The term agoraphobia is generally misunderstood and mistreated. Its literal definition suggests a fear of ‘open spaces.’ This is not only incomplete, but a misleading view. Agoraphobics are not necessarily afraid of open spaces. Instead, they are afraid of having panicky feelings, wherever these fearful feelings may occurat home, in public buildings, or in crowded supermarkets, driving a car or driving over bridges or places that are certainly not ‘open,’ but are unfamiliar or triggers feelings of being ‘out of control.’

The majority of sufferers are women and the onset is usually early in adult life. Depressive and obsession symptoms and social phobias may also be present but do not dominate the emotional picture. In the absence of effective treatment, agoraphobia often becomes chronic, though usually fluctuating. In my experience working with agoraphobics three traumatic experiences were prevalentverbal (emotional) abuse, physical (hitting/spanking) and/or sexual abuse/incest.

In these three scenarios the person has been ‘overwhelmed’ and ‘out of control’ of their environment by the verbal, physical or sexual abuse perpetrator’s behavior. Because these traumas are usually perpetrated by the parent, or someone the child knows and trusts implicitly the child’s reaction is one of betrayal, fear of reprisal if they tell and fear for their very life.

Along with being hit/spanked the parent declares, “I hit you for your own good. This hurts me worse than it hurts you. If you were good I wouldn’t have to hit you,’ or many other variations of this theme, which serves to blame and shame the child and disavow any responsibility of the adult.

The confusing message a sexual abuse/incest survivor endures is even more insidious, because it is implied that the child is special. The perpetrator doesn’t say, “Come here and I will abuse you,” but, “Come here because you are special (my daughter), I love you and I want to show affection;” thus she is deceived, and the affection she expected was in fact abuse. Not only has she been duped and betrayed, she is ‘out of control’ with regard to what she experiences. Thus, she goes into shock and then struggles mightily to come to gripes with her experience and feelings. No sooner has she regained her equilibrium (which may take days or weeks) she experiences the abuse again, and thus she is ‘out of control’ again. This roller coaster existence becomes a way of life for her. At some point she will vow to: “Never allow herself to be vulnerable, out of control or duped.” Thus, anything which triggers the feelings of vulnerability, being out or control or duped catapults the survivor back into the shock and struggle to come to gripes with her experience and feelings.

Traditional talk therapy/psychotherapy treats symptoms because symptoms can be quantified and identified, or so it is claimed by traditional modern medical and psychiatric practices. Thus Emotional Pain is described in terms of symptoms Agoraphobia, Depression, Anger, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Self-Esteem issues, Mood Swings, Compulsive Behavior, Chronic and Acute Fear, Self-Injury, Suicidal Thoughts, Shame, Guilt, Eating Disorders, or Addictions) does not heal itself. Time, marriages, children, success, wealth, buying a bigger house, or faster car, changing jobs or relocating will not CURE it. The damage is sometimes very deep, pervasive and profound. It is a soul injury. The person has been robbed of his or her integrity, core identity and trust.

The legacy of every unhealed verbal, physical or sexual abuse survivor includes diminished self-worth, limited ability to trust, and the burden of a shameful secret she or he cannot express. This legacy leaves the survivor’s ability to develop necessary life skills inhibited. She remains co-dependent on her caretakersher nuclear or extended family, foster parents or her surrogate family, babysitter, doctor or priestwho have frequently become another abuser. In her diminished self-worth, limited ability to trust and the burden of a shameful secret she becomes anxious as to how she will continue managing the rigors of life. Thus, she needs some way to cope with these burdens and anxiety arises. A person may fear having anxiety attacks, ‘losing control’, or embarrassing him/herself in such situations. Many people remain in a painful state of anxious anticipation because of these fears. Some become restricted or ‘housebound’ while others function ‘normally’ but with great difficulty, working gallantly to hide their discomfort.
Agoraphobia arises from an internal anxiety process that has become so intense that the suffering individual fears going anywhere or doing anything where these feelings of panic or feeling ‘out of control’ have repeatedly occurred before. Once the panic attacks have started, these episodes become the ongoing stress, even when other more obvious pressures have diminished. This sets up a “feedback condition” which generally leads to increased numbers of panic attacks and, for some people, an increase in the situations or events which can produce panicky feelings. Others experience fearful feelings continuously, more a feeling of overall discomfort, rather than panic. Agoraphobia is both a severe anxiety reaction and a phobia reaction, as well as a pattern of avoidant behavior.

