No Mistakes!: How You Can Change Adversity into Abundance
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No Mistakes!: How You Can Change Adversity into Abundance
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Overview
Have you ever wondered if there was any truth to the adage, “Everything happens for a reason”? Wonder no more. This is the book that demonstrates the truth in that old piece of conventional wisdom. Madisyn Taylor, Sunny Dawn Johnston, Heather Ash and twenty other motivational and inspirational authors and speakers explore how synchronicities, blessings, and miracles can be found even in the most seemingly daunting circumstances.
Written from the perspective that every experience that you have is designed to be an opportunity for growth, No Mistakes contains over twenty-five uplifting chapters, each contributed by a different author. Each story demonstrates in concretely how what appear to be dire circumstances are ultimately opportunity for blessings. Drawing on situations ranging from financial hardship, divorce, and even death of a loved one, these accounts leave no doubt that even in the darkest moments of our lives, a divine hand is at work.
For anyone traveling a rough road or experiencing difficulties, this will provide the fortitude to move ahead. There is indeed a silver lining behind every dark cloud.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781938289156 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Hierophant Publishing |
| Publication date: | 06/15/2013 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 216 |
| File size: | 540 KB |
About the Author
Madisyn Taylor is the co-Founder and editor-in-chief of DailyOM.com. Created in 2004, DailyOM serves well over 1.1 million subscribers with daily essays on all areas of self-improvement and creating a better life. Madisyn is an award-winning author of 2 books and has a regular column on Oprah.com. Previously, Madisyn was the creator of an aromatherapy line of products sold worldwide. www.madisyntaylor.com
Sunny Dawn Johnston is a bestselling author, speaker, psychic medium and spiritual activist. Sunny has thousands of clients worldwide that refer to her readings, workshops and books as life changing. Her message helps people connect with their heart and release the things that hold them back from being their greatest version of themselves. Combining the unconditional love of a mother and the tell-it-like-it-is honesty of a best friend, Sunny helps people move into a higher vibration of living … and a higher vibration of Being. She lives with her family in Glendale, Arizona. Visit her website at http://sunnydawnjohnston.com.
HeatherAsh Amara is the founder of Toci—the Toltec Center of Creative Intent—and the author of the 'Warrior Goddess Training' series. HeatherAsh has also authored Awaken Your Inner Fire and The Toltec Path of Transformation and is a coauthor of No Mistakes!. She has studied and taught extensively with don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, and continues to teach with the Ruiz family. HeatherAsh brings an openhearted, inclusive worldview to her writings and teachings, which are a rich blend of Toltec wisdom, European shamanism, Buddhism, and Native American ceremony. She lives in Austin, Texas, and travels extensively. Visit her at www.heatherashamara.com.
Read an Excerpt
No Mistakes
How You Can Change Adversity into Abundance
By Madisyn Taylor, Sunny Dawn Johnston, HeatherAsh Amara
Hierophant Publishing
Copyright © 2013 Madisyn Taylor, Sunny Dawn Johnston, HeatherAsh Amara, et al.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-938289-15-6
CHAPTER 1
From Depression to Divinity
Finding Spirit's Guidance in an Unlikely Place
Madisyn Taylor
I remember clearly the day my life would change forever. It wasn't a car crash, an earthquake, or the loss of a loved one. The sky wasn't falling; I wasn't being fired from my job or evicted. It was simply ... a feeling. A feeling that something was off, something was different. I was no longer the same person even from the moment before.
Little did I know at the time that this strange and peculiar feeling would be the start of a strange and peculiar illness that would be my companion for many years to come and the catalyst to my spiritual awakening. Though I wasn't consciously aware of it at the time, I desperately needed an awakening. I was too busy with the redundant routines in my life to realize just how badly I needed a change. So many people fill their days with mindless routines that lack any substance whatsoever, and I was no exception. This was my life: great boyfriend, great job, great apartment, great car. I thought I was happy and doing well. I thought I was going places. But things were about to change.
The funny feeling happened one day as I was shopping for more things I didn't need. This feeling made me stop in my tracks in the middle of the mall and gasp for breath. For a brief moment I thought I might die. Or maybe I was going crazy. I was scared enough to leave the mall and return home. But once I was safe and sound in my house, I brushed the feeling off as a fluke occurrence. Until it happened again ... and again, and again.
Then, at twenty-five, I ended up in the emergency room thinking I was having a heart attack. I couldn't breathe, my heart was thundering, and I kept wondering if I was going to die. I didn't know there was something called a panic attack until that night in the emergency room. Once I knew that I wasn't dying and I could name what was happening to me, things got a little easier—for a while.
