that illness is inevitable, and aging, always arduous. Clearly our society is youth oriented and the media bombard us relentlessly with how to look and feel forever young. But intuitively we all know that “enyouthening” is an inside job. The better care we take of ourselves, the more conscious we become of the Energy in which we all live and by which we are all nurtured, the better each and every day of our lives becomes.

And I was thinking how long it takes many of us to awaken to that consciousness of Who We Really Are, and how years of “being in the dark” about Life and Love have created a lot of baggage in our bones - our shoulders, hips, knees, etc. I celebrate how salubrious a session of Jin Shin Jyutsu or Acupuncture or Massage can be.* But if I’ve learned anything on my life/healing journey, it was to take full responsibility for myself everyday and in every way. This often entails allowing myself to be guided to whatever/whomever can assist me during a particularly challenging time. Hence, the aforementioned modalities.

But the overwhelming thought this morning was that we need to incorporate into our daily lives, basking in a metaphysical shower each day. It can be part of our physical shower, or something that we can simply stand up and do anytime anywhere we can be private for a few moments. We can close our eyes and imagine that we are standing in a large column of showering Light, stunningly beautiful, shimmering Light. Its origin is as far out in the Universe as we can possibly imagine. And we are allowing ourselves to feel it saturating us - every cell, every muscle, every bone, every ligament, every organ, every single atom of our bodies - embraced and healed and renewed by this Magnificent Light. We are feeling totally blessed and healed and surrendered to this Light and know that it has the ability to wash away our baggage, regardless of how long we’ve been carrying it or how heavy it is. How Wonder-full. We breathe out a sigh of relief, and become suffused with gratitude and over and over repeat: Thank You, Thank You, Thank you.

And so it is. We gently open our eyes and allow a new strength and courage to empower us. We walk tall this day knowing that we walk in the Light always and in that Light all things are possible.

*My profound gratitude to Jed Schwartz, Dr. Nan Lu & Tatiana Philippova, and Linda Cali.

Here's to The Unfettered Life

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Wed, 6 May 2015 17:48:00 -0400

Though it's no longer my birthday, I found this little piece on my desktop this afternoon and felt it should be shared. Hope you enjoy.

It's my birthday and for the first time this year it’s warm enough to sit outside. As I’m walking out with my writing book, I hear “go get Hilda’s Saint’s Alive book – there’s a message for you”. I got it and walked out to the river wall and stood there feeling quite exhilarated.

Usually on my BD I’m a bit glum that here I am getting older and I haven’t done anything yet. That is a lie, of course. I know that, through God’s Grace, I've done some very good things and there’s a lot more to do. I go back to the table to write and open to this passage in Hilda’s book: “You don’t have to do pranayama, concentration, meditation or contemplation. You only have to let go of your fetters and everything happens right.”

May I, may we all, surrender with abandon to letting go of any and all fetters! Thank You, Hilda.

More Gratitude

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sun, 3 May 2015 09:14:00 -0400

I was recently asked to write a Gratitude piece. This is what came out. I'd never written about it before. What an adventure.

In 2011, forty years after my life transforming bout with cancer, I found myself walking into a Cancer Center wondering what in the world I was doing here. For symptoms I’d been having, the doctor I’d come here to see had been highly recommended.

The next thing I knew I was having a complete hysterectomy which revealed a nasty tumor in my uterus. I was not amused. Chemo and radiation were prescribed. I passed on radiation and in a haze of bewilderment, agreed to chemotherapy. I was blessed to have it administered by a wonderful doctor who most generously gave up one of his examining rooms every three weeks for five and a half hours.

Unlike my first bout in the 70’s, I let people in this time. A team of wonderful women, organized by my dear friend, Alice Evans, covered the first few days after each infusion. They were here to do whatever was needed, which wasn’t much since I felt so terrible. Nonetheless, thank you all. Muguette Hamon, an amazing friend and healer from Montreal, drove to NYC three times in the dead of winter to work on me. Astounding! Thank you, Muguette. My husband, Ben Bryant, couldn’t have been more caring. Thank you always, my dear love. And many were praying for me. Thank you.