The good news is: Emotional, physical and sexual abuse can be healed. Healing takes place when the core issue is addressed. Treating depression, anxiety, panic, or agoraphobia is treating symptoms. Treating symptoms does not heal the internal wounds which the trauma created or change the behaviors the survivor has chosen to cope with the pain, avoid the pain or numb the pain. Using a variety of healing techniques the core wound can be healed, thus the verbal (emotional), physical and sexual abuse becomes a distant memory and the painful aftereffects no longer existi.e. the agoraphobia (panic, anxiety, feeling out of control, etc) is no longer needed as a coping mechanism.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, author, If I’d Only Known… Sexual Abuse in or out of the Family: A Guide to Prevention. specializes in verbal, sexual abuse/incest and physical abuse prevention and recovery. http://www.gen-assist.com/book.asp

Direct Answers - Column for the week of December 6, 2004

Someone gave me a bit of advice, and I’m doing my best to get my head wrapped around it, trying to understand and comprehend and translate it into my own life. What does it mean to “follow your own heart”?

Lisa

Lisa, Dante’s “Divine Comedy” opens with the author saying, “Midway in the journey of our life, I found myself in a dark wood, for the straightforward path had been lost.” That is how many people feel. It is as if they are searching for an answer when they don’t know the question.

In your quiet moments, with no concern for anyone but yourself, what are your dreams? Your desires? What are your hobbies? Your interests? What did you like to do when you were young? If someone gave you a lot of money, what would you do? Often what you would do doesn’t take money, but if you had money, you would feel the freedom–the unburdening–to do it.

Most of us have a talent for complicating the obvious. The amoeba, a one cell organism, has a lesson for us all. It moves toward and embraces what it authentically needs, and it moves away from the uncongenial. That is all we need to do in life, and it applies to everything–people, jobs, leisure activities, and studies.

This method is extremely simple. It is so simple people don’t realize how powerful it is. In the course of time, it can create the kind of life we want. Is it sometimes wasteful? Yes, sometimes we follow false trails. Will we sometimes feel our life is stalled? Yes, but at a deeper level we are moving forward.

People who follow this simple technique, in time, feel as if their lives were guided by an unseen hand. They gain a sense of destiny. What once seemed like random events, they know occurred for a purpose. They end up living a life which fulfills them.

Wayne & Tamara

I Love Lucy

My mother is making dinner for the holidays, and she invited my mother-in-law who is undergoing chemotherapy. My mother-in-law is very upbeat about her condition, but she constantly talks about the details of her illness.

The problem is this. My dad died from cancer 10 years ago. He and mother were very private about his illness and never brought it up with company unless someone asked. Mother was devastated by his death and has a hard time listening to other people’s cancer stories.

My mother told me she is going to call my mother-in-law and tell her a guest, who will be at the dinner, had cancer before and does not want to talk about cancer or have it discussed. That isn’t true, but mom said the guest will play along.

I feel uncomfortable with this. I told my mother, but she said it’s her dinner and she is going to do it. I always treat my mother-in-law as a second mother, but my mother and my mother-in-law have a standoffish relationship. Since my mother is making an issue of this, it seems to be my problem, or is it?

Jennifer

Jennifer, a sonnet by Edna St. Vincent Millay contains the lines, “There are a hundred places where I fear to go,–so with his memory they brim.” That is where your mother is. But your mother-in-law is, as another poet said, raging against the dying of the light.

Your mother’s scheme reminds us of the sitcom “I Love Lucy.” Each episode involved a ruse, and when the ruse was discovered, all was forgiven. In real life subterfuges blow up and cause bad feelings. The guest’s “cancer” may be all your mother-in-law needs to helpfully suggest support groups, books, and treatments.

The real problem is two mothers who don’t get along. Go to the dinner, but don’t be a party to this ruse.

Wayne & Tamara

About The Author

Authors and columnists Wayne and Tamara Mitchell can be reached at www.WayneAndTamara.com.

Send letters to: Direct Answers, PO Box 964, Springfield, MO 65801 or email: DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com.

Have you ever noticed that when things in your life are starting to go well; starting to come together, along comes someone who wants to bring you down?

It could be a friend; it could be a close relative! It could be a total stranger. But those die-hard “losers,” the ones who want to wallow in their own misery - they get really bent out of shape when they see you happy and doing well.

Those sad and sorry types will try to bring you down to their level of gloom. Don’t let it happen.

Don’t bother getting angry. Don’t bother trying to educate them, either, because they aren’t ready to listen to you. They’ll have to figure that out on their own when they realize that the blame and gloom game does not get them anywhere good.

