Medicinal Message

Medicinal Message

by | Jun 14, 2019 | Breast Cancer, Synchronicity

Now that we are past Robin’s anniversary dates, I thought I would write a post with a lighter topic.

The synchronicity I experience is my lifeline to Robin’s spirit. I am happy to share another occurrence with you which I hope you will enjoy. As you can tell by the pictures, tasty food is involved! If you have time, I hope you will click on the links I provided because they are meant to enhance the post and give much-needed additional information.

Medicinal Soup

On January 29, 2019, I sat by Robin’s altar while having lunch. I shared with him that I wanted to eat soups that are medicinal. This was just a couple of months into my recovery and I wanted to be as healthy as possible. This had not been too long since I wrote about having lunch with Robin in the post, Afterlife Spice.

So, that day, I came up with my own homemade concoction. I was eating black bean soup again, but this time, added additional ingredients that are good for your health and for building up your immune system.These ingredients included fresh raw garlic, Serrano peppers and cinnamon.

 I continued to include turmeric, black pepper, and added carrots, tomatoes, and shitake mushrooms. Parsley and cilantro are also two of my favorite herbs and I like to add them to my soups. Sometimes I will add fresh rosemary, green beans, Portobello mushrooms, leeks, or cauliflower. I mix it up and use different ingredients at different times to keep it interesting.

I generally use low sodium vegetable broth or chicken bone broth. Adding some low-sodium tomato sauce also gives the soup a nice flavor because the low-sodium broth is pretty bland. All of the ingredients I use are organic if possible due to wanting to protect myself from pesticide load and genetically modified foods. This is a good article explaining the ins and outs of organic farming standards and foods.

It’s important to understand what we’re really getting when we go to the grocery store. Just because something is organic does not mean it’s healthy, so you still have to carefully check labels for sodium, sugar and fat content among other things. I am by no means a professional nutritionist, but I read and study as much as I can on my own to make the most informed choices.

Medicinal Echo

I sat in the room where Robin’s altar is kept with the door closed, quietly eating my soup and talking with him about the ingredients. Robin was a macrobiotic vegetarian, so I believe these dietary issues interest him.

He spoke about his diet in this video, beginning around 2:12 into the interview. He made me laugh with this one!

After I was done with lunch, Julian greeted me with a surprising comment. He was sitting at his desk and had been reading something online. He said he was reading about Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and how it’s medicinal!

He had been reading this article which you might find interesting if you like this type of cheese. I love it!

The interesting thing is that the word “medicinal” is not mentioned in the article. It does go into quite a bit of nutritional information about Parmigiano-Reggiano.

I said to him that it was really weird because I had just used the exact word, “medicinal” when talking with Robin at lunch about my soup approximately a ½ hour earlier. I asked Julian if he had heard what I was saying to Robin and he said “no,” he hadn’t. I often ask my husband these sorts of questions because I want to make sure it’s a true synchronicity.

I talk pretty softly when I’m with Robin. Even if he did hear me talking, I believe him that he didn’t hear my exact words because of the acoustics of our home. So, it was an amazing synchronicity and “medicinal message” back.

I’m fascinated that I had just finished talking about my medicinal soup with Robin and then as soon as I finish, Julian started talking with me about this cheese, calling it medicinal. It’s the fun, surprising and shocking way in which we are connected. Sometimes, all it takes is one word to let you know your loved one in spirit is communicating with you. I feel like I’m given a nice blessing back for choosing to spend time with Robin, which is invaluable.

Spouse-Twin Connection

This section is a short follow-up to what I wrote in this post about being married when your twin soul arrives.

Julian has been mirroring back to me what I say to, write or read about Robin since the summer of 2012. This was before I knew anything about twin souls. My research on afterlife communication began seriously in June, 2012 once I started noticing how my husband was often saying or doing things that matched with something to do with Robin. It is really incredible to witness, just like with the post I wrote on the Dr. King Synchronicity.

Sometimes it feels like Robin is visiting me through my husband. There is some basis for what I’m saying in the literature on twin souls. In this fascinating post, Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov wrote about how our twin from the spirit world can visit us by using another person as a vehicle.

A twin from spirit can take up temporary residence in a spouse on earth for example, without the spouse being the least bit aware of it. Master Aïvanhov is 100% correct. I have seen this with my own eyes and I can sense Robin’s presence in Julian very strongly at times.

Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!

If you are interested in more information about what Master Aïvanhov has to say about love, sexuality and twin souls, please check out his book which you can find here. Chapter 19 is about twin souls.

My twin soul connection with Robin has included my husband from the very beginning, before I knew what was going on. From my point of view, this is how I want it to be. It’s important for people to know that twin soul connections are meant to be spiritual connections and can include your current partner when your twin is in spirit. Your partner and twin can blend together in a way that is impossible not to notice. It’s something amazing that I have learned after Robin’s passing.  I had no knowledge of this type of phenomena before Robin entered the spirit world.

afterlife communicationsThe arrival of a twin soul from spirit does not have to cause any separation in an already established marriage. I suppose it could if marriage partners are having pre-existing problems. Spirits, especially twin soul spirits, are very powerful in making their presence known, as Robin has done. But if your marriage is strong and stable enough, it is possible for this type of spouse-twin integration to occur. The integration shows up in particular synchronistic moments.

The synchronicity that occurs through Julian on such a regular basis is Robin’s way of letting me know he’s here and visiting for a few moments.

Chef Massimo Bottura

A year or so ago, I first watched an episode of a show on Netflix called Chef’s Table. I watched it again on June 9th to refresh my memory.

