Yesterday I heard from my best friend that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will be undergoing a mastectomy. She is one of the most genuine, selfless, spiritually-centered beings on the planet.  Yet, her life has been filled with challenges and tragedies–from early childhood onward.

She lost her mother to cancer and was abandoned by her father at age 9; then,suffered through various harsh and abusive foster homes until emancipated at age 18. She married young and encountered many marital and financial challenges, as well as various painful health conditions, through the years.  Now, with her youngest child finally settled into college, financial problems resolved, and a job she adores, she has been hit with this news.

If you study the lives of saints, read the holy books of any religion, or biographies of the best humanity has to offer, you will always hear of challenges and sufferings that would flatten most of us. And, you will undoubtedly find that these are people of extraordinary faith, generosity, and morality; which begs an answer to the question: Does human suffering lead to spiritual purification–or–do the strongest, purest, and best among us “agree,” before incarnating, to endure suffering in order to be teachers and “way-showers?”

I’ve given much thought to this question and have addressed the subject in different ways through my books, Karma and Ten Difficult Women. Though I did, eventually, arrive at my own conclusions, just presenting these will be of little to no value.  It is the personal process of deep thought, research, critical thinking, discernment, and life experience that uncovers answers to life’s most profound and perplexing questions.  No one can do this work for you; and, as we all know, it is impossible to give someone an “experience.”

Though we live in an age of constant distractions, pop-culture heroes, and media overload we also have available to us the most current research from Regressionists like Dr. Michael Newton,  Near Death Experience survivors, and visionary scientists like Gregg Braden (www.greggbraden.net ) who are able to shed light on important questions like:  “Why are we here?”  “What happens to us after we die?” and “How do we discover our unique life’s purpose?”

So, if such questions are truly important to you, there is no reason (or excuse) for not embarking on the exciting journey of discovering answers to questions such as these–in your own way, your own time, and employing methods most natural to your unique personality.

Physical journeys are fun and exciting; but, internal journeys–WOW!  Don’t look for shortcuts–just do it…