When things are going well for you, you just keep on smiling. Stay sweet, stay the course, and don’t let the whiners, the hostile, and the just plain nutcases get you down. Believe me, they will try their best.

In my faith, we call that the attack of the Enemy. And that’s exactly what it is. There are lots of people out there who would rather you did not succeed.

Yes, they’ll pooh-pooh your dreams; they’ll tell you it’s not going to work - whatever you’re trying, they’ve already done it, and it didn’t work.

Yeah, yeah. Just get away from those people and get back to your dreams muy pronto. You’ll be really glad you did. Next year at this time, your life will be that much richer, and theirs will still be the same if not worse. And don’t spend your energy trying to save their sinking ship, because you are not at the helm of that ship - they are.

Be joyous - it’s a beautiful world out there full of wonder. Yes, life is full of problems. And??

We can handle them and keep going. Frankly, that is 90 percent of life - that you just keep going. You don’t kill yourself. You don’t give up. You get through the worst of times. You just… keep going. We ALL have issues and we all have problems - but we can still be joyful and thankful for the good!

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Mimi Tanner reveals the secrets of flirting and getting the attention of your man. Her emails are read by thousands of women every day. Check out Secrets of Flirting With Men.

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In Catholic school the nuns used to tell us that we should love everyone as we loved Jesus. We
didn’t have to like them but we had to love them. I used to argue this and my trump card was always
Hitler. How could I love him and, by the way, why would I want to be a part of any religion which said I
had to?

Time happened and I fell for Zen Buddhism. So much of it made sense to me except —there it was
again. I had to love everyone - even Hitler. This time I got it in my head. After all we were all the
same consciousness so to hate someone else was to hate myself. But my heart never signed off on it.

For one thing there was still no explanation as to why such evil and suffering had to exist in the
world. What was Reality’s Purpose in inflicting Hitler on the rest of us?

Then one day I was listening to Dr. Wayne Dyer. He’s one of my favorite speakers. He has a way of
revealing things which I’ve always known but wasn’t aware of knowing. He was speaking about the Power
of Intention. Specifically he was speaking about love and kindness. How studies have shown that a
bystander simply viewing an act of kindness will experience a rise in their seratonin level.
He told a story about a guy whose son was developmentally disabled and isolated from other
children but who wanted desperately to be accepted. One day the father and his son, Shaya,
were walking past a neighborhood baseball game and Shaya ran up and asked if he could play. His father’s
heart sank. He knew the kids wouldn’t allow such a gawky, uncoordinated kid to play with them. To his
amazement one side let him play. Although he could barely hold the bat they put him in when they were
three runs down, bases loaded, bottom of the ninth. The other side quickly caught on and the pitcher
stepped in a few steps and lobbed a gentle ball to Shaya. He managed to hit it a few feet and he
began running to first base. He could have been caught out within seconds but now both teams were
cooperating in helping him win. They wanted him to be the hero and win the game for his team - knowing
he might never have such an opportunity again. So the pitcher and the outfielders threw the ball clumsily
back and forth while Shaya trotted from base to base and finally home.

In that moment, his father says, every one of those 18 children on both teams realized God’s (or Spirit or
Universal Consciousness if you prefer) perfection.

His father came to believe that when God brings a child like this into the world the perfection that
he/she seeks is in the way people react to the child.

If everyone is part of God’s perfection then everyone has a divine Purpose. And perhaps that divine
Purpose is to give others of us the opportunity to treat them with compassionate action, kindness and
love.

Perhaps, said Dyer, there is a cosmic sign-up sheet where Consciousness signs up to live a troubled or
painful, or even evil mortal life to present to us all the opportunity to respond with the best parts of
ourselves.

This made more sense to me. I saw that each person when confronted with Hitler’s gradual military build-up
and grab for power all the way from Kristallnacht, through Theriesenstadt and ultimately ending in the
Holocaust had a choice to walk away or stand firm against him. Indeed, there were thousands of
resistance fighters and ordinary people who aided and hid Jews in their homes for years at risk of their
lives. They had the choice of realizing God’s perfection or not.

I was thinking about this recently as I was watching the horrible images from the Tsunami - now
considered the worst natural disaster in modern history. I read the story of the father who struggled
to hold on to his three year old only to have the child ripped from his grasp and watch his terrified little
face disappear under a wall of water; the 15 year old who lost every member of his family and was
standing on a street corner begging for food. What was the Purpose in this devastating tragedy?
I realized, then, what an amazing opportunity had been given to us to realize God’s perfection in our
compassionate and loving response to the victims - living and dead. I honor them for going through such
agony in this lifetime and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to respond in a way which
expresses my Purpose.

