As a writer, I see life as a hero’s journey. How do you react when life is going along fine, then plot twist?
Who made the rule change is hard? What if you could do anything with ease and grace? And create greater courage, confidence, and creativity?
Never say never.
In 1989, doctors diagnosed me with cervical cancer. The night after receiving the stage four cancer diagnosis, I began to experiment with an inner process of healing. I called in God’s Light. I imagined touching the hem of Jesus’s cloak. A warm feeling stirred inside my heart. The night before cancer surgery, I sat in my bed eyes closed and imagined the doctors and myself in loving. Deep in meditation and prayer, I felt lifted out of my body into a ball of pure love and light. Next day after surgery, there was no cancer after the biopsies came back.
Within three months without hormones, my body began to change. I had no energy and felt depressed. I had to change jobs from sales to answering the telephone. My life priorities became to take care of myself first.
I began to align myself with a higher purpose, a Dream manual. I asked myself, if I had all the health and energy possible, what would I be doing with my life? With more light, prayers, and the intention of feeling better, I discovered a body healing program called hair analysis. Within three months of participating in the body balancing program, my health and life began to turn around.
The next plot twist happened in 2003. The real estate market across our country was hot. In Dallas, Texas, I sold thirty homes in one year. By 2006, the housing bubble burst, unemployment was 10%. I was homeless, jobless, and penniless. What was I to do?
I turned to my new self-published book, “A Dream is a Wish the Heart Makes, or if at first you don’t succeed, change the rules.” I began the 5-step process of change to receive what was for the highest good outlined in the book.
I received a gift, a place to stay until my life turned around. I wrote in my journal on December 23, 2006 “Noon staying with my friend Sandi and Tony De Veau, dog sitting Taska and Annie. So wonderful to have this haven of safety and love to rest,”
On December 27, 2006, in my journal, I began to draw a mind map, a diagram used to organize information, on the top of the page “Make a Difference”, stuff I want to have, do or be.
Never say never. Instead of creating from fear, I choose to walk in faith and dream. One key to the Dream book was to work through the resistance to belief. Hold the focus on my intention with ease and grace.
To get a higher perspective, I called in the Light of God and asked The Christ Light that was within me to assist me in my life direction. Stepping into living love was like having a flashlight in the soul’s darkness.
Next, I drew the inner circle and wrote confidence and courage visions of joy 2007 manifest now. I began to listen to my inspired thoughts, and wrote about an affordable home, job, abundance.
I took out my Dream book and began clearing the resistance to receive my goals. Each day for the next 30 days, I wrote and cleared my way to receive my intentions.
My first goal, February 1, 2007, I created a job in property management at a commercial building. By the end of March, I moved into an apartment near White Rock Lake. Since moving to Dallas in 1986, I had always wanted to live near the lake. The young woman who lived in my new apartment had to leave suddenly. I told her I had no furniture. She gave me her sofa and love seat. I could get her lease rate, well below the going rent.
When I had almost finished, I wondered, what if I had a big goal, something gigantic? My heart started beating fast. I got so excited. What if I could manifest being in Oprah’s Book Club audience?
When I had my cable and internet service turned on in my new apartment, I began to participate on the Oprah Book Club website. The book in the discussion was “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett.
I love historical fiction. Ken’s book of building medieval cathedrals by ordinary people was exciting to read. The reading guidelines on Oprah’s website gave me a deeper perspective of how the story developed the characters and plot twists. I looked forward to each step of the story and sharing my point of view on the Oprah book club website.
Then, in early December 2007, I received a telephone call from the producer at Oprah. Would I be interested in being in the audience with Ken Follett and his book “Pillars of the Earth” at the end of January 2008? I discovered I would have to pay for the trip to Chicago. I said no, I could not afford it.
I called my younger brother, Allan, who lived in New Hampshire and told him about my invitation. He was so excited for me and told me to call the Oprah people back he would pay for the trip.
The next day, I contacted the producer who gave me the day, time, and instructions on where to find the studio.
What if I could get on national television, ask an important question, one that no one had discovered?
On Ken Follett’s website, I found two special projects that involved literacy. I knew literacy was also important to Oprah. I began to see myself in the Oprah audience, raising my hand and asking Ken Follett the important questions.
My brother Allan was as excited as I was when we arrived in wintry cold Chicago at the end of January 2008.
Oprah interviewed Mr. Follett all day. No one interviewed asked Mr. Follett about his programs for literacy in the UK. In the last two minutes of the show, Oprah asked if anyone had a question. Hands from everywhere flew up. I raised my hand, and Oprah called on me. Nervous, I asked Mr. Follett about his reading ability programs. Oprah was surprised to discover he had programs of learning.
During my hero’s journey I have discovered a new way to receive change with ease and grace. Now when life gives me a plot twist, I have a map, my Dream book to assist me through.
With acceptance of my life’s challenges, and asking for the inner guidance of God’s light, I received a doable map for change. I went from being homeless, jobless, and penniless, experiencing the biggest dream I could have ever imagined.
In June 2017, I revised my dream book into a workbook which can be used in workshops, “Do You Have a Dream Workbook 5 Keys to Realize Your Dream.” There is also an audiobook in my voice available on Amazon.
The change in my life from a life-threatening illness to wellness with a purpose was a testament to my years of walking the spiritual path. Who made the rule change is hard? What if you could do anything with ease and grace? And create greater courage, confidence, and creativity?
Never say never.
https://youtu.be/W6W4AEjQomo Oprah U-Tube Video
www.ModernMysticMedia.com
Do You Have a Dream Workbook 5 Keys To Realize Your Dream

