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I began writing this book after my husband of 51 years passed away, hoping to find my purpose in this new chapter of my life. Without my best friend by my side, I sought guidance and clarity. Through my writing and research, I learned to be patient with myself and the process, embracing each day as it comes. Digging deep into my subconscious to uncover my purpose required time, effort, and patience. I discovered that within each of us lies an untapped well of strength. Whether its in health, career, relationships, or emotions, our true power is ready to be harnessed. By understanding the limits imposed upon us, we can break free and create the world we dream of. This book explores the souls journey and the quest for purpose and inner strength, emphasizing patience and gradual progress. The essence of the souls journey lies in accumulating and comprehending experiences. Each action, spoken word, and emotion contributes to this path of learning, growth, and evolution. Its a path of learning, experiencing, and evolving. A soul journey is a route of spiritual and personal development that enables us to discover our passions, connect with our inner selves, and align with our greater purpose. Its a journey to realizing our individual potential and reaching our destiny. Throughout our journey, we seek to find purpose and meaning beyond the material world. At that point, the concept of a soul journey becomes a reality.
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YOUR POWER WITHIN INNER GUIDANCE
YOUR POWER WITHIN INNER GUIDANCE
Blanca De La Rosa
First edition: September 2024
© Copyright of the work: Blanca De La Rosa
© Copyright of the edition: Angels Fortune Editions ISBN: 978-84-129210-6-9
ISBN digital: 978-84-129210-7-6
Correction: Blanca De La Rosa Cover Design: Celia Valero Layout: Celia Valero
Editing by Ma Isabel Montes Ramírez
© Angels Fortune Editions www.angelsfortuneditions.com
All rights reserved for all countries The total or partial reproduction of this book, or the compilation in a computer system, or the transmission in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical or by photocopy, by registration or by other means, neither the loan, rent or any other form of cession of the use of the copy without prior written permission of the copyright owners. «Any form of reproduction, distribution, public communication or transformation of this work can only be carried out with the authorization of its owners, except as otherwise provided by law»
LEARN TO MAKE LEMONADE
The Optimist
Author: Clarence Edwin Flynn (November 1940), The Rotarian
“Life handed him a lemon, As Life sometimes will do. His friends looked on in pity, Assuming he was through. They came upon him later, Reclining in the shade In calm contentment, drinking A glass of lemonade.”
“Choose to be optimistic, it feels better.” — The Dalai Lama
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE: Meaning of Title and Cover Design
CHAPTER 1
My Chosen Path
The End of My Life as I knew It
Opposites Attract
What’s in a Name—Reclaiming My Identify
Spiritual Awakening
The Reunion
CHAPTER 2
The Soul’s Journey
What is a Soul journey?
Your Inner Guidance—Look Within
Discovering Your Life’s Purpose—Why Am I Here?
Choose Your Own Path
Your Soul’s Journey
CHAPTER 3
Walking the Walk of Your Chosen Path
Self-Acceptance—Embrace Your Uniqueness
Project Confidence—Boost Your Self Esteem
Master Your Fears
Shake Off the Bitterness
Find Someone or Something to Lean on
Embrace New Beginnings
Walking the walk of your chosen path
CHAPTER 4
Easing the Walk of Your Chosen Path
Chronic Stress
Make Sleeping a Priority
Laugh More
Listen to Music
Just Say “No”
Strive for Financial Freedom
Choose Peace and Happiness
Easing the Walk of Your Chosen Path
CHAPTER 5
Parenting—To Be or Not To Be
The Teenage Brain
Is parenting over-rated?
CHAPTER 6
What About Religion?
Spirituality versus Organized Religion
CHAPTER 7
The End of Your Chosen Path
Fear of Death
Transformative Voyage for a New Beginning
Departure of the Soul
Deathbed Companions
Your Legacy and Beyond
Tapestry of Life and Death
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BIBLIOGRAPHY
PROLOGUE: Meaning of Title and Cover Design
The title “Your Power Within - Inner Guidance” emphasizes the themes of personal empowerment and wisdom by suggesting that each individual harbors a source of strength and knowledge inside themselves, which is complemented by the notion of inner guidance. It acknowledges that recognizing and tapping into one’s own power is the initial step on the path to gaining profound wisdom, with inner guidance serving as an instrumental resource, unlocking their full potential and navigate life’s journey with confidence and insight.
The lotus flower is a powerful symbol that complements these themes. In many spiritual traditions, the lotus represents purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration, and rebirth. Its characteristics are a fitting metaphor for personal growth and the quest for wisdom. Despite growing in muddy waters, the lotus blooms immaculately above the surface, which parallels the human ability to rise above challenges and limitations to achieve a state of clarity and enlightenment.
