Debra Basham

Living and Loving

Tag: intention

  • 49 Days

    Sacred Stories

    Chanting GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA from the heart sutra for 49 days to-the-day of transition is a significant act of love in the Buddhist tradition. PARASAMGATE means completely gone to the further shore. The prefix SAM is intensive in meaning: completely, thoroughly, altogether.

    She had been chanting for the husband of a close friend.

    “Saturday is the 49th day,” she told her friend.

    “Saturday? Saturday is March 7. March 7 is his birthday!” her friend exclaimed.

    They were both brought to silent awe realizing the perfection of the date of his transition positioning the 49th day of chanting to be on his birthday.

    Completely gone to perfection.

    Thoroughly blessed.

    Altogether in love.

  • Stacey and Courtney

    Sacred Stories

    She had traveled a distance, while wintering in Florida, to be evaluated for an intervention for relief from chronic back pain.

    She sent her friend an update via text message: “We made an appointment for the treatment tomorrow! And it just happens that Stacey and Courtney helped us out with the schedule.”

    FYI – Stacey is the name of the daughter of her friend, and Courtney is the name of Stacey’s daughter.

    She recognized the significance of the coincidence. Omens are everywhere….

    But God has blessed you, because your eyes can see and your ears can hear! Matthew 13:16

  • Glass Globe

    Sacred Stories

    Her husband had recently transitioned. The friend she was talking to on the phone asked if she had noticed communications from him. Initially she said she had not noticed anything, then she remembered something that might be!

    “Last week when I was down with the flu, I was lying on the sofa with the dog. Something happened that has never happened before or since. That blown glass globe hanging from a cord in the living room started moving. It just started swinging back and forth and I had a thought, ‘I wonder if that is him.’”

    Even though she was curious what could have set the globe in motion, she was not feeling well and she did not give it another thought until her friend asked her about her experiences of her husband’s visiting.

    “That globe is a substantial object—and the cord is no flimsy thing either. I made that cord…” she continued.

    All of a sudden, she burst out, “It’s swinging again!”

    Her friend exclaimed, “Hello! Thank you for visiting! We love you!”

    She was so excited. “I am going to hang up and take a video of it swinging. I will send it to you so you can see it too. I want to keep this to remind me….”

    Soon after, a video was received in which you can clearly see the beautiful globe swinging back and forth. Here is a still shot from the video of the swinging globe:

  • Scorpion

    Sacred Stories

    Her husband was going through some health challenges. He was scheduled to go to Mayo Clinic.

    She was so stressed about all of this.

    When her husband came home, he made three scorpion wire sculptures.

    Curious, she looked up scorpion totem meaning.

    Holy Cow, this was insightful.

    The article described her husband’s best traits and his worst traits.

    The page that had caught her attention was “Totems of a Scorpio”.

    Her husband is a Scorpio!

    This was a direct message from the universe for her through him.

  • Chicken Soup

    Sacred Stories

    A text message titled “Ailing” came to the yoga group:

    … “I woke up yesterday with a dry cough; made it though Thursday’s yoga class. Today this is a full-blown, achy, stuffy ailment. So sorry, (sad face) but I need to cancel our Saturday morning yoga.”

    One of the students who attends Saturday’s class by phoning in while out of state wrote: “Sending cyber Chicken Soup for the Body and Soul….”

    “Ailing” responded:

    … “I have chicken noodle soup in the refrigerator ready for later. Thank you for your good thoughts.”

    Having noticed the teacher’s under-the-weather voice, about to walk out of the door, one of the Thursday students felt guided to offer to make the teacher some chicken soup. The offer was graciously received and the soup was made and delivered later that day.

    In Sunday School children are told God has no hands but ours. Compassion and love produced a strong intention of that offer of chicken soup. The healing soup was lovingly prepared, delivered, and received by God’s hands.

    LOVE ignited is not limited by proximity, and it is not limited to chicken soup….

