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| ISBN-13: | 9781504963671 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 11/21/2015 |
| Pages: | 114 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.96(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.25(d) |
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Awakening to God
The Lifelong Journey of a Spiritual Healer
By Helen Nelson
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2015 Helen NelsonAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5049-6367-1
CHAPTER 1
MY FIRST BRUSH WITH DEATH
It was a beautiful, sunny day in late September and the landscape was ablaze with shimmering colors of yellow, orange, red, brown and gold. The trees were like a decoupage that only God could create. The sky was filled with billowy, white clouds.
I was about five and a half years old. My younger brother, Andrew, and I were gingerly walking across the meadow, excited about soon being able to help our brother, Johnny, and our father pick apples. Andy was all snuggled into a brown jacket and I was wearing a new, bright red coat with a little fur collar and cuffs that my sister had sent from New York. Andy was teasing me by tickling me with the long, dry, blades of grasses and small branches. We laughed and laughed at the joy of the morning and the adventure. Suddenly we heard the thundering hooves of our horse, Danny, as he came upon us from behind. Andy yelled, "Elu, Elu, run, run!" (Elunka is my Hungarian name, Elu for short.) Andy's little legs carried him so fast but I turned and just stood unmoving, frozen in fear! My fear was such that I was in horror. Our family horse suddenly ran to me, grabbed hold of the neck of my new coat with his teeth and threw me over him. I landed on the ground with a thud and was knocked unconscious. That was all I remembered until I was told everything that happened later.
As Elu lay on the ground one of Danny's hooves came down and injured her chest. Andy yelled, "Help, help, Elu has been hurt!" She was lying on the ground bleeding from a gash in her forehead.
Her mother was horrified, as she saw this happen from the kitchen window. She went to the door and stepped outside but saw Johnny running for Elu so went back indoors to get three quilts which she laid over the huge wooden table my father had built for us. It was now prepared for Elu.
Johnny ran, gently picked up Elu's limp body and, with her father and Andy close behind, carried her up the hill into the house and, with tears in his eyes, laid her on the table. Her mother quickly but gently removed her coat and found, to her horror, that Elu was barely breathing. Mamom (Mama) gently removed Elu's coat which was spattered in blood. She noticed there were bruises on her neck, shoulders and face. Oh, mamom could barely keep from sobbing. This beautiful day which was to be so delightful for the children had turned into such a tragedy! How? Why did this happen? This beautiful mamom who had learned how to heal from her mother when she was just a child in Hungary, remembered the days and weeks her mother would teach her to heal, to pray while she was healing, and how to become an instrument of God while doing the healing. With a family now of nine, she remembered it SO well.
She began praying over Elu in Hungarian, while working. Andy, Johnny and papom (papa) were now there and joined in the prayers as she continued to work long and hard. She cried, "My angel child! God, please don't take my precious angel child from me!" In between prayers, she kept saying, "Elu, Elu, it is not your time, you have much work to do!" More work, more prayers. She moved her hands skillfully over Elu's whole body and when she removed some of her clothing she was horrified to see the lacerations. Mamom could tell Elu had several fractured ribs and could see there was much trauma. She could tell the pain would be almost unbearable if Elu were conscious. Her hands never stopped working. She said to papom, Johnny and Andy, "Pray, pray, pray!" Mamom prayed, "Oh God, she has the same abilities I have. Please, if it is Your will, let her live!"
Everyone heard Ethel and Anna returning so papom went outdoors to tell them what had happened and asked them to be as quiet as possible upon entering the kitchen. When they came in they both began to cry, then joined in the prayers while papom somehow did all the things he needed to do as a very competent father. Every so often he would put his arms around mamom to encourage her. He would say, "Rest, edes (sweet) asszony" (woman). He brought her a chair so she could still run her hands from Elu's head to her toes, over and over again while sitting down. Mamom asked for her rosary beads and started using them.
Johnny went out to the barn to take care of all the animals as papom felt he should take care of mamom, staying close to her to give her strength, faith and to pray with her. "Dear God, help us to understand. Help us to understand there is a reason for everything." Mamom, hearing his beautiful prayers, began to weep a little and then prayed with him.
Soon there was a lessening of the whimpering and mamom gently and intuitively skimmed her hands over Elu's body, still feeling the tremendous trauma. The room was shining with light and the heat from the old, black wood/coal stove in the kitchen began to penetrate the room. The prayers of papom, Johnny and Andy were heard. The voice of little Andy kept saying, "Elu, Elu, come back Elu." This was a place where the intensity of love and serenity was felt. They heard a little more whimpering and then soft crying. Mamom stood up and looked to see if there were any signs of healing, of renewal, and amazingly noticed that one leg moved just a little bit. She said," Oh, my God, Guri, (George) Guri, Elu is regaining consciousness!"