Little did I know that Spirit was trying to get my attention. But how could I know that if I didn't even know what Spirit was? I wasn't raised in a religious or spiritual household and had no knowledge that I was a being of light—mind, body, and spirit connected to all. My life was so void of Spirit that at the age of ten, while lying in my bed and thinking about death, I was completely overwhelmed with the thought that after death you would not be alive ever again for millions of years, for eternity. That meant no more ice cream, or friends, not even grass! I gasped and bolted upright in my bed, completely devastated by the thought. I never told anybody about this incident, but I now know it as my very first panic attack.
After identifying my panic attacks as an adult, I coped and went on with my life until another funny feeling came over me one day. This feeling was different though, and it left me completely and utterly void of physical energy. Day after day I lay in bed assuming I had a flu that kept hanging on. It was a strange illness; one day I would feel OK, and the next I would be bed-bound again. I had low-grade fevers and odd aches and pains, but what became most disturbing were the strange cognitive problems that started to occur.
I found myself going on the doctor tour: how many different doctors can I visit, and how many different tests can I have before I finally get a satisfactory answer? The bills and tests were endless—blood work, EKGs, EEGs, MRIs, and so on. At my worst point, I couldn't even get out of bed at all and my husband, who was then my boyfriend, had to carry me to the bathroom. The doctors told me I had chronic fatigue syndrome, which to me was a non-answer. There was no "cure."
My days became a blur. I was a blob on the sofa, unable to work or socialize. The outside world was too much for me, and when I did go out I would suffer greatly from symptoms of panic disorder and irritable bowel syndrome. From there it was easy for me to become a recluse and somewhat agoraphobic. I settled into a new routine of staying cocooned in my home and had very little contact with the outside world. But still, somewhere deep inside, I knew I didn't want to live the rest of my life like this. I just needed to find the right person to help me.
As my cognitive abilities worsened, I decided to see a neurologist who told me I was the sickest person he had ever met, but he had no idea what was wrong with me. His answer was to put me on antidepressants. I wasn't interested in taking them, as those were for people who were depressed or mentally ill and I certainly was not either of those. But I grew tired of being sick and tired, and eventually I filled the prescription. I was ready to wait the thirty days it was supposed to take for them to kick in.
It was twenty minutes later when I had another one of those strangely memorable moments. Twenty minutes after taking that first pill, I felt as if my brain woke up from a long, long slumber, almost as though it were alive for the very first time in my life! And it was with the help of this little green pill that I was finally able to start on the road to recovery.
With my brain now awake and giving me energy I was aware enough to finally start receiving and listening to the messages and nudges from Spirit. Of course I had no idea at the time that I was being guided along; I simply had "ideas" pop into my head, and, thankfully, I acted on them.
Slowly I started to crawl out of the abyss, one step at a time. The first step was listening to meditation music each day. Next, I started to devour all of the beginner books on spirituality. I found myself in utter amazement and joy as I learned that I was made of energy and I was a spiritual being of light. I wanted and needed more, and I visited the bookstore on a weekly basis, spending hours looking at books and deciding which ones I would take home.
The idea was put into my head to seek out the hands-on healing of acupuncture and energy work. It felt like coming home. I was lucky to find great people to work with who were gentle with me, almost as if they were handpicked just for my recovery. Day by day, my awareness broadened, my psychic gifts emerged, and my body healed.
It became a ten-year journey into my initial life lessons and recovery, and once I was stable enough I entered into another life cycle where I could share what I had learned with others. It was at this stage that I, along with my husband, co-founded the website DailyOM.com.
I now know what it feels like, looks like, and sounds like to get a knock at my door from Spirit. We can only learn what this "knock" is like by living it for ourselves, but once we learn to answer the door rather than wait for it to be knocked down, life becomes a little easier to navigate.
As with all things in life, the pendulum usually swings way out of balance to the opposite extreme while we are learning. For me, there was a long period of time when I assumed everything was a sign from Spirit. I couldn't get through a day without questioning every single thing that happened, which was overwhelming and exhausting in itself! But once I learned to pull back the reins a bit, I settled into a comfortable relationship with Spirit and soon learned exactly when to pay attention to signs I was receiving.
Years later, I still have "aha!" moments where I put together a piece of the puzzle. Things that made no sense at one time now make perfect sense, and I am blessed with a complete understanding of why something happened at that exact moment.
Illness, accidents, loss—these are our greatest teachers. If I had not become ill and spent years recovering, I would not be where I am today. If I hadn't had the courage to listen to the message and be a warrior for my well-being, I know I would be dead, either by suicide or alcoholism or drug overdose. I believe I was given an opportunity to wake up through a lengthy, arduous process. I did my homework and my footwork, I showed that I cared, and I was willing to answer the call. I didn't know it was a call at the time; I was deeply asleep. At least, that is, until Spirit slapped me upside the head and shouted, "Wake up!"