During my forty-year career in business, I wrote marketing materials. Making stuff up came naturally. To write a novel required new skills. Fiction has rules to follow. To write the story, I had to learn how to write it. Novel writing became my new business. I expanded my imagination to create a story where history met science fiction and transport people to learn and be entertained. The journey of wonder for me began with a vision of a young Albert Einstein and a compass his father gave him that set him on his quest to know what is time, what is light. Four years later I had a manuscript. While writing my masterpiece I had to wear a second hat, marketing. Bublish became my marketing arm. One day I would write my novel, the next setting up websites, social media pages, blogs, all to create a brand, an identity. I invested in a designed cover, copy editing, book layout and market placement advice. On January 1, 2019, I hired professional bloggers and book reviewers for the “Einstein’s Compass a YA Time Traveler Adventure” book launch. To bring visibility to my novel, I entered book contests throughout 2019 and 2020 and won ten book awards. Wow sometimes I feel gobsmacked with the joy of writing a successful award-winning novel.

Einstein’s Compass a YA Time Traveler Adventure Buy on Amazon Now #Kindle $.99

Spring 1895
Thought Experiment

Six male students in their mid-teens dressed in wool suits, starched white shirts, and blue-and-yellow neckties sat two by two in a single row, anxiously awaiting the start of class. Albert had enrolled in Aarau High School after his unsuccessful attempt to enter the Polytechnic. Of course, he had passed the math and science section of the exam with flying colors. Yet the test showed Albert needed more study in languages, biology, literature, political science, and botany. While somewhat disappointed with the test results, he saw it would only take a year at Aarau before he could get to the Polytechnic, and he was okay with that.

The smell of fresh white chalk stimulated Albert’s mind. He focused on the three Hs the headmaster, Professor Winteler, wrote on the blackboard; the principles of teaching the school followed.

Heart – to explore what students want to learn. To develop their moral qualities, such as helping others.

Head – to understand objects, concepts, and experiences.

Hand – to learn the craft of doing good work and develop their physical skills.

Completing his writing with a flourish, the teacher turned to face his class. His brown eyes twinkled, and there was genuine warmth and enthusiasm in his voice as he said, “I have found that people learn more easily accessing their intuition, their inner powers than they do through their minds.”

In the front row, Albert relaxed. For the first time in his school life, the reject from the Gymnasium in Germany felt connected.

The wise professor put down the chalk and rubbed his hands together. He adjusted his spectacles and said, “Our first exercise will be a thought experiment. It will assist us when we want to consider a hypothesis or theory when the purpose is to think through by steps to its consequences. This practice will increase your personal power of thought and imagination. What’s more,” he said with a smile, “by going inward, you begin to trust yourself.”

A sandy-haired student raised his hand, and the professor acknowledged him. “Yes, Gregory, you have a question?”

“I do, sir,” the boy said as he stood.

The professor smiled. “Good. Questions are encouraged. What do you have?”

“In this mind experiment, do we have our eyes open or closed?”

“For the purposes of our first experiment, you will have your eyes closed. Though I am sure sometimes during the day, you find yourself in a daydream where your mind is drifting in space even with your eyes open.” Gregory nodded as the professor continued. “We are going to use a what-if, dreamy kind of imagination to allow you to let go and create possibilities.”

As Gregory sat down, the professor instructed, “Now I want you to remove your jackets, loosen your ties, and sit up straight with your arms and legs uncrossed. Place your hands on your thighs, palms up.”

The students did so and waited for the next direction.

“Close your eyes and take a slow, deep breath,” Winteler said. “Inhale, then slowly let go of all the air in your lungs.” He paused for a few seconds. “Again, this time breathe in more slowly.” As the students did this, he paused, then said, “Hold the air inside.” He paused again. “Let go of all the air, slowly. Allow your body to relax. Keep your eyes closed and focus on your breath going in and out. If your mind starts to chatter, just acknowledge that then bring your focus back to your breathing.”

Albert sat with his back straight though he was relaxed, surrendering his mind. Lost in the experience, the dreamer did not even hear what the teacher said next because he found himself enveloped in a warm glow, and he felt like he was rising above the Earth. A motion caught his awareness, and he glanced to the side. Next to him flew a graceful, towering, luminous being with flowing, golden hair. Somehow, Albert sensed it was an angel. The angel’s violet eyes gave the dreamer a loving smile, and Albert surrendered more fully to his experience. Archangel Michael offered Albert his hand, and Albert gently grasped it. The sound of angels singing “Glory to God in the highest” rang out over the universe.

The veil of time opened, and Albert found himself floating down onto the emerald-green grass in the Garden of Remembrance. As he attempted to take it all in, Albert saw a figure standing nearby. It slowly turned, and Albert was filled with joy to recognize his friend Johann. Somehow it all seemed perfectly right, though unreal at the same time.