By another stroke of Grace I was guided to having acupuncture with Dr. Nan Lu. Thank you, Dr. Lu. In my first sessions with Master Lu, he reminded me that there are no accidents and that this was all purposeful and meaningful. I felt as if he’d been reading my blogs. This was what I’d been sharing with people for years. I’d even created a DVD/CD project (now downloadable) called the Better & Better Series, to assist Pre & Post Surgery surgery patients and their caregivers. The Series immerses us in the glories of Nature, while beautiful music and inspiring thoughts create deep peace and ease to support the innate healing wisdom within. “Natural Forces within us are the true healers of disease”, Hippocrates. It turns out I used my own work a lot to assist me at this time.

After the fourth session of chemo, I was really sinking. Though all this time I was able to go within and “work” on myself, I didn’t have the energy to move. It was a very warm April and I was huddled under our down quilt freezing. No one said a word, but I soon learned that my husband and friends all thought the chemo was killing me. In the meantime, I was under the quilt listening inside for some message about what to do here. One day, out of a clear blue sky, I heard, “It’s enough”! What? I asked for a repeat: “It’s enough”. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. A wave of great relief washed through me, though I continued to lie there totally depleted. Two days later, a conversation was going on in my head. I heard: “Elizabeth, you know that your body is a healing machine. How can it heal itself when you’re throwing an atom bomb into it every three weeks?” Whoa! That was huge. I don’t know for sure, but that might have been Dr. Lu speaking. Thank you, thank you, thank you. The next day, I called my oncologist and said I was stopping treatment. “You can’t do that”, he stated emphatically. I did, despite the uproar from all my doctors and healer friends. I just knew I had to stop.

It was slow going for about a year. I’d lost a lot of weight and was energetically wasted, but the Wonder of Wonders within me, to say nothing of the ongoing support of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Dr. Lu and Tatiana Philippova), nurtured me day and night. As I’d been writing and talking about for years regarding my healing in the ’70’s, this was again a blessing in disguise. It was no accident; it was another "rite of passage" for me.

One of my most compelling lessons here was allowing in love. Like most women, I’d always been much better at giving than receiving, and this arduous journey was here to open me up to receiving the great abundance of love around and within me at all times. Thank you, everyone, for reminding me of that. Words cannot begin to describe the Gratitude I feel. I’m so Greatfull* for my life.

* When we’re feeling grateful, we’re full of The Great

"Waiting for Elizabeth: a Love Story" by Ben Bryant

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sun, 19 Apr 2015 15:15:00 -0400

I want you to know about him and this accomplishment of his, so let me introduce to my blog followers, my husband, Ben Bryant. He recently completed an autobiographical Trilogy from his early childhood in Bristol, Tennessee, to arriving on another planet called Hollywood at age 13, to relishing the delights of being a busy singer/actor in NYC after college. (Three Stages) Ultimately he became involved in film and video production and editing and enjoys that to this day. (Circumstances Beyond My Control) His final book, which reveals life from 1990 to the present day is entitled Waiting for Elizabeth. Many of these years were arduous for me/us and I didn’t want him to write about them, but there was no stopping his need to do so. Then, he had the audacity to ask me to write the Foreword. With part of me kicking and screaming, I did so. Hope you enjoy.

Foreword to Waiting for Elizabeth

I was shocked when Ben asked me to write this foreword. Truth be told, I didn’t even want him to write the book. Who wants to resurrect life’s painful chapters even if they ultimately deliver the players to peaceful conclusions? Not me! But the determination (bordering on bull-headedness) and dedication of this man to tell his story, was non-negotiable. So here we are.

Much to my dismay at times, he read every chapter of this book to me. And though it was often “not a day at the beach”, it wasn’t as difficult as I’d anticipated. Toward the end of the reading, I was struck by an unlikely image. It was of the phenomenal documentary Winged Migration, where we got to witness birds of every conceivable variety, leaving their nests and flying thousands of miles over oceans and mountains and continents – flying it seemed forever – to their “vacation homes”, where they hung out and mated and re-grouped. Then with a seasonal shift, there they were flying back from whence they’d come. It was extraordinary, thrilling, inspiring, and to me, exhausting. I couldn’t imagine flapping my wings for such a long time. What a tough gig for these beautiful creatures.

