I Once Was a Grape When I was a teenager, I used to write poetry all the time. I had a little shelf in my room that I used as an altar. It was a combination of rosary, candles, and statues that conjured up something meaningful in me. Poetry would just pour out of me. I felt like I was an altar in the world for others. It was dramatic and driven by the desire for love and God. I remember writing a whole series of poems from the vantage point of a grape that became aware that it was part of a bunch of grapes, a vineyard and eventually wine. It was called, "I once was a grape." It depicts the interconnectedness that I see humanity moving towards. One day my mother, who took very little interest in me and knew very few people, had a bitter friend who just happened to know someone who worked at the local writers and book club. He was a student with an analytical mind but seemed like an authority to me. She took my poems to him to see if I had any talent. His critique was brutal. He did not take into account the passion or the depth and merely focused on syntax and the rules of proper writing. He barely considered my obvious sensitivities either. The critique was another reason to go numb inside, except at a deeper level. I had felt this way often with external events but nothing that was so personal. It was like someone had introduced numbing agent to my soul. I stopped writing then. It was a shame. It was such a good coping method. The urge to pour out words in artful dance would emerge once in a while. But it wasn't until life had stripped me down to the bone and taken away all outer distractions like family and friends that writing reemerged as a joy. How else does one express such deep connection to love, joy, wisdom and truth in the universe? My passion for expression has reemerged.But it is funny, it is not shared to be validated as a writer, or wise sage. It is shared to give voice, heart and reason to all those out there who are smoldering in their passion and need encouragement to burst into empowerment. This book is dedicated to all the seekers, knowers, believers, dreamers, forsaken, discouraged, dismissed and bewildered. Here is to finding your voice, your truth or your passion. Here is to needing no one to give you permission to thrive. This book and others that I write are staking claim into the universe and providing safe passage for all others to explore.
About the Author: Jen Ward is an Ascended Master. This entails being a Reiki Master, gifted healer, inspirational speaker, author of many books and an innovator of a healing modality for self empowerment. She offers a simple but dynamic protocol to assist individuals in clearing up all their energy imbalances (karma) with every person, experience, belief system and the Universe. She enables all those struggling, to cross the bridge of self-discovery, with her encouragement and instruction. Her passion is to empower the world by encouraging all individuals in their own miraculous healing adventure. Jen is considered a Sangoma, a traditional African shaman who channels ancestors, and clears energy by emoting sounds and vocalizations. An interesting prerequisite to being a Sangoma is to have survived being on the brink of death. When it was first revealed that Jen was a Sangoma, she had not yet fulfilled the rigorous prerequisites necessary. However, in April 2008, through a series of traumas, she returned to civilization meeting all the requirements. She passed through the transforming process of enlightenment. She returned to the world of humanity a devout soul inspired to serve. Jen currently works diligently in the physical world and in the worlds of energy to assist all souls to reach greater heights of awareness and empowerment. Those who believe they have "arrived", may be the most entrenched in the mental realms. They can painlessly free themselves without relinquishing the comfort of their current belief system. All that needs to be released will fall away naturally. "Fear, in all its subtle forms of denial and judgment, will naturally fall away." Many people report receiving healing assistance from Jen or protection in the dream state and even more subtle realms. Jen is passionate to shatter the mentality of sitting at the feet of another. She shares truth and wisdom graciously and abundantly. Jen makes the practice of doling out truth in increments to set up the dynamic of personality worship obsolete. Her passion is to assist the world over the brink of all perceived limitations, beyond the mind's scope, into the realms of enlightenment. Jenuinehealing.com