The two friends embraced, then Albert pulled away. “Johann, how… how…”

Johann smiled. “Don’t try to figure it all out at once, Albert. Just let the reality reveal itself to you.”

“But is it a reality, Johann? Or am I just in a wishful-thinking dream?”

With a mischievous smile, Johann reached out and pinched Albert on the arm.

“Ow!” said Albert with a frown, rubbing the spot where Johann had pinched. Then his eyes grew wide. “Okay, I get it. It’s real.”

Johann nodded, still smiling. “It’s real all right. Just not the reality you’re used to.” In the months since his death, Johann had become more confident about what he knew about the realm in which he found himself.

“Okay, I believe you… but why am I here?”

Johann became more serious. He took Albert’s arm and guided him along the shore of a nearby pond. “We have to talk, Albert.

There is much to tell you. Things are going on you won’t believe. But this visit is just to let you know that you can come here anytime you want. The thought experiment technique Herr Winteler is teaching you will help you come back.”

Albert listened with rapt attention as his friend explained some of what he had been learning. Before he could digest what, he was hearing, Johann continued. “But for now, you must return to your body.” Johann hugged Albert and kissed him on the cheek. “Remember this, and I’ll see you later.”

“But—” Albert started to protest. In the next moment, Albert felt like he was falling from a great height. Just before the dreamer hit the ground, his eyes flew open. He had returned to his body as Professor Winteler was asking the class, “What was your experience of your first thought experiment? Does anyone want to share?”

Albert did not know how to respond. He wondered who would believe him if he told them what happened. He kept his mouth shut and barely heard the answers from his classmates. He was lost in his thoughts about seeing Johann and wondering just what could be so important that he would be called to that place… wherever—or whatever—it was.

In Albert Einstein’s biography he met his wife Mileva while attending the Polytechnic in Bern, Switzerland. In their budding romance Albert and Mileva loved to hike up the Albishorn Mountain nearby. In his biography Albert fell off a mountain once while hiking with his boyhood friends from school. In our story I used his real life story and gave it a little twist. Your going to have to read the book to find out who rescued Albert from a fall of thousands of feet of almost certain death.Follow me on Bublish. Watch the video of Einstein’s Compass Novel.
#stockingstuffer #kindle $2.99

Einstein’s Compass a YA Time Traveler Adventure Buy on Amazon Now

Albert Einstein Falls Off a Mountain

The packs on their backs filled with hiking equipment and lunch were starting to get heavy. Albert had been trudging behind Mileva for nearly two hours. He was ready to eat. Pine needles crunched underfoot, and the breeze whistled through the woods fragrant with the scent of pine. The sound of squirrels chittering and scurrying through the trees caught his attention. He smiled, “See, Dollie, the tree rats are playing the mating game.” Dollie was Albert’s affectionate nickname for Mileva because her small stature reminded him of a delicate figurine. The racy reference brought a flush to Mileva’s face but her deep-set, dark-brown eyes twinkled as she twirled around and shot back, “Oh, my wicked sweetheart, do you fancy he will catch her?”

“Well, that depends. If little Miss Squirrel is as Bohemian as you are, then perhaps,” Albert teased as he snatched a crimson wildflower and proffered it to her.

While their passion for math and physics had initially drawn them together, something else—a mysterious sense of familiarity—propelled them into a romantic relationship that had grown and flourished in just six months. This morning, the couple had taken the early morning express train to explore the Sihl virgin forest on the slopes of the Albis hills together; a last carefree time together before parting for the summer vacation. With each stride along the trail, Mileva’s limp became less troublesome. Tuberculosis in her pelvis as a youngster had caused one leg to become shorter than the other. While she had never let that hold her back, climbing up the slope of the spinner’s pathway made her disability seem less pronounced since equal-length legs were not an asset here. The higher they went, the wilder the flora and more peaceful the feeling became.

They aimed to arrive at the summit of the Albishorn Mountain by mid-afternoon, where they could enjoy a picnic overlooking the picturesque panorama of Zurich and the lake. The sunlight shone through the leaves, creating flickering shadows on the earth. The cry hoopoe, hoopoe of the hoopoe bird, trailed in the wind.

Their final outing was bittersweet. On the one hand, it was the celebration of the end of a long school term. On the other, Albert had decided to visit with his family in Italy, while Mileva would go to be with her parents in Serbia. They would be separated from each other and the other friends they had made at the school.

Mileva laughed off Albert’s Bohemian remark, then changed the topic to divert her sweetheart from his current train of thought. “You know, when I think of physics, I imagine Almighty God in the hidden forces of the natural laws of the universe. Do you suppose there are secret rules about him waiting for us to discover? Sometimes I hear him whispering when I read Newton or Descartes. What do you think, Johnnie?”

Albert, who had been dubbed Johnnie one evening months ago when the two were being playful with each other, walked up to Mileva, a thoughtful look on his face. He took off his Bavarian hat and spread his fingers through his wavy brown hair, collecting his thoughts. Albert was not one to respond frivolously to such a weighty question. “I am not positive if Providence is speaking—though I remain convinced that there is more to the world than what we see.”