Incorporating the lotus flower into the cover design visually communicates these ideas. It signifies blossoming into one’s best self, guided by the inner wisdom that the title speaks of. The unfolding petals represent the layers of personal discovery and the expansion of one’s inner power, while the clean, radiant bloom suggests the attainment of spiritual enlightenment and the realization of one’s potential.
The lotus flower is a complex symbol that embodies the path to enlightenment, the resilience of the spirit, the significance of detachment, and the splendor of creation, resonating across different spiritual avenues. It holds profound spiritual significance across various cultures and religions. The flower is commonly associated with purity, inner strength and tranquility, but its symbolism extends beyond that. The flower plays a symbolic role in various religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Given its deep symbolic meanings and connection to religion, the lotus flower is considered one of the most sacred plants.
The lotus flower’s journey from the depths to the light encapsulates the spiritual path of humans, echoing the soul’s ascent from the confines of the physical world to the liberation of the spiritual realm. Its beauty and grace serve as a powerful reminder of our own potential to rise above challenges and bloom with resilience and grace.
Furthermore, the lotus embodies the principle of detachment. Each night, it retracts from the water, symbolizing the need to withdraw from worldly desires and materialistic ties. This act serves as a poignant reminder to maintain spiritual purity amidst life’s impurities and attachments.
Overall, the title and the imagery of the lotus flower work together to convey a message of hope, transformation, and the infinite possibilities that lie within the realm of personal empowerment and inner wisdom.
CHAPTER 1
My Chosen Path
My chosen path revolved around family—the compass that guided me, the anchor that steadied my soul. Their laughter echoed through the hallways of our home, weaving threads of support and stability. In their eyes, I glimpsed purpose—a shared journey where we thrived together.
Throughout the years, my husband and I nurtured our love. We weathered storms, danced through seasons, and reveled in the simple joy of being together. Dancing and travel became the rhythm of our lives—a harmonious duet that echoed across continents and our kitchen alike.
As we planned the celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary, excitement bubbled within us. We were about to honor a magnificent tapestry—a labor of love woven with threads of commitment, shared memories, and cherished moments. Our children, grandchildren, and extended family would gather, and amidst laughter and tears, we’d celebrate the legacy we had created—a legacy that transcended time.
The End of My Life as I knew It
August 4, 2023, was the beginning of the end of my life as I knew it. The doctors diagnosed my husband, Danilo Cespedes, with pancreatic cancer and gave him six to eight months to live.
We were both in shock, trying to come to terms with the fact that our lives would never be the same. The days seemed to blur together as we navigated through the whirlwind of doctors’ appointments, treatment plans, and emotional turmoil.
As we digested the finality of the diagnosis, Danilo was afraid at the prospect of dying. I was delicately trying to appease him but to no avail.
I often shared with him my views on the afterlife, astral travel, celestial beings, and other mystical subjects. While he would listen, he seemed skeptical of these concepts. However, one morning in 2022, he awoke with a sense of wonder and excitedly said to me, “Blanca, I went to the other side last night. It was so peaceful. I saw my parents and friends and it felt so good to be there. I now understand what you have been telling me about the other side and soul travel. I was there.” After sharing this profound experience, we moved on from the topic and never mentioned it again.
Early September 2023 as I was driving to the hospital in tears feeling helpless, not knowing what I could do to help him. I suddenly remembered that conversation from the prior year and knew that I had to remind him.
When I got to the hospital, I said to him, “Do you remember that dream that you told me about where your soul traveled to the other side? How it felt to be there, and that there was nothing to fear about going there. That was to prepare for this experience so that you wouldn’t be scared.” After we had that conversation, his attitude changed. He was no longer afraid and accepted his fate with courage. During his illness, I continued to share with him my beliefs and told him that after he passed he had to find a way to come back and tell me whether I was right or wrong.
As the months passed, we clung to each other for support, finding solace in the small moments of normalcy amidst the chaos. We tried to make the most of the time we had left together, cherishing every moment, never leaving one another’s side.
Despite the overwhelming sadness that consumed us, we found moments of hope and strength in each other. We faced the challenges ahead with courage and resilience, determined to make the most of the time we had left.
As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, we found joy in the simple things, treasuring every smile, every laugh, every I love you, and every moment of peace we shared in the confinement of our home.
During the final two weeks of his life, Danilo talked about visions of his mother and other deceased loved ones, which provided profound comfort. He seemed to be very comforted by his mother’s presence as he spoke with her telling her that he was depending on her to guide him in this journey. The communication with his mother helped Danilo approach the end of his life on earth with a level of acceptance that surprised many of his family members.