  • 3:01 am

    Sacred Stories

    Sacred stories invite us to see that nothing is an accident. We are all always, in all ways, connected.

    She knew her friend was in labor when she went to bed.

    She put on her glasses and went to check for news when she woke. It was still dark. No news….

    At 3:12 am she wrote simply: “Still holding energy,” and went back to bed.

    Awake again a couple of hours later, there was still no announcement.

    At 5:43 am she wrote, “Welcome an update when it is easy…. been checking in overnight.”

    A photo of proud father, happy mother, and beautiful baby girl quickly popped in:

    “Born at 3:01 am.”

    We welcome this precious soul who arrived at the perfect time.

  • Labor of Love

    Sacred Stories

    At 8:30 am she posted the following on the Facebook page of a friend:

    I know you will understand you are watching yourself. Last night I ate potato chips and dip before bedtime. Then my tummy was too full to be comfortable. As I was tossing and turning, lifting my hippo weight, not finding any position that did not accentuate my discomfort except for flat on my back, suddenly my mind was full of thought about my friend who is expecting their daughter this month. My too-full tummy was no longer mine. And my heart was simultaneously filled with joy and anticipation. This was not a denial of the unpleasant sensation, but I was also not missing the magic.

    A couple of hours later, at 11:04 am, she received this via Messenger:

    Good morning everyone! Contractions started last night! Getting close now—we will likely head to birth center soon! The mother-to-be is a champ! 👶🏻🎉🎉🎉

    We are not living isolated lives. Even our sensations are a part of the ONE….

  • Everything is Connected

    Sacred Stories

    She had a three-hour layover between flights, but the loading time came and passed. Her flight had been delayed.

    Finally the airline’s representative told them they did not have a plane because it was sitting in another airport with a door that wouldn’t close.

    The airlines found them a substitute plane and later she learned that the plane with the malfunctioning door didn’t leave the airport until the next day.

    She had seen that very plane sitting at the gate. (See “Do a Happy Dance!”)

    She likes glimpses of the invisible (web-like) connectedness of everything….

  • Let’s Do a Happy Dance

    Sacred Stories

    Her plane was due to leave for San Francisco (SFO) at the same time another plane was due to leave for Los Angeles (LAX). The LAX flight loaded, but then it just sat at the gate. The plane’s door wouldn’t shut.

    Her flight was, by then, an hour behind schedule. The plane was at the gate, passengers just weren’t invited to load. Finally, they got the invitation, but that was quickly revoked. They were told there was an air traffic control three-hour delay at San Francisco.

    Having had a chance to get to know the seven people sitting around her, she said to her seat mates, “Our advance gratitude is more powerful than a corporate entity that doesn’t care. Let’s give thanks in advance and do a happy dance in our minds that we were able to board and fly out of here.” All agreed, and they sat and concentrated for a while.

    Ten minutes later they were informed the delay had been lifted and we were invited to board!

    As her plane took off she could see the fully loaded LAX plane still sitting with its malfunctioning door.

    Giving thanks for what you welcome can’t hurt, and it might just pave the way for a wonderful happening.

  • Cricket Communication

    Sacred Stories

    As she was driving, she heard a weird sound inside her car. The sound really got her attention.

    When she stopped and parked, she saw a cricket on the passenger seat. Laughing to herself, she remembered that crickets are considered to be good luck totems.

    She set the cricket free, and continued to laugh while telling several others of her encounter.

    An hour later she learned someone very dear to her had passed three days earlier.

    She immediately had the wondering, “Might he have orchestrated the visiting cricket to soften the news?”

    Cricket Totem Meaning

    Happiness and good luck. The cricket is a symbol of happiness and good luck in many cultures around the world. As a totem animal, the cricket is a bringer of good luck into your life. If you are blessed to have this insect as your totem, you are most likely a very fortunate and happy person.

    You spread your enthusiasm all around you. The cricket as your totem protects you and your home from bad fortune.