As of today, it seems that Miranda Alcott is THIS CLOSE to reaching her goal of raising enough funds to get her new hearing assistance dog...hopefully by the end of this month!  She is overwhelmed with gratitude for the generosity of everyone who has already donated.

Miranda is in contact with the trainer and very soon will travel to California (from New Mexico, where she lives) so she can be paired with her new companion. So, if you have been waiting for the perfect moment, THIS IS IT!!! Even if you can only send $10 or $20, that will make a huge difference toward enabling Miranda to resume her normal life and incredible service work.

If you donate through The Whisper Fund's website, you can commemorate a favorite pet or beloved family member...what a wonderful way to honor their memory. For more details, please read the previous 2 blog posts.

Counting the Blessings,
Teri

Due to the overwhelming popularity of my tribute to Whisper, I am posting an update on Miranda Alcott. Of course, she is still grieving Whisper tremendously, so please continue to send her your loving thoughts and prayers. However, she is also looking to the future and would like to get Whisper's successor as soon as possible.

As my friend Michele Martin says beautifully:

I have spoken to Miranda several times since last Monday when Whisper left her body. She is very sad and trying to go on without her trusted companion. But as you know, Miranda really needs a service dog to function in her life. She cannot hear the door or the phone and is very vulnerable if she leaves her door open so she can receive visitors. This is not a safe place to be and I want to help and I need your help as well. She also wants to attend an important conference in two months where she will need an assistance dog. In order to make this happen for Miranda, we have to raise about $10,000.

Please help Miranda raise these funds as quickly as possible. As a team, we have created a flyer to give your friends, family and any animal lovers in your life. This is available as a PDF that I will happily send to you. You can email your request to me here.

Apparently, people trying to donate through the WhisperFund.org website have been experiencing problems with the PayPal service, so here are alternate methods:

Online, by Credit Card:  International Humanities Center

By Mail: Send a check made out to IHC Whisper Fund to:

International Humanities Center Whisper Fund
P.O. Box 923
Malibu, CA 90265

Please note that any amount over $50.00 is tax deductible. IHCWF is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Foundation.

May you have a Blessed day.

This week, the world lost a genuine hero – a loving, compassionate soul whose selfless service touched the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

On Monday, January 22 at 1:00pm Mountain Time, Whisper the golden retriever peacefully left her body after a long illness that she fought bravely, with the support of her human companion Miranda Alcott.

It has been said that only a very few animals incarnate on this planet with individual souls. Whisper was certainly one of these rare creatures.

I feel blessed to have known her, to have touched her silky fur and looked into her fathomless brown eyes. I am likewise honored to count Miranda – a hearing-impaired animal communicator, intuitive and crisis counselor – as a true inspiration and a friend, through our connection at USM. She has shown me what is possible, even without perfect hearing.

Whisper nobly spent her life in service as an assistance dog for Miranda. Much as seeing-eye dogs help the sight-impaired to navigate the world, hearing service dogs are trained to communicate important sounds, such as the phone, a doorbell, fire alarms or someone calling aloud, to their hearing-impaired humans.

As if this wasn’t enough, Whisper was also a certified Crisis Intervention Canine for nearly 10 years. Together, she and Miranda volunteered as a Crisis Intervention Team at places like Ground Zero, Columbine and the Los Alamos fires, working with the emergency personnel who put their own mental, emotional and physical health at risk. They usually traveled at their own expense.

Two years ago, Whisper was diagnosed with an incurable disease and retired from service. The IHC Whisper Fund was established to help pay for veterinarian expenses, as well as to raise money for a replacement service dog. Assistance training facilities have waiting lists of up to five years, and all fees must be funded in advance before a recipient can be paired with a new canine companion. Training itself takes 12-18 months.

With Whisper’s passing, the need to raise funds is greater than ever, if Miranda is to continue serving our country during acute crises. Please consider making a generous tax-deductible donation to the Whisper Fund in honor of Whisper or in memory of your own beloved animal companions. You can help train a new hero.

No doubt Whisper is now standing guard at the Rainbow Bridge, volunteering her assistance to anyone who needs it.