And somehow, as I listened to Ben’s story, I had a similar reaction. It wasn’t exhaustion, it was amazement at the resiliency he’d brought to his personal journey. From childhood he was clearly a gifted boy. His singing was remarkable and he easefully moved into a theatrical career in California after college. Broadway beckoned and he became a busy singer/actor the first week he arrived in The City.

Theatre, as it turned out, was not his calling and his interest in film production took over. Being a born leader (Someone said to me recently: “Ben doesn’t suffer fools gladly.”) his powerful voice served him well as a Producer and First Assistant Director in film, commercials, and live musical events. An innately curious man, he was always willing to jump into the deep end of the pool, often conquering very steep learning curves. From film he moved on to video production – shooting, directing and editing. All of these disciplines require much study and practice. And in our relentlessly shifting technological age, there’s no end to the ever-evolving tools. Ben just keeps embracing it all.

Furthermore, and perhaps most significant, through many of his most stressful periods – even our separation and divorce, as devastating as they were – Ben maintained his equanimity. The vicissitudes of life seemed to be no match for his innately positive perspective. And I was amazed as he shared his rendition of our most arduous times, that I wasn’t more upset. I could hear that his love for me had remained despite the anger and hurt, and that the love ultimately eclipsed them. Moreover, given that his ground of being is firmly ensconced in his steadfast sense of humor, laugh-out-loud-funny was often the result.

So I emerge from this scrutiny of his/our passage with great admiration for him. Having to move himself and all his gear to new locations to accommodate whatever was developing in his work life; and constantly needing to address and conquer unfamiliar equipment and challenging projects seems not to have drained but to have buoyed his robust energy. It seems he could flap his wings forever. I salute that.

I’m very proud of him and his indomitable and adventurous spirit. By the way, I love him.

Responsible Citizen

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 15:17:00 -0500

That Barack Obama is still walking and talking at the same time is miraculous to me. Despite the relentless hatred directed toward him and his beautiful family, and the ruthless singleminded agenda to negate everything he proposes since the night of his inauguration in 2009, he keeps on keeping on. Of course, this is his job and he chose it. I suggest we have a job here too. It’s called being a responsible citizen.

I’m reminded of JFK’s provocative statement during his 1961 Inaugural speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

Mahatma Gandhi told us: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Let’s all own that: Let’s be Peace; be Love; be kindness. Let’s devote ourselves to sharing from a compassionate heart each and every day, wherever we are – whatever we're doing.

Our commitment to this way of being can change the world.

Though ‘nobody’s perfect’, it continues to be my opinion that Barack Obama is playing chess and most of the rest of us are stumbling through checkers. Let’s drop the judgment. He needs us to have his back. Let’s support him with encouraging thoughts and prayers.

“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.” Mahatma Gandhi

Some Call It Love

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:40:00 -0400

I feel that our major job here is to be a blessing. I feel that we are all Light Beings. “Matter is energy. Energy is Light. We are all Light Beings.” (Albert Einstein) I also feel that we provide blessings to all by sharing the Light that’s ever present in our hearts. Some call it Love.

So this morning I’m writing in my little corner and I hear a really loud ambulance siren. In the past it’s been my pattern to send Light to whomever was in trouble at the other end of that siren.

Today, there was another layer to that blessing. Sound is Light also, and I suddenly became aware of the service that this harsh, strident, screeching, piercing, shrill, grating siren is providing.

It’s for all of us to perk up and pay attention and envision the siren (the Sound of Light) saturating the ambulance’s destination – the site and all the people involved – with the healing power of Light.

Some call it Love.

Morning Blessings

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 10:39:00 -0400

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about our being a blessing to each other and our world everyday. And this morning I’m walking in the park on this perfectly gorgeous day, and walking south on the other side of the median are two dogs on leash. The one on the right of its person is a Golden Retriever and it's strolling along wagging its tail, exuding happy it seemed.

I felt blessed.

A few minutes later, over there on the same stretch of walkway there’s a baby in a stroller, angled so that he can see over to my side and he’s grinning from ear to little ear.

I felt blessed.

Then I passed a groupette of little dogs with their people and two of them left the schmooze and came over and gave me a nose. So dear.

Blessed again.

So glad I took a walk this morning.