Mary Rosendale is a Life Coach and prolific writer. She offers Life Design, Changes of Perspective and Reality-based action plans to fulfill your Purpose. She’s also a helluva lot of fun.Visit her on the web at http://www.TheConstructedLife.com where you can sign up for her free newsletter or check out her blog at http://theconstructedlife.blogs.com

The Katha-Upanishad refers to material manifestation as:

“A tree standing on the ground of material nature, bearing two types of fruit: sweet and sour, symbolic of happiness and distress. Its roots go in three direction represented by goodness, passion and ignorance. The first bird is the localized aspect of the Supreme One, referred to as Pramtm the divine spirit, the Entity who needs neither food nor drink. The other bird representing the mortal, has to select his food from the offerings of the tree: a choice between distress and happiness. Sometimes he eats the fruits of happiness and sometimes the fruit of distress. Having eaten the fruit, he expands along the three directions of the roots, the modes of material existence, namely, goodness, passion and ignorance.”

This individual growth is what makes two mortals dissimilar. Growth is strongly connected with past karma and guidance upbringing. The realities of life have different meanings for each individual. Why does a stable and rewarding professional relationship become distant? Why does the accommodating boss turn into a difficult task master? Why does the team lose spirit for no apparent reason?

There is no end to such questions, but all the answers can be found if the map of growth can be analyzed. Unfortunately, this is an impossible task for mortals. However, this growth can be monitored by our own efforts and choices and Astrology can be the guide that shows us our very basic instinctive tendencies. Planets and their positions give our respective Ascendants and Moon signs, along with other planetary positions. This doctrine can be a very useful friend philosopher and guide, provided we are open to accept what it shows, provided we are ready to go beyond the predictive elements.

The most important aspect of Astrology is that it shows you the mirror image of your Karmic journey. What one has to understand is that there is no black and white, no good or bad in a horoscope. Each horoscope has good AND bad, each horoscope is misaligned somewhere, which is why the person is born.

The significance of the 10th house takes us to the realm of career and status in life. It displays fundamental possibilities. The 10th is a Kendra and as such, any planet located here will be prominent, powerful, and influential all through life. As this is an upachaya house (attributes that grow with time and effort), any possibility indicated by an occupying planet will grow in strength as life progresses. This in effect also gives great strength in overcoming all kinds of obstacles.

The house indicates our ambition, status, profession, father, fame, recognition, foreign travels or affairs, political power, authority and many others. But very importantly, it signifies our determination, self-reliance and patience. The 10th house reveals holy pilgrimages, as well as good and charitable deeds, compassion, etc. Father’s reputation is also signified by this house.

A strong 10th house will give the person a position of power in career and fame.

Different planets may fare in a very unique manner in this house, irrespective of their lordship. Let us see how they fare and how it affects our career or 10 th house significations in general.

I will start with the Sun, as it is the most important of all planets.

The Sun is a great planet, but it is a natural malefic. All malefics thrive in an ‘upachaya’ house so by the virtue of this tendency, Sun does well when located in the 10th house. Sun in the 10th house is an excellent placement for career and the person may get success in all undertakings. The Sun is the significator of the 10th and hence gets dik bala, or directional strength, when located here.

Astrologers often conclude that it is its best position in the horoscope. The person is career-minded and easily rises to a position of authority in his chosen profession. Fame and popularity are associated with this signature and these yield great power. As Sun aspects the 4th house, there may be difficulties in relationship with the mother due to this, but wealth is favored and a beneficial relationship with the father, who may be wealthy and prosperous, is also indicated.

Moon is a neutral planet but it is a benefic planet as well. Its location and aspect produce calming and soothing effect always. When Moon is located in the 10th house, career matters are highly enhanced. If the waxing Moon is in the 10th house, the person is very fortunate as the significations of both the Moon and the 10th house flourish. The person is sure to enjoy fame and success from a very young age. Associations with the mother and females are greatly favored. When Moon is thus posited in a man’s horoscope, married life is smooth and enjoyable. Wherever the Moon is placed in a horoscope, it becomes an area of great interest and vitality. So the Moon’s location in the 10th house induces the person to love his/ her profession and to be sincere and diligent in efforts. The aspect of a bright Moon on the 4th house brightens the entire horoscope. Education, mother, happiness, fixed assets, and conveyances are all favored. The person is kind and warmhearted.

