The Birth of Spirit Circle

I have been asked on occasions how Spirit Circle came to be. So I felt that it would be appropriate on this day to let everyone know just how this happened.

Spirit kept telling me, for something like 25 years, that I had a job to do, but would not tell me what it was. And in this, they showed a great deal of wisdom. Because had I known what the job was prematurely, I would likely have tried to do it prematurely, and failed.

On a late Friday afternoon in January of 2000, I developed a severe bacterial infection in my chest, and before I could get in to see my doctor, I went into respiratory arrest. I was able to get just barely enough air into my lungs to maintain consciousness. I honestly thought that it was time for me to make my transition to the spirit realm. But I called to my guides and asked them if it was time for me to check out, and they told me no, that I still had a job to do. But they still would not tell me what it was. I ended up in critical care with a tube down my throat. But that is another story.

Finally, in the latter part of February of 2001, Spirit subtly pointed out to me that the majority of the visitors to my Spirit Guides site on any one day were repeat visitors. Thoughts started percolating in the back of my head. Over the next few weeks, they became stronger and more clearly defined. So I went through the guest book on the Spirit Guides site and gathered up all of the email addresses that looked promising. I also visited the SpiritWind forum and gathered addresses from there as well plus a few that I had in my address book. Then, on the 21st of March, I sent out an invitation to about 90 people to join a virtual community on the Internet. 14 of those 90 people responded, and on the 24th of March, Spirit Circle was born.

At that time, Spirit Circle was just a fledgling community. We really had no idea where we were going with this thing or what we would be doing. I only knew that what I was doing felt right. At first, the Spirit Circle site was a subdivision of the Spirit Guides site. But it soon became apparent that Spirit Circle needed its own site.

While we were still a part of Spirit Guides, someone suggested that we have an Executive Committee, so that I would not have to do everything myself. So I asked for volunteers for that, and Joyce threw her hat into the ring on April 10th. That was just 17 days after our birth. Now I am not sure if it was wisdom on my part or if Spirit was prodding, nudging, urging and threatening me with a big club. I suspect that it was the latter. Anyway, I grabbed that hat and locked it away in a virtual safe so that she could not get it back. And that was one of the wisest things that I ever did. At first, Joyce was a little hesitant about making any decisions or taking any independent action. But with some urging and encouragement, she soon latched onto her role and ran with it.

We moved the site to Homestead because it was a free host with no ads and 16MB of space. About the time that the site reached 90 pages in size, Homestead announced a new policy. A free site could only have 3 pages. If we wanted more than that, we would have to pay for the space. So we made a frantic move to Geocities. This was a bigger job than you might think. Homestead is a "drag and drop" type of host, you cannot use html (other than snippets) to build your sites. At Geocities, the site was rebuilt using html coding. Unfortunately, we now had to tolerate ads on the site. But we had 15MB of free space.

On the 20th of June, I registered our domain name. Then on the 7th of August I bought space on a paid host, Digitronic. We now had 60MB of space, and no ads. And the freedom to do a lot of things that we had been unable to do before.

Over the course of the past year, we have had our share of problems. We have had to eject a member who had turned to a dark path, and had to refuse membership to a very few basically for the same reason. A few members have dropped out of our group for one reason or another. But overall, we have had amazing success and our successes have far outnumbered our failures.

One of the main problems that we have been faced with is the lack of operating capital. This has really hampered us and prevented us from doing a lot of the things that we have wanted to do. We do know that this problem will be solved in time. And we know this because of visions and predictions that many people have reported. But this is a history, and we are getting into the future, the topic for another article which I will offer later.

First of all, let me say, do not let my opening words frighten you off, they are only meant as an explanation of what is to follow.

Spirit Circle is about to enter into its next phase. And that new phase will present us with some major expenses. We have talked about the need to become incorporated for some time now, but it was always something that we needed to consider. Now I am feeling pressure to take that step. This will not only give Spirit Circle certain legal advantages and protections, but will also afford the directors certain legal protections. Unfortunately, this does carry a price tag.

Another thing that I have been feeling pressure about recently is our name. Spirit Circle is slowly becoming known, and there are those who would look upon the name as something lucrative. As things stand right now, with just a relatively minor amount of money, someone could take the name away from us, we could even loose our domain name. So we need to register it as a trademark. Again this carries a price tag.

