One of the most miraculous experiences for me as I worked through great loss was finding out that we are loved – and accepted – so fully, so completely, that there is nothing left to forgive! This is true for all of us, and that is why I wrote my book, From Grief to Joy – because the challenges I’ve faced are universal. We all have our mountains to climb, both inner and outer. No one is exempt.

Life is a school, and what we learn through that school are the lessons we are ready for, things we could not really know until we lived through them. I’m talking about experiential knowledge, not just head knowledge. “They” say you don’t really know something until you become it. “They” are right. And that is how I found out that relationships change, but they do not end. Physical death is definitely not the end of the story.

Our trials and tribulations are so rich with promise. It may not seem like it at the time, but they are. Nothing is ever wasted. The potential for growth – and new life – is hidden in even the most difficult of situations. Especially in the most difficult ones, because all things do indeed come bearing a gift, if we can just hang in there long enough to find it.
It helps if we can accept and embrace what is. That means being open enough to let go of judgment – of yourself, and others, and even the challenge itself. That means letting go of our expectations so we can be open to the higher plan. Surrender fits well here. Not my will, but Thine.

Eventually you find out that your life isn’t just about you. It’s about all of us. That means wanting for others the same things we yearn for so deeply. May we all be blessed.
It’s been quite a journey. The more I’ve learned, the more convinced I am that life isn’t about “things.” It’s about being your highest and best.

Donna Miesbach

I have been on a spiritual path all my life. I was first introduced to meditation when I was seventeen. I knew this was an important tool, but I wanted to go deeper than that particular method allowed, so my search began. I attended workshops and classes, read books and tried every form of meditation I could find, to no avail. Then in 1994, my life changed dramatically. My husband died very suddenly. Soon after that, I lost both parents, too. They say when the student is ready, the teacher appears. This student was certainly ready. About a year after my husband’s sudden death, I learned about Dr. Deepak Chopra and his teachings. It was like finding the light at the end of the tunnel. I took meditation training from Dr. Chopra and began attending his courses. They fed my deep roots and made such a difference in my life that I committed to being certified both in meditation and yoga so I could share these wonderful practices with others. I have studied with Deepak and also Roger Gabriel both here and in India. I also studied sound healing with Jonathan Goldman, and remote viewing with Dr. David Morehouse, having completed all five levels of his training. As my teaching became established, doors began opening that allowed me to teach meditation to at risk youth. Then another door opened and I found myself working with Playmakers Mentoring Foundation, a Sacramento-based outreach. Together with their Executive Director, we wrote a book and then opened a chapter here in Omaha. In addition to my work with Playmakers, I continue to teach meditation in the Omaha NE area, offering both private and group instruction. I also hold group meditations and programs five times a year, and speak to groups on various aspects of spirituality upon request.   It has been an amazing journey, one I never could have anticipated. I didn’t know it then, but I know now that it is possible to get to the other side of grief, and that is what my book, “From Grief to Joy, A Journey Back to Life & Living,” is all about.

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