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The Elements of Healing

We are beings of made up of energy.   This energy is ours to direct and control as we choose.  All around us, nature speaks to us.  Connecting to the elements can center us and also reminds us that we are really never alone.  Life exists all around us. By deeply connecting with these elements, we

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The Ties That Bind

Our world is in flux and with so many changes, it has become a struggle to hold on to what we know as normal.  We are also having our eyes opened to the struggles and pain so many face daily.  All this change, all this pain, can leave us feeling lost and unbalanced. No matter

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We are love

At this time in our world, we need to remind ourselves that we are all connected to each other.  No matter who we are, where we come from, or the language we speak, we all share commonalities.  These include the desire for safety and love; the heartfelt wish to create the best; safest and just

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Shining a light on truth

A light is being shined on things we may not have been aware of, things that we didn’t think could happen in our world and what we know to be truth, reality and fact are no longer so. With the turbulent times we living in, where we are questioning what we thought we knew, we

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Strength, hope and hard truths

Those of us living in America are faced with heartache, pain, anger and confusion, both in the streets and in our hearts. This pandemic has affected all our lives, some were personally touched by loss and suffering of our loved ones.  And in the midst of all this, the light is being shined on issues

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RUNNING THROUGH DARKNESS
MEMOIR OF A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR

BY SANTA MOLINA-MARSHALL ‧ RELEASE DATE: MAY 3, 2022

This debut memoir chronicles a woman’s spiritual exploration and growth as she overcame a disturbing childhood and helped others heal.

Brought to America from the Dominican Republic as a youngster, Molina-Marshall should have led a happy life. Her father was a diligent worker, and his large family wanted for nothing. But the author recounts that her dad had a drinking problem and was a serial philanderer. Molina-Marshall’s long-suffering mother left him for a woman. Then it was all downhill for the bright, 12-year-old girl, who was shuttled between foster care and relatives. According to the author, she was sexually abused by the husband of one of her siblings. This resulted in Molina-Marshall becoming alienated and moody. By 15, she simply tried to survive. In her favor were grit and a restless intelligence. She quit school, rented a room, and found a factory job. Time went by, and for a while she was happily married. Yet when her husband left her, her life truly began. She turned to religion for answers but decided that blaming God for her woes was a cop-out. 

In this absorbing and moving memoir, Molina-Marshall’s vivid storytelling is fearless. She frankly discusses the truths she discovered and the indignities she suffered. These admissions are disclosed with a touch of resignation and plenty of bite. However painful, everything she experienced was a lesson, and she bravely realized that she was part of the problem: “The fear of being hurt, rejected, or abused often led to me feeling lonely and misunderstood. No one knew the agonizing pain I felt being trapped in my thoughts and anger. I was becoming my biggest threat.” 

The author skillfully recounts her intricate spiritual journey. To deal with her psychic wounds, she searched for an inspirational system. Her open-mindedness led her to the interfaith concept—cherry-picking from various religions and spiritual movements, yoga, and Indigenous beliefs as a way of finding peace. Along with her female partner, she built a therapy practice, making use of every spiritual element that aided her and others. The road was bumpy, and she found that women of color in same-sex relationships were not welcomed everywhere. To do good works—and finally live on her own terms—she effectively overcame bigotry.

An engrossing, cathartic account of empathy and success through determination and confidence.

Pub Date: May 3, 2022   |    ISBN: 978-0-578-38315-6  |   Page Count: 264    | Publisher: From Trauma to Triumph  |   Review Posted Online: June 13, 2022