There are times in your life when you know
you will meet a lot of new people; during college years, employment changes, and relocations
to name a few. A near death experience doesn't come to mind as one of those times, but several of the most remarkable people have come into my life through seemingly “random happenstance” since my NDE on September 3,
2011. But I know these weren't "random" meetings. They were Divinely timed
and orchestrated events between the seeker in me and spiritual teachers I
needed at very specific points in my life. Some
remain by my side to this day, guiding me through formal studies to deeper
levels of self-realization. Others have
been momentary acquaintances who have marked my life indelibly with words they
could never have known I so desperately needed to hear in the brief moments we
shared.
I had a standing appointment with my
spiritual teacher on Friday mornings for several months. We’d meet for a couple of hours at her house in
the City (St. Louis) where she would share her wisdom, tirelessly making every
effort to help me understand and consciously utilize my intuitive abilities. Everyone has these abilities, but in order to
recognize them, self-awareness is crucial.
In the process of self-discovery, unresolved (sometimes long forgotten)
issues began to surface for me and so, out of necessity, my lessons expanded to
include therapy. Some days I would leave
“class” feeling overwhelmed with the amount of painful, deeply personal “work”
necessary to achieve the state of consciousness I seek. I want to experience great leaps toward
expanded consciousness, complete with sure, visible signs that I am on the
right track!! I experienced this
invaluable gift with my NDE and expected progress would continue, just as effortlessly,
at that same warp speed, but progress seemed to slow to a crawl.
After one Friday morning session, when I was especially
down, feeling as though my hard work was getting me nowhere, my teacher
reminded me that I need to invoke the help of my angels more often. They will guide me if I ask…..and
listen. And so, I did. I got in my car, feeling both frustrated and
determined. I looked around to make sure
nobody was going to see me talking to myself and I said “Okay, angels, what do
you want me to do?!” Nothing came to me,
no lightning bolt or tap on the shoulder so I started the car and began driving east on Arsenal Street.
A little bit of back story..... On the evening of my very first class at the
home of my teacher, coming from work, I had a few minutes to kill. I saw a coffee shop, Benton Park Café. I thought a cup of coffee would be nice but I
couldn’t find a convenient parking spot so I kept driving. About half a block past the cafe, I felt
compelled to turn around and try again.
Sure enough, I found a spot near the front door. I got a cup of coffee and found this space
especially appealing but hurried off so I wouldn’t keep my teacher waiting.
Subsequently, every Friday morning after “class,”
I felt an unexplainable urge to go to a coffee shop. Having lived in the City for many years, there were a
few familiar choices within a reasonable distance, so I tried them over the
course of several weeks. I had the idea (logically,
in my mind, not my gut) that I would randomly reconnect, with an old City
friend in a way that would surely indicate Divine assistance. For several weeks, I'd just read a book while drinking my
coffee, waiting for this unknown, random friend to pop up….. Hartford Coffee
Company, Bread Co on Grand Avenue, Shaw Coffee….zilch. Nothing special ever came of those ventures
so I thought I’d move out of my comfort zone.
The “Minnesota Friends” from previous posts highly recommended Sump, at the
corner of Jefferson and Winnebago, so I gave that a shot. I got a sense of “You’re getting closer!”
when I saw they served a cup called “Kyoto.”
David and I visited Kyoto, Japan together in December 2012 and there is
deeply spiritual significance for us in this city. I ordered the Kyoto and was
immediately transported back to this holy city with the first sip. I am no connoisseur of coffee, I could not
tell you what “hint,” “note” or “flavor” I detected, but I was amazed that
flavor alone could stir me in this way.
Still, I knew, this was just a mile marker for me, not the ultimate destination where I was being
called.
Back to talking to my angels in the car..…. As I was heading east on Arsenal Street, I
began making a left turn onto Jefferson Avenue, heading for home. Mid-way through the turn, in the middle of
the intersection, I knew I HAD to go to Benton Park Cafe. Thankfully there was no oncoming traffic (nor
police nearby) so I whipped the car back onto Arsenal continuing east to Benton
Park Cafe. I had no idea what to expect,
but knew this is where I needed to be. I found a parking spot right by the front door, quite a feat in the City, on-street parking only.
When I arrived, there was only one seat
available in the entire shop, it was at the counter. The waitress hesitantly asked me if I minded
sitting there. I thought, why not?! I put my book down on the stool and the very
ordinary looking gentleman dressed in athletic wear on the next stool quickly
gathered his things that had migrated onto the counter-top territory which I had just claimed. I assured him I didn’t
need much room, only getting a coffee. I
scanned the crowd for a sign….why was I here?
