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Writers often ask me how I made the connection between wine & spirituality.

I had a life experience that hit me over the head with it, and from there I chose to explore it---

It was January, 2003. The Test Sisterhood described on the previous tab "How We Started" was a success. The web site was in development. I was enrolled at B.U. pursuing my passion. I was planning the first "Educating the Senses" gala fundraiser for the Boston Center for Adult Education as event Chair. Web site launch and gala were on my calendar for June of 2003. It was going to be a busy spring.

That same month, January, we learned my mother had cancer. It had metastasized. She opted for no treatment and was given 6-12 months. My sister in Ohio was on sabbatical from teaching and had scheduled a design job in London that spring. Being that I was in MA and mom was in NY I was the one who would have to bear the logistics of this burden.

My initial reaction? Could the timing possibly be worse for me? Is this what the Universe had planned for me... to ruin months of my efforts? How could I handle my family, my web site launch, my studies, my gala, my... add to that the fact that my mother and I had experienced strains in our relationship for many years. How could this be happening? How could my sister, my mom's confidante, be going to London? She hadn't traveled abroad in years. It had to be now? My life seemed to be unraveling fast.

What the Universe had planned for my mother and me, however, were to be among the most precious gifts of our lives. Of course my sister had to be out of the country. These months were to belong to my mother and me.

Mom's health held up with relatively little intervention on my part until March. My sister had just arrived in London, and it was becoming increasingly evident I needed to take a larger role - and do so quickly. I did what a good daughter should. I moved her to me and hoped I could handle it.

During the next several weeks my mom and I emoted as we'd never had. Through it all I was uncharacteristically calm, confident, loving, forgiving, patient and strong, and I imparted that all to her. She became less afraid to face death because of me. I'm the first to admit I don't have a clue where this part of me was coming from. My usually combative defensive self where my mother was concerned was gone. Poof. In its place came love. And in her last weeks on earth we healed 41 years of hurt.

During that time I was having some kind of spiritual transformation. Couldn't put my scientific finger on it but felt something was different. Then it happened.

It was the night we suspected mom would pass. My sister was back from London and with me. We said good-bye to her and retired to my home, a few miles away from the nursing home. I fell asleep late, 2 a.m.

Then IT Happened
At some point thereafter from a sound sleep I was awakened by the intense beating of my own heart. So intense was it that my body was literally vibrating in the bed. My eyes opened fully. I sat straight up in the darkness. I knew. She was passing at that very moment.

But that wasn't the strangest thing.

It was the accompanying deep sense of peace, awe, and love that was enveloping me that was truly other worldly. I felt very content. Happy. I lay back down, heart still beating wildly, smiling. I said good-bye and told her I loved her, very thankful she came flying by to say good-bye again. I was so thankful to have received her message. I wanted to fall asleep - I was so tired, and I knew the phone would soon ring. I even remember apologizing to her for wanting to fall asleep again. I was so exhausted. Part of me didn't want to leave behind the comfort I was feeling by her presence. The other part of me just wanted to sleep.

Some time later the call came, and I was told by a nurse my mother had passed at 3:15. It was now 3:45. I had indeed nodded off again. (I've often thought since that I should have looked at my clock at the moment of her fly-by to verify her time of death... had it been 2:47 then I could've informed the nurse that, no, she had not passed at 3:15 - although that may've been when someone found her body. She had passed at 2:47 and that's the time that should be recorded.)

That night my skeptic self, the part of me that needed science to verify and validate, died too.

What had accounted for the physiological reaction my body had that night? What had accounted for that deep sense of knowing I felt in the very core of my being? Was this the 'presence of God' and if so was the origin within my mother, myself, the Universe? One thing was certain. What happened was not of this world as we normally think of it.

Evidently 'it' can manifest through the human body and heart. Evidently there is a connection. What was the key that opened that door between these worlds?

Love. It had to be. I had not been praying in the traditional sense. I had only loved as I never had before. That's what did it.

What did this encounter teach me?
To seek the beauty in all, to love and accept everything and everyone whole heartedly. To stand in awe and respect of the intricate web that is the Universe. To be grateful.

I no longer need to have answers. Science will never prove what I now know anyway.