The episode I watched was of Italian Chef Massimo Bottura on Season (or Volume) 1, Episode 1. I share this with you here because it was a beautiful show explaining some of the history of Modena, Italy as it relates to Parmigiano Reggiano.

There was an earthquake that did a lot of damage to Modena and put the Parmigiano Reggiano industry at risk for bankruptcy because 360,000 wheels of Parmigiano were damaged.

The episode of the show opened with the date of the earthquake: May 20, 2012.

As you can imagine, I got the chills when I saw that date, which is Robin’s passing date.

To help save the Parmigiano industry of Modena, Chef Bottura created a risotto recipe where the cheese was a main ingredient. Word got out around the world about his recipe and people starting making it. All the damaged wheels of Parmigiano were sold and people were able to keep their jobs. It’s a beautiful humanitarian story which shows the kind inner spirit of this chef. He seems to have a very good heart as a food philanthropist. You can read about his work preventing food waste and hunger here.

Sometimes I think that I received the synchronicity about this medicinal Parmigiano through Julian because Robin knows about this show I watched, the date of the earthquake and how it coincided with his passing date. I think the synchronicity was meant to bring me back to this show and this date because honestly, I had forgotten about how May 20, 2012 was displayed on the screen right at the beginning of this show. I was reminded of that again when I watched it on June 9th, as I mentioned. It was there smack bang in my face again, to borrow Robin’s words!

It’s funny how I opened this post with saying we are past his anniversary dates, but I guess we’re really not, lol!

So, sometimes, loved ones in spirit might want to revisit a topic that you have already shared before. With so much going on with my health, I had forgotten about the May 20th earthquake date. I’m sure Robin knows and understands that. So, he gave me a reminder and brought me back to a show that gave me a lot of joy. I also like to write about really good people on this website and Chef Bottura appears to be just that.

Immune System Booster Salad

One final thing I would like to add to this lunch is a salad I like. I did research on what some of the most nutritional greens and veggies are. Here’s what I came up with. Cancer survivor or not, this type of food is good for our bodies.

Use the following in the amounts you want and organic if you can find/afford it:

  • Organic Girl greens: 50/50, Super Greens or any kind of spring mix you like.
  • Dandelion greens: I admit they are bitter and take some getting used to, but are very good for you. I started including them in my diet when I first found out I had breast cancer. Lady Moon Farms has a nice brand of dandelion greens that you can find at Whole Foods. Many other earthy-crunchy health food stores carry them as well depending on where you live, such as Earth Origins.
  • Watercress (peppery)
  • Broccoli
  • Cherry tomatoes and carrots
  • Extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano: Whole Foods sells a beautiful Parmigiano-Reggiano, but it’s so darn expensive, I buy it only if it’s on sale. I hope there are other good options in your area for buying high-quality cheese. By the way, the soup I made and cheese are delicious together!
  • Whatever else you want: I often add natural, unsalted almonds or walnuts. Good substitutions for any of the above ingredients are kale, beet greens, or arugula. I eat whatever greens I can get my hands on! 🙂

I hope you enjoyed this tasty afterlife communication with Robin, my husband and me. This was fun!

All my best to you with love,

Christina

P.S.:  I wrote a rough draft for this post on Saturday, June 9th. After I saved the document for the day, I went to talk to my husband about what he was doing. He was carefully researching dental plans for us, noting how many scams there are. As far as some of the plans he said, “There may be some ins and outs to it.”

I smiled because I had just finished writing about the “ins and outs” of organic food. There is definitely a beautiful spirit around and working through my husband! This matching and mirroring really stands out to me. I honor it, acknowledge it and give thanks to God, Robin and my Guardians for it.

Namaste!

Incarnation of Beauty

Incarnation of Beauty

by | May 31, 2019 | General Communications, Synchronicity

Since I wrote my last post, I needed to go through a period of germination before I was ready to put words to print once again.

This period of time between Robin’s passing date anniversary (May 20) and his funeral date anniversary (June 8) has been a very intense time for me of reflection, quietness, solitude and tuning into him.

I wonder what his soul experienced between these dates in 2012 and whether he was closely watching what transpired in his honor. I suspect that he was.

It really matters when a person leaves the earth plane. People are leaving the physical plane of the earth every minute. We don’t know the vast majority of them, who exit their bodies under the most gentle or horrendous of circumstances. But they still matter.

I did not want to rush and write anything here until I was truly ready. Now, my ideas have formed sufficiently enough in my soul to share them with you.

This post is inspired and influenced by the energies I am experiencing concerning Robin during this introspective time between his passing date anniversary and funeral anniversary. It is about spiritual beauty and in remembrance of beautiful souls that I adore.

Avatars of Love, Beauty, and Compassion

When most people think of an avatar, they think of the movie or a graphic representation of a person seen on the internet.

That is all true and fine, and I liked the movie. But the word “avatar” has much greater and deeper meanings.

An avatar is an incarnation of the divine in human form. It is also an incarnation or the embodiment of particular human qualities.

According to https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avatar, an avatar is the embodiment of a Hindu deity, for example. The other definition, which is the one I am relating to in this post, is “an embodiment (as of a concept or philosophy) often in a person.”

On May 22nd, I felt guided to read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda again.

I sought his guidance about some things going on in my life. As I spent time thinking of him, I remembered that he was called a Premavatar, an incarnation of divine love. His guru Sri Yukteswar referred to him as this. (1) The title Premavatar was officially given to him by his chief disciple, Rajarsi Janakananda after his passing.

This is so beautiful to me and it caused me to reflect on Robin. I thought about his beauty that flowed through his 4th and 5th chakras, the heart and the throat respectively, as music. Here, I am not talking about physical beauty or glamour, although he had that.