Slowly the whimpering became stronger and Elu gradually began to breathe normally. The pain must have been intense for this child. As Elu opened her eyes all mamom could hear was "Fáj, (pain) fáj,!" Mamom said, "I'm here, I know." Suddenly Andy appeared and asked, "Mamom, is she getting better?" Mamom said, "I hope and pray so." Papom prayed, "Dear God, please help this child and help us to help her." Mamom, who had many healing herbs drying, put a few drops of her herbal medication on Elu's lips. It was her formula for pain and wellness, which helped as their daughter very slowly regained consciousness.
It was as if I had simply been dropped onto that soft, beautiful bed that my mother had prepared for me. I felt intense pain but also love and had the feeling that everything would be all right. Even though it was difficult for me to speak I told mamom I remembered such light and such peace! "I saw angels, mamom, angels! They were so beautiful!" I had no recollection of anything at our farm after seeing Danny running toward me, only awakening in that soft bed.
By the grace of God and the strength within me that sometimes comes with suffering yet is hard to comprehend, there was a determination in me that said "I must get well." As mamom continued to work, slowly my crying stopped and the pain began to ease. Oh, this wise mother constantly thanked God for her family and somehow the sun seemed brighter and the room warmer. Johnny came in, saw that I had awakened, and knew what his mother could do, with God's help. It was way beyond the comprehension of most people, but he knew.
Each day I became stronger. The first thing I asked for was "My red coat, my red coat." Mamom told me it was right beside me. I kept talking about angels until mamom told me to be quiet and rest, that soon I would be well enough to sit up and have some homemade chicken soup. Such love surrounded me. If only more families today would recognize the love of God.
This beautiful Hungarian lady who was my mother, referred to me as a little "cigany" or little "gypsy" and continued to work on me until I fell asleep. Andy insisted on staying close to the bed and with his little hands would touch me softly and sing to me. "Get well my little Elu, get well."
In a few days my parents were able to take me to the doctor who ordered x-rays which confirmed four fractured ribs. Because of these I could hardly move but mamom said I was doing well. I asked her to sing and then listened to the beautiful Hungarian songs that she sang for me. It seemed to me that mamom could do anything.
That was the way it would go in the old farmhouse in Harwinton, Connecticut. Such an abundance of everything that was needed was there. The vegetables, eggs, milk, the cheeses and the love – it was all there. It was such a beautiful, heavenly place. Isn't it amazing how suffering makes one aware of the love, beauty and the wonder around you? This old farmhouse, surrounded by trees, birds, squirrels and so much more seemed even more delightful to me.
I remember the wide, brown floorboards in that room as well as the fireplace. Mamom would put herbs on the wood to give me a pleasant aroma to enjoy during the days. She also had a little gold bag she made and would fill it with her own mixture of potpourri.
Several weeks later when I was able to sit outdoors in the sunshine for a while my parents fixed a comfortable chair with soft pillows for me to sit on, and blankets. They placed it on the patio because of the view of such lovely scenery. The first time I looked around was an amazing sight! "I have never seen anything like this before! I said, "Oh mamom, papom, you are shining! My hands are shining! How beautiful the sun is. The sky is so blue! Something is moving around everything!" "I hear bells!" Papom laughed. "Elu, that is our cow being led to the barn. Her new bell is so we know where she is."
Helen adds now, in her own words, what her parents might have said:
Papom said, "Elu, God has given you a gift. You now see what others do not see. Sometimes it will be a joy but other times it will be a burden because others will tell you about their sadness, their loneliness, or their pain. God has given you the ability to speak to them quietly and slowly, to make them understand. It is what God calls 'awakening.' Everyone is awakening gradually but you are now beyond. You will hear things that others cannot comprehend. The music you love so much will be more beautiful, also the sounds. The music of Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald that you enjoy so much will now be more enjoyable than ever before."
I began to cry but mamom said, "No, Elu, do not cry." Then, suddenly I began to laugh. Mamom and papom did also at the sight of me all bundled up like a little teddy bear. Then I said again, "Everything is shining and beautiful!"
When mamom and papom helped me back into the house, they seated me in front of the old, black stove so I could get warm. They held my hands and looked at me in amazement.
They may have thought:
"This child has been awakened so profoundly. Oh, my God, will we be able to help her?" But then they realized they would not be leading, it would be God.
Papom took my hand and said, "My little darling girl, it is going to be a tough world for you but it will also be a world of such beauty, such awakening, such awareness that other people will not be able to understand it. How will they see that when you look at someone and see that something inside of them is ill or broken or the pain is severe and you, without questioning, say to them, 'You are being healed.' You will get better, be strong." Papom looked at me and knew I did not understand. "You know, my dear, sweet little woman, you are living in a strange world. Through your suffering and trauma you have somehow been given a precious gift that is so rare, so hard to find. My little Elu, they will look to you, walk to you, and want to talk to you always, saying, "How do you know?" All you will say is, "I don't know -- only God knows." "You know, this whole world, this whole life that you are in now, that you have been born for, is to heal and to awaken people to the power of unconditional love -- the power of compassion. Oh, my little child, my little lady, God has given you such a gift. One day when I am no longer here and you are a very beautiful woman you will remember and say, 'Oh, my beautiful papom.'"