Mars is natural malefic like the Sun and Saturn. The 10th house is one of the few houses that utilize this fiery energy of Mars to good effect. Mars gets dik bala or directional strength in the 10 th , often making this its best placement in the horoscope. The person is efficient and enjoys success and achievement all through life. The person is highly ambitious and may wish to be a ruler of some sort. Mars’ aspect on the 4th house may indicate ups and downs in relationship with mother and some amount of unrest in the domestic scenario. But overall, this is a fine location for Mars and makes the person ‘a go getter’ in his/ her profession.

Mercury is a natural benefic and if Mercury is in the 10th house, the person has a successful career and a good reputation. The person has the capacity to earn plenty of wealth. It is necessary to consider the aspects to Mercury - alone and un-aspected in the 10 th . If this is true, it can indicate great intellect and involvement in a career connected with communications. Mercury rules commerce and trade, so this placement can mean a very successful person in business. Mercury’s aspect on the 4th house indicates a fine education and happiness at home. The person also enjoys fine conveyances and all kinds of comforts and luxuries; a good relationship with mother and benefits from her are well indicated as well.

When Jupiter is in the 10th house, the person will enjoy a successful career and will know his purpose right from a very young age. His or her professional activities will succeed almost immediately, and there will be honor and fame. The person may also choose a career, which greatly benefits the public. He or she will especially be attracted to work involving higher knowledge.

Jupiter’s aspect on the 4th house makes the person happy and content, gain of wealth is easy while fine conveyances and all kinds of comforts and luxuries are sure factors. Relationships with his mother benefits from her are well indicated. Gain from government or authority figures are also a strong possibility.

Jupiter is known as the great benefic and even when it is the lord of inauspicious houses, its location and aspect produce some good somewhere; just as there is some unfavorable hidden in Saturn’s blessings.
Venus is a natural benefic and like the Moon, it has its wonderful attributes. Its energy is beautiful and its placement in the 10th house makes the person bring joy and happiness to the public and all his or her associates.

This is one of the most common placements of successful actors, artists, musicians, and performers. It is also found in the horoscopes of people who make their living selling jewelry, photography, cosmetics, sweets, arts and crafts, fine cars, and other such luxuries. The person enjoys great popularity and has a natural flair for making wealth. The person is lucky in life and makes many lucky contacts with people through his/ her profession. The person is happy and content, as Venus is powerful and prominent in this Kendra, throwing its benefic aspect onto the 4th house. The person gains great wealth and enjoys fine cars and conveyances. Happy relationship with mother as well as benefits from women is highly indicated by this placement.

Saturn is a natural malefic and is greatly feared by most. When Saturn is in the 10th house, the person normally possesses great ambition, leadership ability and power. However, Saturn in any kendra gives major ups and downs in life and therefore, career successes may fluctuate. The benefits of this malefic’s location in the 10th house has its benefits too, though. Saturn in the 10th gives the tendency of leadership and a highly disciplined approach to one’s profession. However, the rest of the horoscope should be analyzed to confirm whether a leadership position is likely or not. Otherwise, the person’s work may be connected with construction, mining, or any career involving manual labor, like steel, iron, coal, etc. Saturn’s aspect on the 4th house is not good and may affect relationships with mother and also cause domestic unrest.

Rahu is a malefic but the 10th house is one of the finest placements for Rahu. The person is likely to have a powerful and renowned career. Career will flourish most if the person is connected with the masses. Influencing the masses or selling to the public is the key note of this location. As Rahu essentially generates ambition, the person may live with insatiable career ambitions, changing career many times. If other signatures of the horoscope are harmonious, the person’s work and effort greatly benefit society. The person will easily reach a position of authority. Money power comes early in life and may help support parents. Ancient Hindu scriptures declare that the person will prefer the company of persons of a different religious background. Association with unconventional and low class people - especially women, are one of the pit falls of this signature.

Ketu is also a malefic and is a profound energy of the unknown. Because malefics in upachaya houses produce good results, Ketu in the 10th gives excellent career success. But generally career is out of the ordinary. The sign placement is also very important as Ketu may cause problems if it is in an inimical sign (i.e., a sign ruled by one of the luminaries or a sign which is unfriendly. In such a case, the person could experience strange difficulties in career. The most common of the troubles caused by Ketu is enmity from unknown and behind-the-scene activities against the person in terms of his/ her career. This can become very troublesome in the career path as well as the person’s general success and happiness.