I've come out the other side and it feels good. When I think back on my life before I was an awake and aware human being, I realize that I spent most of my days going through the motions of life with little to no meaning whatsoever. I am grateful for the life-changing experience I had, as I now have a full and rich life. I recognize that I can go as deep as I want into understanding who I am and what I have to offer in this lifetime. Thankfully, I no longer need a giant thud on the head from Spirit to get my attention. I can simply stop, notice the signs, and listen for the gentle guidance of Spirit steering me toward my greatest good.
Finding Love in the Midst of Tragedy
Sunny Dawn Johnston
It was a typical Monday evening in January. My husband Brett and I were relaxing on the couch after a busy weekend of speaking events, discussing my foundation's annual charity event scheduled for the next day. I was particularly excited that my husband's best friend Jim and his girlfriend Laura would be joining us for the event. Jim was the kind of guy who lit up a room with his smile, and Laura was outgoing and fun, so I knew they would be a great asset to our fundraising endeavors.
Our conversation was interrupted at 10:20 p.m. when the phone rang. Brett looked at the caller ID and said, "Laura is calling."
My heart started to race as he got up to answer the phone. Then I heard Laura's frantic voice on the phone say, "Jim's gone."
Brett asked, "Where is he?"
Laura just repeated, "Jim's gone."
She said this at least three times as my husband continued to ask where Jim was and if he should come over and look for him. As I witnessed their exchange, I realized that Jim was dead, and he had taken his own life.
We were stunned. We sat in silence for a few minutes blindly staring into space, wondering how this could have happened, and hoping the reason why was out there. I felt shock, sadness, confusion, and pain. My body began to tremble as I thought about his boys. I took my husband's hand, and we knew we had to go over to Jim's house and help Laura.
As we headed to the car, I felt as though Jim were picking me up and moving me in that direction. Jim and Laura had recently moved into a new home so he could be closer to family and friends, and I thought about this as I clutched Brett's hand in the car.
As we turned onto Jim and Laura's street just a mile away from our own house, police cars and yellow tape surrounded the perimeter of their property. Brett pulled up to let me out, and as he was parking the car I saw Jim's parents. I immediately went to them, and as we embraced my heart broke. I could feel their emptiness, their sorrow, their pain, and their grief. I felt overwhelmed and nauseous. Then I saw Laura. Our eyes locked, and as we moved closer, I had no words. I held her as we both cried, and I could feel the love of the archangels surrounding us.
You see, I am an angel communicator and psychic medium, and I knew that if there was ever a time I needed help to know how to support and guide Jim's grieving family, this was it. I called in Archangel Raphael and Archangel Michael for help. For the next three hours, we supported Laura and Jim's parents as they met with the police and coroner. After many questions, they wheeled Jim's body out of the house on a stretcher. As a psychic medium, I felt the agitation and restlessness in his spirit. I could feel the density, desperation, and heaviness of a gunshot wound. But I also felt the serenity, calm, and peacefulness of the angels' presence.
After the body was removed, Laura left, as did Jim's parents, and I went into the house to turn off the lights and lock up. As I entered the living room, chills ran down my spine. I knew this was the energy of Jim, but it did not feel like the energy I was familiar with while he was in physical form. This energy felt disturbed. As I hurried to find the front door handle in the dark, I heard these words quietly, as if whispered in my ear: "Please come back." The voice was eerie, and I quickly closed the door behind me and searched for my husband outside.
As Brett and I drove away, I could feel the pain, desperation, loss, judgment, blame, and anger—but there were also feelings of peace, relief, compassion, hope, and love. This contrast was confusing, and yet, it made complete sense. I finally settled into bed at 4:00 a.m., exhausted, as Jim's death started to really sink in. My heart ached for everyone in Jim's life—his family and friends, all of them walking their respective journeys without him. And then my thoughts went to my husband. How would he handle the loss of his best friend, sailing partner, and projects buddy? My heart ached more intensely than ever before as I wondered why our Jim would choose to take his own life. I struggled with those thoughts and judgments, though I said to myself, "I know better. I am a spiritual teacher!"
The human part of me was at battle with the spiritual being within. I knew and believed that all is as it should be, and everything happens for a reason. But I was so angry! I would feel intense anger, and then, within moments, a burst of love would move through me and I would feel the presence and peaceful energy of the angels. These waves of emotion kept coming over and over again.
