We finally meet 5 years later
I had the most amazing experience during this past week. Someone who came here and had a completely life changing Soul Adventure 5 years ago came back to Sedona to celebrate her 5-year anniversary. I wasn’t it town when she was here the first time, and she wanted to meet me when she came back this time.
So we emailed and texted and the first day she was here we weren’t able to meet. Then she had so much planned and I had a bunch of stuff going on, and we kept missing each other. We had texted about trying to get together on Sunday.
On Sunday morning, Richard and I slept in (which we don’t get to do very often) and very late in the morning I said to Richard “Let’s go to the Coffee Pot for breakfast”. The Coffee Pot is a very famous restaurant that’s been in Sedona since the 1950’s and boasts 101 omelettes! Whenever we go to the Coffee Pot, it’s usually at 8 am, but this time it was 11 am!
Just as we were finishing our omelettes, a woman suddenly appeared at our table and said “Debra? I’m Julia! I knew that was you!” We hugged and her partner Daniel was there and it was so beautiful. She said to me “I recognized you and I told Daniel, that’s Debra!”
She went on to tell Richard and I how when she came for her Soul Adventure 5 years ago, she was a broken person. She said her divorce had completely devastated her. We talked about how absolutely incredible it is that a person’s life can be completely changed in just a few days, like hers was.
She congratulated Richard and I on our marriage and said “I read the newsletter every week, I know everything about you!”
The four of us had so much fun connecting and then we went outside and took the photo above.
A few days later I wrote Julia and asked her if it was okay to write about her in the newsletter. She said she would be “honoured” (she’s Canadian, so cute). But then came the unexpected. The next day she sent me this most amazing and soul-baring message:
“Dear Debra,
I was thinking in the night and I am not sure I ever told you my “whole” story.
I have always been what people may call “intense”. I feel things very strongly, I over react, I am overly sensitive etc. I was a handful for my parents and for all who knew me. I know that. But I have learned with age and thru my soul searching the last few years to control and channel that intensity into positive things.
My marriage ended as a result of an affair. I know usually the stories we hear are the stories about the ones who’s spouses were unfaithful to them and we feel awful for them. Mine is the reverse. I was unfaithful, as I felt very unfulfilled in my relationship/life.
I lost everything because of it. I had it all, or so it seemed. A beautiful family, two kids, financial stability, loads of friends, our house was the social place to gather. But inside I was dying. I know it was more then my marriage. I was just not a happy person. So I shut my husband out and went searching for love elsewhere. Obviously it all came out, as lies do and ended in compete disaster. So many lives were turned upside down. I lost my family, my friends, my world. I had no one to blame but myself and I was alone.
But I put on a brave front. Moved out and tried to start over. I drank, and partied to forget everything. My life was out of control.
I will never forget the Sunday morning I woke up and took a look at the bottle of alcohol and pills beside me and burst into tears. I knew I needed help. It was either get help or that was it.
Monday morning I called Sedona Soul Adventures and Rick called me back. I bawled on the phone to him.
I was on a plane that Thursday. With no support. My family was mortified that I was leaving and again thinking of myself. I was truly trying to save myself from complete destruction.
That is what happened after 6 days in Sedona. I saved myself.
I do not expect people to feel sorry for those who are unfaithful. I regret it immensely and all the hurt I caused. But I would never be the woman I am today. I am a better mother, partner, daughter, worker and all round person after hitting “rock bottom” and crawling my way out.
I want those who are on the side I was on to know that you are not alone, you are not a horrible person, you can be forgiven, and you have to start with forgiving yourself. Own your mistakes! And one day you may even find true love like I did.
Debra, if this is repetitive, I apologize….I just felt compelled to write this down at 3am…lol”
Wow. I went back and looked at what Julia had written to us 5 years ago, one month after her retreat:
“Two words come to mind when I describe my experience: LIFE CHANGING. I left home and arrived in Sedona half a person, I came home complete, content, whole and Full of love. I “found” myself amidst the beauty of a place I now consider “home”. I look at life in a whole new light and enjoy each and every day. Thank you to all the wonderful people at Sedona Soul Adventures that helped to open me up to a whole new world of possibilities.”
Her entire life turned around. She met Daniel shortly after her Soul Adventure and they have a beautiful, committed relationship. Her children live with her and her relationship with them is rock solid. It’s five years later and everything she received here has not only maintained, but continued to deepen.