My mother did indeed die that June. Nearly 5 months to the day we found out she was terminal. The same month as this web site launch, the end of my B.U. course, the gala fundraiser.

As Dewitt Jones says "the times of most change always hold the most potential." No person could have orchestrated the events of those months. Time and events unfolded as they had to.

Since then I've become a casual student of neuroscience, quantum physics, spiritual seeking. How could this not interest me now?

"All the World's a Stage"
Consider this: that life on this planet is like a theatrical set. From the audience we see the sets and the props, and we see and hear the actors. Those are the things we notice on a daily basis. But just because we can't see what's going on backstage doesn't mean there's nothing happening back there.

Perhaps we're not meant to see what's going on backstage. Perhaps we must want to see in order to see.

I suggest that not only is something there, something bigger - hidden - not too easily accessed - but it is precisely that which enables all the rest, and we must seek alternative means of sight to see it. Whoever said art imitates life wasn't kidding.

There are layers of existence we will never see with our eyes. Some people question whether they exist. Some choose to believe they do. Some know they do. And some seek ways to connect to them every day.

And Just How Does This Relate to WINE?
How do we lift the theatrical curtain in our lives to get a glimpse of what may exist behind? A personal experience of some kind can put us there... behind the curtain, in a place where our vision expands. Meditation, prayer, quiet introspection - they can all put us there.

What do we have to do to hope to get a peek behind the curtain? Thankfully, not much. I'm convinced. We just need to want to. That's it. Just want to. Just be sincerely curious. Have fun being curious. That's all.

The Wine Sisters experience can put you behind that curtain if you want it to. Some have already told me that for them, it has.

The Beauty of Wine
By seeking and appreciating the beauty within wine we can more easily see the beauty within every gift of nature - our fellow humans, the rose bush in the back yard, the ant scurrying across our kitchen floor, ourselves.

It's amazing when you stop to think about it. That's all our WS Tasting Course does. It forces you to stop and ponder the beauty that is wine. From there a whole new world may unfold for you.

Breaking the Ties that Bind
I've incorporated provocative words from philosophers and creative visualization exercises into our Course because they open us to possibilities. You may be reading one moment why a particular blue cheese goes so well with a particular Riesling, and the next minute you're on the floor visualizing yourself breaking free from the figurative ties that bind you.

And this doesn't make sense for what reason? All I ask of you is that you not be closed to the idea of expanding.

Encouraging you to seek, in general, is what I do. It's really all I want to do. I have a strong sense that this is what I'm on this planet to do.

And I get to do this through wine? That's the medium at work here, for me and for you too, possibly, if you choose to learn with Wine Sisters?

You will come away from our Course having had fun and having learned about wine, that's a certainty. You may come away asking yourself questions you never gave any thought to before. Questions that appear to have nothing to do with wine or food. And that may usher in a new beginning for you.

Whatever you come away with is exactly what is right for you to come away with - at this point in your life.

I Never Thought I'd Say This
Yes. I'm one of "those people" now. Because of the experience I had the night my mother died I do see everything differently.

I was touched by something other-worldly. Couldn't help it. I assure you - I'm quite normal. I'm rational and logical. I wasn't looking for this.

Is this what being 'born again' is? I shudder at those words - they have such a religious tone. I was 'awakened' though, wasn't I. Words are just no good here. They carry too many negative connotations.

Since mom's death I find myself continually seeking to live in that place where there is only love. It sounds so corny. If what happened to me hadn't I wouldn't know what it is that I do... I've witnessed the power, the incredibly awesome power, of love.

How does this translate into real life?
I'm convinced the Universe gives one everything in life they need to be happy, successful, loved, at peace.

When we live tapped into this greater connectedness we find things and people who use to bother us don't as much anymore. We feel more accepting of the dark sides of human nature, viewing the negative acts of others and sometimes our own as a perfect reflection of nature.

What floats on the surface masks the beauty beneath, but that beauty is what we must continue to connect to in life if we are to expand. Look for it. It's there. Not only is it there... it's longing to be found. Want to see it.

Don't we all have this lurking within us to some degree, the dark side of human nature? It's liberating to recognize it, embrace it anyway, then go back to work on taking the high road in the face of it. The high road becomes easier and easier to take, I promise.

