Today I Met A Young Woman

You may wonder why I am writing about meeting a young woman. There are lots of young women. We meet them all the time. This was a different meeting and one that touched my very soul.

This beautiful and talented soul is a German teacher, multi-lingual, working toward her Ph.D. You are probably still wondering why this is so special. She is also an immigrant, a Bosnian, and a Muslim. This is the difference. Not just beautiful, talented and intelligent but also a Muslim. She no longer goes to her mosque because of her fear. Tears rolling down her checks, she silently wonders what will happen. She is not alone. There are many other immigrants who fit this profile. So why did this affect me so intensely?

Her fear was real. Her fear at the thought of what might happen to her, to her parents, to her fellow immigrants brought reality front and center for me. The tears continued to roll down her checks as she talked about the solution one of the presidential candidates has for handling immigrant terrorists. Make them wear a tag to identify themselves; set up a database with all Muslims listed. What? Not in the United States of America. No way. Yes, these are the threats that are being bandied about in the name of protecting this country.

I am saddened to the core of my very being. Not so much for this wannabe president's remarks but for those Americans who support this idea. Yes, the terrorists are not welcome here. Neither are the terrorists who are citizens of this country who threaten and kill unsuspecting movie goers, college students and other innocents.

In case we forget, this country was founded by immigrants from all over the world. Unless you are of Native American descent, your ancestors were immigrants! These people left their countries and their friends to forge a new and better life for themselves and their families. They wanted to thrive, to experience religious freedom, to better themselves. Along the way, there were atrocities. We all know this to be true. Must these atrocities continue? Must the persecution continue? Must the segregation continue? Have we not evolved into better human beings?

Fear can be overwhelming. Fear of the unknown can be even more overwhelming. Maybe the solution could be to welcome Muslim families into our homes. Get to know them. Make them our friends. Wow! what a novel idea. Why not do this to people of all religious traditions, all nationalities, all races, all sexual orientations? Maybe we would discover they are really nice people.

There is a lady in a harbor who says this:

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles, From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips, "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

This lady has seen a lot throughout her reign of New York Harbor. Much of what she has seen has been sad. "Wouldn't it be loverly" to change this into joyful welcoming for all coming to these shores in search of a new life? One can dream and hope. In the words of John Lennon:

Imagine

Peace and blessings,

Mareda

A Radical Idea

This is going to be a short and sweet blog post.

Whenever something horrific occurs, the whole world sends love and prayers to those who were affected. Why isn't this being done all the time?

My suggestion is to begin sending love everyday to everyone. My radical idea is that we especially send it to those who are the perpetrators of violence: the terrorists, the rapists, the abusers, the just plain angry person. For whatever reason, these people have such hate driving them that the only thing that can change them is love. This love does not have to be connected to any religion or tradition. Just plain old simple love. The love you have for your parent or child. The love you have for your pet.

I have been doing the following for many years when challenged with negativity of any kind.

Send the person or group loving energy while saying:

I love you

I bless you

I forgive you
I release you

You may be thinking this is too simple. You may be thinking, why send this to a terrorist.  What we have been doing has not worked. Doing the same thing over and over is not going to get different results. Getting more ammunition as some one posted is also NOT the answer.

I challenge you to try this. It couldn't hurt.

Peace and blessings,

Mareda

Spiritually Adrift and Losing Site of Truth

Years ago I was drifting through life wondering what it was all about. Like Peggy Lee, I sang "Is this all there is?" I blamed my circumstances on my parents, my former husband, my schooling, and on God. Why was everything bad happening to me? To be totally honest, my life was far from bad when compared to that of many others. Instead of just visiting the "pits," I decided to buy a condo there.

However, I discovered living in this condo was not the life I desired or deserved. I went through all sorts of misery before putting up a For Sale sign. That sign went up when I realized I was drifting through a sea of confusion and going farther and farther away from my Source. I wanted back on course and was determined to redirect my ship.

Through a series of synchronicities, I discovered the way back to my Source. Books fell into shopping carts. I met people who had been there too and were now happy and whole. I met people who believed that God was not an old man up in the heavens but a Light that lived deep within them. Classes, lectures, books, more classes, more lectures, many more books were the sails that moved me forward. Over 30 years ago, I changed my course and discovered the path to the truth that lies within.

Are you spiritually adrift?
Do you feel God has forgotten you exist?
Are you upset with the dogmas and demands of traditional religions?
Are you a recovering Catholic or Fundamentalist Christian or Buddhist, Muslim, etc.?
Are you angry that you work and work on yourself but your life just remains the same?

There was a time when I could have answered yes to all of the above questions. I can sometimes still answer yes to one or two of them. But just as a sailor adjusts the sails to his boat, so do I adjust my mindset.

I feel so blessed because there have been many spiritual leaders, gurus, friends and coaches in my life who have assisted me on my spiritual path. You may think you are not on a spiritual path; however, my friends, we are all on a spiritual path if we know it or not. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. We forget this when we arrive on earth. When we remember, our path becomes lighter and brighter.

My calling is to assist those who are adrift. It has taken me a lifetime to discover this. I've been through the fire and have not only survived but thrived. It is all peaches and cream? No, there are still challenges but I'm still here and I am happier, healthier and more succesful than ever before.

If you are adrift, please consider Soul Centered Coaching to help you find your way back to the Source of all that is Good and True. I do not care if you call it God or Buddha or Krishna or Fred or something else. Finding your Truth is paramount to a successful and happy life.

So for all you Lost Souls, I am offering a Special Fall Package through the month of November.

Four 1 hour sessions for an investment of $150. 

Sessions can be done by phone or Facetime. Email me at maredaeckert1@gmail.com, leave a message on my phone at 314-583-9487, or connect through my website www.maredaeckert.com.

Peace and Blessings to all my fellow travelers,

Mareda