Gratitude – The Download

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Fri, 9 May 2014 14:35:00 -0400

Gratitude has been the cornerstone of my life for many years and was the title of my first cassette recording. I had come through an arduous physical ordeal, and wanted to thank everyone who had helped me to recover. Singing for them seemed like a good idea, so with Richard Shulman, at keyboards (also creating arrangements) and Ron Young on guitar, accompanying his own original pieces, “Children of Light” and “Prince of Peace”, we recorded some songs I was currently singing a lot in a little studio in Soho.

The year was 1985. Another lifetime ago!

We gave it to lots of people and ultimately it ended up on The New Age Market. Recently it occurred to us to make “Gratitude” available for download at CDBaby.

I’m thrilled to say that that has happened and I invite you to come and listen and download “Gratitude” –

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/elizabethhepburn6 .

Hope you enjoy!

The Red Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Tue, 4 Mar 2014 12:11:00 -0500

I have a very strong feeling to introduce you to this beautiful rose. It’s a photograph of a painting by my brother, Charlie, who passed in April 2013. He was an extremely prolific artist, but this rose is an exceptionally poignant gift to my life now. I wanted to share it and my beloved big brother with everyone.

http://CJHepburn.com/index.html

Charlie's devoted daughter, Terry, a gifted photographer, is responsible for this picture. Thank you, Terry

Love – The Currency of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sun, 2 Mar 2014 15:18:00 -0500

Several inspiring thoughts have landed lately. I'm very "greatfull".*

At the Integrative Healthcare Symposium** last week I heard someone mention being in the current of life, which I immediately interpreted as being in the flow. Then, almost at once, I thought of current as the 'now'. Hmmm, that's good too. Then this morning in Neville Goddard's book "The Power of Awareness" I read: "You must stop spending your thoughts, time and money. Everything in life must be an investment. To spend is to waste, to squander, to lay out without return. To invest is to lay out for a purpose from which a profit is expected. This is all about the importance of the moment – the transformation of the moment. It is only what is done now that counts." Current!

Then yesterday, a friend suggested thinking of each day as a blank canvas, on which to create this work of art which is our life. Not a new thought for me, but a great reminder. How delightful it can be to feel each morning that we have a whole day to experience and express as much beauty, integrity, kindness, humor, courage and Love as we can imagine. In this daily-recurring new beginning, we can choose to be current – vibrantly alive – in Love.

And lastly, I pick up my beloved little "The Quiet Mind" book and open to: "Trust and never forget that the true way is the way of Love. Flowers do not force their way with great strife. Flowers open to perfection slowly in the sun."

* “greatfull” – When we're feeling gratitude, we're full of The Great.

** http://www.ihsymposium.com/annual-conference/

Raising the Bar this Year

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 22:04:00 -0500

As this year comes to its end, may we ‘take heart’ and claim the mantle of Light for ourselves. May we finally acknowledge that, first and foremost, we are Spirit beings – Beings of Love and Light. Let us be responsible to this expanded perception of ourselves.

In Clint Eastwood’s movie “Invictus”, Nelson Mandela tells Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon): “We all must exceed our own expectations.” May we all do just that – raise the bar on ourselves. May we be inspired to embody our innate magnificence, exuding Love, Peace, Kindness, Joy.

Let this be our mission. Let us all commit to being an ongoing blessing to ourselves, each other and our world. Let us be filled and thrilled by Gratitude. When we are experiencing Gratitude, we are filled with the Great. We are Great-full. May Greatfull be the context of our lives. A most Glorious 2014 to everyone, everywhere.

Thank you, Marianne and Nelson

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 16:35:00 -0500

In Marianne Williamson’s 1992 best selling book, A Return to Love, she gifts us with this inspiration. Nelson Mandela shared it in his 1994 Inaugural Address:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; It's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

This Christmas season, may all our hearts open to the Light that we are, and generously share the Love ever-present there. We are not “joined at the hip”. We are joined at the heart! EnJoy! And always choose to embody being “Greatful".

Neale Donald Walsch Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 12:35:00 -0400

Neale Donald Walsch very generously shares a daily spiritual lesson today@nealedonaldwalsch.com with his mailing list. And this particular message truly struck a chord within me. Being the Better & Better woman, I encourage all, when in the throes of crisis, particularly physical dis-ease, to know that, as arduous as this may be, it is an opportunity. It is purposeful and meaningful. It is a "rite of passage" that when held in that perspective, can deliver blessings beyond our wildest dreams. Most of us have forgotten that we’re much more than these physical bodies. We are Spirit beings on our Soul’s journey and the Universe occasionally has to give us a jolt - some would call it a wake-up call.