Are we what we look like?
After watching my mother's body decay in those final weeks and days it finally hit me. The body is a shell. That's all it is. That was a revelation, especially for me, a girl who grew up taking meticulous care of her 'shell', being rewarded for the shell, being hated by others for the shell... at least that's how I perceived it growing up.

It's true, how others react to our 'shell' shapes our beliefs and values during our formative years. Were we put in the body of a woman? a man? a minority in color, religion?

Regardless, the package we reside in provides us the means to our spiritual evolution. Our lessons are uniquely our own. Our path is like no one elses. It's amazing how a subtle shift in perception can alter how we look at the world and everything in it.

When you witness the rapid decay of a human body you become detached from the physical. The realization comes that the body is not who that person is. The body provided many lessons that helped shape the Ego over years, to be sure. But the body is only a body, a vehicle that makes life on this planet convenient. The body is not the Being.

Now when I meet someone I look for their light. I respect the body that enables them to function in this material world; it is an awe inspiring machine, the human body. I've always thought that - I studied exercise physiology in college because I loved the mechanics of the human body. Now at the age of 46 I find it fascinating to contemplate the ways in which someone's body appearance has influenced who they've become to this point in their lives. What do their words and actions show me about their spirit? Are they wrapped up in their shell and/or material possessions or do they shine through them? I can't wait to learn. They're in my life to touch it for some reason, or vice versa, however tangently.


How do you deal with rejection, with sabotage?
I wish I had a nickel for every time I've felt rejected or every time someone has taken advantage of my generous nature, my creativity, some achilles heel.

When this happens, when you have feelings out of line with your highest ideals, seek resolution from within. Find a quiet place... and start asking. Ask to be shown the reason, the lesson to be learned from your adversity.

Taking this tact, knowing and trusting in the present, will give you not only peace of mind but the confidence to stand teetering on the brink of personal growth--- a place that is rarely comfortable, surrounded by uncertainty and confusion.

Dewitt Jones calls this 'testing our inner edges'. Somehow, allowing ourselves to question what we believe to be true often leads to enlightenment and expanded vision.

When I seek resolution through my own meditation I'll wake up one morning and notice I've started to regard that person or situation differently. The perceived threat subsides and is often replaced with possibilities. Many times the individual becomes a strong ally and our relationship becomes mutually beneficial and enriching. Barriers have come down. Perceptions have shifted. More possibilities. More of everything.

In these moments I'm reminded to trust nature because it is capable of continual renewal and reinvention of what we know to be reality.

Nature is forever evolving, so we cannot predict. Even when we think we know... there are always additional possibilities... we can only perceive as far and as wide as we're capable of any given moment.

But we can expand our capacity to perceive and to be aware, in new and different and wonderfully beneficial ways.

We are capable of enormous personal and spiritual growth while on this planet. In fact, I believe this is our Creator's purpose for us--- for us to expand, to grow and to love, and to have as much fun as we can in the process. Yippee.

In my personal experience with Universal Intelligence I've oftened witnessed an almost-humanlike sense of humor, as Source weaves time and space for its purposes. I'm often left smiling as answers I've sought make themselves evident to me in quirky humorous ways, usually through nature or another person. Source may communicate to us by appealing to one or more of our senses and/or through us physiologically/neurologically--- all we need do is be open to it, "tuned in" so to speak.

How will you know when you 'see' an answer?

It will be accompanied by a strong feeling, deep within your human core. You'll recognize it as being authentic. You'll simply have no doubt.

There is a Reason, Always
There's a reason for the current situation. Do we really need to know what it is? Isn't it just enough to know there is one? If you trust, it is. The Universe always provides with loving consistency. Allow it to amaze you. It will. The answers will come. You'll see them--- just stay awake and pay attention!

So, this is our journey. This journey, on this planet, in these bodies... with the capacity to think and question. Good and bad things happen along the way. How difficult could it be to simply choose to love it all?

Bending your Mind
Isn't this sort of contemplation mind-boggling? This goes way beyond science. I affectionately picture Einstein and his buddies standing around the water cooler bantering this stuff back and forth. It needn't be heavy or take on religious tones.