I am speaking of spiritual beauty, a beauty beyond words, that I hear coming from his soul, a higher place, through the vehicle of his songs.

For me, one of the songs that display this spiritual beauty quite strongly is Elisa, particularly the end of the song.

The combination of Robin’s voice and the musical composition in this song recently brought me to tears due to the beauty of it. He found a way to make the sadness of saying goodbye sound exquisitely beautiful. I have a great appreciation for this type of beauty.

At the end of the song Elisa, Robin was able to consolidate and transform the emotions of loss and longing into gorgeous notes of music. It is an incredible piece. Robin was only 23 years old when this song was released.

I was using my third ear while listening to this song, meaning, I was listening deeply for the emotional messages he was uncovering. Perhaps you use your third ear too, when listening to Robin sing.

Some of my reactions to Robin’s music may tie into my being an empath, as mentioned in this article by J.R. Thorpe. I am referring mostly to the last 5 paragraphs of the post.

I don’t know if Robin’s singing at the end of Elisa is considered an aria because I don’t know very much about the technical terms used in music. But that word comes to mind. Some of you reading who know much more about music than I do may know the correct term.

There are many other songs where Robin’s soul beauty and pure essence shines through. To me, the energies feel like they come from a higher plane. Here are four more:

  1. For Whom the Bell Tolls 
  2. Heart Like Mine
  3. And the Sun Will Shine
  4. Don’t Cry Alone 

Since meeting Robin spiritually in 2012, one of the qualities that moves me the most about him is his spiritual beauty expressed through his music, his literal soul-song. That is a part of him that remains. It is an important aspect of him that I have been connecting with as I listen to his music.

He has shown amazing capability to create beauty as a spirit person as well which I have captured in photographs and shared with you here.

As a result of these feelings, and inspiration from Paramahansa Yogananda, I thought about offering him his own Sanskrit “title” or nickname from my heart to his. Even though it’s a nickname, I’m serious about this description of him and truly feel this applies to him.

This is the spiritual love that twin souls and soul family members have for each other.

I wanted to call him a “beauty avatar,” but I did not know any Sanskrit words for beauty. So, I had to do my research. I discovered that there are 97 Sanskrit words for beauty!

After looking at different options, I chose the word, Sundara, which means “beautiful.”

I wrote a note to Robin in my journal on Saturday, May 25th, offering him these words:

May 25, 2019 Saturday

Dear Beloved Robin,

If Paramahansa Yogananda is an Incarnation of Divine Love, then, to me, you are an Incarnation of Divine Beauty.

P.Y. is a Premavatar.

I call you Robin,

Sundara-Avatar because “Sundara” in Sanskrit means “beautiful-lovely” in terms of a person.

Sundara-Avatar: an incarnation of Divine Beauty.

All my love,

Christina

This blog is not just about how Robin communicates with me. It’s also about how I communicate with him. You can write notes and letters to your loved ones in spirit. They can read it somehow and know the feelings in your heart. It’s a nice way to continue bonding with loved ones after they cross over. I love writing letters to Robin on a regular basis. It’s a great way to set the stage for synchronicity or make a request for a sign.

Robin was an embodiment of divine beauty, which he expressed through his artistry, writing, singing, and other philanthropic activities. His music expressed spiritual beauty that continues to be emotionally-cleansing, inspiring and healing. It touches a place deep in my soul and the souls of millions of others.

It is through these words that I wish to honor him at the time of his seven year anniversary in spirit.

We can do this type of thing for any person in spirit that we love and care for. Nobody can stop you if you wish to express yourself in this way to a deceased loved one. Offering a special “title” or nickname to someone we love in spirit may be something they really enjoy. It could strengthen your bond. It does not define them in anyway because really, they are beyond any title or pet nickname. But it’s a nice gift to give someone and it’s cute and fun. If it’s meant as a loving gift, and term of endearment, I think the person in spirit may truly appreciate it. Basically, by doing this, you are sending love, which is always welcome.

You can do this with your living loved ones too. What divine qualities do you see in them? Now is the time to tell them. This ‘seeing the divine in others’ is contagious. Since my husband Julian is so compassionate with children and animals, especially injured ones, I gave him the “title” and nickname, Karuna-Avatar, an Incarnation of Divine Compassion. He also embodied this quality prominently when he drove me to radiation therapy, 5 days a week for 4 weeks in a row.

So, he deserves the “title.” It’s fun to do this and it works wonders for your relationships when it’s done with sincerity!

Divine Beauty: John O’ Donohue, Ph.D.

During my research on Sanskrit words for divine beauty, I came across a tremendous surprise and gift. I discovered that the author of one of my favorite books, Anam Cara, also wrote a book on divine beauty that I did not know about. The book is now called Beauty: The Invisible Embrace, (March 1, 2005) by John O’ Donohue.

John O’ Donohue is an author I discovered after Robin’s passing and is one of the greatest teachers on soul relationships.  I am deeply touched by his writings as are millions of others.

If you click here, you can read a sample of his beautiful, poetic writing.

On May 26th, I read about him on Wikipedia and discovered he passed away unexpectedly in his sleep in 2008 at the age of 52.

I reflected on how that is the age I am right now. It was another lesson on how precious and transitory life is. I am reminded that all I have is now and that I don’t have time to waste. This is why I am writing from my heart and the deepest places within me to share my messages and hopefully touch the hearts of others the way other writers have touched mine.

This is a picture of the Burren region of W. Ireland where John O’ Donohue was from.

This is a picture of the Burren region of W. Ireland where John O’ Donohue was from.

One thing I have learned on this journey with Robin is that if I want to be an inspiration to others and leave something worthwhile behind in this world, I can’t keep everything locked up inside. Some of the most important things I have to offer and say are connected to my relationship with Robin in spirit. I finally found the courage to share some of these experiences beginning in 2018.