In the midst of this, I kept hearing the angels say, "Trust the process of life." They gently reminded me that no one can escape this physical life without serving their purpose. I heard them say, "Jim served his purpose in the physical world," and I realized this was the truth, whether I chose to believe it in this moment or not. As my eyes grew heavy and my body settled, I wondered, "Who am I to argue?"
The morning came quickly, and Brett and I woke in tears. I looked over at my husband, who is an ex-marine kind of tough guy, and in that moment I saw his vulnerability. He had just lost his closest friend, his soul brother, and as our swollen eyes met we realized this was not a horrific nightmare; this was real. The depth of grief that we were now sharing was something we had never before experienced in our nineteen years together. We rolled out of bed silently, knowing that we were about to experience one of the most painful days of our lives. As word of Jim's death spread to friends and family, I could feel the ripple effect of broken hearts. It was a somber day for all.
As I was getting myself ready for the day, I was listening to my angel's guidance and waiting for any messages about how I could proceed. After several phone calls to friends, the messages came. I heard Jim's spirit calling to me, and I shared this with Brett. He too had felt a calling of sorts, and we both knew we needed to go back to Jim and Laura's house. At a deep level, we knew we were being called to be the "clean-up crew."
I felt energetically clear about going to the house, but I was anxious. I wasn't sure what I would see. But I held on to the absolute faith and trust that I was meant to be at that house, at that time, doing what I was called to do. As we pulled into the driveway, I invoked Archangel Michael and asked him to protect me and give me the strength to do what was needed. As I got out of the car, I felt his presence surround me and comfort me as I prepared for this profound experience.
I entered the house and felt that same chilling energy from the night before. The feelings were surprising and unsettling, and I felt very uncomfortable. But I knew Archangel Michael was with me, and I kept reminding myself that I had a bigger purpose in being there. I refused to let the heavy energy stop me.
Brett joined me then and we walked down the hall to the bathroom hand in hand. When we reached the doorway we braced ourselves for what we might see or feel. It was difficult to view the place Jim had died. We stood together, crying and embracing one another through the pain for a while. Once the initial shock was over, we surveyed the bathroom and took action with very clear intentions. Brett felt guided to clean up the area in a way that would honor the man he loved like a brother, and with each rinse of the mop Brett brought closure to their earthly friendship.
We both felt as though we were being guided to create peace and serenity, but my experience was very different from Brett's. I was aware that Jim needed help in releasing his guilt and shame to move on, and I wanted to help him so his spirit could soar with the angels. I listened for my guidance, which told me to create a green fire to release the trauma that had occurred in this space, do a house clearing, and say a blessing. As the fire burned and I cleared the house, I could see and feel the presence of the angels.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from No Mistakes by Madisyn Taylor, Sunny Dawn Johnston, HeatherAsh Amara. Copyright © 2013 Madisyn Taylor, Sunny Dawn Johnston, HeatherAsh Amara, et al.. Excerpted by permission of Hierophant Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Publisher's Introduction,From Depression to Divinity Finding Spirit's Guidance in an Unlikely Place Madisyn Taylor,
Finding Love in the Midst of Tragedy Sunny Dawn Johnston,
The Journey Home Heatherash Amara,
Life Is Not What It Seems Christine Krinke, PHD,
A Penny from Heaven Karen Curry,
Beneath the Surface Tianna Roser,
Transforming Darkness into Sunshine Gloria Piantek,
Envisioning a Life of Health and Well-Being Robyn Benson, Dom,
The Gifts of the Angels Siobhan Coulter,
Heartache Is the Greatest Gift Susana M. Silverhøj,
Starting Over Having a Second Chance to "Get It Right" Carol J. Craig,
Love Down Under Carole J Toms ND,
What Time Is It? Kyle Weaver And Scott Edmund Miller,
Winds of Love and Joy Anne M. Deatly,
The Perfect Storm Ann White,
Healing the Ghosts of the Past Linda Wheeler Williams,
The Art of Taking the High Road Cliff Thomas,
From the Dark Night of the Soul to the Dawn of Spiritual Breakthrough Karen Hasselo,
A Lesson from an Angel Mandy Berlin,
Trauma and New Beginnings Sara Jane,
The Gift of Perspective Propel Your Way to No Regrets Janet Rozzi,
From Depression and Despair to Divine Love and Acceptance Tenaya Asan,
The Power of Surrender Patricia Cohen,
Are You Part of My Tribe? The Intelligence of Pattern Recognition Kimberly Burnham,
The Call Rosemary Hurwitz,
Breaking the Glass Ceiling Nancy Kaye,
How to Tame a Ghost Nancy Smith,
Breaking Down and Breaking Through Christie Melonson,
Calm and Connected in the Midst of Life's Travails Kathy Jackson,
Reset Your Life! Vicki Higgins,
Author Biographies,