Rest in Peace, dear friend.

You are invited to attend an industry screening of 'Spiritual Warriors' THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT, January 17, 2007.

Screenings at 5PM & 7PM at the Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills

Full details below.  Tickets available at the door.

I spent a day working as an extra for this film, but ended up on the cutting room floor. However, many of my friends and fellow MSIA ministers appear in it. This movie is an imaginative, spiritually conscious interpretation of the classic good vs. evil archetype, complete with past-life flashbacks and great special effects.

The executive producer is John-Roger, spiritual teacher and author of numerous books including the best-selling "Life 101," "You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought" and, of course, "Spiritual Warrior." Written by and starring Jsu Garcia of "Traffic," "We Were Soldiers," "Collateral Damage" and "Along Came Polly" fame.


Dr. John-Roger PRESENTS

'S P I R I T U A L   W A R R I O R S'
THE FILM
Directed by David Raynr
Starring Robert Easton, Jsu Garcia, Shyla Cruize & Leigh Taylor-Young


Wednesday January 17th, 5PM & 7PM
Including Q&A with Producers & Cast

Tickets are a donation of $5 (or more!)
Call Zoe for reservations and information:
323-422-0002 or zoe@msia.org

Fine Arts Theatre
8556 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
phone  310.360.0455
http://www.studioscreenings.com/FAT.html

view the trailer @ http://www.spiritualwarriors.com
learn more about the creators @ http://www.john-roger.org http://www.jsugarcia.com
read the review @ http://www.ndh.org/template.php3?ID=843
check out our blog @ http://blogthoughts.spiritualwarriors.com
discover the teachings of the spiritual warrior @ http://www.msia.org

Last weekend, I participated in my friends Melvin and Sherrie Allen's Two-Day Relationship Readiness Intensive. It was truly a transformative experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who is (or knows someone who is) single and wanting to manifest more satisfying relationships...regardless of what other relationship courses you may have taken in the past. This one is different, trust me.

Relationships don't exist in a vacuum, they are woven into the context of our lives and emanate from the essence of who we are. Without a doubt, this workshop is by far the most potentially life-changing relationship course I have ever taken in my 25 years of personal growth studies.

As someone who recently ended a 6-year marriage, I was one of several women in the small class who happened to be at various stages of separation and divorce (along with others, men and women, at various levels of singleness). With skill and compassion, Melvin and Sherrie guided me (as they did each participant) to clarify my own individual values, and from there to identify specifically what I require, need and want in my relationships with others. These were not abstract mental exercises about what I “should” have in a relationship based on what my family, society, fantasies, spiritual teachers, or my own misguided notions have told me in the past...they were processes that accessed the deepest, wisest part of my Self which knows what I need to live in accordance with my Soul's purpose, and simply made clear what was already present inside of me, operating in an unconscious way.

My requirements are both a tool for understanding why my marriage, past relationships and even friendships haven't succeeded, and a benchmark to help me consciously choose more aligned partners in the future so I can co-create relationships that reflect my core authentic values and meet my needs completely.

I highly recommend this workshop to every conscious single person who wants to create different results in their relationship journey. The Allens are offering an intro evening tomorrow night (Thurs. Jan. 11) in Culver City and another weekend workshop on Jan. 20-21 in Marina del Rey.

 CLICK HERE for details.

So, against all military advice and public opinion, Dumbya has decided he wants to play soldier boy by sending even more troops to Iraq. I'll keep this short and sweet, because other people have more knowledge and resources to speak out eloquently. Like MoveOn.org.

If this angers you as much as me, visit their website and sign the petition to let Congress know that we all think this is a very very bad idea:

http://moveon.org

On a brighter note, over the next few days I will be sharing about an incredible relationship workshop for conscious singles I just took this weekend, and raving about a FABULOUS book written by a dear friend that you must add to your library.

Please bookmark my Blog and drop a note or comment to let me know who you are, and what you think so far.

In a departure from this blog author's self-absorbed whining, we bring you a brief political message...

Three cheers for Harry and Nancy!!!! Hip-Hip-Hooray!!!!!!