When considering matters related to the 10th house, one must never forget that success relates to the status the person is born with. A very good 10th house in a pauper’s horoscope may not mean that he/ she will attain royal status - it indicates a status that is better than that of a pauper. But with malefic or Martian attributes, the person may even turn dictator and overthrow the government.

There are some subtle significances that must also be understood before any conclusive significance to this house can be attached . The religious philosophy of a man is dharma and dharma without any significance or connection to karma is empty. It brings the focus to the core, which is good or evil. The 9th house essentially signifies the religious philosophy of the mortal that sustains through the terrestrial journey. The 10th house astrologically suggests the fruition of the 9th house. Dharma must set a certain Karma without which it would be an empty profession, devoid of any significance. It is for this reason that we find planet connections between the 9th, 10th or Ascendant. The 9th and 10th create Raj jog. They are connections that can turn a pauper into a king or a skeptic into a great guru.

When we consider the career aspect, it is not only just one or two houses that can be analyzed for a perfect picture. Career is connected with finance, vocation and ultimately, gains and self- satisfaction. If we just consider the 10th house for career, or the 6th house for service, or the 11th house for gains, or the 2nd house for conserved wealth, the analysis will remain half-hearted and incomplete. All the four have to be considered together and analyzed for just how well they are adjusted with each other’s planetary energies. Then alone will the true essence emerge!

Madhushri completed her early schooling at the Shri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry. Having grown up in an environment of literature, music and spirituality she proceeded to complete her Masters in Comparative Literature from the Jadavpur University after completing graduation studies in the same course of the University. In addition, Madhushri also hold a Masters degree in Music from the Rabindra Bharati University.

Given her deep interests in mythology, literature and spirituality, the move to Vedic Astrology was a natural extension. Being an intuitive reader of Natal Chart, she brings a successful blend of astrology and spiritual skill-sets into all her readings and counseling’s. A natural flair for expressing complex and difficult matters makes her a prolific creator of most of the content on CyberAstro website since 2001. Madhushri has a large following for the accuracy of her daily, weekly and monthly zodiac predictions.

Jonathan:

This is my brother, Jonathan. They walked into the room together, one limping as he walked, the other patiently walking by his side. Matthew and Jonathan were brothers who would be attending my VBS class for the next few days. Jonathan was a 9 year old boy who suffered from a mental and physical handicap. He was just as bright as all the other kids in my class, yet it took him a little longer to formulate his thoughts and articulate them into words. When he walked, his right leg struggled to hold him up, as he limped from side to side. The simple task of walking was a battle for him, and climbing stairs seemed almost impossible. But he pressed on.

Do you want to take the elevator, Jonathan?
No, he spoke slurred and slow- but with certainty, I think I can do it. And he did.

His brother, Matthew, was his best friend. Matthew was one year older than Jonathan, but he was his strength and support. One day, near the end of the stairwell, Jonathan took a hard fall in front of all the children. I could see the disappointment on his face. And then I saw Matthew run to his side and I heard, Its okay. Youre almost there, Jonathan, you can do it! I believe that that was the voice that got Jonathan through, and kept him going. They were inseparable, and I could see why.

All week, through my lessons, I noticed Jonathans eyes light up as we talked about the great love of Jesus. Although he smiled much, he spoke rarely. On one of the last nights of session, we talked about the value of knowing and loving the Lord. Im not one to push children to salvation. In fact, I am cautious and not very trusting of inviting children to Pray the prayer of Salvation. My heart had even grown cynical towards the fact that a child can truly be saved at such a young age. I just wasnt sure that they could grasp and understand.

I was forgetting something- the great power of the Holy Spirit. I was forgetting that God calls US to have faith like a child. We are to be conformed to their methodsKthe simple trust and dependency that comes from no other example but a child. This child was about to teach me great things.

After the lesson, I invited anyone who wanted to know more about Jesus to stay back and chat with me V at the great loss of missing craft time. Sure enough, everyone buzzed out the door and towards their next destination. As I was packing up my things and getting ready to go, I noticed Jonathan hadnt budged. He slowly stood up, and walked over to me.

Miss Debbie, he spoke slowly, Can you tell me how I can love Jesus?