On this day of your life, Dear Friend, I believe God wants you to know...

...that illness is not a sign of spiritual weakness,
but of spiritual strength.

When we fall ill there are some who will say, "Why

did you create that for yourself?" They might convince

you to see it as a sign of spiritual weakness or failure.

It is not. It is a sign of spiritual strength.

All challenges are a sign of spiritual strength, and of

the readiness of the Soul to move on;

to evolve even further.

Neale Donald Walsch

Blessed

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:16:00 -0400

In February, at a synagogue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, a fabulous group was featured. That evening My Favorite Enemy consisted of seven (sometimes there are more) first rate musicians from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, USA and Norway, and they set the room on fire with their passion and commitment to inspiring harmony in the hearts and minds of all mankind. Theirs is a blend of Middle East rhythms and sounds, and contemporary pop and rock, and since 2009, they’ve been sharing their transformational programs all over the world. Their sumptuously rich, eclectic music captivates and nourishes our souls.

Since gratitude has been a cornerstone of my life for many years, I was totally taken with their song “Blessed”. The music seeped right into my bones and the recurring lyric is:

Thank you for the sorrow / The times I had to borrow /
When my heart was hollow /

All my tears and quarrels

Thank you for my madness / All my pain and sadness /
Without it I would be less /

Without it I would not be as blessed.

Is that not the human condition? Does that not speak to us all?

Thank you, My Favorite Enemy, for your inestimable gift to our world.

myfavoriteenemy.com

Ben's Journey: Telephones When I was a kid we didn’t have dial p...

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:27:00 -0400

Ben's Journey: Telephones

When I was a kid we didn’t have dial p...: Telephones When I was a kid we didn’t have dial phones. In fact, we didn’t even have a private line; we had a party line. Only rich people...

Valerie Harper Again

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:33:00 -0400

Valerie was on the Today Show and The Doctors this morning. And it was terrific to see and hear her being so grounded and open and generous with her journey. As the purpose of my former blog had been to take the fear out of the air for her and encourage us all to uphold her with positive healing thoughts, she herself shared this morning that she went so public with this to dispel fear. Despite what would be called a most difficult diagnosis, she ended the Today show saying she was open to a miracle. On both shows she had wise thoughts to share with us. I'm paraphrasing here:

Live while you live.

Don't go to the funeral before the funeral!

No one's getting out of here alive - we're all terminal.

She ended The Doctors telling everyone to embrace themselves and know that they are magnificent. We are all magnificent, flawed, yes, but nonetheless, magnificent.

I'm going on a Talk Show in Minneapolis today to speak of Valerie and how we can assist her energetically. Everything in the Universe is energy, and our thoughts are most powerful. Whenever we're dealing with critical disease, our own or someone else's, it behooves us to stay optimistic so that the thoughts we've hosting and the energy they're eliciting will be constructive and empowering. I feel that's our job now - to empower this beloved woman.

Thank you, Valerie, for sharing so much Joy with our world.

Valerie

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Thu, 7 Mar 2013 18:01:00 -0500

When I heard about Valerie Harper yesterday, I was immediately into my ‘facilitating the journey’ mode. I wanted to reach out to assist her in some way by sharing whatever was appropriate from my own challenging experiences. We were in theatre together years ago, and though our paths have taken us on different routes, I’ll always remember her as a delightful woman with an immensely caring heart. It was thrilling to watch her richly deserved successes throughout the years.

Now she’s hosting critical disease, and I’m here to lend support to Ed Asner's statement that he's not convinced she's running out of time. In a NY Post article he said:

“Valerie Harper is a century plan and I have come to know her much better in my latter years and have every confidence in the world that she will shock the hell out of us and survive to keep functioning as the great talent and human that she is,”

Harper promised she’d hang around as long as possible.

“Life,” she said, “is amazing. Live it to the fullest. Stay as long as you can.”

