Category: Review

A thought on Colette V. Paul’s Butterflies Dance in the Rain, a collection of poetry and prose

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

 

Butterflies Dance in the RainDear friends,

As many of you know, I try to live my life in truth and honesty. When I tell you that I love you, I mean it. When I tell you that I don’t, I also mean it. When I review a book, I won’t tell you what you want to hear so you’ll buy it. I won’t tell you the story in an objective, journalistic style. However, I will tell you what I feel, hear and see when I read it – from my heart to yours. Be inspired by my review of Butterflies Dance in the Rain.

To be honest, I don’t remember how I know Ms. Colette V. Paul. What I do remember is a video of her that I had come across on the Internet. As I listened to her speaking one of her poems, I realized that the way she spoke reminded me of someone. Colette’s soft yet strong voice articulating words of wisdom resonated with me immediately. Colette’s outer beauty is a reflection of her inner world of love, faith, hope, and the wonderment of life. Colette has a light around her that shines brightly and enlightens everyone who knows her. However, as Butterflies in the Rain shows its readers, this wasn’t always so. Lessons of life likely propelled Colette into higher spheres of her own spirituality.

I believe that Butterflies in the Rain reflect that to the point. Filled with the sadness of a broken heart, Colette is a true artist with an understanding that there is a higher power we can all call upon in times of distress. Dear God Letter is the quest of such search for healing. It opens the poetry collection and leads me, the reader to the realization that we are all eternal and a part of this higher power whatever name one wants to give it. As Colette realizes that she is a part of this eternal power, her spirits seem to lift and carry me to the next poem. Many poems read like Japanese haikus when so much can be expressed in just a few lines. Colette seems to know instinctively when this is the case. Stillness, aspiration, intuition, love, renewal, music and human tragedies are described boldly without complications as they do not need more words but the recognition that only one thing is needed – love.

Back to reality and everyday problems, Another year feels rushed at first suffocating me, the reader, with stress, disturbance and problems. However, the last three lines free my mind and entail the deep message that I found buried under the problems. Cursed is another favorite of mine and deeply touches my soul. It is as if I almost can feel Colette’s soul crying out for help and freedom. Now the poetry collection gains in speed and depth as I learn more details on Colette’s life changing experiences, newly given responsibilities, facing prejudice and difficult circumstances in I’m Doing Just Fine. Colette puts into words what others cannot express. Suddenly, I knew who Colette reminded me of in the video. I am Woman is a masterpiece filled with dignity and strength of a woman. Elevations and Vibrations bring me back to my memory of watching the video and help me realize that, Colette is, as Dr. Maya Angelou would likely call her, a Phenomenal Woman.

Indeed, Colette is a creative soul on a journey. Life might have knocked her down a couple of times. However, her gift of words lifts her high and let her soul fly freely through life’s turning points and complications. I call Colette the next Dr. Maya Angelou. I don’t say this lightly. I mean it with my heart and my soul. Let Butterflies Dance in the Rain take you to higher spheres. Follow Colette on her journey here:

https://www.facebook.com/cocopoet1

To Colette: Next time, look up into the clouds. I am sure Maya would be proud of you. Perhaps she’ll put a rainbow in your clouds.

Love,

Barbara

 

Copyright © 2015 by Barbara Bullock

Photo credit © 2015 by Colette V. Paul

Works cited:

Paul, Colette V. Butterflies Dance in the Rain. Atlanta : Southern Butterfly Publishing , 2015. Book .

https://www.facebook.com/butterfliesdanceintherain

https://www.facebook.com/cocopoet1

Dr. Maya Angelou www.mayaangelou.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Bullock/277533425653786

#ColetteVPaul #Poems #Poetry #Soul #Love #Writer #Review #MayaAngelou #ButterfliesDanceintheRain #butterfly #butterflies #rain #dance #poet

All views and opinions expressed in this review and other posts are purely personal views of the author Barbara Bullock. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of any person mentioned. My blogs are for information/entertainment only and are not meant to replace any spiritual, psychological, medical or legal advice.

 

 

 

Love Within Beyond – a review

Barbara Bullock, M.F.A. Spiritual writer

LOVE WITHIN

BEYOND

Regula Curti, Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, and Sawani Shende-Sathaye

Dear friends, 

                  Ever since the first Beyond CD release I have been one of the greatest admirers of the Beyond projects. Since the beginning I felt that these projects are really extraordinary and God sent into our world at this time. Divine timing is not always understood by us humble and sometimes impatient human beings, yet our mysterious universe knows exactly when the time is right. I feel that humanity has recently entered a new level of consciousness. More and more people around the world are opening up to the idea of the subconscious level. Many people these days are realizing that we do not always depend on outside factors to have peace and tolerance in our world. Instead, each of us can contribute to it. Millions of people around the world are literally searching for tools to help themselves to become more aware of the world they live in and how to improve their lives. I feel that the Beyond projects remind us of likely some of the first and foremost virtues of life – love and faith. The Beyond projects help me to realize how simple a solution to our problems of daily life can be. The message is clear to me. The tool for their teachings is the universal language of music.