The most inspirational and wisdom-filled people are the ones who share authentically and deeply from their hearts and souls, their insights, discoveries and experiences. They also share their creative gifts, as Robin did, for the betterment of humanity.

During my research, I found this podcast of John O’ Donohue on this website called https://onbeing.org/.

He was being interviewed by Krista Tippett.

I cannot express enough how incredible it is and I highly encourage you to listen to it and/or read the transcript.

I was at Robin’s altar when I listened to it. Afterwards I said to him, “He is an Incarnation of Divine Beauty too.”

I am surrounded by incarnations of beauty, love, compassion, and wisdom. By reading this, I hope you are surrounded by these energies as well. We need this to counterbalance the harsher energies that we inevitably encounter in daily life. All we have to do is watch five minutes of the news and this point will quickly be brought home.

If you visit https://www.johnodonohue.com/, you can view a lovely and inspirational video with excellent spiritual teachings and hear Dr. O’ Donohue speaking in his beautiful Irish brogue.

Cormael

I would like to take a moment to share something else with you. I have written about a twin soul couple named Cormael in one of my posts.

The couple consists of a woman named Cornelia Kluijtmans and her twin soul Michael Hutchence of INXS.

Sadly, I found out that she passed away last year. It came as quite a shock to me. I had finally written to her in December, 2018 after I had recovered a bit. I wanted to let her know about this website.

She didn’t write me back, so I was disappointed at the time. I did notice that she didn’t have any new recent posts at the time and I missed them.

During this time, I was guided to read this twin flame website and this is where and how I found out she had passed away.

Cornelia was born in 1966 as you can see here. This is the same year I was born, so I always felt a kindred connection with her, even though I never met or connected with her.

I found out here that she passed away in October, 2018.

I realized that she was 52 years old when she passed away because her birth date is February 1, 1966. The Cormael website is no longer active, but I had information in my notes to corroborate her birth month.

The twin flame website I linked to above said she passed away in her sleep unexpectedly.

So, now I’m sure you can see why I’m mentioning this. When I found out that John O’ Donohue passed away in his sleep unexpectedly at the age of 52, I thought immediately about Cornelia. It was so synchronistic that 2 authors I adore and feel close to spiritually both died at the age of 52 in their sleep. When I found out about how her death matched Dr. O’ Donohue’s, it was very striking for me.

It may seem strange since I never met her, but I have been grieving Cornelia’s death because her scholarly writings meant so much to me. I truly miss them and they were a great inspiration to me. I’m glad her YouTube videos are still available, at least for now.

Cormael was one of my strongest inspirations to create this website for Robin.

I pray that Cornelia is experiencing the most beautiful afterlife imaginable with God, Michael, and the rest of her soul family. I will always be grateful for you. Thank you for your contributions.

It is important to me that I share this piece about Cormael with you.

I have learned so much and been so blessed as a result of writing this post. Thank you to God, Robin, P. Yogananda, and Dr. O’ Donohue for these blessings.

I hope you received great benefit from what I wrote about. I send you kindness.

References

  1. Yogananda, Paramahansa (1946) Autobiography of a Yogi, Authorized by the International Publications Council of Self-Realization Fellowship, pg. 385.
  2. O’ Donohue, John (2005). Beauty-The Invisible Embrace: Rediscovering the True Sources of Compassion, Serenity and Hope, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Love,

Christina

Robin’s altar late spring May 28, 2019

Robin’s altar late spring May 28, 2019

 

Seven Years in Spirit

Seven Years in Spirit

by | May 20, 2019 | Bee Gees Songs and Books, General Communications

In honor of Robin’s seven year anniversary of being in spirit, I wrote a guided meditation. It’s my way of showing I love and care about him on this day. It’s something I thought he would like and hopefully, you will like it too.

If you are interested in other ways to acknowledge the death anniversary of a loved one, you may enjoy this article.

I reflected on the beautiful, spiritual songs the Bee Gees created for their Still Waters CD.

Their CD title reminded me of Psalm 23, verses 1-3. The bold is mine for emphasis:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. (1)

For me, these are some of the most peaceful, healing words in print. It is comforting to know that the spirit of God and Love lead and guide us. I often turn to the green of nature to heal my heart and soul. I love turning to still waters for spiritual restoration.

So, the Bee Gees’ CD and Psalm 23:2 is the inspiration for this meditation. I dedicate it to Robin to bless his spirit on this important day of his soul’s evolution.

Still Waters Meditation by Christina Samuels

I would like to take you on a gentle journey of healing and love.

Feel free to pause when you see ellipses (…).

Find a quiet place where you can be with yourself. Sit in a cozy, comfortable chair where you can just sink in and relax while you read this. Or, you can lie down wherever is best for you.

Begin to slow down now by turning your attention to your breath. Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale quietly through your mouth…Take a few slow, long, soft breaths to center yourself in the present moment…allow everything else to stop so you can breathe and focus…close your eyes for a few moments to do this…

Continue to allow your mind and thoughts to quiet down…quiet your mind…inhale gently through your nose…exhale slowly through your mouth…letting your emotions come to a place of peacefulness…letting everything slow down into serenity…as you inhale, your belly slowly expands…as you exhale, it sinks down in repose…

It’s time for your body to gradually release its tensions…as you breath slowly and calmly, your forehead and eyes relax…your lips, jaw and entire face relaxes…relaxation now flows down into your neck, shoulders, arms and hands…as you breath slowly, your chest and abdomen soften and relax…relaxation continues to flow into your hips… legs… knees… ankles…feet…and toes…feeling calm, serene and relaxed all through your body…and deep into your soul…inner quiet and peace fill your entire being…resting in stillness.