Danilo had always said that he wanted to die before me and when the time came, he wanted it to be just the two of us. The day before he passed Hospice had told us he would pass within the next 24 hours. His three sons and one of their wives were in the room. At about 11:00 p.m., I told everyone to go home get a good night’s sleep and come back the next day. After they left, I said to him, “Everyone is gone now. It’s just the two of us now, just like you wanted. Please let me know when it’s time. Don’t leave without saying goodbye.”
As some cancer patients approach death, breathing patterns can change and secretions may collect in the throat. This creates a rattling sound known as the death rattle. It is a part of the dying process.
While the sound is unpleasant, the person emitting the death rattle usually feels no pain or discomfort. The death rattle signals that death is near. On average, a person usually lives for approximately 24 hours after the death rattle and the dying process begins.
I lay down by his side, holding his hand. Despite the loud sound of the death rattle, I dozed off. I don’t know for sure what alerted me. I thought I detected a difference in the rattle and awakened at about 6:15 a.m. Somehow, he found a way to make sure I was awake and present when he took his last breath.
On January 29, 2024, at 6:35 a.m. my lifelong partner and best friend of 52 years departed from this world, creating an irreplaceable void in my heart. The profound sorrow I was feeling rendered my heart speechless, unable to express itself. The echoes of my husband’s existence remain in my soul, reverberating in my chest every time I think of him.
Amid my grief, I found solace in the love we shared and the memories we created together. And though my life had taken an unexpected turn, I knew I would always carry his spirit with me, guiding me through the darkness and reminding me of the strength we had found in each other.
I am grateful for the years filled with heartfelt and unwavering love, along with the deep respect we held for each other. Together, we shed tears and reveled in the happiness and laughter that define a lifetime. Disagreements between us were infrequent, and when they occurred, they were petty quarrels over insignificant issues that quickly faded away, leaving behind no resentment or silent treatment. I will always cherish the memories of the little things and precious moments that made up our 52-year journey together.
When Danilo passed away, I felt disoriented. I had spent eight months nursing him and sitting by his bedside as he battled pancreatic cancer, disengaging from all other activities. After his death and dealing with final arrangements, I felt like a blank page with no direction, unsure of what I should be doing. I had no clue what the future had in store for me without my lifelong partner and best friend by my side.
His death marked a significant turning point, the final chapter of my life on earth with Danilo. Yet, I was confident that our bond would persist in a spiritual form. The bonds we share with our loved ones does not end with their death; they simply transform. Maintaining a positive connection beyond death is vital for the well-being of souls on both sides of the curtain of life on earth and the other side. I conveyed this belief, which brought great solace to Danilo in his final days. He would often tell me, “I will always be by your side and will be waiting for you on the other side, but you better not show up with another guy.”
Since his passing, I’ve had two significant spiritual experiences with my beloved husband.
In mid-March, my sister called me in an emotional state. She cried as she said, “Blanca, I went for a reading with Denise at Celestial Circle and Danilo came through. He was very chatty, talking about the events of his memorial service and in awe of the number of people that had attended. He wants to talk with you and asked that you call.”
You may think, where does one call to the other side, 1800-HEAVEN? Of course, I knew she meant to make an appointment with Denise at Celestial Circle, and I did. My appointment was a couple of days later that week. When I connected with the medium, she said, “There is someone here that wants to say something.”
I said “Okay” in apprehension, not sure what was going to be said. To my shock and pleasant surprise, she said, “He said tell her she was right.”
I immediately burst into tears, knowing that it was my dearly departed husband coming back as I had asked him to find a way to come back and tell me ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. During the forty-minute reading, he told me how grateful he was for the care I had given him during his illness and that he could not have asked for a better nurse. He also said that if I had not agreed to marry him, he would’ve never married as his life plan included one wife and that was me but only if I agreed to marry him. He said that he would always be by my side and that of our family. He asked that I not give up on writing as he would inspire me through my journey as an author. Although I cried for days after this experience, it was extremely comforting for me to know I could maintain communication with my husband. That our relationship would continue on a spiritual level as he would still be my most ardent supporter.
The second experience was a much more tangible and supernatural one. In mid-June, as I slept on my side, I felt my bed move and sensed some commotion behind me. I tried to turn around to see what was going on behind me and what had caused the bed to move, but I was immobilized. I was conscious but could not move my body. Just then, my soul exited my body, and I saw Danilo lying down beside me. He was looking strong, vibrant, and handsome, appearing to be in his late 40s. I was so happy to see him. I touched him, and he felt real.