“Me too. It’s going to be fascinating,” Mileva said, her eyes glowing brightly. She was as entranced by science as Albert was—and she was quite brilliant.

As if stirred up by the conversation about forces beyond man’s perception, a surge of wind swirled through the trees around the couple. Butterflies came out of nowhere, and Albert felt something brush against him. A warm glow broke over his body, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead.

“What was that?” he asked, recoiling from the mysterious energy.

“What was what, Johnnie?” Mileva asked, puzzled by his behavior.

“I don’t know. It seemed like something… someone… brushed up against me.”

“I’m sure it was nothing, Albert, just your imagination or something caused by the wind.”

“Yes, I’m sure you’re right,” he smiled, calming down, “nothing at all.” He kissed Mileva’s hand and took a step forward up the inclined path. “Come on, let’s get up this mountain before I starve to death.”

The temperature dipped as the climbers ascended in silence, still pondering the questions of science they had been discussing. The gurgle of water flowing downhill filled their ears as they crossed over a footbridge. In less than an hour, they reached the edge of the woods. In the distance, the hikers saw mountains, their tops shrouded in mist. A pebble path led to the vista of a landscape dotted with rocks and boulders. The two stood for several moments gazing upon the majesty of the scene. On the crest of Albishorn, they looked down upon the town of Zurich and the pristine lake with tiny sailboats, their sails billowing in the breeze.

Free from care, Albert dropped his gear. With outstretched arms, he breathed in and shouted into the lapis-blue sky, “Oh, how I love the pure air!” Then he dropped his arms and with a smile declared, “I’m famished. Are you hungry, Dollie?”

Mileva nodded happily and tugged Albert’s arm, urging him off the path toward the crumbling remains of a stone building long abandoned. Mileva threw open a patchwork quilt and began unwrapping the meal she had prepared. As Mileva busied herself setting up the picnic, Albert ambled to the edge of a nearby cliff. Humming a melody, he stepped down onto a five-inch-wide ledge that rimmed the cliff’s edge. Like a tightrope walker, he stepped foot to heel along the narrow ridge, a drop of several thousand feet just a misstep away.

“Luncheon is almost ready, Johnnie!” Mileva called out.

Turning to look back at her, Albert missed his footing and stumbled. Unable to regain his balance, Albert’s body pitched off the ledge and plummeted, twisting toward the rocky ground far, far below. He screamed in terror, “HELP ME.”

The sound of his voice echoed off the cliff. As he plunged, his arms flailing, the compass tumbled out of his pocket. Then, out of nowhere, a hoopoe bird swooped in and snatched the compass out of the air.

As the hoopoe circled him, Albert closed his eyes, let go and waited for the impact. Time seemed to stand still. I don’t want my life to end like this at the bottom of a rocky ravine. Within twenty feet of the ground, he felt pressure under his back. His descent stopped and like magic his body suspended in midair, then slowly floated up. In the next moment, as he tried to gain control of his breathing, he began rising toward the ledge from which he had fallen.

When I read Albert Einstein developed his theory of light in the late nineteenth century I wondered how he came upon his advanced hypothesis in the middle of the horse and buggy age? I discovered Albert learned how to do mind experiments and used his creative imagination to jump off into the unknown. However, to create something so new I thought maybe Einstein’s soul was from an advanced civilization and he was trying to remember what he had learned in his past life. Maybe Albert Einstein’s soul was from the spiritual Atlantean era of peace where light and energy were used in various scientific ways. And, Albert’s soul purpose was to bring the theories of light and time to change the course of history and advance mankind.
EBook $2.99 #Amazon #GiftaBook #Stockingstuffer

Einstein’s Compass a YA Time Traveler Adventure Buy on Amazon Now

As Albert and Johann clasped hands, Ezekiel uncloaked the Atlas, exposing its Light from the Holy of Holies. He touched the screen of the Crystal Lux Portal. The holographic gateway opened, and the illumination beam pulled their etheric bodies into the vessel.

The silver-haired pilot focused on manipulating the craft’s holographic controls, motioned for his passengers to sit behind him. Albert was trying to look everywhere at once. Then, he heard Johann cleared his throat. “Uh, Albert.”

“Yes. What?”

With a wry look, Johann pointed to their still-clasped hands.

“Oh, right,” Albert laughed, letting go. “But… look at this… whatever it is,” he said, gesturing to the glowing interior of the craft.

“This is an energetic vessel called an Ark, Albert.” Ezekiel completed his course setting for the ship as he spoke. “It is something of a metaphor, actually, and allows us to travel through the constructs of time and space.”

The pickup accomplished, Ezekiel gestured over the control panel, and the golden ship disappeared into another dimension of time.

“But… How?… What?…” Albert tried to formulate a complete question.

Ezekiel held up a hand. “Easy, my friend. Let me try to make sense of things for you.”

“Yes, that might help.” Albert tried to relax

Johann leaned forward to listen as well. While he had a fair amount of experience being on the inner realms of Light, this travel through time was new to him.

“Okay, let’s see,” Ezekiel said with an easy smile. “First off, my name is Ezekiel. Like Moses, Jesus, Akhenaten, and others, I am what’s called a traveler, or Mystical Traveler. We have a specific role to play in the spiritual evolution of mankind.”

