Fran's Birthday Party

Photo credit: Eva Shari Schoen

Today is Sunday, June 16, 2013. 

Yesterday I woke up feeling pretty achy, but more grateful than ever to be alive.  I received a lot of lovely well-wishes from my friends all over the world, and was able to continue to publish my two blogs.  I spent quite a bit of time showering and dressing wounds before getting dressed and going downstairs for some coffee.  Spent time also calling in the accident report to the insurance company and the hospital where I was treated.  

In the afternoon, it was time to prepare my salad.  My friend Johanna had gone with me on Thursday evening to buy salad fixings at the local grocery, so the preparations were fairly simple. 

My friend, Fran, whose 80th birthday we celebrated, sent over some muscle rub, a heating pad, and some pain medications earlier in the day.  She also said she was going to ride back to Tampa with me (Johanna is driving).  A couple of massage therapists were at the party, and Fran asked one of them if she would mind giving me a massaage.  Fran has a massage table, so it was set up by the pool in a secluded area of the patio, and I got the massage of my life.  It was wonderful, very gentle, and didn't hurt at all.  I will have to get the lady to spell out the word she used to describe this sort of massage.  Fran saved a big stuffed rocking chair for my use, and wouldn't let me get up to do anything.  I enjoyed talking with a number of the guests who came by my chair to chat.

There were about 25-30 guests, including some family members of Fran's who elected to drive down from Orlando to surprise her.  Most of the guests were ECKists, members of Eckankar, our spiritual path.  Fran is well known among ECKists, and people from all around the world had been invited.   

A wonderful time was had by all.  

About the photo: 

For those who are not ECKists (members of Eckankar), HU is an ancient name for God handed down from generation to generation in the "old world" - lots of Africans say that they learned to chant HU for protection long before they ever heard about Eckankar.  The name HU doesn't belong to Eckankar, though.  It belongs to the world.  Anyone can chant this Love Song to God no matter what their spiritual path.  It is pronounced like the word "hue", and can be chanted on any note that is comfortable.   Sit up straight with your feet on the floor and hands in your lap as you wish.  Then close your eyes and take a deep breath.  Sing HU-U-U-U-U for as long as you can hold it out.  Then take another deep breath and sing HU again on the outbreath.  Do this for five or ten minutes, then fall silent and experience peace.  You can ask God any question you like, or describe a problem you are trying to solve.  After your spiritual exercise, start listening and watching for the answer, which may come when you least expect it.  :-)

The notes that Eva put in the photo are the Sound of God, an inner sound that you can hear.  It is the way God talks to us.  It's very much like a zip file or condensed file on the computer - the file gets opened automatically and the information it contains gets played out in our lives as we need it.  

The star of ECK represents the presence of our Spiritual Guide, the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master, who is not God, but who shows us the way to find God for ourselves.