We are also going to be soon launching the offline portion of Spirit Circle. This will be handled strictly through snail mail. That means that we are going to encounter printing and postage costs. And not too much longer after that we are going to have to pay for registering our domain name for another year and pay for site hosting for another year. Even without the offline portion being launched, we are going to be faced with bills close to $800 in US funds soon. And although the offline portion of Spirit Circle will eventually pay for itself, there will be initial expenses involved with getting it started. The offline portion of Spirit Circle will not be a separate entity, it will be a part of the same organization. However since all members of the offline portion of Spirit Circle will be paid members, this will benefit the entire community and will eventually allow us to do many things that we have been postponing because of the expense involved.

So now you have the background to explain what I am about to present to you. We are going to have to make some minor changes in the way that we have been doing things. And much of that may have an effect on you. So far, everything in Spirit Circle has been free. But we do need to raise operating expenses. I have so far met most of the operating expenses myself, Joyce has paid for some of them. Neither of us can afford what we are going to be faced with. So I am presenting you with the following.

Online Membership --- 3 new categories:

Free Membership. Same as always.

Supporting Membership. $5 per year.

Gold Membership $20 per year.

Lifetime Membership. $100.

Paid Members will receive a wallet sized ID card. Additionally, Lifetime members will receive a certificate suitable for framing.

All members of all categories will still have full access to all parts of the site just as they have been.

Classes: Classes will now carry a very small fee, $1 in US funds per class. Supporting members also receive two free classes per year, may not accumulate them. Gold members may receive unlimited classes free and Lifetime members will receive all classes free of extra charge.

Offline Membership: Offline members will be charged $15 in US funds. Of that, approximately $10 will be used to cover the costs of printing and postage, and the remaining $5 will be for their membership fee. They will receive one newsletter per month, periodic listings of printed material that is available and any other necessary announcements. There will be a basic $1 charge for the first printed page of material ordered, plus $.50 for each additional page. Offline members will have the option of becoming online members.

And of course, Spirit Circle is agreeable to donations of any size from any source.

The nightcrawler hits the water and sinks beneath the surface, leaving ripples in the pool. I sit on the shore and setting the pole down, lean back and close my eyes. The scent of the surrounding pines weighs heavy on the summer breeze and dappled sunshine sparkles in the riffles further downstream. I relax and let my mind wander. I can feel the sap pulse through the hemlocks behind me. The wind whispers secrets in their branches. A red squirrel pauses and tipping his head to listen in, chip-chips his two cents before scurrying into a hollow log.

I sense Grandfather Coyote's approach although he makes no sound. Maybe it's the faint canine scent on the lazy breeze or the slight change in the whispering high above, or maybe it is just a familiarity with him that gives him away.

With eyes still closed, I let a smile creep to my lips and call out. "You're getting clumsy and careless, Old One. If that's the best you can do, you're gonna end up hanging on someone's wall soon."

Coyote laughs and pounces on the end of the fishpole, sending it rolling into the pool. Half expecting something like that to happen, I catch hold of it before it slides too far into the pool. Laughing as I crawl back up the bank, I splash water up at the grinning form of my guide. At the top I sit down next to him and reach into my pack for my lunch. My hand comes out with a zip-loc bag, still closed, but with no sign of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich that I know was there when I left the house.

Grandfather is staring intently at a spider on a fern. His attempt to look innocent is passable, but the smear of peanut-butter stuck to his muzzle gives him away. I shrug and pull the bag of trail mix out and watch the spider with him.

I reel in the line and check the bait. The crawler is a little soggy but still usable so I cast it back into the pool.

"Coyote, I've been wondering about some things..." I begin. Grandfather cuts in, "That's good, wondering is healthy, it keeps you from thinking...thinking is dangerous". He scratches his ear and turns his head to me. His eyes dance with mischief, "So what have you been wondering about, tail-chaser?"

I ignore the humorous insult, and ask, "Well, does a shaman pick his totem spirit or do you pick us?"

He scowls, or at least as much of a scowl that a grindog can muster. "That's it? That is what you have been wasting your time wondering about? By the Great Mothers nine nipples!"

"Look, I will tell you the same thing I have told all the other silly naked apes that have asked that question throughout history... does it really matter?" He paused to pick an almond out of my trail mix. "This world and the other worlds are full of mysteries and adventures. There are enough tricks and pranks to play to keep us all busy for about an eternity and a half. If you spend your time worrying about things like who chooses who, you may miss an opportunity to laugh, and every time that you don't laugh when you have a chance, the darkness gets stronger."

I roll his words over in my mind. The mention of the darkness confuses me. "What do you mean by Darkness, Coyote?" I ask, "I have learned that good and evil are measured by perception. For instance, the Navajo call you evil, and although I know you can be a major pain, in my experience, you don't fit the image of a demon or devil..."