Albert’s eyes widened. “Wait, Ezekiel, as in ‘Ezekiel saw the wheel’ Ezekiel?”

Ezekiel’s laugh was friendly. “Yes, that would be me.”

Having now worked with several spiritual masters, Johann was not surprised. Albert, on the other hand, was still working on it. “Uh, o-o-o-kay…” he said, trying to process it all.

“You, Herr Einstein,” Ezekiel continued, “also have a part to play in the unfolding evolvement of humanity. That’s why you are here.”

“I think you’ve made a mistake,” Albert interjected. “I’m just a student.”

“Yes, that’s what you’re doing now…well, at least at this moment in your present time and space. But you have a destiny, Albert, and we travelers are assigned to assist you in realizing it.”

“Destiny? I’m not so sure I believe in that.”

“Reasonable enough,” Ezekiel responded, “but let me ask you a question. What is consuming you? I know it’s not studying outdated science.”

Albert rolled his eyes. “Of course not. I am working on proving certain theories of light, time…” Albert was suddenly struck by where he was and that he was moving in a dimension other than his own. “…and space,” he concluded haltingly.

Ezekiel smiled as he watched Albert’s realization unfold. “So, do you know why you have such a burning interest in these things?”

Albert could only shake his head, his mind still struggling to grasp the immensity of what he was experiencing.

“Well,” Ezekiel said, “like destiny, this may challenge your scientific beliefs and your typical demands for tangible proof in the material world.”

“Go on,” Albert said.

Ezekiel chuckled again. “Well, suppose—just suppose—that you are getting glimpses into a past life you had.”

Albert started shaking his head, but Ezekiel continued. “And in that life, you were a scientist working with light, time, and space. Suppose you have been having memories about what you learned in that lifetime.”

“I’m going to need some time to think about that,” Albert declared, rubbing his temple to try and alleviate a headache beginning to pound in his head.

Ezekiel felt only compassion for his new student. “Take all the time you need. I know this challenges your analytical mind. But I think you’re getting a sense that there’s a lot more going on than what the mind can readily grasp. Why don’t you relax for a bit and digest everything?”

Albert was relieved to be able to retreat into his thoughts and consider everything he had heard. After about twenty minutes, the pilot beckoned Albert and Johann over to watch as millennia of time passed on the Crystal Lux Portal.

Albert was struck with a thought as he watched. “If things are as you say, then shouldn’t we be able to move through time instantaneously?”

Ezekiel nodded approvingly. “Excellent, Herr scientist. But remember, this craft is only a metaphor. It would be too distressing to the conscious mind to have things appear simultaneously, so we operate in conjunction with the constructs that the conscious mind accepts.”

Albert was satisfied for the moment, and Ezekiel announced that they had arrived at their intended destination; Atlantis 10,400 BCE, by his reckoning. Albert watched as the traveler manipulated the holographic controls of their craft and it came to rest in a luxurious botanical garden with flowering trees, a lily pond, and water fountains. As the craft’s port opened, the smell of jasmine greeted Albert’s senses.

Ezekiel remained in the craft as Johann and Albert exited and looked around. For Johann, Atlantis was not all that different from the inner realm school environments where he had been studying. But Albert was awed by the scene in front of him. In one location, tall Atlanteans walked a labyrinth in devotional reflection. In other areas, people walked and talked as they made their unhurried way to the temples of learning and healing that dotted the landscape. An aura of peace and tranquility pervaded.

Their attention was drawn to a blond fellow in a short emerald tunic who was sitting in a meditative posture in a grotto near where they were standing. As they watched, the man’s etheric body extended from his physical space and approached them. He waved, saying, “Welcome to Atlantis. My name is Arka.”

Albert scratched his perpetually unruly brown hair and looked up in awe of the Atlantean.

Remembering his assignment, Johann pulled himself together. “Thank you for coming to receive us. My name is Johann, and I am studying with the travelers.” Urging his friend forward, he said, “May I introduce Albert Einstein?”

Arka extended his hand and looked Albert in the eye. When their palms and gaze met, Albert felt a gentle jolt. “Nice to meet you, Arka…. But I feel like I already know you.”

Arka smiled and inclined his head as he guided the boys to a nearby bench. “I understand, Albert. And I need you to listen to what I have to say with an open mind, as best you can.”

Albert shook his head ruefully. “I’m getting that a lot today.” He took in a breath and said, “Just go ahead, and I’ll see how I do.”

Arka launched into his explanation. “Do you accept the idea of reincarnation—well, re-embodiment, actually?”

Albert shrugged. “I have heard the concept. I can’t say I believe it.”

“Fair enough. Now then, many people who think of such things believe we are a body that has a soul. But the fact is, we are souls having a human experience. Our souls extend into human bodies throughout time to gain knowledge. Can you, for the time being, accept that?”

Albert looked at Arka and considered the question. “Until today I would have said no. But I feel like the whole foundation of what I believe is being shaken, so, for the moment, let’s say that I will entertain this idea.”

Albert could only nod and retreat into his thoughts to consider what he had heard.