Everything within me melted. Here was a precious boy, who had already realized that there was something more to this life, and he wanted it. I smiled and joked, You sure you want to miss craft sweetie? With all seriousness Jonathan replied, Miss Debbie, this is more importantK

And so we sat, and talked. We spoke of Jesus, and our need for Him, as humans who were born with sin. I do bad things all the time- do you? he asked me. He understood. We spoke of the cross, and the beauty that comes when Jesus comes and takes away the sins of the world. We talked about the suffering of Christ, and how he died in our place. Did Jesus go to hell for us when He died so that we wouldnt have to? Now he was grasping even more theological truth than I was even prepared to answer

He was absolutely ready to accept the Lord, and by the end of the 20 minutes, I was sure that he had completely grasped the power in the love of ChristKthe Lord was doing a great work in this little boys heart.

I prayed for him, and then with all beauty and simplicity he prayed, asking the Lord to come and take over, to come and change him. Will Jesus even change my emotions? he asked, because sometimes Im not very brave. I have no doubt that Jonathan will walk with the bravest of men.

The transforming power of God in a life cannot be mistaken for anything else. Miss Debbie, he said, I was so happy when Jesus came into my heart that I stopped breathing for a second! It was clear that he had been touched, his bright face was filled with joy.

As we walked out of the room, to meet up with his brother (I had never seen them apart before this very moment), he walked quickly! Matthew!! Guess what?! What, Jonathan? You tell him, Miss Debbie!

Jonathan trusted in Jesus today, Matthew. He asked him into his heart.

Have you ever done that, Matthew? Jonathan asked very seriously.
UmKNo, I never have
Well, why dontcha?? Why dontcha right now??
This time it was the voice and hand of Jonathan that was leading, and it was a beautiful sight.

Sure enough, Matthew decided right there and then that he wanted to take some time to hear more about Jesus, and by the end of our chat he had also decided that this was a step he wanted to take in his life. He followed Jonathan into an irreplaceable relationship with the Most High God.

Walking back to meet his dad, Jonathan walked faster than his legs could manage, he couldnt wait to tell his dad what had happened. The whole way back was filled with questions, he wanted to know more and more.

Miss Debbie, can my dad read my bible to me everyday, since I cant ready very well? Miss Debbie, I wont have my bible till I get home, is it okay if I dont ready it for a week? Miss Debbie, I did something bad today, is Jesus going to be able to forgive me again?

His faith and his passion, at the age of 9, put me to shame.
I learned a lot from Jonathan, although I was the one that was supposed to be there to teach him- but oh, how often truth is revealed to us in the most humbling of ways.

I learned that my complexity many times keeps me away from the simplicity found in the deep love of Christ. I learned that many times, I trust my tactics and the methods of evangelism over the mighty and indescribable power of the Holy Spirit. I learned that, in order to enter the kingdom of GodK

We must ALL become as children. There is no other way.

Debra Rashid is a mental health counselor at a local hospital, working with at-risk children and youth. She is currently studying to get her Masters in Counseling at Liberty University. Debra wants to take this education into the inner city, where her passion lies, and use it to bring change about in the lives of urban youth. She is currently the director of an inner city mentorship program. She hopes her passion in writing will spark others to reach the world with the love of God that has been shown to her.

Another part of prayer is that we must get into a place in our mind and our heart that we feel that we receive what we prayed for even if it has not come in yet. We must start acting as if it is already done, or on it’s way to us. We must act as if it is already changing or already accomplished. One way to do this is to start changing what we are speaking. I now have this thing that I prayed for. Everyday I now have a new circumstance than what I previously had before.

If your situation is rotten, you must begin to start speaking to the circumstances and yourself, for your new picture in your mind. Begin to thank the universe for the change, for helping you, and answering your prayers. Long before this might come into existence, this change of being is creating a vibrational change in the area, yourself, the land, and even those around you.

We must pray with authority, we must stop begging, complaining, and stop saying that we are not worthy, and we must come to a place of receiving before it happens. We must start listening to our inner guide, and doing what is told to us even if it doesn’t make full sense. We must begin to offer gratitude even before the change has occurred. We must be in constant contact with our inner guide and focus on the new solutions of which we are becoming aware.

These are your tools of prayers. Start making changes in the way that you pray, or adding more of these things and you will begin to experience success, and you will activate the divine energy that we all have inside of us. My prayer for you is that you live a long, healthy and full live, of more than eighty-five years and that you laugh a lot through it all.