Today Mr. Reid and Ms. Pelosi, with all their lovely fellow Dems, officially wrest the reins of the 110th Congress away from the Warmongers (if you have a favorite epithet for the Grim Old Party, feel free to insert it here), and Nancy makes butt-kicking history. You go, girl!!!

Even though I lean Green (as far left as the bleeding heart L-word), I have remained a registered Blue over the years. Unfortunately, the realities of our American Way still support a 2-party system.

I was visiting with a lefty friend in Boston last week who hates both Dems and Reps...and refuses to vote or even register (a requirement in Mass. to get a driver's license), because he does not want to be reduced to choosing the lesser of two evils. With his wife's backing, I scolded him in no uncertain terms about forfeiting his right to complain about this country's leadership.

Of course, as a Spiritual Person, I have been working hard to let go of my Againstness toward the "others" and I am certainly not politically active the way I was in my 20s, marching on Washington for women's rights and freedom to choose. But for years my Inbox has been filled with pleas to save the whales from sonar, the Arctic from oil, the disenfranchised voters of Florida and Ohio, etc., etc., etc., and my tender heart just wants to see everything made all right for our planet and our people.

A Democratic Congress (and, God willing, a Democratic president in 2008) is definitely a step in right, er left, direction, if not a panacea. From there, perhaps it is even a more realistic leap to Green.

I welcome your thoughts, opinions and input. :)

I spent New Year's Eve with my spiritual family enjoying a wonderful event at the Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens near downtown L.A.  

When several of my concerned friends asked how I was dealing with a challenging and rather public personal situation related to my divorce process, I shared honestly that I felt upset and angry.

I was dismayed at how many people tried to talk me out of experiencing these very valid emotions. By the 5th time I heard some variation of "give it up to God" or "you know, you can choose to just let it go," I was ready to scream. My poor friend Gail got an earful as I expressed exactly why I am entitled to these feelings, and in talking, I became clearer about my own process.

Let's face it, in our conscious community, we often disdain such unevolved things as emotions. As spiritual people, we are expected to be above all that human stuff, and encouraged to view our issues from a higher perspective. That approach can be very effective, don't get me wrong. But, if this is done without adequate healing work beforehand, it can lead to something called a "spiritual bypass." I personally have taken such a route many times in my life, to my detriment.

Spiritual bypass, in my understanding, is when we move right into Acceptance and Forgiveness, before taking the opportunity to explore, express and heal our underlying feelings. These emotions, especially the "negative" ones like anger, jealousy and resentment, get swept under the rugs of our psyches (that is, after we have spent some time judging ourselves for having them) and lodge deeper in our consciousness where they fester unseen, then pop out in unconscious ways -- through depression, physical pain, unsatisfying relationships, etc. It's like trying to hold the proverbial beach ball under water.

The key awareness that came as I talked with (at?) my friend that night was that I need to feel ALL of my feelings, in order to get to a place where I am ready to accept the situation and move on. I am just not there yet, and that's OK...I give myself permission to be "in process" as long as I need to. By experiencing my emotions fully and exploring the underlying patterns of hurt and betrayal (on my own or with a therapist), I can surface old karma and heal my issues at a much deeper level, instead of adding another layer to my shadow self by ignoring them.

So, in 2007, I intend to FEEL ALL MY EMOTIONS completely, without avoidance, denial or judgement, in service to my healing. I invite you to join me...

In Love and Light

One of my intentions for 2007 is to think less and act more.

I have been considering my entry into the vast blogosphere for many moons now, and it is now time for me to just jump in and DO it already! I will also be starting one on Blogger.com that is more career-oriented...stay posted for details.

So here I am with my first entry, The 12 Days of Christmas...What I Did on My Holiday Vacation.

I returned yesterday from a 12-day sojourn at my stepmom's 240-year-old family home in Wilton, New Hampshire. My stepbrother Todd and my niece Tasha were also there for a week, with his girlfriend Myra. We were all hoping for another song to come true...White Christmas...but alas, got plenty of sunshine, a little rain, and temperatures in the 40s...balmy enough to fool the shrubs into thinking it was springtime, judging from the furious budding going on in the yard.