Life is amazing. It’s a sacred mystery and we never know what’s going to happen. So for now, I’d like to encourage everyone to drop any negative thoughts about Valerie’s diagnosis and see her well and happy and getting better & better everyday. Valerie’s spirit is enormous, and she has innate healing power within her. We all do. So while bowing to the marvels of modern medicine, let’s also put into the equation what Hippocrates said over two thousand years ago: “Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.”

Our heart-felt thoughts of radiant well being for Valerie are the best gifts we can offer her at this time.

A Precious Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:42:00 -0500

Dr. Julia Assante’s brilliant new book, “The Last Frontier”, is an invaluable gift to our world. She takes on humanity’s profound and all-pervasive fear of death. And with erudition and great humor, she demystifies it and relaxes our body/mind/heart and soul into a state of welcoming acceptance. She draws on years of study, culminating with a PhD in Archaeology from Columbia University, as well as from countless personal experiences as a professional intuitive, psychic, and medium. I admit that reading an entire book about death may seem bizarre, but strangely enough this is not the case. The experience is life enhancing and very liberating. Julia’s writing is easeful and most accessible. Her philosophy of the beneficence of the Universe resonates powerfully and her wisdom supports us in calmly looking at death and the afterlife for ourselves and for our loved ones. She’s covered every aspect of the ultimate journey even to counseling us on how to converse with the dead. With this richly multi-faceted work, Dr. Assante is illuminating the preciousness of life here and on the other side. This is a great service to us all and I am most grateful. Thank you, Julia.

Wonder of Wonders

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sat, 9 Feb 2013 14:13:00 -0500

“A willingness to be still and feel the Wonder, works wonders.”

These words came to me the other day. I was very Greatful* and knew I was to share them.

We’ve all been given this wondrous gift – the ability to choose. And the gifts that emerge from our choice ‘to be still’ are boundless. Choosing stillness and dropping into Wordlessnss within, as Martha Beck encourages in her fabulous book “Finding Your Way in a Wild New World”, are two of the most salubrious and delicious things we can do for ourselves. In our tenaciously raucous world, this is not always easy, however, it is simple. Sit or lie down, making yourself as comfortable as possible, close your eyes, and notice your breathing – the inhale, the exhale – and choose for the breathing to be more and more easeful. As you’re letting the breath relax you, feel your beating heart and slowly become aware of the pulsations all through your body as the result of your beating heart. Really allow yourself to feel these pulsations. What a Wonder is this Life Force within us that simultaneously pulses throughout all space. Now, for as long as you choose – Be inside yourself – Be still – Feel as though you’re listening to silence. Keep relaxing more and more into the stillness. Feel the Wonder. Say “Thank You”.

*I've begun to spell grateful – Greatful – because when we're feeling gratitude, we're full of The Great.

Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Hepburn) — Sat, 7 Jul 2012 14:56:00 -0400

In response to Barbara Walters’ comprehensive report on Heaven last night, I whole-heartedly agree with Richard Gere who, at the conclusion of the piece, articulated that: “Heaven and hell are here now”. Just seeing footage from Iraq/Afghanistan, the havoc created by suicide bombers, awareness of the wars that have plagued humanity for millennia is to know hell. And, in my experience, Heaven is ever available within us.

Whatever happened to “the Kingdom of God is within you”? That was one of Jesus’ main messages. And we must “Be still and know that I Am God” is the key to finding that Kingdom. The Divine Presence that permeates all space and pulses through every cell of us is right here, right now, always and forever. The trick is the "be still" part in the midst of our relentlessly cacophonous world.

Years ago, I was extraordinarily blessed to be guided to Hilda Charlton, a masterful spiritual teacher, who inspired my physical healing and led me and thousands of others to the Kingdom within. Her religion was Love. www.hildacharlton.com/

With all the intellectual study and talk of God and Heaven and how we get there, there’s not a doubt in my being that allowing ourselves to be still and subsequently to feel the Peace, the Joy, and the Love within, is the antidote to all our distress and dis-ease. A near death experience is not a necessary prerequisite. http://www.tm.org/benefits-of-meditation

The adage “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all else will be added unto you” is as perennial as the rain. Heaven is within us all – it is natural for us – it is delicious to experience. Though not easy, it is simple and requires only our commitment. Love is always the answer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QshPsO-eP5o&feature=youtu.be