I go to sleep every night excited by the miracles I know will be placed in my path the next day. Will I be aware enough to recognize them? The days I think and act from my highest self I see the miracles. And I'm rewarded in spades. In the moments I allow my ego to overshadow my highest self I am never aware. Ugh. I bet the great sages of history never had moments like those.


We Can't All Be Crazy
In today's world where spirituality is not mainstream such notions are regarded as circumspect at best. I choose to be out on this limb. I like the way it feels out here. I know I've got at least some company out here with me. Curt Schilling. Jim Carrey. Deepak Chopra. Wayne Dwyer. Oprah. Lots of neighbors. Are we all crazy? Not likely.


A RECIPE FOR CONNECTING

How can one have faith in the Universe when how it all works is unknown? Do you want to see some results before you put your faith in the Universe?

I offer the following exercise for the inquisitive among you. You can get results pretty quickly, but you do need to put yourself on the line a little:

You must:
- actively seek, not knowing what you will find
- actively trust, not knowing exactly what it is you are trusting, and
- actively love whatever it is you end up finding

Are you willing to do those 3 things? If you are the door to this something-other-worldly will open to you.

(I have firsthand knowledge of this. Repeatedly. This is what I did just after 9-11, and Wine Sisters USA became of it within days - and WS USA was just the beginning of my journey.)

IMPORTANT
Answers may come to you in non-traditional ways so rely on your intuition to recognize them.

HERE IS WHAT TO DO: this works regardless of religion as long as you recognize a higher power of some sort.

When you're lying in bed tonight in the quiet darkness have a conversation with the Universe (or higher power) as you drift off to sleep.

ASK that you be given the opportunity to be an instrument for good in the world. (You don't need to know how.)
OFFER yourself up as a conduit to that positive end. (You don't need to provide specifics. The Universe knows how it can best 'use' you.)
FEEL love in your heart as you do this. Be thankful for this life the Universe has given you.

Does the prospect of doing this feel silly or scary to you? If so go back and make sure you have what it takes to be doing this (a sincere desire to seek, trust, love.) There's nothing to feel silly about or fear if your heart is sincere.

That's it. You've opened the door. Let the Universe work its magic.

The Universe will always meet you halfway. All you ever need to do is invite it in.

It might take a day or two. It could happen the next morning... or when you're cooking dinner. You'll get an insight. Or an idea. You'll feel compelled to act on it.

That's the beginning of your journey. Recognize it as such.

People will start showing up in your life who are somehow uniquely positioned/equipped to advance you along in your journey. They don't appear by coincidence. Accept them.

The following nights do the same thing. Thank the Universe for bringing these gifts into your life. Reaffirm your desire to seek, trust and love.

You'll start to feel excited to go to bed at night because you get to do this! It starts to feel as if you're playing a game with the Universe, a game both of you are creating and enjoying together.

Before you know it you'll recognize that you've been on a path. As long as you look ahead, seeking, trusting and loving, the path emerges before you. Trust it. Follow it.

There are no coincidences.

Continue to thank. Continue to recognize those things that have brought you this far. Continue to love.

You will be led to wondrous places.

You cannot see the path's end - you may see markers along the path. Move toward them. Joy is found on the path. Love keeps you on the path. Simple. There is no end to this path anyway.

When Ego knocks you off, as it will, and you lose your way that's alright. The Universe understands what you're up against and always forgives. You have the keys to open the door: ASK, OFFER and FEEL.

The Universe always welcomes you back. ("Where've you been? Ego get the better of you there for awhile? I'm right here to set you upon your path again.")

You get another idea. Another insight. You act on them and are once again happy and excited with life, living with purpose. You're back on your path.

Consider this:
The path never went away. You were just unable to see it for awhile. The veil of Ego clouded your vision.

To Go One Step Further:
The path has always been there and, like Dorothy in Oz, you've had the power to view it all along, at will.

Could it be the Universe is you?
That you are the Universe?
Could it be that when you are one, when you live connected to all, that you become aware of things you've never 'seen' before?

Could it be that everything is as it was before and has always been?
That the answers and the path are always there for the taking?
And that it is only our ability to see that changes?

Could it be that this is our purpose, to learn to see not with our eyes but with our hearts?

I hope you like questions. This sort of contemplation results in lots of them.

END OF RECIPE
If you try this exercise, let me know how it was for you.


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