Yvonne's lived experience is far removed from ordinary, as she transfers this to the pages of a book you cannot help but be captured and drawn into her world.
Yvonne is a qualified CBT Counsellor possessing a BSc (Hons) degree; Life Coach Practitioner qualified in Results Coaching, Hypnosis, NLP and Subconscious Reprogramming. As an award winning coach Yvonne combines her unique blend of expert therapies and natural spiritual abilities to facilitate healing on deep levels. Yvonne works intuitively and has been trained as a Sekhem energy healer and is currently training as a Shamanic Healer.
Yvonne is also a powerful writer and author of three books and an inspiring public speaker. She has been described as “a dynamic individual who just by her aura can change the people she comes into contact with”. Audiences speak of how captivating her talks are and how emotionally touched they are when they hear her speak. Early 2014 Yvonne was featured in the Daily Express Happiness Column regarding her book Trust Your Intuition. Recently Yvonne wrote a blog for the UK Says No More organisation on how sexual abuse and violence can be prevented. Yvonne's own blog on her website feature articles of a spiritual nature helping her readers gain insight of their spiritual selves.
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My journey from Christianity to Spirituality
Join Yvonne as she continues on her journey of self-discovery as she leaves her Christian roots behind; with an open mind Yvonne questions her very existence as a spiritual being
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Yvonne journals her inner struggles trying to accept her true calling. Travel with Yvonne on this phenomenal journey where she realises her innate abilities are far more than she realised. Yvonne discovers that she is a powerful Empath bestowed with many spiritual abilities that blow her mind and has her living in two different worlds.
Yvonne begins to embrace and balance her life as a Seer and incorporates this into her personal and professional life. As a healer Yvonne recognises why she went through all the atrocities she did and identifies her soul’s purpose. She leaves her Christian roots behind with many consequences that she has to live with.
Travel with Yvonne on this journey and get a glimpse of her awakening, her travels in the spirit realm and other dimensions, her connection with all her Guides whom she calls her ‘spirit family’.
This book appeals to the industry of Mind, Body & Soul.
Growing up and accepting a religion given to you by your parents is very normal to most people. However, for some people that religion may not sit well with your psyche and you may find yourself battling through and questioning your beliefs. You may keep searching for something because deep down you are not satisfied with your religion of birth you feel lost and confused. If you soul is yearning for more this book will help you find the answers you may be searching for.
This book is a unique account of my struggles as I question my own beliefs and existence, come to terms with my mystical experiences and finally embrace my innate spiritual abilities.
Take a peek into my world as I discover and understand what it finally means to be an Empath and a Starseed; balancing between the physical and spiritual world of normal and higher consciousness. Travel with me on this journey and get a glimpse of my awakening, my travels in the spirit realm and other dimensions.
My readers will be inspired and comforted realising they are not alone and be able to:
· Let go of guilt if they decide to leave all that they have known behind to follow their own path
· Gain a deeper understanding of their innermost being, as they expand their consciousness
· Gain inner peace by embracing their own truth
This book will connect with anyone who is struggling with their religious beliefs because they are experiencing spiritual phenomena and are disillusioned with their religion of birth.
The Christian Concept
This is a brief yet concise introduction to the Christian concept as I have learned to understand it, some of the main characters of Christianity.
Early Years as a Christian
This chapter documents my early years as a Christian and how I experienced it. As I grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness I explain some of their fundamental beliefs and teachings and practises. This chapter has very mixed feelings of my thoughts and feelings as a young Christian.
Grown Woman
As a young woman I detail my life as I get married to a Christian man, having two children and doing my best to be a good Christian.
Breaking Free
Feeling very unhappy and suffering from depression my life feels fruitless. Becoming more and more disillusioned with my life and my beliefs and after a tragedy in the family I break free from my religion.
Spiritual Programme
My new life takes a bit of a tumble and after a breakdown I end up finding a spiritual programme that opens my mind and helps me find my way. Feeling more hopeful I start to get back on my feet.
Doing my own Research
As I become more curious about being a spiritual being living a human existence I start to research. This chapter documents some of my findings and answers to some pertinent questions.
Meeting Psychics & Developing
As the journey continues I start to meet psychics and my soul jumps for joy. This leads of on to developing my own skills and spiritual abilities as I learn to trust my intuition.