I ordered coffee as new my neighbor got his
doggy bag from the waitress. He
explained that he was taking it home to his two dogs as he does every Friday morning. Being a dog lover, I asked about his dogs and
the conversation took off. He told me
about his dogs, showing me their photos on his phone. We introduced ourselves. He was Jon C.
(He is unaware of this blog post, so I won’t use his last name, but
suffice it to say I have looked him up and verified much of the info he gave
me.) Jon flipped through all of the dog
photos and unintentionally beyond. I saw
a picture of him on the set of the TV show Dallas! How did he end up there?! Being self-employed, his business takes him
all around the country and he just wound up being an extra on the set! How strange is that?! I learned his business is located in Florida,
but he finds it easier to run from the center of the country. He really likes the City of Saint Louis, so
he keeps a home in the Soulard neighborhood. We continued the talk about dogs. He’d rescued them; one came from a man he'd been helping through the struggles of a drug addiction.
This seemed interesting to me. I
wanted to know more but didn’t want to be nosy.
We talked a bit about his business, then he
asked “What do you do?” I paused for a
very long time, chuckled and said “I don’t know anymore.” He was curious, so I explained I’d had a “life-altering
experience” and am trying to figure out who I am in the aftermath. His demeanor changed and he asked if I would
share details. Trying not to be dramatic, I summarized that I’d had a NDE, experienced “Oneness” through that event and now I am on the
quest to make that my permanent state of Being.
I said I am studying metaphysics, doing my best to apply what I’m
learning to my daily life and slowly, but surely, understanding what life is
really about. Jon stopped me at that point. He said he knew exactly what I experienced as
soon as I’d used the word “Oneness.”
He’d been there, too! Jon had a
rough start to life and also a critical turning point. We talked for quite some time about our
experiences. You can’t put them into
words, yet best efforts with fantastical phrases and even use of words that
aren’t really words, made it clear that we’d both had the same experience. It created a strong sense of familiarity between us, a
relationship that could not have been with any other person in the coffee shop
that morning. Our meeting was
pre-destined and we knew it.
Making this connection opened the door to a
much deeper conversation. I learned Jon
was very much down on his luck at one point. He now runs a very lucrative business,
yet it means little to him. His passion and
purpose in life is helping those who are in need. Jon just recognizes them when he sees them……and
this is how he came to own the big black dog that started our conversation in
the first place. Jon’s self-healing came
through a program called Life Cleanout. (I
found his photo on the testimonials page at Lifecleanout.com when I got home.) Jon told me he was the inspiration for the
book, Healing Alex, written by Life Cleanout founder, Gary Sinclair. Jon said Gary gave him a shout out on the
cover of the book. Jon is symbolized by
the boy and his black dog….like the one I’d seen in the pictures on Jon’s
phone.
I confessed to Jon that I was really feeling
down; like my spiritual progress had come to a standstill even with tremendous
amounts of hard work. Jon carefully chose his words and reminded me that I am “awake” now; I will progress at the right pace for me,
no matter how hard I push. I need to sit
back and just allow it to happen, let it flow to me while opening my heart and
listening instead of trying to direct my life.
I could never have MADE our paths cross, yet, it happened effortlessly. Couldn’t I see I was guided exactly where I
needed to be?? I spent maybe 30 minutes of
my life with Jon yet there was a tremendous connection. We parted ways with the warm embrace of old
and dear friends who may never see each other again, then he headed out the door with his doggy bag. He’d just helped another person in need.
Besides the obvious reminder to stop trying to force things to happen, my interaction with Jon was the perfect reminder that we all
have the potential to be a light in the darkness for someone. A little smile or kind words to a perfect
stranger may be just what is needed in that moment. It really is just that simple yet I can find
so many ways to complicate things by pushing my own agenda.
My faith had been lagging and Jon boosted me
up. I received an incredibly special
gift in the form of my NDE but not every day will yield such tangible evidence
of my spiritual progress. I need to
believe even when I can’t “see.” Progress
will be evident over time, but I must be patient, with faith. I’ll have accomplished days and those when I flat
out fail, but still, I am moving in the right direction. Each day I am guided toward opportunities where
I can either be an example of love or learn how to love; I can give of myself
or maybe I will receive. Each day is a
dance of the yin and yang of the Universe.
I try to see life from this higher perspective but sometimes I simply have
to ask my angels to lead me. I will get
where I need to be in life, but I have to let go of the idea that I am in
control. Easier said than done!!!
Please forgive typos and grammatical errors. This writing comes in a flow from the heart and I admit, I am not perfect!