Mamom and papom realized it was impossible for me to understand what had happened or what would continue to happen. Mamom and papom reached for each other, holding hands, tears running from their eyes, and prayed for direction and knowledge in healing and raising me. Papom looked at me and said, "Look out world, here she comes. The little cigany that always ran barefoot through the woods, listening to the whispers of the trees - here she is, that wild, little cigany woman, so awake, so alive that nothing will be able to put her back to sleep. There is so much that has to be changed in her world, in our world." Then my father bowed his head and prayed, "This little severely injured child, oh God, I am so honored to be her father. Help me to be a wise, intelligent father and speak to her with wisdom, compassion and the unconditional love of the God within her and the God within everyone."
This was my first brush with death. I knew everything would be alright because of the love around me. My dear mother knew I would never forget as she cared for me through my extremely painful but full recuperation.
CHAPTER 2MY HUNGARIAN FAMILY
My parents came to America from Hungary where my mother, Julianna, learned to heal from her mother. She had recognized my healing abilities even before my injury from our horse, Danny, but could tell that now my abilities were stronger. If someone in our family had been burned, she would call me to help her. She was continually teaching me.
We lived on the farm in Harwinton but my mother was a healer who went wherever she was needed. She was known as the beautiful healer who would walk miles to heal, help the dying and aid in the delivery of babies.
When I was a little older she took me with her on her visits. She would tell me to stop, be still, watch, listen and pay close attention to everything she said and did. But at this time I just thought it was exciting to go here and there with my mother as I did not realize I had an ability to heal. As I grew older I could run my hands over the body and feel the cancer, the disorders of other kinds, and would be fascinated.
Sometimes we would take the bus to the area of Torrington I called the "Hungarian Village" because mamom had many friends there whom we would visit. My mother would carry her big satchel filled with containers of her homemade cottage cheese to give to needy families. I heard fascinating stories about Old Hungary and the wonders of that country. Those were always special days.
I was loved and cherished by my parents and siblings so had a beautiful childhood on our farm. My sisters teased and sometimes called me "Little Elu." I was the eighth of nine children, four boys and five girls and was born in Hebron, Connecticut during one of the state's most powerful blizzards. There was neither a way to get a mid-wife to come nor to get my mother to the hospital in that weather so my father was the one who lovingly aided my mother in the delivery, with much prayer, and cut the cord. He then looked at her with great love in his eyes, wrapped me in a blanket and placed me in her waiting arms, looked at me and said, "Igy szep, igy edes!" ("So beautiful, so sweet!") He held my mother and lovingly cared for both of us. Being a clergyman, he baptized me the following day.
* * *
Our family was not well off financially but we learned to be thrifty, creative, disciplined, and were happy with what we had. Living in a large family meant that people seemed to be going somewhere or doing something special all the time. It seemed as if I was saying "Me too" much of the time so "Me too" became my nickname.
I enjoyed jumping from high places so my mother was always repairing my injuries. One day she said, "Elu, why do you jump from such high places?" I said, "Because I am carried by angels!"
My father was from Budapest and was artistic and creative in many ways. He was the first of our family to come to America. He came to find a place for his family to live and we moved several times before settling on the farm in Harwinton.
Both of my parents and all of the children worked very hard. My mother was a marvelous cook and when she made a huge pot of chicken soup she always used two chickens, carrots, parsley and many other vegetables and spices. It had to feed many people but oh, how we enjoyed it. Andy and I always sat next to each other and papom sat at the head of the table.
When we had a regular chicken dinner, however, being next to the youngest in the family meant I would get the neck of the chicken and Andy would get the wing. To this day I will not eat the neck of the chicken. Papom would get white meat, Johnny would get a thigh and leg. Ethel would get some white meat and Anna would get a thigh.
My getting the neck of the chicken combined with two other events. The first was that I rode in the rumble seat of my sister's car when she would treat me to a ride on a weekend, making me feel like a queen. The second was that our family umbrellas were handed down. With my father, brothers and sisters working, by the time one was handed down to me it always leaked. One night at the dinner table I got the neck of the chicken again and felt like crying but said, "No!" I suddenly made up this song and sang it at the table:
I get the neck of the chicken,
I get the rumble seat ride.
I get the leaky umbrella,
I'm so happy to be alive!
Everyone clapped and laughed. They thought it was so funny! Indeed we were a happy family.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Awakening to God by Helen Nelson. Copyright © 2015 Helen Nelson. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Chapter I My First Brush with Death, 1,Chapter II My Hungarian Family, 13,
Chapter III Holidays and Spiritual Gifts, 20,
Chapter IV Adult Struggles and Healing, 35,
Chapter V Coming back from Surgery, 43,
Chapter VI New Beginning, 57,
Chapter VII Family Life and Enlightenment, 67,
Chapter VIII The Wonder of India and Sri Sathya Sai Baba, 69,
Chapter IX The Healing Modalities of Love, 75,
Chapter X Awakening, 82,
Chapter XI Celebrations of the Divine, 86,
Chapter XII Hope, 98,
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