Soul Discovery
I start to discover the true essence of my soul as I delve into my past lives.
Night Time Writings
They call it automatic writing and this I started doing in the middle of the night when I was able to be guided by spirit.
A Personal Mission
Messages from the spirit world enlightening me on my soul purpose including a soul memory download on personal and spiritual development.
Spiritual Retreat
I recall my attendance at a spiritual retreat and some of my mystical and somewhat alarming experiences.
Astral Travelling
As I become aware of my spirit travelling through different dimensions I write about some of these experiences and my thoughts and feelings on these supernatural travels and being a multidimensional being.
Visions & Premonitions
My dream world takes on new meaning as I start dreaming and seeing things that come to pass in the real world. This leaves me stunned as my abilities to see develop.
Meeting a Shaman
This chapter talks about my visits to a Shamanic circle. I undergo some phenomenal experiences of healing and enlightenment.
Soul Rescuers
I attend a healing retreat led by a Shaman and Soul Rescuer. I undergo deep healing and revelations of how the teachings of Christianity were ingrained in my psyche.
Healing the Mother Wound
Falling out with mum as I stand in my own truth and how that wound was so challenging to heal.
Evolving
Visits from above and learning sacred rituals. Incorporating spiritual living and balancing between two worlds.
Ancestors
Here I detail my relationship to my ancestors and how they have helped me on this transitional journey.
More Opposition
Facing more opposition from family and feeling like an outsider but recognising that my soul family and spirit family love me which finally gives me a sense of belonging.
Embracing my Calling
By way of continuing my journey I evolve and grow. Accepting myself for who I am as an Empath, Starseed and embracing the Shamanic calling.
The target reader for this book are Christians, devout or not, who may be disillusioned with their religion and seeking something that fits in more with their lived experience of spiritual occurrences.
These people may be going through a spiritual crisis, suffering from psychosis, confused with what is happening and not knowing where to turn. Some may be tired of being judged
Pew Research conducted a study and found that many young people are leaving the church. When asked why, “startlingly, 49% of those who call themselves religiously raised said a “lack of belief” led them to move away from religion”. [https://answersingenesis.org/christianity/church/pew-research-why-young-people-leaving-christianity/] Google 02/07/2018
Christianity is the largest religion in the world with over 2 billion followers, about 30% of the world’s population.
This book will help my readers to see that they are not alone and that they can make the decision to follow a more spiritually led life as opposed to a Christian life without feeling guilty. The book answers many deep questions and satisfies one’s curiosity as well as your soul; answers that they are not getting from their church leaders.
There is a huge macrocosmic shift going on right now and with that a global spiritual awakening is happening for many. This is an ideal time for people who are awakening and are looking for something different, something that is more aligned with their soul.
These people are likely stuck with one foot in and one foot out not sure which way to go. They may desperately want to leave their religion but have no idea what to replace it with. Some may have already left and are now looking for a new way of developing their spirituality and need guidance. Readers may be feeling quite fragile and judged for their curiosity thus shutting down and keeping their experiences a secret thinking that there must be something wrong with them.
My readers believe in something greater than themselves but are now questioning who or what that is. They are experiencing their own divinity; they may meditate and connect to their higher consciousness. They believe in the interconnectedness of the universe.
This book offers readers an insight into non ordinary reality; a peak into how life can be when you accept that you are a multidimensional being. Your soul will be fed and you will find answers to your pressing questions.
People will read this book because they are in a dilemma on their journey of self-discovery and are seeking their own truth. They may be disheartened by their experiences within the church and not getting the answers they seek.
This study details why mature people are also leaving the church:
[https://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2006/february-online-only/exit-stage-left-why-spiritually-mature-are-leaving-church.html] Google 02/07/2018
The following article specifically talks about young black people leaving Christianity and turning to African Spirituality:
[https://splinternews.com/why-more-young-black-people-are-trading-in-church-for-a-1821316608] Google 02/07/2018
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500+
Social media following
Facebook 4,986; Facebook Page:1,497; LinkedIn 2,886; Instagram: 1220; Twitter: 837;
Video marketing views or subscribers
YouTube: 44 subscribers; 1,855 views
Professional website plus page views.
Speaking engagements scheduled; past and future
Day of the Goddess Event: 25/03/2012
The Good Shepherd - Enterprising Women Event 21/03/2013
Women Around The Globe Event: 24/08/2013
Rebirth – Mind Body Soul Event: 17/11/2013
Trust Your Intuition Book Launch – 02/2014
S.T.O.R.M. Women’s Conference - 21/04/2016
Rebirth – Mind Body Soul Event: 28/07/2016
Hungry for Love Book Event - 12/05/2016
Holistic & Mystic Fayre – 18/11/2017
Day of the Goddess Event: 18/03/2018
Previous book reviews:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/produ...
Links to regular publication, media contributions, or your blog
Blog: http://yvonnejdouglas.com/news/
Media Contribution: http://uksaysnomore.org/how-ca...
Conversations with God - An uncommon dialogue. Hodder & Stoughton 1997
Neal Donald Walsch describes his book as dictation from God, giving him answers. My book compares in this way, and this form of writing is often described as automatic writing. My book does differ as I write more from a personal experience where he asks very general questions about life. Nonetheless we both have conversations with the spiritual realm.
Conversations with God, Book 4 - Awaken the Species, a new and unexpected dialogue. Rainbow Ridge Books 2017.
Neal talks about how human beings are being helped by highly evolved beings to create a better existence for those of us on planet earth. As one of those beings here on earth I share what it is I am here to do on a very personal level.
Angels - Who they are, What they do and why it matters. Bethany House Publishers - 2016
Pastor Jack Graham encourages his Christian readers by proving using scripture the existence of angels and how they can help you through daily living and struggles. My book is different in that it does not encourage Christians to stick with religions teachings, however similar in that it proves the existence of spiritual realm with spiritual beings who do help us.
How to be Spiritual Without Being Religious - Hampton Roads Publishing Co - being released November 2018
Patrick Miller explores the sames questions as myself in this book, such as Who am I? and Why am I here? His book is for those who want to lead a spiritual life without the religious dogma.
God on Your Own - Finding a spiritual path without religion. Jossey-Bass 19 May 2006 (1st edition)
Joseph Dispenza writes about his journey as a former monk and how he finds his way to leading a spiritual life without religion. Very similar book to mine
Leaving the Fold - A guide for former fundamentalists and others leaving their religion. Apocryphile Press 15 Jan. 2006
Marlene Winell speaks of her experience in organised religion and how one has to heal after leaving. She talks about the healing work needed in her book. Her book is very much a comparison to my book. However it differs in that her book is more of a self help book on recovering from the wounds of religion. Her personal experience is not the main highlight of her book.
A Religion of One's Own - A guide to creating a personal spirituality in a secular world. Gotham Books; Reprint edition 19 Feb. 2015
Thomas Moor talks about the benefits of his monastic living but also blends in his spiritual experiences which he embraces in later life. His book differs from mine because he incorporates the wisdom of philosophers, writers and artists who have infused their lives with transcendence.
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ShieldCrest are book publishers based in the UK who fill that vital gap for talented authors where mainstream publishers are unwilling to give them that chance. We strive for excellence and invest in our authors and are listed in FreeIndex as the number one independent publisher in the UK for price quality and service rated author satisfaction. We publish books of all genres including; fiction, historical, biographies and children's books. Service publisher Children Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mind & Body, Mystery, Thriller, Horror & Suspense, Romantic Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, YA Fiction, Biography & Memoir, Business & Money, Career & Success, Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting, History, Journalism, Politics & Social Sciences, Religion & Spirituality, Science, Society & Culture, Sports & Outdoors, Technology & the Future, Travel Worldwide |
My denomination of Christianity was Jehovah’s Witness. Rather different from the others, in fact a lot stricter. We did not celebrate birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Valentines, mother’s day, father’s day, as they were of pagan origin. However, we commemorated Jesus’ death around the Easter period. This consisted of a very special memorial service where the bread and the wine was passed around and only the remnants of the 144,000 chosen to go to heaven to rule over the rest of humanity after Armageddon were allowed to eat and drink of the bread and wine. This was the most important day of our calendar.
I am no longer a Christian, it was difficult for me to give that way of life up, however, as I got older I started to see flaws and it really wasn’t working for me. I was constantly depressed and felt as if Jehovah was not hearing my prayers. It did not make sense to me, because I prayed so much and wondered why I was still so depressed, surely if this was the right religion I would not be constantly feeling this way. Something was amiss and I became very uncomfortable with my path. I started to rebel and one day I finally left my religion of nearly 25 years. My mother had taken on the religion when I was 4 years old; I left when I was 28.
The path from Christianity to Spirituality has had its twists and turns and where I have ended up seems so far away from what I originally believed in. It has given me lots of food for thought, lots of questioning, researching. I know that this book will be quite controversial, I may lose some friends and more family members in the process, however I feel it very necessary to write this book, it feels like a calling from above. I believe many people are stuck in their beliefs and feel there is no other way. Maybe they are scared to open their mind, or they fear trying something else, as much as they want due to family loyalties. This book is for them. It is not for those who are happy in their beliefs as a Christian. I am not trying to turn people away from their beliefs, I am simply writing my story, my experience and how it affected me. I also do not wish to cause any offence whatsoever as I have the greatest respect for the Most High, Creator, Supreme Divine Source, Mother Earth, Universe; many people call God.
She had died of Septicaemia, the blood poisoning form of the disease Meningitis. Over the next week or so we were all so very solemn and feared going to the funeral. I had never been to a funeral before and didn’t know what to really expect. I don’t even remember how we got there, but what I do recall is the amount of people that turned up to her funeral, about 300 people in total. She was well loved. Due to the amount of crying and emotional turmoil I was in I cannot even remember the service apart from the fact that we were encouraged not to mourn like those in Christendom do because we have the hope of the resurrection and know that we would see her again in paradise. This I found difficult to do, I missed my sister friend dearly so how could I not mourn her death?
In the coming weeks, I had some very strange dreams of my dear sister friend. The dreams were so vivid they seemed real. She was appearing in my dreams frequently; she seemed different as if she had a weak body, that’s the only way I could describe it at that time in my life. I assumed I was dreaming about her so often because I was taking her death so hard and missed her very much. I talked to my sister and her sister about this and they both were experiencing the same dream. However, as a Jehovah’s Witness we were not allowed to interpret dreams as a scripture says that dreams interpretations only belong to Jehovah.
The older I became the easier I found it to be a loyal good Christian. Although it came with its challenges, I felt I was more equipped to handle the challenges. I believed that as long as I obeyed Jehovah things would go well with me. So that is what I did. However, there was still a longing for something. I couldn’t work out what was wrong. I prayed to Jehovah every day and even made my prayers quite personal yet I was depressed and I couldn’t understand why. I felt as if Jehovah was not answering my prayers because surely he would alleviate my depression, would he not? (please see Hungry for Love for full accounts of my story of depression). Then something happened, something quite profound I thought. A young man from Sierra Leone walked into our Kingdom Hall looking for a bible study. He was, in my eyes, just perfect, handsome, beautiful shaped lips and about my age. Instantly I saw him, after the meeting on the way home I told my family and friends: “That is the man I am going to marry”. They were shocked and told me that I cannot know that for sure and it was silly of me to say such a thing without even speaking to him. However, something inside me just knew he was the one for me, don’t ask me how I knew, I just did.
Two years later we married. There was a lot of drama throughout the relationship, we were not supposed to be courting because he wasn’t yet baptised so we did it in hiding. We got found out and we were reprimanded like little children by the elders. So annoying, I thought, how can they stop people in love from being together? One such drama was trying to stay chaste before we married. My husband had not been brought up in The Truth so he had experience with the opposite sex; he was my first (even my first kiss). There was a lot of chemistry between us and as Christians the recommendation that we not be alone in private came in handy. However, there were times that we were and we probably did more than we should, but it was very difficult not to. I loved him, he loved me and we were due to be married. It was painstaking at times and there were times we felt it necessary to have our private times, surely that was only natural. We managed not to have sex throughout our whole courtship; however, the night before we were due to wed, it happened. I was so upset, because all my dreams of ‘my first time’ had been shattered. I didn’t actually want it to happen, but he got so carried away and I felt like I couldn’t say no. It was not enjoyable to say the least. I wed this man with the knowledge that we had gravely sinned. Guilt visited me once again.
Before our wedding the elders spoke to us about our arrangements for the wedding. We had asked a Caribbean elder to marry us. We liked him very much and felt more than comfortable with him being the one to marry us. It was his job to ensure that our arrangements were fitting of Christians. The presiding overseer of the congregation had a duty to oversee that the other elder was doing things by the book. We were asked by the presiding overseer what music we were playing and we had to bring them a sample of the type of music we would play at our wedding. He was not keen on us playing reggae as he felt it wasn’t the sort of music Christians should listen to. Our Caribbean elder told him in no uncertain terms that this is the music of their origin and that there was nothing wrong with it. In my mind I was thinking, how very dare he tell us what we can and cannot play at our wedding? I wouldn’t even think about playing degrading music at my wedding, and he was implying that reggae was degrading. A part of me thought this was outright racism.
An incident occurred within the congregation that shocked us. We learnt that one of the elders had been accused of child molestation by their neighbour’s child. When I heard this, I thought, ‘no way, this sort of thing does not happen in our religion, how the neighbour could tell such lies?’ There was a lot of gossip within the congregation, yes gossip as per usual. As time progressed there was an announcement that our brother had been found guilty of child molestation and sentenced to prison. Shock horror created waves around the congregation. I was stunned to hear this and I thought to myself, ‘he must be guilty then, otherwise why would Jehovah make him go to prison for something he did not do, him being found guilty if he wasn’t would bring reproach on Jehovah’s name’. With my deductive reasoning I knew he had done it, I felt utterly disgusted that someone serving Jehovah would do such a thing. A little part of me was glad he went to prison because his wife was a little high and mighty and had called me and my sister ‘plain Jane’ when we were younger. Hopefully that would bring her down a peg or two.
After a couple of years our marriage was suffering somewhat and we both felt it was because we had sinned prior to our marriage. It was time to come clean with the elders about what had happened prior to our marriage. We told our book study conductor, I felt so embarrassed but also knew deep down it was the right thing to do. An official hearing was organised and we had to sit in front of the committee of elders separately and together to relay what had taken place. Some of the questions were so personal that I wanted the floor to swallow me up. I felt invaded, unclean and so very ashamed. In the end they decided to give us a private reproof which meant we were not allowed to answer up during any meetings for the next 6 months. A public reproof would have been more embarrassing as that meant an announcement would be made from the platform with words to the effect of: Yvonne and ….. have been publicly reproved for the period of 6 months for acts not befitting a Christian”. It would have been left to the congregation to guess, speculate or even accuse us of what they thought it could possibly be. However, we were spared this embarrassment, although some brothers and sisters could guess we were on reproof because we ceased to answer up during meetings and we were a couple that often answered up, especially me; I kind of liked the sound of my own voice.
By this time we had our first child. She was my heartbeat and I loved her dearly. She was so bright and knowing. There would be times that she came out with information and I would ask her how did she know? her response would be ‘I just know’. I would reprimand her and tell her she cannot just know something, someone had to have told her. Even though she looked like a wise child I could not understand this. She was such a delight that she would talk to people on the bus and when we were out and about, people found her adorable. Her communication skills were impeccable. My son who came three and a half years later was different; he was extremely sensitive and needed constant stimulation. He often had nightmares and would always want me to pray with him before going to sleep. He also had an invisible friend named Pelar, I didn’t encourage this and in hindsight it was probably a guardian angel of some sort. Little did I know then that I had very spiritual children?
I was becoming disillusioned with what I considered to be the one and only true religion. I was at a friends’ home and having a conversation with the wife and another friend. I don’t remember how we came onto the subject but they asked me if I would share my husband. I dumbfounded by such a question and felt abhorred at the very thought. Share my husband, with whom? Why would I want to do that? As Christians that is so wrong, but not just because I was a Christian, to me it felt morally wrong and debauched. My mind started to work overtime, wondering whether this is something that they took part in. In later years after leaving the religion I found out, to my absolute disgust, that they were spouse swapping. Christians, in authority, one was a ministerial servant and the other an elder. Poor naïve me.
I have just launched my campaign and I have had 6 pre-orders already. I want to say a special thank you to those of you beautiful …
on Aug. 1, 2018, 9:50 p.m.
I am looking forward to reading your book and experiences. I am really proud of you for taking such a amazing step. Judy xx