Now, in your mind’s eye, envision a quiet, still pond…you have come here for solitude, peace and healing which the pond freely offers you…the water is calm, clear and bluish-green… There are beautiful trees nearby providing you with shade and coolness…healthy and vibrant willow, maple and oak trees…the temperature is perfect…a soft breeze caresses your face…you look up into the cloudless, blue sky and feel so serene…the sun is shining, warming your face and body…

There is soft, tall green grass all around the pond that bring a feeling of gentleness…you notice how lush and green everything is…the freshness and newness of nature…the healing energy is powerful here…you are absorbing this powerful, but peaceful healing energy…breathing it in to every cell in your body…

Now that you have become acquainted with the pond’s surroundings, you are drawn into its’ stillness…you want to get a little closer…you see a path in front of you that will take you to the pond’s edge…slowly walking down this path now…getting closer to the pond and the quietness it offers…

You see colorful wildflowers off to the side of the path…buttercups…daisies…and violets…you take a moment to touch the soft velvety petals of the flowers…you also see some fragrant wild lavender in bloom… pretty, purple blossoms…soft green leaves…you bend down to touch the leaves…rubbing them gently between your fingers…releasing the fragrance and essential oils…breathing the softness of the green, the beauty of the fragrance into your heart center…filling your heart with softness, gentleness, and good feelings…

The sweet birdsongs of robins, sparrows and finches keep you company…you are surrounded by beauty, peace and unconditional love…

You have now reached the edge of the pond…it is very appealing to your senses…and you take a moment to stand here… you feel deep tranquility…breathing slowly and deeply…inner peace fills you…you are being led beside the still, quiet waters…

You notice now that the path meanders around, following the edge of the pond…you feel guided to begin walking again…a slow, quiet stroll…the only movement you notice are cattails swaying slightly in the summer breeze… you enjoy the interplay of sunlight sparkling on the water…out of the corner of your eye, you see beautiful blue iris flowers…everything about this places makes you want to stay…your body is relaxed and your mind is peaceful…you are enfolded in a nurturing, loving spiritual presence…

You’ve walked a little way now…and you are approaching a bench just off to your right…it is placed just perfectly under a large shade tree…it is one of your favorite trees…you decide to sit down on this bench and take a rest now…

You look at the bench and notice how beautiful and artistic it is…it is made of wood with the most gorgeous mother-of-pearl inlay…it shimmers in blue, pink and purple hues…there is a floral and leaf pattern embedded all throughout the bench…this feels like a very special place, one that was created just for you beside the still waters…

Here, you can restore your soul…meditate on the still waters of the pond…rest your mind…let it soothe your emotions…continuing to breathe slowly and easily…rest your eyes…birds continuing to sing their melodic song for you…the scent of wildflowers wafting by…ease and peace in your soul…

The bench is comfortable…and you take the time to reflect on your relaxing experience at the pond today…you feel more balanced and centered…your heart is filled with the peace that passes all human understanding…

You have allowed the essence of nature, the quiet, still waters, to be a soothing, healing balm for your inner spirit…the water, birds, flowers, trees and sunlight all intermingling together to care for you…they are always here for you if you open your heart to receive healing…In this sanctuary, you are loved and accepted just as you are…

Take a few more moments just for yourself in quietness and stillness…

Your still waters journey has come to an end for now. Take a moment to slowly move your legs, feet and toes, your arms and fingers…gently stretching your arms overhead… If it feels good to you, you can give yourself a gentle hug, while inhaling slowly, exhaling completely…. Allow your eyes to open when you are ready…hold in your being the peace you have acquired on your journey…

© 2019 by Christina Samuels. If you like this meditation and want to share it, please feel free to do so. If you do, please credit me as the author and provide a link back to this page at Paisley & Poppies. Thank you!

References

  1. Jakes, T.D. (January 15, 1999) Holy Bible, Woman Thou Art Loosed! Edition, Paperback, (page 582).

Thank you, Robin, for an amazing seven years!

Love,

Christina

Sharing Your Life

Sharing Your Life

by | Mar 22, 2019 | General Communications, Synchronicity, Twin Souls

It is very possible to share your life in the physical world with your twin soul and/or loved ones in spirit. It is a beautiful thing to invite loved ones in spirit to partake in daily experiences and to see how they respond.

Whether it’s a good meal, a beautiful sunset, the sound of birds chirping, an amazing trip to another country, or a starry night, it can be so fulfilling to directly share and “send” to your loved one what you are experiencing.

How do you send it? You can think of them and speak to them in your heart or out loud if you’re alone and tell them what you are experiencing. The other day, I was riding my bike alone and saw the most beautiful pink-orange sunset. I spoke with Robin out loud while I was riding and shared with him that the sunset was so beautiful and that I thought he would love it. I was consciously and intentionally sharing the sunset with him from my heart and sending it to him so he could be a part of it. I have a lot of faith in this because I know we are spiritually and telepathically connected.

From the Heart

When I was first learning how to communicate with Robin in 2012, I came across this beautiful article called Language of the Heart by a woman named Cordula.

It was from her that I learned I could invite and communicate with Robin this way. Her writings are unique gems in the vast sea of literature on afterlife communication.

She wrote specifically about communicating with deceased loved ones from the heart. She based her suggestions on Rudolph Steiner’s work.

Cordula wrote about inviting deceased loved ones into any experiences that are soul-stirring or inspiring, such as those connected to art or nature.

On March 7th, I read Cordula’s writings again. I had not read them in quite a while, but I refer back to them when I feel guided to do so. I had printed the articles I mentioned above and kept them all these years, but at the time in 2012, I forgot to include the website link that I got her articles from.