Penny, my mom, has a cute, affectionate cat named Nala, and a lovable 6-month old Great Dane puppy, Obie, who is already 110 pounds and still growing. His breeder, Bill, dropped by the day after Christmas with Obie's parents and 2 of his littermates. Daddy dane is over 200 pounds and MASSIVE! That's him above, and Obie and sibs are in my photo gallery.

With a few exceptions, it was mostly a restful and relaxing time for me. Since I am still in healing mode from my divorce with Jim, I gave myself permission to stay up late reading, sleep in as long as I wanted, and generally be a bum. I really appreciated just doing NOTHING for an extended period. What a blessing! I highly recommend prolonged nothingness, especially if you are stressed out and/or in recovery.

The aforementioned exceptions:

I was able to take on one work project (I am a freelance copywriter) for a client that basically paid for my plane ticket. One afternoon I went to Salem, Mass. with Todd, Tasha and Myra...however, all the tourist attractions, such as the Witches Museum and the Dungeon, apparently close down for the winter. :(  So we shopped for 2 hours, then went home.

Since the others were flying out on the 25th, we celebrated on Xmas Eve with a big roast beef dinner that accomplished chef Myra whipped up...YUM!...then opened our presents around the beautiful tree that we had all decorated together earlier in the week. I really love the gorgeous amethyst pendant and limited edition angel sculpture I received. Although, I must admit, I felt a bit guilty (oh, no!) because I had decided not to spend much on gifts this year, as I am getting back on my feet financially post-divorce. But everyone was very understanding...and my gifts to them were thoughtful, if not expensive.

On the 26th, fellow MSIA ministers Alf and Ilenya Marrin (former L.A. folks) drove down from Vermont for dinner and an overnight stay with me and Penny. It is always a bit strange to see people in a different context than the one you know them by. We had a wonderful Italian dinner at Giorgio's in Milford. Unfortunately, the cute waiter I had met a week before with my family wasn't working that night. ;)

Ilenya is a graduate of the Doctorate of Spiritual Science program where I am currently a second-year student (through the Peace Theological Seminary and College of Philosophy). She offered to assist me in getting more clarity about my Practical Treatise focus, so we will be in touch often over the next few months. Thanks, Ilenya!

Because I had to cram all my socializing into the last 2 days of my visit, on the 27th, I drove down to Boston to see my friends David and Lynne, and their adorable daughters Katie and Lydia, 5 (nearly 6) and 3 years old at their lovely 100-year-old home in Melrose. Here in California, a house is considered old if it was built before 1970.

Although it is sometimes challenging, I am glad that Jim and I are making the effort to remain friendly; otherwise, it would be much harder to stay connected with people like Lynne and David, who were Jim's friends before we got married. I enjoyed catching up with both of them, twirling with Lydia and reading 2 chapters of Samantha, An American Girl story to Katie. The girls are so precious and I have missed being able to watch them grow up since the family moved back to Boston from Carlsbad, CA a year ago.

From there, I drove down to Nantasket in rush-hour traffic to meet Jim, his mother Joan and her boyfriend Eric at a fantastic seafood restaurant called The Ocean Club...can't beat a fresh, delicious lobster dinner for $12.95!

Jim came into Boston on Christmas Day to help his mother pack and move to Charlottesville, VA, so she can be closer to her grandkids--Charlie and Jane--Jim's sister Aimee and her husband Ned, as well as to live in a healthier, warmer climate after her recent illness. I had not seen my mother-in-law since our decision to get divorced, so I really wanted to say goodbye to her in person.

Leaving Jim's family has, at times, been more difficult for me than splitting up with him...I know he will continue to be in my life one way or another, but from past experience, the family tends to drift away over time. Although, several of his relatives are keeping in occasional touch with me, and I would like to make the effort to stay connected with them. Wish me luck!

I made it back to Wilton by 10:30 to pack and get a few zzz's before waking up at 4:00 am for my 7:00 flight from Manchester. Needless to say, as soon I walked in the door yesterday afternoon, I went right back to bed. Next up: Setting my intentions for 2007. Oh, and a shower. ;)