“Okay, good.” Arka rewarded Albert with a smile. “So, here’s the situation: our souls are gaining experience through us while we are alive, and it is gaining experience through you when you are alive.”

Albert blinked as he silently absorbed what Arka had said. “So, you’re saying…”

“Yes, we share this soul. And it is bridging ideas from your past to your awareness in your time.”

Despite Albert’s dazed look, Arka continued. “Before a soul reembodies, a spiritual plan is agreed upon. It includes many things, like which experiences the soul will need to progress, and which parents will be able to provide those experiences.”

Johann, who had been studying these things, knew his friend was having a hard time coming to grips with all this information. He had confidence, though, that Albert would come to see the truth of it all.

“I believe you have been brought here, Albert, to quicken your awareness of the principles of light, space, and time,” Arka finished.

“So,” Albert said, “this is like a class for me, so I can bring the information to my time and then expand on it?”

“Well, yes… and no,” Arka said. “We are discussing all of this in our etheric bodies. I am doing it consciously, but, as I understand it, you are not doing it intentionally. So, what you will learn here will go into your unconscious and subconscious mind, where it will present itself to you from time to time. In a sense, you will experience it as inspiration or intuition.”

Einstein’s Compass a YA Time Traveler Adventure Buy on Amazon Now

In our story where in the 19th century did Albert’s compass come from? I had a relative who was a Knight during the times of the early crusades. He was one who protected the pilgrims as they journeyed to the Holy Land. I thought that perhaps during the Crusades when the Merovingian kings ruled Europe that the Compass was found by the Knights Templar in the ruins of Solomon’s Temple. In this chapter we find the great granddaughter several generations removed had the Compass. We discover how she lost it and who is going to help her steal it back. The character of the Countess is based on an evil woman I worked for. Be careful when you are around a writer. You never know if you will end up in one of their stories. #followme

 

The Spider Spins Her Web

 

The midday sun was finally breaking through the heavy snow clouds. Werner grasped the crumpled note he had gotten at the Dark Sun initiation a few nights back; a hastily written invitation from Countess von Baden to visit her home, Altes Schloss Castle. As he hiked up the steep trail, Werner could hear waves breaking against the craggy cliff behind the castle, which sat on a rocky promontory overlooking Lake Constance.

Werner was more than a little nervous about his meeting with this woman. He did not know anyone like her. He rolled his shoulders in a vain attempt to relax. The nearly three-hour train ride from Munich had left him tired and restless. He was getting in deeper and deeper with these people he hardly knew, and he wondered why the Countess wanted to help him with his initiation task. Despite the cold, his hands were warm and sweaty in the knit gloves he wore.

The smell of wood burning in a fireplace of the nearby castle made him melancholy. He really wanted to be in the familiar comfort of his family home, with the Christmas decorations around the tall spruce tree in the parlor. Instead, he was trudging in God knows where to find out how to do a stupid task that somehow would get him closer to the respect he so rightly deserved.

He finally reached the bridge that led to the castle’s entrance. He made his way across it and walked through the open wrought iron gate. He found himself in a snow-covered courtyard, and he passed a statue of a knight from the Crusades sitting astride a horse, his sword drawn as if in salute. Looking around for the castle door, Werner saw a torch lit on the western side of the courtyard. He walked over to it and found a massive iron key in the lock waiting for him. He took in a breath, stuffed the invitation into his pocket, and tugged on his clothes to straighten them.

Satisfied that he was presentable, he turned the giant key. A loud clunk shattered the quiet. A slight chill shivered up his spine as he strained to push the massive door open. Time seemed to stand still as he peered around into the grand hall. His heart raced when he gazed up at the soaring Gothic architecture.

His gaze was attracted by movement inside the room. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, Werner saw the Countess. She was walking toward him, cat-like, in her floor-length maroon silk robes, their black mink trimming shimmering in the dim light. Smiling, she crossed the black-and-white checkerboard tile floor and extended her hand. “Welcome, Herr von Wiesel. How was your journey?”

Her voice was sultry, and she ran her hands through her waist-length ginger locks, then flipped her cascading hair back over her shoulder. Her mesmerizing, amber, cat-like eyes seemed to glow, and they mesmerized the boy. Then his gaze was captured by a red ruby embedded in a gold spider hanging on a gold chain necklace nestled in her amply displayed cleavage. Werner sucked in a breath as he became more firmly enmeshed in her web.

He managed to tear his gaze away from the spider and licked his lips. “Uh, it was good. I was glad to leave Munich for a while. And please call me Werner.” Fighting to regain his composure, he smoothed back his hair, then crossed his arms.

The temptress said, “You must be cold from your journey.” She took Werner’s hand and led him toward the fireplace. “Come, sit with me on the sofa near the fire.”

As they sat, Werner was grateful to see that the knee-high rosewood table in front of the couch held a polished silver tray with a lavish spread of fresh fruit, cheese, meat, bread, and cakes. A silver teapot with a monogrammed “B” adorned the china.