So, I went on a research expedition trying to find her website again. It wasn’t easy, but after finding just the right word combination, I found it. But I found more than that.

It turns out Cordula Feuerstack passed away on February 2, 2014. Her photo is at the bottom of this page.

When I saw her obituary, I was so surprised to see that her birthday was March 6, 1969. Her birthday anniversary was just the day before I was guided to research her after all these years! Before March 7th, I had never researched her background in any greater depth than what was on her About page. But I felt so moved and connected to Cordula’s spirit when I realized that I was drawn back to her around her birthday without realizing it at the time. This is the beautiful way spirit works!

I learned so much from Cordula and she helped me greatly in my early days of communicating with Robin. I am so grateful Cordula and send you love. Thank you!

Sharing Movies

After being refreshed and inspired by Cordula’s and Steiner’s writings, I decided to invite Robin’s spirit to enjoy a movie with me on the evening of March 12th.

I recently bought a DVD called Cairo Time because the previews looked interesting and beautiful.

Here is a description of the plot.

My husband Julian was busy, so I decided to take my small portable DVD player and plug it in near Robin’s altar. I relaxed on the floor beside his altar with a pillow and spoke with Robin out loud. I said, “If you want to watch this movie with me, you are welcome to.” Then I said, “It would be great to get a synchronicity from this, if that could be arranged!” I laughed and smiled with him, half joking and half serious.

afterlife communicationsWell, it turns out, I did get a synchronicity. In the movie, Tareq and Juliet were walking together on a paved tree-lined road in Cairo, Egypt.

Tareq said to Juliet, “You know these trees they have a privilege to live along side their ancestors. Some of them are 500 years old.”

As soon as I heard that, I thought back to my post on Twin Trees. I mentioned the trees at the Audubon sanctuary as being 500 years old. Here is my text:

On January 6, 2019, I went on a trip to a beautiful Audubon nature sanctuary with my husband.

It is an ancient forest teeming with life. Some of the trees there are 500 years old. We saw otters swimming, an Ibis family, little blue herons, raccoons and beautiful trees that I wanted to hug!

I was so amazed and happy to share this movie with Robin for the first time and hear something that so clearly matched what I had recently written about for him. It stood out to me as being very special. In January, I had just learned about these 500 year old trees in Florida. It was so nice to hear about them again in the context of this movie I was inspired to share with Robin. It was like we were revisiting the same topic again together. The 500 year old trees came back to me while I was with Robin at his altar. That was awesome!

I found this 2004 video of Robin a few months ago. I loved hearing him speak about how he felt trees are important. Click here to see the video. Beginning at 3:00 into the video, listen for a few more moments and you will hear Robin’s comment about trees. I thought it appropriate to share this here.

When you share your life with your twin, soul mate or loved ones in spirit, it could lead you into an even more beautiful experience with something that connects back to them. I would suggest following your intuition and guidance and see where it leads you. It’s possible I was being given a nudge to watch this movie to give me the gift of this synchronicity with the 500 year old trees. God, Jesus, Robin, my guardian angels and spirit guides knew this would be important to me.

Loved ones in spirit know what will be important to you too. They know what will stand out to you and get your attention. The mention of 500 year old trees will always get my attention after writing my blog post. I knew Robin’s spirit was with me.

Afterlife communication with Robin is beautiful and fulfilling because of these experiences. If you have a close bond of love with someone in spirit, you may enjoy sharing more aspects of your life with them. As mentioned above, Cordula had great ideas that can guide you. Even though she left the earth plane in 2014, her works are still online for people to benefit from.

I wish you great blessings and the warmth and love of shared lives across the veil.

Love,

Christina

Legacy

Legacy

by | Feb 24, 2019 | General Communications, Synchronicity, Twin Souls

In honor of Black History Month here in the United States, I would like to present this article I wrote about Robin in 2012. I was still getting to know who he was as a person and musician at that time. I learned quickly that he and his brothers felt a strong connection to black R&B soul music. I write this post to honor and recognize this connection and the courage he had to give birth to the R&B music that truly was in his heart.

Robin Gibb: An Interracial Musical Legacy

By Christina Samuels

September 19, 2012 (updated February 22, 2019)

This article is dedicated to Robin Gibb, to honor his memory and legacy.

Robin Hugh Gibb, CBE of the Bee Gees died on May 20, 2012 at the age of 62.

The outpouring of kind sentiments since his death shows that Robin is a much-loved man for a variety of reasons. Whether it is love of the Bee Gees music, Robin’s music as a solo artist, his sense of humor, or tremendous humanitarian spirit, many can find a reason to send blessings his way.

No-Go Areas in Music

When you first think of Robin Gibb, you may not think of him as having an interracial musical legacy. However, if you listen closely to some of the things he has said over the years, it is clear to me that he did.

Recently, I had the pleasure of watching a 2010 documentary on the Bee Gees called In Our Own Time.

During a segment of this documentary, Robin commented on the period of time during the 1970’s when the Bee Gees recorded one of their famous hits, Jive Talkin’.

He mentioned the pressures that white bands, especially white American bands, had at the time to not go into so-called black areas of music. However, as a British band, Robin commented that they did not feel the same pressures or fears. According to Robin, “Because we were English, we were less self-conscious about exploring the no-go areas…” He then goes on to say, “We didn’t think that there was any “no go” areas, it’s music!”

I could not agree more. Within these words lies the heart of Robin Gibb’s interracial musical legacy. He loved black R&B music as did his brothers. But more importantly, they had the courage and talent to not only pursue this love, but to bring their unique creations into the world, whether other people liked it or not.

