It was through crisis that I was brought to spirituality. Growing up I had an absence of all things spiritual, which led to a lot of pain and debilitation in my physical and emotional life. The upside of being brought up in a family where we had no religion or spiritual teaching is that I didn’t have any damage from religion, but I was also cursed with not having the structure or an introduction to spirit or God. And so it came a little bit later in life, but when it came, it came with a fury of goodness, which lifted me out of my pain and suffering.

It was through a Dark Night of the Soul that I was brought to my knees as I felt so separate from joy, from goodness, from wellness, from people and from God. It all culminated in the late ’90s early ‘2000s with severe depression, panic attacks and anxiety. My anxiety was starting to move from my emotional body into my physical body, and I started having high blood pressure and other ailments. At that height of discomfort, when I was faced with getting on pharmaceutical drugs that Divine serendipity flipped me over to a more natural, holistic and spiritual approach. It was actually through several dark nights, which were pretty bad, that I realized the importance of a spiritual community, it was my spiritual community that was able to support me. I probably wouldn’t actually be here if it hadn’t been for the grace, the light and the love of other people supporting me through that, which is one of the best gifts of a spiritual community. It helps us through those things.

It was back then that it was exceedingly painful that I really didn’t want to go out or even be with other people. I’ll be candid. I was considering leaving the world. I didn’t want to be here. And it was through a very mystical experience and through spiritual community that lifted that from me and brought me to where I am today, which is 180 degrees different from what it was.

We’re not to do this alone. It’s about fellowship and community. The whole reason two or more gather is because you’re not to do it alone. Two or more come together to expand in spirituality. That’s what spiritual community is, and that’s what we’re here to do, to grow, expand and through grace and Truth. To see and experience the goodness and beauty of God that is everywhere and in everyone.