Werner had last eaten at breakfast and did not pack anything for the train ride. That and the trudge from the station up to the castle had built up a monster hunger. The Countess noticed his glance and said, “Forgive me, you must be famished.” She gestured to the tray. “I had had my servants prepare a snack for you before I dismissed them for the remainder of the day. Please, help yourself.” He needed no more invitation than that and began piling cheese and sausages on a thick slice of still-warm homemade bread. He closed his eyes, inhaled in delight, and his mouth opened wide for a big bite.

The sorceress teased Werner by smiling and pushing his hand with the sandwich away from his mouth. “Not so fast. I invited you here so we could talk privately. Have you told anyone about your visit?”

“No, of course not. You were quite clear I was to tell no one.”

The Countess narrowed her eyes. “Not even Raka? Especially him.”

Werner shook his head firmly. “No, I told no one. Not even my parents. I just said I had to do some school stuff for the day and I might be back late.” His puppy dog eyes pleaded with the Countess to allow him to take a bite from his sandwich.

The Countess paused just a moment longer, letting Werner know who held power here, then, with a smile, motioned with her inch-long, blood-red fingernails for Werner to eat. The hungry young man turned his attention to the food and in just a few brief minutes had sated his hunger. Heaving a deep sigh of satisfaction, he slouched back into the depths of the plush couch and turned once again to the Countess. She had a half-amused smirk on her face as his eyes were once again drawn to the gold necklace… and what it rested upon.

“Do you like it?” she asked coyly.

With an effort, Werner brought his eyes to her face, and he turned quite red. “Um, what?” he asked sheepishly.

“The necklace,” the Countess said, leaning toward Werner and revealing even more of her ample cleavage. “Do you like it?”

“Oh, yes,” he stammered. “It’s very… I mean…”

The Countess laughed and sat back as Werner struggled to bring his thoughts to the reason for his visit. He was very distracted and was experiencing feelings that were unfamiliar to him. The Countess, for her part, found his discomfort amusing. Finally, Werner gathered his wits. “Countess, you said you would help me. Why am I here?”

Victoria was thrilled with Werner’s naiveté. It had been a long time since she’d felt young and vulnerable like him. From childhood, her father held her as a pawn in a chess game of power and influence. Her beauty, plus the fact that she was a von Baden, made her the focus of attention of the rich and mighty. As she grew into puberty and beyond, she learned the effect she had on men. She also learned she could bend them toward her will, but she also had to be very careful and not cross the line with them. Her father’s command that she be demure and please men was alien to her character. When he demanded she be the weak little maiden, it made her want to scream.

The Countess’s mother had died in childbirth. Her older brother was cruel and domineering while her father was controlling and, at the same time, overprotective. Like a lioness in a cage, she had felt trapped for most of her life.

As a teen, she had loved to explore the vast castle. It was her favorite way to escape when life threatened to close in on her, perhaps because they were so isolated from the rest of the world. She loved the cellars and dungeons that seemed to extend into the bowels of the Earth. Even as she grew into young adulthood, she would retreat to these subterranean chambers.

One day she went down into them, hoping to escape the trials of her life. She opened the door to her favorite hiding place to find a terrifying creature sitting on a bench. She froze, unable to move, let alone flee. The sense of a human presence awakened Raka, and he saw a frightened young woman staring at him. The dragon creature in a warm, soft voice said, “Do not be afraid, Victoria, I have been waiting for you. I will not harm you.”

Victoria was mesmerized. Transforming to his human shape, Raka smiled, “I can see that you are a brave and a smart young woman. But you are being stifled by your father’s controlling agenda for you.”

Her jaw dropped in amazement. How did this stranger know her? In an instant, she felt as if he could see right through her. Raka smiled to himself.

Raka sensed her vulnerability and knew she needed him to find her real power—which was considerable. “Believe me, I can help you achieve the things of which you dream.” This was too strange. But it was also intriguing. She did not know what to do. At first. But she had stayed to listen.

Over the next several years, Raka had guided her development, building on her frustrations and displeasure with her father’s plans and step by step, corrupting her to his dark ways.

Then her father died, and it was just her and her brother. For a while. Her father had wanted her to fulfill his vision of having a husband to rescue her; a concept she did not share in the slightest. The lord of the manor would have been aghast to learn how she applied the skill she had acquired thanks to his shooting lessons. Such a pity that her brother had died in a freak hunting accident. Even odder that the bullet that killed him had gone through his back and straight to his heart. Following his funeral, the Countess declared herself a lady of the castle.

The Countess brought herself back to the present. She saw a similar conflict within Werner. She smiled and replied to his question, “I invited you here to help me steal back what is mine.”

At Werner’s puzzled look, she continued. “Raka told me your friend has my compass. My father traded it and other jewels some years ago when he needed money to install electric lighting in our home.”

Her porcelain face reddened, and her nostrils flared. “My father had no right to take it from me. It is mine!

I found it in a chest of relics from the Crusades. My many-times-great grandfather acquired it long ago. My father said the story, told down through generations, was that the knights were searching for the Ark of the Covenant.” She closed her cat-like eyes, reminiscing the pleasure. “The jewels sparkled in the light and always made me feel good. I miss having it. I must have it back.”