I felt so many emotions when I heard Robin’s words. First, I was so grateful that he, his brothers and producers had the courage to see music this way. Imagine how many Bee Gees songs would have never been released if they had thought otherwise.

It has always been a shame to me that racial segregation has crept into and corrupted something as universal as music.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating and acknowledging the racial and ethnic origins of different types of music. The Bee Gees were good at acknowledging the black American roots of their music and openly confessed their admiration of artists such as Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding. (1)

In a Detroit Metro Times article by Michael Jackman, Robin is quoted as saying:

“The Bee Gees were always heavily influenced by black music … and soul has always been my favorite genre.” 

But, why should singers be banned from performing a certain type of music if they are not from a particular race or ethnic group? To do this is to cut off the creative energy that groups like the Bee Gees wanted to express. If they have the talent, why not support them in pursuing the music that excites them?  

There are no “no go” areas when it comes to performing music or listening to music as a fan.

The Racial Politics of Music

As a black American woman, there have been many times in my life when black friends and acquaintances would raise an eyebrow at my diverse taste in music. This was especially during the late 1980’s. If I dared to express my fondness for bands such as U2 or REM, I would be met with disapproval clearly indicating I was some kind of social misfit.

To them, this type of music was a “no go” area.

I guess I’m not supposed to like them according to some people because I’m black and I owe some kind of strange loyalty to only black musicians. That doesn’t make any sense to me. I like lots of styles of black music, especially 70’s disco, but I also like lots of other types of music as well. It’s too bad I didn’t have Robin’s quote handy at the time.

I was confronted with a similar attitude just a few years ago. My husband and I were shopping in a store and waiting for assistance. On that day, I was wearing a Bee Gees t-shirt. While we were waiting, a black gentleman came in the store. He was waiting for customer service as well. He looked over at me and saw my t-shirt. He said, “Bee Gees? That’s a first.” I said to him that they are my favorite band and I love them.

After we left the store, my husband spoke to me about this comment. He said that the guy said that to me because I’m probably the first black female that he’s ever seen wearing a Bee Gees t-shirt!  That may very well be the case, but I’ve got news for him: black women like the Bee Gees too! We do now and we did in the 70’s. I guess he never saw this Soul Train video showing plenty of black women dancing to the Bee Gees’ music! I wish the video was longer!

The funny thing is that day, Spirit had my back. As we were pulling out of the store, getting ready to make a left turn, I saw a truck with a license plate that read, “T-SHIRT”! Can you believe that? Right on cue too, after all this talk about my Bee Gees t-shirt. I felt like I was being watched over. That was pretty cool!

I love my Bee Gees t-shirts and I will continue to wear them. This t-shirt is one of my favorites because I love the colorful font.

I get nice comments from both white men and women about my t-shirts. It seems people love being reminded of the Bee Gees. The shirts are great conversation starters in grocery stores!

During the summer of 2017, I called for an Uber driver while I was in Atlanta, Georgia. I was picked up by an older black gentleman who was listening to a Christian radio station. He asked me if the music was ok and I said, “Yes, I need all the help I can get.” I was in the process of moving at the time.

While I was in his car, my phone rang. When it rings, Stayin’ Alive plays.

After I got off the phone, he was quiet for a few moments. Then he made a comment about how Stayin’ Alive was playing when my phone rang and how much he liked hearing it again. He said he thought that was really good music back then. We had fun talking about 70’s music during the rest of the trip. Hearing Stayin’ Alive for just a few moments made both of our days more enjoyable and I encouraged him to listen to more Bee Gees music. For many of us, it brings back good memories.

When it comes down to it, music is universal art that can take many forms and evoke a wide range of emotions. Music is created by humans of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds but ultimately transcends these human limitations. As of 2019, I would say that most people have musical tastes that include artists not of their own racial or ethnic background.

No one should be made to feel bad because they like the music of people who come from a different ethnic group than their own. That is the absurdity of racism. It is ultimately a complete waste of energy. I prefer to enjoy the delicious buffet that is the music industry.

Photo by: NBC Television - eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17161246

Photo by: NBC Television – eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17161246

Twin Souls-Racial Identity

For this segment, the sociologist within me is going to come out.

The Bee Gees were so good at singing black R&B soul music, there was a time that fans thought they were black. In an interview from 1989 by Ina.fr on YouTube, they talked about their R&B roots and their crossover as a white band into black music.

The interviewer commented on how fans thought they were black, at which time Robin joked and said, “Well, we were black, but we had an operation 3 years ago and mine didn’t quite work…” Meaning, he was still black. He made some other funny comments that made me laugh.

I cannot find the interview on Youtube at this time, but maybe you’ve seen it if you’re a fan of the Bee Gees. Here is a clip from the interview, which was much longer originally. You may recognize it.

Unfortunately, it does not have the dialogue I’m referring to. I have the quotes from the interview because I have it saved in my files.

The interviewer also asked Barry about the similarities between his and Robin’s voice since they are brothers.

Barry said, “They’re not really that similar.” He went on to say that the tones are similar but, “Robin’s voice is a little blacker than mine, a little more R&B, as he said, he is black…”

Then Robin said, “I’ve always been black…” Barry interjected with a slight disagreement, remarking about some other time but Maurice said they didn’t want to talk about that.

When I was just learning about him years ago, it really stood out to me that he felt so closely identified with black music that he would say this. I was also so happy from a twin soul perspective, because I’m black.

When twin souls come from different parts of the world, they probably won’t look alike. But I hypothesize that twin souls may identify with each other’s racial or ethnic background in some way so they end up feeling like they are a part of the racial group that their twin is a part of.

