How do you illustrate your Spiritual Path?  I like the understanding that came from reading Deepak Chopra's The Way to Know God.  He helped me see the many leaps of faith I've made to come to this place on my journey. 

I'd been reared as a good Presbyterian by my parents where my father's family came with a long Presbyterian culture -- one of our ancestors was hanged and beheaded in Scotland for his religious beliefs.  Being the independent soul that I am, I had a choice of attending a local Presbyterian college or a Lutheran one.  To hear a different point of view, I chose Thiel College, the Lutheran one -- I had no clue I was going to a more conservative institution.

I studied religion as a course requirement, but my involvement in church ended after my marriage to my first husband, who'd also had parents active in the Presbyterian church.  My mother and his father were organists at their churches. 

My one attempt to attend church in Cleveland found me at the large Presbyterian church in downtown Cleveland, where to my despair, absolutely no one said a word to me. 

Just a short time later, I moved to Chicago to share an apartment with my sister Pam.  She become active at St Pauls United Church of Christ in Lincoln Park.  We both joined as members in April 1978. 

I participated actively at St Pauls, attending the services and all the programs for adults.  I more than made up for my four years of non-attendance during my marriage.  I enjoyed the open and affirming beliefs of St Pauls -- all were welcomed with open arms.

I started to investigate alternate viewpoints.  I'd done extensive reading about Edgar Cayce during high school and I bought a bunch of books by Seth and the Prophets.  I found the channeled material began to open my eyes to a different reality. 

After I met Mary, a friend of a friend, we started to attend classes/gatherings at Healing Earth Resources, a new age store.  I attended an in-person channeling where I was told I was to do "healing and writing."  I promptly forgot that message (I'd written it in my planner).  I learned how to interpret dreams and I discovered numerology. 

I started to do charts for everyone around me.  I wanted to understand why I came into this life with an identical twin with all my challenges, particularly my strange sounding voice for the first eighteen years of my life. 

My first inward journey came when I went to my first Insight seminar, titled "The Awakening Heart", in November 1987.  It came through my Shaklee upline -- Pam was my supervisor in the business and her upline had recommended this weekend event. 

I went through the long days with no expectations.  I felt no change when I returned to my "real" world.  But several friends, Mary being one of them, remarked, "You're softer, more gentler." 

I attended Insight II, "The Opening Heart," in October 1988 where a much smaller group bonded deeply.  I birthed an affirmation, "I am a calm, serene, vulnerable woman who is loving and lovable."

The following year I went with my friend Susan to "The Centering Heart" where we spent much time in meditation and silence. 

I continued to attend church, being active as the chair of a committee, and attending adult forums, but I also investigate other avenues of Spirit.  I read a lot.

I recently reread several of Deepak Chopra's books and found their message to be in line with where I've come to be.

I'd started studying A Course in Miracles on my own, but found the effort too daunting. 

When I arrived in Palm Springs, I attended a study group several times as a guest as I joined a group just starting up.  Jeffrey and Johnny from the first group eventually started a group from those attending Unity Church of Palm Springs.  Through this group, I've come to understand the non-dualism.