          Love Within contains prayers in different forms from Christian, Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Prayers have had powerful forces in the most positive way for eternity. Deep inside of us, we all pray. Some of us pray to higher powers, following a very specific approach of a particular world religion, others rather by themselves in their own ways. As different as those paths and ways may seem, at the end of the day we are all the same – human beings. All traditions and forms teach love. And yet, our world news is filled with wars and violence which roots are often based in religious conflicts. While we cannot change our world into a more positive one in one day, I believe we can all contribute something for more peace and tolerance in our world.

          This is exactly the message of Love Within and all Beyond projects for me. Through the harmonious combination and collaboration of the four female singers, Regula Curti, Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, and Sawani Shende-Sathaye, we, the listeners, are taught to go within. As we do so, we rediscover our often forgotten core values such as patience, tolerance, forgiveness, understanding, and unconditional love towards all living beings. We also discover the mother within ourselves. In philosophical and spiritual terms, a mother is often considered as positive, loving and caring form of energy inside of every person. I believe that, when we tap into this energy, we are able to express the love and care for others and ourselves. We are able to give and receive unconditional love as a true mother does. Many cultures also suggest religious figures one can worship as a mother. This can be a goddess, an angel, a deity, saint or a more general form of higher power or higher intelligence to find that unconditional love. Regardless of its name, I believe that it is a form of energy, which protects and loves us unconditionally. I believe that a true mother is someone who loves, teaches, inspires, and cares for others. We all have these qualities inside of us whether we choose to practice them in our world or not. However, I believe that when we do, we share that unconditional motherly love and help create a better world and better lives for everyone.

How do you do that?

          There are various ways to show us how to tap into this motherly energy. I believe we all come from unconditional love, that we are made of unconditional love and so we are unconditional love. I also believe that great people are born to share and teach this unconditional love for a better world. In my heart I believe that Regula Curti, Tina Turner, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, and Sawani Shende-Sathaye are such earth angels. They were sent to us to share and teach their unconditional love to the rest of us. Their alliance reminds me of the possibility of harmonization of different faiths, different cultures, and different generations.

          For those familiar with the Beyond projects, Love Within introduces new, exotic music with Sawani Shende-Sathaye coming from a rich culture and history, while providing familiar angelic sounds by Regula Curti and Tibetan chants by Dechen Shak-Dagsay. Nothing could be more proper in our global world than bringing different cultures together. To me their angelic voices touch my heart and soul in a way that helps me connect to this form of unconditional love. Each singer speaks to my heart in her own way; yet is a reminder that we are all the same. By the time Tina Turner joins the choir, I have tears in my eyes. Tina (Anna Mae as I like to call her as I like to think of the human being behind the stage persona), confirms this with her soft yet strong and voice. She reminds us that it is the music in our hearts, which keeps us going. Deep emotions of love emerge from the depths of my heart when I listen to these wise words. I feel the love of an Earth Mother, who shares her unconditional love which has supported her through her own struggles and pain. Not diminished by her trials and tribulations but filled with love and female power, she once again shows us the way to the Beyond. By returning to her roots of Gospel, I believe that she invites us into her heart to share what kept her strong and able to look beyond her life experiences and sufferings. I hear your message loud and clear. When I hear your voice and teachings, I go deep inside of me where I find the unconditional love for myself and others you talk about. When we sing Amazing Grace together and pray together, I feel the love that I have often thought I lacked in my life. Now I know that, no matter what happens in my life, I am love and I am loved. Love is essential to survive and live happy lives, to grow and to prosper. Love is the answer to a better, more peaceful world. Unconditional love is the way.

          My spirits are elevated, my faith is renewed. My fears and doubts dissolve as if by singing to me Regula, Dechen, Sawani and Tina (Anna Mae) reach out their hands and welcome me into their realms of unconditional motherly love. Once I have reached these heightened levels of awareness for myself, I am ready to go out into the world and reach out my hand to someone in need.

With Love Within, the Beyond projects just got another pair of wings to fly and share the message of Beyond. May Love Within sing into many hearts, lift many spirits and share unconditional love around the world. May we all be mothers within.

Love and peace,

Barbara

Copyright © 2014 by Barbara Bullock

Work cited:

Love Within – Beyond

http: http://www.beyond-foundation.org/love_within.php

Published 2014 by Beyond Foundation, under exclusive license to Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin, A UNIVERSAL MUSIC COMPANY.