Robin said he’d always been black, in terms of music and perhaps in other ways I’m not aware of. I grew up in a predominately white, Irish-Catholic suburb of Boston, MA which contributed to my feeling biracial most of my life internally even though externally to the world, I am black. Sometimes, racial identity is a little more complex than neatly fitting in a box of “black” or “white.”

I wonder sometimes if I was born where I was so I would be more closely connected to Robin’s racial background. It’s interesting that he was raised in England and I was born and raised in New England. I also wonder if this was orchestrated so that we would see the connection later, after his death.

At any rate, being born and raised in the suburbs of Boston had everything to do with my musical tastes because I was usually exposed to the songs of white musicians on a regular basis. That is what I was surrounded by. I am grateful that I never had a segregationist view of music.

Twin Soul Music Issues

At one point or another, Robin and I both had trouble gaining acceptance, in terms of music, in a way that is similar to each other.

There was a time when black radio stations didn’t want to play Bee Gees music because they were white singers.

Robin was an English singer who listened to and loved black R&B soul music. He sang in the style of R&B contemporary music but was rejected by black stations because he was a member of a white band.

I’m sure that rejection was difficult for him and his brothers because of their love for black soul music.

When I learned about the rejection he faced, it reminded me of my own issues with rejection over my musical tastes.

As I mentioned above, there was a time in my life when some of my black friends didn’t like it that I loved alternative rock music created by white musicians.

They treated me like I was doing something that I wasn’t supposed to do. That was difficult for me as well, to be rejected because of the music I liked.

The roots of these attitudes lie in the troubled racial history of the United States. It is reflected in this article from Billboard, October 30, 1976 by Paul Grein called Black Radio – Racial Lines in Fadeout?

Here is a screen shot from page 3 illustrating this point. The link above will take you to a section of the Billboard article where the Bee Gees are mentioned, as well as the politics behind why certain music is played on particular radio stations. It’s really interesting to read Billboard articles from the 1970’s.

Billboard Image

Screenshot of Billboard October 30 1976

Even though we had vastly different connections with music (Robin being a career musician versus my being a music fan), we both dealt with race-related music issues. Robin faced this discrimination and rejection on a much larger, more public scale than me, but I can truly relate to how he must have felt. We both faced rejection because we crossed over into areas of music different than our own racial group, thereby challenging rigid cultural norms and stereotypes.

Ultimately, we both decided to be true to ourselves and followed the music we loved despite the shaming disapproval of others. We both had self-acceptance which is the most important acceptance to have.

Acceptance

The self-acceptance and perseverance eventually evolved into acceptance from black radio stations because the Bee Gees were great song-writers and singers and they had the right sound. This is an important aspect of black history as it relates to music in the U.S.

In an article called, Why the Bee Gees Sound So Good by Janet Maslin (February 18, 1979, Page 19; The New York Times Archives) the Bee Gees were described as having the same strengths as Motown groups. They were able to create dance and party music that both black and white audiences enjoyed. (2)

This statement is mirrored by Robin’s comments made during the time that Too Much Heaven was released and gaining more attention:

Much to the group’s delight, it also rapidly gained recognition on the American soul radio stations. “At the moment, it’s really taken off big on the black stations,” Robin said. “We’ve got a lot of black people buying our records, but we’ve never had [acceptance from] black stations.” (3)

It seems like it took a beautiful song with themes of love and heaven to help break down that wall and gain the acceptance. Too Much Heaven is a song that all of humanity can benefit from and relate to at some point in our lives.

To substantiate what Robin said, here is a screenshot from Billboard, September 30, 1978, page 43, where there is a discussion of black radio stations playing Bee Gees music to a much greater extent: See the image below.

Billboard September 30 1978

Screenshot, Billboard Sept. 30 1978

I celebrate the fact that the Bee Gees were able to overcome the reluctance of black radio stations to play their music during the late 1970’s. (See the17th paragraph down on the albumlinernotes link). Music has the potential to bring people together in unity.

Black stations agreed to play Bee Gees’ music it because it was great music at its core that they liked. And as Robin said, black listeners and audiences liked the Bee Gees music and wanted to hear it played on the radio, so black stations had to change to keep up with the demands of the times.

In Closing

I close with this quote below. As I read this, I took a moment to consider how much work and sacrifice it took the Bee Gees to create soulful, impactful music across the decades that connected with people from all backgrounds. The Bee Gees are not popular with just black and white audiences. Their fans come from all around the world, including Japan and Mexico:

By 1976, “The Bee Gees’ music had successfully spanned several generations, and they were also popular with both black and white audiences, an accomplishment that is rare in rock history. Virtually no group has enjoyed such mass popularity with such a diverse audience…” (4)

For this reason, I will always admire and enjoy the interracial and multi-cultural legacy of Robin Gibb and the Bee Gees.

I learned a lot about the music industry in the 1970’s as a result of writing this post and really enjoyed it. It was an interesting way to acknowledge Black History Month. I honor black R&B soul musicians who positively influenced the careers of many successful artists, including the Bee Gees.

Thank you, Robin, for sharing your gifts with the world. You will always be loved and remembered. Love and thanks to Maurice as well.

References

  1. Bee Gees: The Authorized Biography by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb as told to David Leaf, March, 1979, page 101
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/18/archives/why-the-bee-gees-sound-so-good-the-bee-gees.html
  3. Bilyeu, Melinda; Cook,Hector; Môn Hughes,Andrew. The Ultimate Biography Of The Bee Gees: Tales Of The Brothers Gibb (Kindle Locations 12185-12187). Omnibus Press. Kindle Edition.
  4. Bee Gees: The Authorized Biography by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb as told to David Leaf, March, 1979, page106

 

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