When she wrote me in November, she said she had been concerned about spending the money to come to Sedona again and was worried about leaving the kids. Just at that moment, her boss gave her a bonus that would cover the entire trip, and her family (who didn’t support her coming here the first time), said they’d be happy to take care of the kids.
I sent her an email asking if she was okay with me telling her entire story and using her name, because we always protect everyone’s privacy. She wrote back saying “if I can inspire one person to reach out for help it’s worth it.”
Then she apologized for not getting back to me right away, because today was her birthday and she was having a special celebration with her kids!
I asked her if she had a photo from her time here 5 years ago. She sent me this photo and wrote “this was taken January 12, 2013”. I couldn’t believe it. That’s my birthday! That’s why I wasn’t here to meet her, I was out of town celebrating my birthday, but the amazing thing is she sent me a photo taken on my birthday. I wrote her back and said “So many connections!”
That’s what happens when your life comes back into connection. All these synchronicities start happening – Julia had a strong desire to come back to Sedona to celebrate the 5th anniversary of her life changing retreat but she was worried about money and leaving her kids and suddenly her boss gives her a bonus that covers it all and her family was happy to take care of the kids.
We decide to go to breakfast much later than we usually do and the Universe brings us together at the same place in perfect timing.
5 years ago she had her picture taken in Sedona during a time when her life was being transformed by coming to one of our retreats, and it turns out the photo was taken on my birthday. I contact her again and it turns out to be her birthday!
But the best part is, 5 years ago her life was completely broken, she came here to do a retreat and she was totally transformed. Five years later she’s not only going strong, it just keeps on getting better and better and better.
That’s my favorite part of all the work we do here. I love it so much when someone has a fabulous, life changing retreat and that’s what happens here all day, every day. But what I love the most is hearing from someone 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, even 10 years later, that their Soul Adventure was THE event that transformed their life or saved their marriage.
And the really miraculous thing is, this isn’t out of the ordinary, this is what is happening all the time.
So if you have parts of your life or your relationship that aren’t working, come to the right place. Come to Sedona and do a Soul Adventure. I say this all the time and I’ll say it again – if you knew what could happen, you’d be coming right now!
Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
Wishing you a week filled with amazement,
Debra
Debra Stangl / Founder
Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://sedonasouladventures.com
Come to Machu Picchu and Peru with Jorge Luis Delgado, one of the Masters on the planet right now (April 14-27)
One of the most amazing things about our Machu Picchu and Peru trip is our incredible guide and shaman, Jorge Luis Delgado. I truly believe Jorge is one of the masters on the planet right now.
And to be in his presence for 2 weeks – doing ceremonies, learning his teachings, it’s just so incredible and amazing.
Jorge’s background is so interesting. He grew up on Lake Titicaca with a family of very little means. Amazingly, he became a tour guide throughout Peru and after a few years, became very well known.
Although he grew up in a very spiritual region, he thought that all of the talk about energy and Pachamama (the Earth Mother) was a little bit crazy and not something he was interested in at all.
He became more and more successful, continuing his guiding and eventually owning some hotels in Peru.
And then suddenly he started having dreams about a portal, a doorway to other dimensions. After having the dream over and over again, he finally went to the elders in his village. They told him that it was his soul purpose to find this doorway.
As his spiritual awakening continued, Jorge spent a great deal of time finding the portal. He describes his spiritual journey and finding the portal in his book “Andean Awakenings”. On the trip we will do an incredible ceremony at the doorway (that’s Jorge doing ceremony there).
One of the things I love best about Jorge is that even though he is an incredibly spiritual person, he is also very grounded and very practical and very much a real person. He is married (and his wife is an attorney!) and he has three grown children. His teachings are practical and wonderful and life changing.
“Both Jorge and Debra helped guide me through spiritual healing that has been needed to free my mind and spirit from past resentments, fears and pain. All of the ceremonies were beautiful and enlightening. I have been home for a week and my family has made comments about how happy I seem. I really am – I feel better!”
– Stephanie Springel
If you have any questions, send me an email at:
[email protected]
Or better yet, give me a call – I love talking about Peru!
Call me toll-free at (877) 204-3664.
Is this the year you give yourself the gift of Machu Picchu?