Coyote stops rooting around the trail mix and looks up. "I can be whatever I chose to be, Two-legs. Don't forget that. There are things I have done in the past that I did for my own reasons. Now maybe I owe the Navajo an apology, but I doubt they are gonna forgive and forget that easily. Maybe in a few more generations, or maybe when what is gathering on the horizon gets here.

"The darkness I spoke of is not evil, although some may see it as that. It is just another piece of the great song. It is a part of the unmaking and remaking that this world experiences from time to time." Grandfather finishes my trail-mix and looks to my pack. I shake my head at the question in his eyes.

"Well, I should be going, I am needed in your capital tonight...seems one of your leaders is about to get himself in trouble, and I want to be there to make sure no one misses him being hoisted by his own petard."

I reach out and scratch Grandfather's ear. "Ok, till next time then. Walk In Beauty, Grandfather."

Coyote stretches and as he wanders away says, "Walk in Beauty, tail-chaser. Sometimes you almost make me glad I chose you." His laughter rings in the pines and then fades away on the wind....

Bryan M Welsh
Copyright 2002

Angelheart Seminars

Have you ever thought about your life purpose? Think back on your successes and failures, your career, your family, your interests and relationships. Where is peace of mind, complete contentment, a sense of fulfillment? Something deeper seems to be missing, doesn't it?

Many people are awakening to this idea that there is something more. The answer doesn't seem to be external. The bigger house, the promotion produces a temporary rush. People are starting to look at their inner lives, at spiritually connecting to make everyday living more meaningful.

One of my favorite cable shows is on HGTV (Home and Garden TV). It is called "The Good Life". People from all over the country decide to downsize, change their life focus and simplify. Many transform by changing from a fast paced career and urban life to a less stressful job and a home in the country. Some decide to contribute to the community or start their own businesses. The change is always meaningful to them in a personal, spiritual way. There are many ways of finding one's self. Quieting that inner chatter and listening to your higher self is one way to start your journey to a life of joy.

Anyone can do this to a smaller extent, on a daily basis. You can simplify your daily routine and make the time to meditate, go on nature walks, or just sit quietly and think about what you really want.

In her book, Living the Simple Life, Elaine St James encourages us to, "not fall into the trap of thinking that if you're not now doing what you love to do, it's too late to figure it out." She continues, "everything I did previously prepared me for what I'M doing now. And what I'm doing now is no doubt preparing me for whatever I may do differently in the future."

Taking time to first discover who you really are and then doing what you need to do so you can have what you want sounds simple, but it may get you the life you love. Doing inner work to clean out the negative stuff from the past is often a first step to remembering who you truly are. Counseling, spiritual work, reading, classes and studies, 12 step programs and personal growth seminars and workshops are just a few possibilities to help you see your true potential.

After this introspective effort, your inner peace and the voice of your higher self will evolve to lead you to your life purpose. Connecting with your true essence, your creative soul allows you to start living the life you were born to live.

A good, practical exercise to open you to your possibilities involves writing down everything you really enjoy or would like to enjoy. You write and describe where you'd like to live, who you would like to spend time with, what kind of work and activities you truly love, what you'd like to be remembered for accomplishing.

Look at these ideas as if there were no blocks to achieve them. After you've written your ideal life, review it to see what you could realistically start to make happen right now.

Write down concrete steps that would help you accomplish your desires. Sometimes working with supportive people and friends can help you brainstorm to see possibilities you might normally overlook.

Written goals with daily action steps help you start living the life you love. As part of the process, you may also want to write and post positive affirmations such as, "I am a successful book store owner making a good living with a loving family and interesting friends."

Deciding to have the life you were born to live is a big part of getting it. Another key is the commitment to take action to actually create it. Why spend your life in a job or situation you are indifferent about just so you can earn retirement to finally afford to do what you really want or to please other people and not your self? You could decide to make the changes, to create your possibility to live the life you really want, right now!

To help you get started on your life purpose discovery path, I recommend reading Living the Simple Life by Elaine St James. Another inspiring book to read is by Dan Millman, well known for his spiritual classic, Way of the Peaceful Warrior. His book is titled, The Life You Were Born to Live, A Guide to Finding Your Life Purpose. The insights in this book helped me to deeply examine my life purpose and to commit my life to helping others on their paths to discovery.

We all start our lives as very creative beings. Getting on the path of finding our life's purpose helps us to rediscover our creative, true selves. You may discover that the real reward is not in the destination itself, but in the joy of the journey.

