Title:
Interviewed by God - A Journey to Freedom
Author
Name: Beth Banning
Author Bio:
Beth Banning is a best-selling author,
inspirational speaker, and spiritual catalyst who lives in California
with her husband, their cat, and their six pound poodle. She was born
in New York City and from a very young age could sense the feelings
of people around her, felt kundalini energy running through her body,
and experienced other unusual events that she didn't understand. The
well-meaning adults in her life told her she was depressed and that
these experiences were just her imagination. Growing up in this cloud
of ignorance and disbelief, these gifts were buried and unable to
flourish and so she was left confused and lonely.
As a young adult she recognized the
same sense of confusion and loneliness in others and became
passionate about helping people better understand themselves and
those around them. Later in life she took this passion into her work
with her husband Neill and co-founded Focused Attention, Inc. She has
written numerous books, co-created the Pathway to Personal Freedom,
and the Art of Conscious Connection Seminar Series.
After many years of integrating this
consciousness shifting work into her own life and teaching it to
others, she experienced a profound reconnection with God that turned
her life upside down. This radically changed the way she perceives
the world and functions in it. Beth now lives her life guided by her
inner source of divine wisdom. She is committed to helping others
discover this for themselves and fully experience the essence of who
they truly are.
Author Links -
Website: www.BethBanning.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BethBanning
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/BethBanning
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/bethbbanning/
Linkedin:
www.linkedin.com/in/BethBanning
Book Genre: Spirituality
Publisher:
PuddleDancer Press
Release Date:
September 1, 2014
Book Description:
Interviewed by
God is an account of Beth Banning’s
journey of spiritual awakening—her conscious connection with God
and the lessons she’s learned along the way. From a very young age,
Banning experienced phenomena that could only be called
extraordinary: she’s received messages from spirit animals, felt
kundalini energy
awaken in her, and experienced dimensional shifts in her awareness
that have allowed her to witness what only a few have seen. She was
visited by totem animals, took ritualistic baths, and visited shamans
and healers; she experienced ecstatic states and received messages;
her ego mind began to battle against her higher mind. As she
experienced her spiritual journey, a small voice within guided her.
With doubt as her constant companion she continued to follow her
inner promptings, which led her to higher levels of truth about her
connection to herself and the world and reality as we know it.
Written in a format in which the author is “interviewed by God,”
the book is meant to be a mirror for the reader to reflect their own
experiences back to them, and a gentle guide for those who are at the
precipice of an extraordinary adventure and are either scared to jump
or who hunger for answers and understanding.
Excerpt One:
Interviewed by God
Chapter 2, What is REALLY Real?
Pg. 11
Beth: I'm not sure why I'm writing about any of this. Who's going to care?
God: There are many people who are having experiences similar to yours and they're embarrassed or think it's all their imagination and are not allowing these experiences to blossom. There are others who are right at the precipice of these extraordinary, life-changing experiences, but they are pushing them away. These people need to know they're not alone and what they're experiencing is actually more real than what they thought was true.
Beth: They need to know that there is more to life than they are told about, is that it? They need to know that the world is much richer and more wonderful than they ever imagined.
God: Yes, it's time for people to know just how much more there is to life. You've already begun the process of transformation, and your experiences can help to guide them. I've heard you say you have had many unusual experiences. What do you mean by this?
Beth: Over the last four years, many things have happened to me that are outside the realm of ordinary human life. They come in different forms. I may feel them, hear them, or see them, but they are nothing like my previous day-to-day existence. Research has showed me that these types of experiences are not completely uncommon. On one hand, knowing that others have had similar experiences helped me at times when I thought I was going crazy. On the other hand, I mostly found that saints, eccentric geniuses or gurus in India were the ones having these experiences. There were only a few stories involving ordinary people like me.
God: So what has changed in your life over the last few years?
Beth: In short, I have gone from wanting to know everything, understand everything and control everything in my life, to a place of peacefulness and acceptance to a degree that I've never known. I don't mind now when plans change, or someone else thinks they have a better idea about how to do things. And I don't have to agree with or understand exactly what someone is talking about in order to hear what they're saying and be able to empathize with them. My whole being has shifted. As I continue to have these unique experiences, they change me and how I perceive the world in incredible ways. I've gone from an almost compulsive need to "know" everything to an acceptance of just what's going on in the moment, and a sense of calm trusting about the future.