I said, “Oh my God, you came back, it’s really you,” I babbled on. He responded, “I only have ten minutes, then I have to go.” During those ten minutes, he told me that he was happy on the other side and thanked me for our shared experience and for taking such good care of him during his illness. However, he was concerned as he could see how his illness was taking a toll on me. Every day, he would pray it would be his last so that he could release me from the burden. He said, “You look much better now.” I told him that taking care of him was my pleasure and I would not have wanted it any other way because I knew that if it were me on that bed, he would’ve never left my side nor allowed anyone else to care for me. He assured me that he would always be by my side and would always love me. This experience was very comforting for me, knowing that he was doing well and that we could still communicate.
My partner’s absence left me grappling with a mix of emotions - grief, confusion, and a sense of loss. I felt adrift and unsure of how to move forward without him by my side as his absence upended my life, causing the routine and familiarity of my life to disappear. I felt like a part of me was missing, and I struggled to envision a future without him. For example, we shared a deep connection through our travels to many different countries and the mere thought of boarding an airplane without him evoked powerful emotions.
There was no place I wanted to go and confined myself to our bedroom in an intentional search for solitude. I reduced my life to the simple things: reading, writing, watching Lifetime movies, and sleeping a lot. I’d spend days in my bedroom, as it was my sanctuary where I had spent quality time with him. Being in that room comforted me, as his presence was still palpable. I only ventured out of my bedroom to the kitchen to get something to eat.
Although I looked forward to talking to friends and family from time to time, I avoided meeting anyone, because I wanted to be alone in that kind of hermetic bubble I had created solely and exclusively for myself and my spiritual connection with Danilo. I did not want to know what was going on outside of my little bubble whether it was someone else’s personal drama or national drama on the news. Intentionally isolating myself, creating a cocoon of solitude where the outside world would only intrude when I gave it permission to do so. I recognized that even as I secluded myself in my own isolated world, life continued to unfold. The world spins, seasons change, and stories unfold. As I was in hibernation, winter gave way to spring, and spring blossomed into summer, yet I stayed within my cocoon. Nevertheless, I recognized the need to reconnect gradually with the rest of the world. Peeking from the confines of my cocoon, I began to explore the world that had continued to evolve outside my secluded haven.
As I navigated the practicalities of life without him, I also had to come to terms with the emotional void his absence had left behind. Memories of our time together flooded my mind, both comforting and painful in their reminder of what I had lost.
Amid this uncertainty, I recognized that it was essential to reinvent myself and my existence in his absence. It became imperative for me to discover the new direction my journey should take now that I was on my own. It was a daunting task, but I knew I had to move forward, to honor his memory while also carrying on my own with my destiny for part two of my life. It was going to be a journey of self-discovery and healing, one that would ultimately lead me to a place of acceptance and peace.
Opposites Attract
Danilo and I were like night and day, yet as the saying goes, “opposites attract.” Despite our stark differences, we shared a 52- year relationship filled with its ups and downs—thankfully, with the ups far outweighing the downs.
Reflecting on my life with Danilo, I thought a lot about why opposites attract and concluded that the reason opposites attract is to bring balance into one another’s lives. Balance is critical for leading a fulfilling and happy life, as having too much of anything is not good for you.
Our 52 year relationship taught me you are not someone else’s other half or better half. In order to have a long-lasting relationship, you must acknowledge your individuality before you can pronounce yourself a couple. Know yourself, your wants and needs.
Danilo was an inevitable part of my life’s journey, despite my initial reluctance. His determination was unwavering as he continued to court me for several years until I finally agreed to go out with him. His refusal to accept rejection and his repeated efforts to win me over suggested that he, being a few years older, knew deep down inside that this relationship was part of our combined destiny.
The cosmic connection center of the universe had ensured our relationship would happen. Or, at least, that we would meet.
Danilo worked in the produce section of the supermarket where my family shopped. I first noticed him when I was about thirteen years old, while at the supermarket with my mother. He was always trying to get my attention, and I hated it. I tried to avoid that section of the supermarket. You may think that thirteen is too young, but I was a mature-looking and acting thirteen-year-old.He was the best friend and schoolmate of the boyfriend of one of my first cousins. He once sent a message to me through my cousin, saying, “Tell her that if I don’t marry her, I will never marry.” My reply had been, “He should prepare for a life of bachelorhood.”He was friends with my father from the local barbershop and from fixing cars in the parking lot of the building where I lived, although Danilo did not know that his friend was my father.His sister was my mother’s hairdresser. He lived with his sister, half a city block from our apartment building.The synchronistic events that culminated in our meeting could not have been coincidental—it was our destiny—our life’s journey; that brought us together to experience this destined relationship.