I decided to write this article for all of my spiritual friends at Spirit Circle, who have lost someone dear to them, and may still doubt that there is life on the other side. I am in hopes that this article will put your mind at ease, and your heart in peace. I am also in hopes that whatever fears you maybe holding within, or doubts you may have regarding your loved ones abilities to contact you, or come in closely to you will change.

Before I begin my story and my personal experience with validation that the Ones we love on the other side are there for us, I would like to put forth a few moments of truth in which you can believe if you so choose to open.

There is no time like ours on the other/side. So the minute we think about our loved ones, they are there. We draw them in.

Our prayers are very important on the other side, and our loved ones receive them immediately. These prayers do help them to adapt, heal and accept their new spiritual adjustment and transitioning.

Our loved ones can visit us and do. Usually when we have thoughts of them, or when we are in trouble or pain.

The more open we become regarding that our loved ones are near, but yet so far, the more possible it is to communicate with them.

We must remember that death is only a transition into another realm. Spirit never goes away, and the more open we can become the more we can entertain the possibility of communication with our loved ones and trust that this is possible by our own feelings and experiences!. We must remain open and willing to be receptive.

Now to begin my story of validation that the. "The Other/Side is Real."

It almost want to forget time when it comes to this story, but I do know that most of my feelings of doom and weirdness were about 2 years before it happen. The way it all began was pretty crazy. My daughter was 6 at the time. It all began with me not being able to stand in lines anywhere, The grocery store, the bank, where/ever. I just kept getting this feeling of a panic attack, and I could see a cloud coming towards me, and I just had to run out of where/ever I was. At First, I thought I was just going plain crazy. I even called my mother, and told her about it. I at the time did not understand why I was feeling so very weird. Well, I was ready to just go and see a good mental doctor, but before I did, I decided to call my Mother. I told my Mother about all of the feelings and things that had been going on. Well, she said that she felt something was going to happen to someone close to us, and that I was receiving the warning call. Ok, I was willing to flow with that. Warning call...Ok, but for whom? And for what? Well, I just didn't know at that time.

Some 8 months later I had a phone call from my mother. That phone call was about my ex-husband. It was late 70's....1976...His Sister and her husband had traveled out from Oregon to tell us about Bill's Death in a fire. My Mom had a hard time telling me at first, but I knew something horrible had happened. They asked me, my parents, if I was alone with my daughter, Yes I answered that I was. I don't think my Mom wanted to tell me, yet I insisted on it. She told me over the phone and I just Freaked out!!!!! It was so hard, Bill was only 31 years old when he died. I met Bill when he was 18 years old. I can remember Bill telling me when he was 19 years old, that he didn't think he would live to be very old. I can remember at the time thinking how weird I thought that was, him saying such things. And I would say to him, why are you saying that? We dated for a few years and then married. We both had a beautiful daughter in 1968..

AND IN 1976...MY VISITATION FROM BILL.

Ok. so this is our visitation of spirit from my ex and Robyn's daddy...3 months after his death.

I was lucky enough to have a witness for this experience, so I couldn't of possibly doubted the depth of it. I had a friend visiting me at the time.

It was around 8:00 or 8:30 in the evening. I was pretty tried, because of all of the events within the last few months. I was lying in bed, and actually talking to my friend Sam. When all of a sudden I felt this huge silent engulfing the room. It was really amazing, like a pin could drop and you would certainly hear it. It was ever so silent the energy, the experience of the energy.

It made me feel really strange and a little scared, so I asked Sam if he felt it. He said he did. Wow, Then what happened what so amazing!!!!!! To this day it is still so hard to believe. But I was there and it did happen to me. Ok, so, we both know there is a presence there, and now we hear the music...Not just any music, but awesome-Angelic Music from beyond. To confirm our visit from Bill. It was like a combination of harps, bells, chimes, and heavenly sounds...Heaven's music for sure. I at the time felt so scared, and I asked Sam if he heard it. He said that he did, and that he didn't think I should be so afraid. When I look back now, My friend Sam was so right on. Yet, at the time I did feel very afraid. Bill did visit us to say goodbye to Robyn and I. I know in my heart and within my spirit that this is so true..

To all of my spiritual friends. Stay open. Allow for these possibilities, and believe in your heart that your loved ones still communicate with you, because they do.

Love to you and Light,
Terry Kite.

What follows next is a flagrant attempt to make money for Spirit Circle. With every issue we will offer space for a limited number of paid ads. If you have a product or service to sell, you may consider placing your ad here.

CLASSIFIED:

Websites By Joyce: I will design and build a website to your specifications. My rates are lower than industry standards and I offer Spirit Circle members a discount. Contact me at joycech@earthlink.net or call 760-288-3969 for more information.