September Read/3

Title: Growing Up in Heaven:the Eternal Connection between Parent and Child

Author: Van Praagh, James

Subject: Spiritualism; Parent and Child

Call Number: 133.901 V273 2011

Page Number: 214

ISBN: 9780062024633

Summary:

Part I) Van Praagh reveals the reality that love transcends the physical and material planes of this world. Growing Up in Heaven lifts our spirits with the knowledge that our departed ones will always be with us—an extraordinary gift for all of us who yearn to understand life on the other side.   

     Blessed with an exceptional gift, New York Times bestselling author James Van Praagh has the ability to bridge the gap between this world and the next. Based on nearly thirty years of spirit communication, this renowned and beloved medium takes us on a powerful, eye-opening, and ultimately inspiring voyage. Filled with incredible and uplifting true stories and profound messages of love, this astounding look at heaven provides a remarkably detailed portrayal of the child's soul as it moves from this world to the next. Our eyes and hearts open and we experience firsthand the unbreakable bond between parent and child, all the while glimpsing a vision of heaven (quoted from the inside of the book’s jacket).

Part II) Another good book and inspiring messages from James! Please allow me to quote some of his saying from this book:

“The promise of a new day can be the birth of a new beginning.” (p3)

“The pain of grief is just as valuable as the joy of love. It is a matter of putting it all in balance.” (p22)

“We join with others to learn for no one can fully comprehend life without the assistance of others.” (p27)

“When a soul has fulfilled its purpose in life, death comes.” (p28)

“Life review is not about fault finding or punishment. Our mistakes are tools from which we learn about self-worth and self-love.” (p59)

“Everyone is born for the happiness of others.” (p62)

“The two good reasons we don’t remember our spiritual identities: first, if we knew all of our past lives and the horrendous things we were capable of, we would spend all our time obsessing about the past instead of working on our current soul lessons. Second, if we knew the answer to every problem that we faced, we would not evolve spiritually.” (p131)

“Although the soul memory may be hidden from our conscious rational minds, the soul’s thought patterns are always influencing the brain to behave in a certain way.” (p131)

“When we are aware that consciousness is limitless, we are able to raise our energy vibration and begin to experience synchronicity as a regular occurrence. We understand that nothing is coincidence, that accidents don’t happen and that we are not always in control of circumstances and events.” (p154)

Author’s website: www.vanpraagh.com

My Read: Do you ever wonder, like me, why some people behave certain way make you believe they might be saints or sages from other times, other lives? According to James, there are 4 levels of soul: young souls, mature souls, old souls, and earth angels. In my life I have met some people whose soul levels are higher like mine, no doubt. The wisdom and wits radiated from them are pretty polished, as if the spring’s breeze caressing one’s heart, touching, and radiant.

     James said there is no accident or coincidence that it’s planned before our birth. Sometimes, sense of deja-vu would occur and make us wonder the possibility of reincarnation. And, yes, it’s indeed.

         On page 131, the concept of “the valley of forgetfulness” is very similar to Chinese’s belief and saying of “孟婆湯”—drinking soup of Madam Meng’s to erase memories of one’s past life.

     It’s really true that “We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.” (p159) In life, at work, facing a dilemma, it’s hard for me to just rely upon all seen factors to make decisions. What if…always a scary thought when certain solutions surface and some uncertainty came along with those answers. It’s interesting that as I read James’ book I happen to turn the pages to the notes I took from the book “Go-Giver Sell More.” There are five words I wrote down by the end of the notes: excellence, consistency, attention, empathy, appreciation.

     Excellence is a choice, a personal one. Consistency brings out better practice, exercise, and outcomes. Attention invites a person to become mindful, to live at present. Empathy allows a person to view situations and things from an unbiased perspective and angles. And appreciation makes a person a better one.

     I recommend whoever reads this book review to read James’s book, any book by him. If you have questions about your life, read. If you ever wonder about life: about why, how, what, and more whys, read. It’s not just about spirits, mediums, or readings; it’s about life, yours as well as others.

     His name is Van Praagh, James.

Possible Read:

Choices in the Afterlife—Vogel, Gretchen

Healing with the Angels—Virtue, Doreen

Ghosts among Us—Van Praagh, James

Healing Grief—Van Praagh, James

Heaven and Earth—Van Praagh, James

Reaching to Heaven—Van Praagh, James

Talking to Heaven—Van Praagh, James

Unfinished Business—Van Praagh, James

Witness from Beyond—Tweddell, Margaret

Your Word Is Your Wand—Shinn, Florence

Mind Magic—Shine, Betty

Your Soul’s Plan—Schwartz, Robert

Tunnel to Eternity—Rhodes, Leon

Through Death to Rebirth—Perkins, James Scudday

Journey of Souls—Newton, Michael

Life after Life—Moody, Raymond

The Power Is Within You—Hay, Louise

Power through Constructive Thinking—Fox, Emmet

Let Go and Live in the Now—Finley, Guy

Infinite Possibilities—Dooley, Mike

Return from Heaven—Bowman, Carol

The Next Life—Zain, C.C. (Elbert Benjamine)