October 24 - Spotlight at My Life, Loves, and Passions
I'm a best-selling author and motivational speaker and I'm passionate about supporting people in creating a life and businesses that are conscious, internally sourced, and that support a world that works for everyone. I live in California with my husband, my cat Socrates, and our six pound poodle Petra. When I was a child I had many experiences with people that were lonely, scared, and desperate. This led my husband and me to the create the transformational work that we've have done for the last 17 years. About six years ago I had a spiritual expansion, or awakening experience as some would call it, which changed my life forever. I want to be clear that I'm in no way extraordinary. On the contrary, I'm really quite ordinary. I'm not highly educated, nor do I have exceptional intelligence. I wasn't born with a lot of money or into special circumstances, nor have I spent much of my life searching for spiritual truths. But nonetheless I have had extraordinary experiences and have seen things that most of us would believe impossible. But they're not only possible; they are actually more real than what most of us think is real. We are meant to live in joy and freedom, to express ourselves fully and to love our lives. This knowing is what brought me to where I am today. I am on a mission to tell anyone who will listen about what is available to us as the divine beings we truly are. And that it is possible to have an intimate, daily relationship with God, the universe, your higher self, or whatever you call your connection to the source of all things.
It's time for a radical change in how we perceive ourselves as human beings. However, this change is not one that will happen outside of us. The change that is coming is one that is bubbling up inside; and for those of us who feel it, it can no longer be ignored.
What inspired you to write?
My adventure began with an unexplainable internal pressure that was seeking release. I suspect many other people on the planet at this time are also experiencing this pressure, this feeling of longing for something more, something greater than we know ourselves to be. As my spiritual expansion continued and my ability to follow my internal guidance increased, I was asked to write a book about my experiences. At first I struggled and searched for help because writing this book was arduous, but then the answer came – God would interview me. After that, the story of my journey flowed out effortlessly onto the page as I was prompted by the questions I received from God. And since I had committed to following my guidance, here I am, five years later with a book in hand.
Tell me a little about your book. (Title, plot)
The book is about my spiritual journey, but I'd like to be clear, because most books of this kind are about some tragedy that created a "hitting bottom" event in the author's life. This book is not about a tragic existence, a life-threatening illness, or dangerous escapades. This book is an account of my journey and the lessons I’ve learned. It is meant to be a mirror for the reader to reflect their own experiences back to them, and a gentle guide for those who are at the precipice of an extraordinary adventure, and are either scared to jump or who hunger for answers and understanding.
In the book I narrate my experiences. I talk about the times that I was visited by totem animals, took ritualistic baths, and went to shamans and healers. I describe the ecstatic states of consciousness I've experienced and the otherworldly messages I've received, and how they led me to worry that I might be going crazy. I talk about when my ego mind began to battle against my higher mind – which is a battle we must all eventually encounter – and how doubt was my constant companion. As I continued to follow my inner promptings I was led to higher levels of truth about my connection to myself, the world, and reality as we know it. The book is about this and so much more.
Who has been your greatest writing inspiration?
God has been my only motivation and inspiration for writing this book. You see, I had asked God to help me embody the truth of who I am, to be useful in the world, and to give me clear signs about how to do this. So when I was guided to write about my experiences, and to talk openly and boldly about my newfound relationship with God, I was terrified at first. But as time goes on, and with the help of Marianne Williamson's famous quote that follows, I continue to be inspired to move forward. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
Now a little more about you: If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you bring (excluding family, laptop, or writing utensils)?
I'm a pragmatist and I like being comfortable as often as I can, so I would bring, an all-weather tent, one of those really cushy camping cots and a really good multi-tool. And I think I'll go watch a video on how to make fire without matches and go practice now. :-)
We find out the world is going to end tomorrow. How do you live your last day?
Somehow helping as many people as I can be as comfortable as possible with death.
If we were to make a movie of your life. Who would play the part of you?
Jennifer Connelly or Annette Bening
Tell us 5 random things about yourself.
1. I interviewed Maya Angelou 2. I have dyslexia and almost didn't graduate high school 3. I designed and made jewelry for 20 years 4. I went to school for acting, but couldn't handle all the audition rejections 5. I love talking to strangers
What are the three places you have always wanted to visit but have not yet?
1. Kathmandu 2. The Egyptian pyramids 3. Bhutan
Okay, crystal ball time. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
I see myself loving my life is much as I do now, living into each moment, taking time to feel and be and notice, and continuing to allow my curiosity and guidance to direct my path.
Do you have any questions for me?
What was there about my book that intrigued you enough to interview me and if you don't have this quality of personal connection to God, or whatever you call it, what might be possible for you if you did?
I am a very religious person and was interested in hearing from someone who decided to put out a book based on their own religious experiences.
Thanks so much for having me as a guest on your blog. Let me know if there's ever anything I can do to support you.
No comments:
Post a Comment