January Challenge… My Awakening Experience and Moving On…
Happy Happy 2014 to ALL… May everyone find their magic this year and help light up the darkness in the world… IAM celebrating the New Year here in England… listening to a song from Gary Barlow… ‘Don’t forget where you come from’… what a wonderful thought to begin this New Year… and introduction to this January Challenge…… welcoming in awakening experience’s from people who remember where they come from…
There are still a few dates left to join in this challenge… sharing your own awakening experience… please let me know… and to everyone who is participating… I thank you so much for sharing… Individually and together we are making such a difference in the world…
Please post your ‘awakening experience’ on your own blog on the scheduled date, using the title ‘January Challenge… My Awakening Experience and Moving On’… link to me somewhere in your blog and the person writing the next post that is filled in, in the schedule… and you can also copy/paste the schedule list at the bottom of your post….
So here goes… My Awakening Experience… Barbara Franken… Me, My Magnificent Self…
It wasn’t a conscious decision that I made… to close down when I was about 7 years old… but my soul thought it an appropriate time to dive fully into my human experience… I didn’t go quietly though, I cried every night for months, worrying everyone, as they didn’t understand what was happening and couldn’t comfort me… to tell me that everything was going to be OK… that I would awaken at an appropriate time if I chose too… My eyesight had began to deteriorate… I wasn’t able to see the black board at school so well anymore and had to wear horrible glasses… I also experienced many sore throats, eventually having to leave my home and go into hospital to have my tonsils out… I remember these traumatic experiences so well… Physically, Mentally and Emotionally I was a mess and not understanding the significance, took them all into my human experience… I felt lost, abandoned and unimportant… I cried a lot to get attention from others… I became a rebellious teenager and acted without care and attention for myself… as I had now forgotten who I truly was and where I had come from…
Around the age of seventeen, I began to feel this drive to leave my home country, to leave all that I knew and go out and explore unknown territories, meet new people, experience different truths and to find out who I truly was… I arranged to work in a hotel in Switzerland from the age of 18… I packed all my possessions, said goodbye to my family and never looked back…
For a few years I moved around Europe, working and having fun with a variety of different people, eventually making my home in Amsterdam, Holland with my first husband, pets and working a nine to five job… I experienced a secure married life for about 4 years, but it wasn’t for me… I craved freedom to explore more of life… I eventually found the courage to leave… (it was 1987/8, the Harmonic Convergence… a time that the Earth and her inhabitants were beginning to naturally awaken, remembering where they had come from)… I wanted my ex-husband to be able to find someone who would give him a family he wanted and for me to continue my search for a freedom that I so longed for…
Looking back this was my soul’s way of calling me to attention… it was time to start opening my eyes to who I truly was… I had a good job at an International Company in Holland and enjoyed my working experience and living on my own… One of my neighbours was an older lady who took me under her wing and introduced me to the writings of Kristnamurti… They were very deep books, which inspired me to ponder my thoughts…
At my work a handsome gentleman had caught my eye, he had recently joined the company, working in the finance department… It didn’t take me too long to pluck up the courage to ask him if he wanted to take Ballroom and Latin dancing lessons with me… Tom said YES and we have never looked back on our relationship… this year, 2014 we are celebrating 25 years together…
Funnily enough Tom had collected many books of Kristnamurti too, which we enjoyed reading together, having many in-depth discussions that went on into the early mornings, bonding us together deeply… in ways I find hard to explain… During one of our first family birthday party’s I was given an English book… Out On A Limb by Shirley Maclaine… It literally blew my mind and world wide open and inspired me to explore deeper into myself and life… And as the saying goes, when the student is ready the teacher will appear…Peter, my spiritual teacher appeared and for the next 5 years I chose for him to help me explore the depths of myself… After all Kristnamurti had said… ‘You are the World’…
I learned how to feel with my heart, feeling into each moment what I liked and what was good for me… instead of relying on what other people thought was good for me and expected of me… My self-awareness expanded, I got to know myself, you could say I fell in love with myself, I trusted myself and I became important, extraordinary and magnificent…
A new world was opening up for me and slowly but surely my old life, feelings, beliefs, relationships with family and friends fell away and I began to see things in a whole different light… I was not only feeling and sensing… what was important for me to experience, but I understood that I was part of something much bigger… I understood that there was truly no separation from what was out there and within me… My outer world mirrored my inner world and this helped me make sense of myself… I became deeply excited about exploring a new found multi-dimensional world that I was a part of… I was so much more than my physical human body and mind… I had a soul and spiritual essence that was part of me and connected to ALL… Source… Love… IAM everything and my unique magnificent self… IAM YOU and YOU ARE ME… We are all just separate in different bodies for a while enjoying unique and individual human experiences…
I began to enjoy walking in nature, feeling and seeing the beauty around me… I connected with it all… I began to paint and write… I changed my work and found different friends with whom I could discuss my new found awareness… I could no longer just talk about the weather, the mundane reality and drama that continued to happen in peoples life’s… I became less materialistic and more focused on expanding into a world beyond our known physical reality… to SOURCE itself… I no longer had a need to search for more… as it was ALL right here in the now moment and within me… I was consciously breathing, living and allowing life to unfold… even the unpleasant things in life… were all part and parcel of my experience… showing me, teaching me to accept ALL… and allowing all the traumatised, unloved and frightened parts of me to come back to me and integrate as one…
We arranged for Tom to retire early and we made our move to live in Southern Spain… We wanted to leave the dreary weather and hectic life and settle into a quieter and warmer climate to experience peace, fun and find out what we were truly passionate about and enjoyed… The quietness enabled me to go deeper into myself and allowed me to connect with 9 New Elemental Beings… Aspects of myself that have shared wise insights over the last 7 years, to help me integrate, expand my body consciousness (Mind, Body and Spirit) and bring in New Potential…
It wasn’t all quietness though… in fact we both experienced a lot of distraction and confrontation with people and situations around us… giving us another opportunity to face our fears and traumas that have been waiting patiently for release… It was time for everything that no longer served me to come up, be noticed, accepted and released… I was again moving into a new space that I liked and resonated with and had friends and family around me that I could relax and enjoy fun and laughter with…
My body consciousness was coming into balance as I allowed myself to live my passion and create my dream… exploring new horizons in the New Energy Consciousness… I feel lighter and wiser now, loving and trusting myself completely… Of course I still get distracted and doubts come up, but no longer so loud or big… I take myself out into nature and breathe… consciously breathing, looking at my doubts… knowing now that they are all parts of myself, travelling home, to be welcomed, loved and to be one with ALL of me…
I live gracefully and at ease with my magnificent self… and as my doubts calm… I know that my trust in ALL THAT IAM encourages the natural process of manifesting and creating my life… my passion and hearts desire welcome in new potential that allows the appropriate energy to come in and give birth to my grandest dream for myself and mankind…
Yes I have a grand dream… One heart at a time, humanity is naturally awakening to the truth of their own magnificence… remembering they come from and are a source of love… I stand among you all, here and now, firmly balanced… radiating my love and joy into the world… knowing that everything is perfectly well…
IAM Barbara Franken…. DivineHumanBeing…
Inspiring Living in the New Energy Consciousness…
The next Post, January 3rd is Emanuel’s awakening experience…
http://emantable.com/musings-of-a-table/
January Challenge Schedule…
1st Barbara – http://memymagnificentself.wordpress.com
2nd Paddy – http://paddypicasso.wordpress.com
3rd Emanuel- http://emantable.com/musings-of-a-table/
6th Julianne – http://juliannevictoria.com
7th Sarah – http://theskycladwriter.wordpress.com
8th Shree – http://heartsongsblog.wordpress.com
9th Dace – http://mywaytotruth.wordpress.com
10th Korinn – http://www.korinn.com
11th Sindy – http://bluebutterfliesandme.wordpress.com
12th Stefanie – http://dancingwithstefanie.com
13th Mick – http://meticulousmick.wordpress.com
14th Joss – Postphoned
15th Megan – http://mychroniclifejourney.wordpress.com
16th Pat – http://patinspire.org
17th Marga – http://lifeasimprov.com
18th Kimberley – http://kimberlyharding.wordpress.com
19th
20th Serena – not available at the moment
21st Heather – http://wildflowerwomen.wordpress.com
22nd
23rd Sue – http://suedreamwalker.wordpress.com
24th M… – http://seeingm.wordpress.com
25th Brian G – http://middlepane.com
26th Dotta – http://dottaraphels.wordpress.com
27th CW – http://sunflowerrosecw.wordpress.com
28th Laurie – http://lauriesnotes.wordpress.com
29th Debra – http://ptero9.com
30th Linda – http://lindalitebeing.wordpress.com
31st Michael – http://navigator1965.wordpress.com
February
1st Leigh – http://bluegrassnotes.wordpress.com
2nd Shaman – http://shamanictracking.com
3rd Joss – http://ccwow.wordpress.com
4th Jenna – http://jennadee222.wordpress.com
5th Shelley – http://livingwithshadows.wordpress.com
6th Elisabeth – http://almostspring.com
7th Michael – http://embracingforever.com
8th Lehua – http://amusingspirit.wordpress.com
9th Aleya – http://alohaleya.wordpress.com
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Hi Barbara, thanks for sharing your journey with everyone – interesting how your path opened as you walked – some good thoughts to ponder on in your post today, thanks! all the best for 2014
and thank you for enjoying the read… it has been a long road, but worth it all… much love and joy for you in this new year 2014… Barbara
Great start to the New Year!
Thank you and I believe your story is going to be a great end to this first new month… Best wishes… Barbara
Happy New year Barbara, and what an entrance I might add 🙂
I was not so sure how to approach this challenge of ours, but I believed reading yours would pave a way, and you have.
I often tell people I began to be aware of myself at a very early age, and they of course laugh and wonder how a kid could have so much depth…you are another example I was not alone.
Like you, my journey began very early in life, and it was not until later years, I actually started to put the pieces together to form a picture.
IMO, one of the greatest attribute and wonders of the human is our ability to create. We unfortunately never realize in time this unique nature is there for us to tap into and help forge our universe as we move along.
I love the way you have put us into your path, seeing you as you really are. A hungry, eager and willing student and teacher. That you had a marriage before eventually meeting your mate is no surprise to me at all…I can tell you stories of discussions and debates I have had with folks, especially people of faith, about this ( need I say I always come off short in their eyes)lol
To be one with ones spirit is something rather difficult to achieve but easy at the same time; it’s all dependent on how willing we are towards opening up and being vulnerable.
Thanks so much for sharing yourself this way, I have taken my personal lesson from your life’s journey and I believe it will help me in many ways as I navigate through mine. Peace always 🙂
Thankyou Dotta for your lovely words and IAM so looking forward to reading about your awakening experience later this month too… Writing mine down has helped put my whole life into perspective… IAM so thankful for finding wordpress and all my new friends here… Happy New Year Dotta… love Barbara x
Beautiful and thank you for giving us all wings to share our voice and experience, what a beautiful gift. Sending much love and blessings for the new year! <3
Yes… I believe 2013 has given many of us wings to fly… I was so impressed when my sister came home and put my angel wings on me… time to play… much love to you heather for this new year 2014… Barbara
Great post Barbara! Happy New Year to you and Tom! This was a wonderful description of your journey thus far. I also noticed some spirals of clearing , letting go, and manifestation and evolution.
xx Linda
Many many spirals, that sometimes I wondered where it is all going to end… now I just trust and happily spiral… Happy New Year to you Linda…
Thank you for sharing this post, Barbara and what a post to start this New year. I like reading your posts because you constantly remind me that it is alright for the “negative” emotions to come up, that it’s okay to embrace them and realise that these are parts of me which require love so that they may be released. As I’m typing this…I’m at work. Starting after a whole week + of being free…and oh I’ve been feeling very impatient with the patients..though I don’t show it…I feel it. I’m breathing it out and I try to tell myself it’s okay to feel this way..that I can’t always have high and happy days, that some days these are the challenges that I will have to embrace…so thank you again for telling me through your words that it is okay.
Thank you Shree for your kind words… and IAM so glad that my words can help… Learning patience… is what patients are all about… on both sides… he he… When we visit my own doctor we always enjoy and appreciate the time she gives us… Barbara
Barbara, Life has an amazing knack of making us climb over a few obstacles as we travel and learn to explore, meet and greet those who enhance that journey, and often guide us to the right roads as we discover again who we are..
You have walked an interesting path Barbara, and I am happy to be sharing this leg of the journey with you 🙂 Lovely Read.
Happy New Year to you both
Sue 🙂
Thanks Sue for enjoying my post… and IAM so glad to be friends with you now… Barbara
Beautiful. Love the wings. Thank you for sharing this beautiful awakening story and for finding me.
Love,
Laurie
Thankyou for enjoying laurie… it’s going to be a month of some good stories… Barbara
Barbara, thanks so much for the sharing – a good start to the year. Glad you found yourself and stuck to it from a relatively early age. MM ????
Thank you MM for enjoying the read… IAM so glad I did… Barbara
find myself… I mean… looking back some parts of my teenager life I was a very numb person… Barbara
Beautiful and inspiring. Wish you a very happy new year 🙂
Thankyou for enjoying and happy new year to you too… Barbara
[…] experience of Awakening to Who You Truly Are, which is a post from the the inspiring website Me, My Magnificent Self. Below is my own experience and ongoing process of discovering and learning how to love who I […]
Barbara,
Such a beautiful sharing! I Love this: “I learned how to feel with my heart, feeling into each moment what I liked and what was good for me…” I bet this may be a common turning point for all of our stories! My wheels are turning for a possibility for the 17th, if it is still available. What a beautiful, inclusive, unfolding idea! xo! Marga
Hi Marga….. I also thought we were following each other a while back and suddenly I had to follow you again…. anyway… thank you for enjoying my story… other people have always been a big ‘problem’ for me… i thought they knew what was best for me… luckily from lots of experience and delving into myself I realised that it was truly all about me… not them… yeh… lets have a party and celebrate… I’ve put you down for the 17th Marga… thank you for joining in… It’s going to be a fabulous E Book… Barbara
Lovely post! The the New year be magical and beautiful for you Barbara! I may post mine early – late on the fifth (but it would already be the 6th for you) since there’s a gap on the weekend (unless anyone has signed up) and Paddy did not post. I’ll try to think of some recruits, but you have great list already!
Hello Julianne… no problem posting earlier, I don’t think others will fill the weekend anymore, it’s a little late now… but most of the later dates are now filled… 2 remaining… Paddy is working on his now so will be posted soon… Thanks and can’t wait to read your lovely words… Barbara
I came back to read again. 🙂 I like the part about the traumatized and frightened parts. I am wondering how i will share what I have found in my search for answers about this eating disorder voice. So many are fighting it. How do I ever suggest something different. This is comforting. Thank you…again.
Laurie
The only thing we can each do is tell our story and this in itself will inspire others if they so choose… Barbara
Yes. I just finished writing my story. Do I just link to you on the day or send it another way?
Yes just link it to me somehow in your story and copy/paste the other peoples dates at the bottom… Make sure you use the title My Awakening Experience and Moving Forward… in this way we’ll all link together… Please also send me a copy by email for the E Book.. to barbara@memymagnificentself.com
Ok. 🙂
Barbara, I haven’t ever read so much about you, your past! Amazing, when we look back, how so many things fell into place. I remember reading ‘Out on a Limb’ too. I’ve completely forgotten exactly what it help, but would definitely read it again. It was meaningful to me.
This was a great, full post. Happy new year 🙂
She also made a film which was very good too… Thanks for reading all about me… I wanted to create a Free E Book sharing many ‘awakening experiences’ to help inspire others to awaken too and take up their own sword to steer the world in the direction of their own hearts desire… Here’s to a magical new year for us all Noeleen… Barbara
[…] is part of the month-long blog collaborative organized by Barbara at Me, My Magnificent Self. This January Challenge is about “welcoming in awakening experiences.” I chose this date for the challenge […]
Wonderful story! I’d come around to thinking I’d like to write a post for this and reading this makes me sorry I didn’t jump on it sooner. So glad you filled the month!
Thank you leigh… I just wrote on my latest post that I would like to reach my magical 33 number and go into february with awakening stories…. If you would like to I can put you down for 1st Feb….
Oh please do. Thanks!
so, how do I get a .pdf to you? Don’t see an email or any other way to get the file to you
Hello Dace… Please send me the text in word to barbara@memymagnificentself.com I’m putting it together first in word and then changing it to pdf…. On the day of your challenge, can you post it onto your blog with the title My Awakening Experience and Moving On… Thanks Barbara and a Happy New Year to you
Thank you Barbara, This post inspires me to keep reaching, accepting and trusting. And mostly answers my question on your other post! I look forward to reading more awakening stories. Thank you!
I just read your other comment and was going to say… trusting and accepting our self as we are in each moment… for better or worse… Did it cross your mind to write your story to? we would love to read about your journey… I have added a few dates in february to read my magic number 33… Barbara
Thanks for the offer Barbara, I don’t think my story is inspiring or interesting, which of course tells you where my trust and confidence levels are! I’ll sleep on it. Thanks.
Thats what I thought, but as I started to write, I inspired myself, remembering things I had forgotten… Reading it back gave me a better perception of myself, my journey and where I was going… If this challenge is too soon, maybe another or even your own soon… Take care… Babara
Nice rhyming and thanks again for your offer. I’m sure at another point I will feel inspired and more confident to share my story with your readers. Thanks, Brad
You are a Divine Human Being Barbara. You deserve those wings.
Why thank you dear sindy su… what shape and tone are yours? Barbara
They change with my mood. lol
nice answer… xx sleep well later…
😀 Night Barbara (for me, not you. lol)
yes I’ve just got up and checking mail… I still find it quite funny that people are ‘ships in the night’ passing each other… it’s like IAM taking over your job or something… so rest well knowing that I will take care of everything….
Haha kind of like that cartoon with the wolves who are watching the sheep clock in and out at the tree. You seen that?
Its not Foghorn Leghorn but I thought I would Share it.
[…] took on a challenge to write about My Awakening and Moving on. Barbara is inspiring and I really like the way she shares her experiences and encourages other people to […]
I really enjoyed reading your awakening post, Barbara. You and Tom look like a happy, peaceful couple and that is to be treasured. I too have read a great deal of, from and about Krishnamurti and had an opportunity to meet him personally and look into the eyes of an awakened Master. On the other hand, I think Shirley Maclaine is largely a fraud. Her writing is done for commercial exploitation and money, not from true experiences, especially when she endorses CZ Knight and Ramtha, a clear scamster. I was so disturbed by her books that I wrote to Ms. Maclaine back in the ’90’s and asked her why she would waste her time with these false masters when the true ones were available and all she had to do was her homework. I got no reply, of course, she knows what she is doing. Nonetheless, this may be easier to spot here in the States where she has been a major actor for decades, than it is in Europe. That notwithstanding, you have embarked on the true path and I am so glad to read about this, as we are in sync on this topic.
Great post and Challenge.
Thankyou Beth for coming for a read and your lovely comments… AM I such a bad judge of character though? Oh dear… but anyway it was the words in her book out on a limb that made me curious about exploring more and brought me to the place IAM now… love Barbara…
[…] dear blogging friend has a challenge for people to share their awakening experience, at her blog, Me My Magnificent Self. I have been at this for over 30 years and I have earned molecules of conscious awareness, and I am […]
Barbara, I have been in bed, sick with flu since last Tuesday. I just today was able to stay out of bed. I am completely out of the loop and would like to move my post, scheduled for tomorrow to the first available date in February. I apologize for this and thank you for understanding.
no problem Joss…. I’ll put you on the 3rd Feburary… take care now… love barbara
Thank you so much. I’ll sleep easier tonight now. appreciate this.
This is wonderful….great job on connecting people. Super inspiring…….keep up the awesome work!
Thanks Ilonca… the free E book is now available on my home page side bar…. it’s a great read…. Barbara x
[…] interested in the rest of this challenge, please head over to Barbara’s site for a full list of participants and check out the other posts. I believe there may still be a few places available as well if you […]
Barbara, just a note to say how wonderful it is to read about everyone’s experience. Thank you for putting this together as it has expanded my mind further along the road of “awakening” and I am most grateful! <3
[…] had a wonderful idea for the month of January on her blog. She called her awakening tale: January Challenge…My Awakening Experience and Moving On… , and she invited her friends to join her in this exploration. The 17th is my day to spin my […]
[…] journey allowing me to release my thoughts to the world and share the positivity. Thank you Barbara Franken for inviting me to participate in this awakening challenge! You are awesome! Here are the […]
Hi Barbara.
I tried to get to Serena’s blog and it said I cannot have access because the blog is private. Could you look into this? thanks, Linda
I think she has taken a holiday from blogging… something came up… so we have an empty day today…
A bit late in the year – but this is lovely – may the year continue to bless you on your journey ~
IAM being blessed everyday, it’s truly wonderful… thank you.. take care and enjoy life to the full Barbara x
[…] My post today is part of a series of posts about awakening experiences by various bloggers initiated by Barbara of Me My Magnificent Self. Further details […]
Wow what a cool story! There’s something very upbeat and easy going about you abd I could feel that throughout your story. I think that the true siritual challenges actually lie in ‘mundane’ life and in managing everyday relationships. Seems like you managed to make both work magically with Tom, and have a perfect retirement for both. Courage to change what is known for new and unknown always pays off 🙂
You radiate love and light and I am happy to participate in this blogger challenge with all of you. xox
[…] ‘January Challenge – My Awakening Experience and Moving On’ was started by this amazing lady here, Barbara Franken whereby she invited a group of bloggers […]
I’ve posted my share and like to take this opportunity to thank you once again! 🙂
Big smile and thanks to you for making it all possible too… Barbara x
[…] http://memymagnificentself.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/january-challenge-my-awakening-experience-and-mo… […]
I have been internet challenged all month and today I am settled into the local tourist office where there is free wifi to catch up on all the awakening stories here. Thank you for sharing yours so beautifully. ” I got to know myself, you could say I fell in love with myself, I trusted myself and I became important, extraordinary and magnificent…” I love this declaration – so potent , so energetic. I am fascinated by your Nine elemental Beings as I have had Nine Wise Women appearing to me for many years now. We are living in amazing times and witnessing the awakening of many beautiful souls. Thank you for being one of those.
Divine sister Joss… we are so alike and one day we can read each others tales… It’s an amazing life, enjoying each day…. and now the Free E Book is available and IAM sure it’s going to inspire so many people to open their hearts too…. Barbara x
[…] http://memymagnificentself.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/january-challenge-my-awakening-experience-and-mo… […]
Barbara, What a wonderful post and it gives me a significant amount of insight regarding the comments you made on one of my recent posts, where you had addressed my remarks regarding Patience. When someone decides to follow my blog I generally ask why, what did I say that drew a person in, what about my post made a reader to want more, and I ask that of you.
I know why I have decided to follow you, This post, this explanation for your metamorphosis was extremely interesting to me, and I will follow to learn more.
Please take care, Bill
Thanks Bill for your most thoughtful words… Sometimes words can’t explain why… I just felt a connection and wanted to keep my eye on you… I don’t know why… but maybe later when we can enjoy each others journey’s we’ll look back and know… take care Barbara