Werner hesitated, knowing that Raka wanted the compass. Seeing his hesitation, the Countess intensified her appeal. She grasped Werner’s hand in both of hers and clutched it to her chest, just under her throat, her lips trembling and tears starting to spill onto her cheeks. “Oh, please Herr von Wiesel—Werner—you are my only hope of reclaiming my beloved treasure.”

Werner’s glance vacillated between the woman’s tears and his hand, which was inches away from her cleavage. “Uh, well, um…” Just then, a log in the fireplace popped, sounding for all the world like a gunshot.

Werner jerked back, startled, then realized what had happened. He struggled to regain his composure and drew the Countess’s hands away from her chest. He patted them and looked her in the eyes. “I understand your distress, Countess. But Herr Raka—”

The Countess smiled, sniffing back her tears. “I know Herr Raka has asked you to steal it for him. But it is mine in the first place.”

Werner hesitated, so the Countess leaned toward him. “Besides, I know how to handle Herr Raka.”

“You do?” asked Werner, once again falling under her spell. She is so beautiful, he thought. And she obviously cares for me. The Countess could see the boy was faltering. She nodded and smiled. “Yes.”

Werner wanted nothing more in the world than to please this woman, but there was one more concern. “Uh, Herr Raka has some… information… about me, that could get me in trouble with the authorities. He threatened to expose me if I fail to secure the compass.”

The girls at school think I’m still a boy. What do they know? This beautiful woman sees me as a man who knows how to take care of her.

Watching Werner, the Countess assessed that the time was right. She suddenly brightened. “I have it! I know what we can do.”

The Countess retook Werner’s hand. “Yes. I will explain to Herr Raka that you understand the compass is mine and that I assured you that once I have it, I would be glad to share it with him.”

Hearing her words, Werner felt fantastic. The heaviness that had been suppressing him lifted. “Yes! That’s the perfect solution,” he said, squeezing her hand affectionately.

“Yes, perfect. You are my hero,” said the Countess as she leaned toward Werner and kissed him on the cheek. Werner’s spirits soared.

That evening, on the train home, Werner tried to plan for how he would steal Albert’s compass. But his thoughts kept going back to that kiss.

This week, we’re talking with Grace Blair about her book, Einstein’s Compass: A YA Time Traveler Adventure

Initially, the idea of working remotely can sound privileged and glamorous. Working location-independent has an allure that a stuffy office with dim, fluorescent lighting just can’t compete with. However, as anyone who has worked remotely for a long stretch of time knows, this arrangement has unexpected downsides. Setting boundaries, changing into “real” clothes for the day, and being able to fully “switch off” are just a few of the challenges that can arise.

Whether you’ve been working at home for one month or for one year, Grace Allison has five expert tips that you can use to feel your best.

Free yourself of distractions

The first significant challenge that almost every remote worker encounters is distraction. From kids yelling and crying while you’re finishing up an important report to dogs barking during your Zoom meeting, distractions are a natural part of working outside of the office. Even if you work from a coffee shop for the day, music and people talking loudly can derail your productivity.

Start by accepting that, at some level, you will always face distractions when working remotely. Thankfully, this doesn’t mean that there are no steps you can take to free yourself of many of them. Consider investing in tech accessories (such as noise-canceling headphones) to block out sound. If you find yourself checking your social media feeds more often than you should, delete these apps off of your phone for the day. Do whatever you can to reduce noise and other distractions that you wouldn’t have in the office.

Support your mental health

Regular in-person social interactions are essential for having good mental health. Socializing can decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, reduce your risk of cognitive decline, and extend your lifespan. When working remotely, you do not have daily interactions with co-workers. Depending on your circumstances, this may lead to you not seeing anyone in person for days on end.

For this reason alone, it is critical that remote workers do everything possible to support their mental health. If you are struggling with depression, for example, seek professional help to develop a treatment plan. Also, schedule regular gatherings with close family and friends to guarantee that you’ll socialize with others each week.

Make your workspace look and feel good

One advantage of working from home is being able to create the workspace of your dreams. You can fully customize your home office with any decor that you desire. Being surrounded by objects, colors, patterns, aromas, and sounds that are pleasing to you will further boost your mental health. Make your workspace look and feel good by adding things that you enjoy, such as an essential oil diffuser, a record player, a favorite work of art, or comfy pillows.

Stock your fridge and pantry with healthy foods

The temptation to snack on unhealthy foods is strong when your house is stocked with junk food. Clear your pantry of chips, candy, and soda. Replace all unhealthy snacks and lunch items with nutrient-dense choices that are quick and easy to make.

Set boundaries to achieve a healthy work-life balance

Among all of the obstacles you can face as a remote worker, one of the most difficult to overcome is setting healthy work-life boundaries. Most people underestimate how valuable the physical transition from work to home is when working in an office. Without this transition, it becomes easy to blur the lines between work and home. To preserve your health and well-being, set firm boundaries for checking your email, answering work calls/texts, and working on projects after-hours.

Once you get into the swing of working remotely, the pros can undoubtedly outweigh the cons. Following the tips above can help you develop healthy work habits that keep you feeling your best.

 

Grace Allison is an award-winning author and modern Christian mystic. Through her work, she has helped thousands of individuals find spiritual wisdom that helps them work through life’s challenges. Visit her blog to learn more.

Article written by: