West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick BorNei

In Search of God and Angels

I had a very strange upbringing. I thought it was normal until third grade. It was when other children began talking about their mama or daddy and other family member’s daily lives; I realized my family was “abby-normal.” More questions filled my mind than answers. Daddy worked at a corner newspaper stand in the heart of Kansas City when he was eight years old, helping his mother earn money for their survival. By 16 he was hanging out at the new airports of the 1920’s, waiting for any chance to fly an airplane. Daddy loved adventure and became not only a Barnstormer, but also “walked wings” to earn a few more bucks! By the age of seventeen, he had lived in many cities such as Cleveland, Ohio; Boston, Massachusetts; New York and Long Island. He and his buddies would wait hours for a chance to flight test the latest models and meet hero pilots such as Lindbergh. Daddy obtained his license by seventeen, flew with Lucky Lindy charting a new northwest airmail route, crashed a motorcycle and lived to tell about it, and worked in the lead and zinc mines of Kansas and Missouri before he was twenty.

His stories are too numerous to tell, but as you can see, I loved flying with Daddy and became his weekend co-pilot. But on Sunday morning, Mama ruled, and I became a child of the Lord! Dressed in new starched clothes with matching shoes and gloves, I was ushered to Sunday school “to understand the ways of God.” Daddy’s God was more to my liking. His ideas were less constricting than Mother’s. He claimed that while flying in the clouds, he was closer to God and the angels than sitting on a bench in church listening to a preacher. “I can talk to God better here than anywhere else, ‘cause he lives in the Heavens.” “Who could argue with that,” I thought. It all made perfect sense to me – and stopping to get pancakes at the local diner on the way home influenced my spiritual growth.

Mama loved Daddy’s wink and his compliments made her swoon, but when it came to religion, she didn’t waver. Yes, it was certainly entertaining to live at my house. Mother’s God was stern and watched everything I did, good and bad. He was loving at times, but a little cranky in the Old Testament, so it was good to get a New Testament, thinking things would improve in the later Bible. And by the way, the ending scared me to death! Mama taught Sunday school for my brother’s class. He was already baptized and so couldn’t hang out with a sinful little sister who wasn’t saved. Each Sunday morning I was held captive with MY teacher, Sister So-and-So…

Sister So-and-So had never been married, never had kids, and was not to be questioned about her heavenly qualifications. She was not fun! With my chin resting in my hands, I watched the clock slowly tick away, waiting for Mama to rescue me from my fate. Crying, I learned early on, didn’t faze anyone in authority. From 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon we listened, behaved and waited to sing my very favorite hymn, “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.” This beautiful song signaled the end of the sermon. My brother and I squatted low in a sprinting manner, ready to fly under and around Brother and Sister So-and-So and out the huge door, quickly shaking hands with the preacher, who was usually a real relative. It could be Grandpa or an Uncle, as Mama’s people were helpers of God and we loved them better at noon, because now it was dinnertime. Thirty or so relatives would gather for THE Sunday feast. Laughter and conversation filled the house, with my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents’ familiar voices. Daddy usually joined us for Sunday dinner. With a quick wink to Mama, she blushed and giggled. The slate was clean and a new week began. Daddy wore a big smile and Heaven shone in his eyes, reflecting the morning flight with his God.

PS. To bring Heaven or Helpful People and Travel Feng Shui energy into your home, activate the immediate right front corner or section of the house. Inside, this can be done by placing Bibles or other scared books, pictures of Jesus, Buddha or other imagines from your own spiritual beliefs, statues of a sacred nature. This “altar” can be simple or large with a kneeling pad for prayers or chants. Use your own religions and natures for activating your Helpful People. This section or area of the Bagua or 8-sided octagon represents God and male ancestors. It also is related to the Metal and Water Elements of life. Placing a large round silver vase or container in this Gua is very valuable for holding written intentions or prayers. Place these hopes, dreams and prayers in this container and send their essence to the heavens by your asking. Spend time in this area, if possible, to ask, meditate, and listen for the answers from the heavens. If you have a fireplace in this room, place a large round mirror over the fireplace, remove all pictures on the mantel or add round golden and silver balls as decoration. I have recently added a 9-inch statue of Michael, one of God’s archangels, who protects and removes obstacles from my life. For outside landscaping, use the same type of energies in a garden with statues and plants in silver and gray tones in round planters. (More on archangels for Feng Shui later, stay tuned!)

Join us for a lifetime experience in China with James Jay, September 21, 2009. The tour is filling up quickly! Email me at caroline@fengshuiartistry.com for details!

Caroline lives in the Northwest Region of the US, called the Puget Sound in Washington State and is an experienced Feng Shui Practitioner, writer, author and artist. She gives workshops in Feng Shui, Elements of Art, private mentoring for serious student, lectures, does book illustrations, art demonstrations for Daniel Smiths Art Supplies and writes a weekly newspaper column for the Benicia Herald in California and other publications. Call (360) 424-1501 for her availability for speaking, teaching and consultations in the U.S. and abroad, or email caroline@fengshuiartistry.com. Visit her websites: www.fengshuiartistry.com to view her special Feng Shui artwork designed especially for cures and corrections and enhancements of the 5 Elements (some for sale) and www.moongateschool.com for West Meets East archives.

Please consult your physician for physical problems as this article only gives ideas and suggestions. Caroline is not responsible for anyone using these suggested plants or advice for cures or healing any problem either medical or Feng Shui claims. This column and article is for entertainment only. Please seek help from a qualified physician, naturopath, herbalist or other certified person for treatment.

Note: Caroline Patrick BorNei (pronounced Bornay) is Caroline's Chinese name give to her by her Master Teacher His Holiness Grandmaster Lin Yin.