Yoga Kat–aka Katheryn Hoban is a yoga teacher with twelve years experience. She teaches children’s yoga ages 3-6, and 7-12 and Adults privately in NJ. She is the author the book DAUGHTER BELOVED which will come out next year. She has created a children’s affirmation CD (ages 3-6) and an affirmation CD for adults. Yoga Kat is available for speaking or writing and can be reached at katscoolcorner@yahoo.com or 201 970-9340

COMING SOON http://www.thecircleofpeace.com

From my experience some healings come instantly or during short period of time as others require patience, persistence and firmness of our faith. Even though faith in God or Good helps to overcome our worldly trials but often because of lack of the divine knowledge we are not able to see the end of our sufferings. When human will is added to that faith we, pressing strongly our teeth, think that we stand firmly on the ground and fulfill God’s will, but in reality we begin to feel moral weariness, dissatisfaction and discouragement.

All these negative qualities only disarm us spiritually and we become helpless because of our own false beliefs. Here it is good to remember a statement of the founder of Christian Science Mary Baker Eddy, “man’s extremity is God’s opportunity”.
Though our hope that all will be well strengthens our faith but that hope, tired from the long expectation, often does not bring a desirable result in the seemed complicated situation for us.

When we begin to realize, understand and demonstrate the rules of the Christian Science of Mind-healing the favorable outcome comes into our life now not at the uncertain future. In the Bible 2 Kings 4:18-37 a story about woman and her son from Shunem is described. When a son of that woman died she did not accept that as a true fact and as a result of that her son was raised by a prophet’s prayer. Therefore in proportion as our realization of the law of Christian Science is clear, inharmonious events which in reality are unreal, will become less real in our life and finally they will not have any power over us. We can experience God’s grace now and the author of Psalms expresses this idea in the line, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). In the main work of Mrs. Eddy “Science and Health with key to the Scriptures” she writes,
“The prayer that reforms the sinner and heals the sick is an absolute faith that all things are possible to God,- a spiritual understanding of Him, an unselfed love”. (Science and Health 1:1-4).

Thus in the process of the purification of our consciousness, thoughts we learn to be led not by a blind faith but by above mentioned spiritual qualities “an absolute faith, a spiritual understanding and unselfed love” in God. By this method we free our consciousness from previous fears, doubts and prejudices and then we experience a joyful healing from any kind of infirmity. Constancy and persistence with the oil of joy and love to God play the important part in that mental process. In I Thes. 5:17 the Apostle Paul exclaims: “Pray without ceasing”.

As a seed sown in the blessed soil will grow in a certain time (though our disarmed eye cannot see its growth underground) a demonstration of constancy and patience points on our solid knowledge that the divine law is always in operation despite we cannot see that law as well. As the seed requires moisture and light in a definite quantity as we often need vivifying sip of water. This sip of water is the word of God for us which not only calms and reassures us in unbearable situations but above all inspires and animates our life.

The following case illustrates perfectly the necessity of persistence in prayer to obtain a harmonious effect. Two years ago my wife noticed a small bump under her breast. Me did not take seriously that fact. After some time that bump became to increase and condense in size and my wife began experiencing fears of undesirable growth in her body. In those moments of fears and doubts (which were present and like unmoved snake set in my wife’s thoughts before that bump as well) we tried to realize for us both that we have only spiritual substance and therefore matter does not have any reality or power.

For some time these declarations of Truth were giving some comfort to my wife who trusted in the power of God and my sincere prayer completely. When growth of that bump continued (fear increased) and some painful feeling appeared, a sense of fear became to prevail at my wife and she expressed a desire to remove that growth by surgical operation. I was not happy to hear that and I said to my wife that that method is not divine but a decision I put into God’s hands. Soon we decided to trust God only. Long seven months I persistently purified my consciousness from the smallest manifestations of fear and I kept clear in my mind that my wife as a God’s child, is free from all fears and doubts.

Realizing also that every branch that brings not fruit must be pruned and destroyed, I tried to imagine clear there was not any place for that bump in harmonious spiritual body. One evening my wife declared Truth about her spiritual being with strong faith and spirit and next morning a liquid started pouring out of that growth. In few minutes the little pieces of flesh, penetrated with very thin veins, had appeared. We pulled them out with the great efforts. After that bloodless and painless procedure only a small hole left which disappeared during following few days. My wife and I sincerely praised God’s power and love to us and for that life’s lesson which we both must have experienced.

So, as a well with cool water gives strength to a traveler in the desert the same living power of the Word of God purifies our mind. Being in that consciousness of Happiness and Harmony of Soul, all our worries and discouragements are dissolved as a mist under sunshine!

If you would like to explore more about Spirituality and Health based on Metaphysical Healing Prayer you can look at http://www.healing-prayer.net or you can e-mail me: mib@fhills.hotkey.net.au