New Age and Metaphysical Self Help discussion

Recently I have been feeling waves of sadness and grief. It's not all the time, it's from time to time. As if we’re past some kind of a tipping point. As if the world as we know it is disintegrating. It’s not my usual state of mind and also the experience is kind of distant, not so “personal.” It's more a sense of "feeling together", experiencing what most of us are feeling these days.

The other day, I went to the shore. I remember this moment so clear: Trudging up and down the sandy dunes, on and on… and then suddenly, the sea right in front of me!

Just standing there, facing its wide openness, looking at the waves, was pure healing. The sea gave me everything I needed. There was space for the feelings to surface and become tears. And there was the oceanic peace of it too. And the joy and hope that come with peace.
This wonderful Mary Oliver poem came to mind:

I GO DOWN TO THE SHORE

I go down to the shore in the morning
and depending on the hour the waves
are rolling in or moving out,
and I say, oh, I am miserable, what shall—
what should I do? And the sea says
in its lovely voice:
Excuse me, I have work to do.

Is there a book that helps you or inspires you or perhaps even lovingly distracts you during these difficult times?

Hello, everyone! I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Jeff Wellman, and I’m excited to have found this group! I want to share a little about my own inspiring journey—because, for a long time, I never imagined I’d be someone who meditates, let alone writes a book inspired by it.

For most of my life, I was the definition of a high-strung, type-A businessperson. Meditation always seemed impractical, something that worked for other people, but not for me. My mind was always racing, my to-do list never-ending, and the idea of sitting still in silence felt impossible. But something in me knew I needed to try. It wasn’t easy, and at first, I was terrible at it. But through persistence, I learned to quiet my mind—until one day, I found myself slipping into deep meditation for hours at a time. That’s when everything changed.

It was in one of these meditative states, while sitting on the cliffs of the Big Island of Hawaii, that the story of Spirit Gift was gifted to me. I use the word gifted because I didn’t "create" this book in the way most authors do. The inspiration, the storyline, and the messages came to me fully formed as if passed down from a higher source. My role was simply to bring it to life.

I’m excited to share my book, Spirit Gift: A Journey Through the Seven Planes of Existence, with you.

Set in 1211 A.D., Spirit Gift follows a journey through the seven planes of existence, weaving themes of love, purpose, and spiritual discovery into an immersive and timeless narrative. At its heart, Spirit Gift is a reminder that each of us carries a unique gift—one that has the power to uplift and transform the world.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this journey with this book club. I am honored to be a part of a space where I can connect with like-minded individuals.

Meditation changed my life and allowed me to find my spirit gift. Has anyone had a similar experience?

Have you ever felt there’s more to this world than what meets the eye?

What is your Spirit Gift?

Best,
Jeff Wellman

Just released a new cover but it has not been updated yet on Goodreads.

Spirit Gift: A journey through the seven planes of existence

Hello. I'm Wayne and I'm new here in the literary arena. And GoodReads?!? First time I heard of it. Wanted to say hello and much to learn about this community.