Rest in Paradise Shakti Gawain

The books at my bedside 

I was devastated to find out that spiritual guru Shakti Gawain died two days ago. The date was November 11, 2018 –11/11/11 (2+0+1+8=11).  Eleven is the most intuitive of all numbers, a master number associated with faith and psychics. 

I first read her book “Creative Visualization” a few years after it was published. I was only 24 and on the beginning of my spiritual journey, with my mentor, Bayani Mendoza de Leon.

Back then, books like this were considered “esoteric.” I had to put a brown paper cover over them so people wouldn’t think I was “weird.”

Fast forward to today. Everyone is into yoga, meditation, spirituality (or so they say) and it’s all out in the open. That said, I’m not ashamed to say I cried my eyes out learning of her death. You see, when I first read “Creative Visualization” I had an “aha” moment before that was a term.  “So THAT is what it’s called!” I was familiar with being a visual creator since I was about 12. I continued using it as a tool my entire life, and it was later known as “Law of Attraction.”

I passed on the “Creative Visualization” books to friends over the years. And a copy always found its way back into my hands. I’ve kept Shakti’s books by my bedside to read during bouts with insomnia. Each time I read her words I felt a new awakening in my soul. I never met the woman, but I feel like I lost a friend. There is a hole in my heart in learning of her death. As I’m so sure many feel the same. My wish is that someday I’ll see her on the other side of my spiritual journey. Until then, I will continue to visually create, here on Earth.

Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta is the author of “I Don’t Want to Be Like You” traditionally by Higher Ground and available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Want-Be-Like-You/dp/1726273261

Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta is available for speaking engagements throughout the USA and overseas. Email for pricing and dates: maryannechristiano@gmail.com

Does God Speak To Us Through the Chain of Coincidence?

Me and my Grandmother, 1994

Springtime is always magical and exciting. Your friends share about their new opportunities. Everyone is motivated to do something different. People feel alive, stay out later, start health/exercise programs. It’s a beautiful time of year.

It’s also a time for omens and messages and connecting the puzzle of life.

Originally I had planned on publishing my second book “Love Cats” the same time my first book “On the Guest List: Adventures of a Music Journalist” was published — during the cycle of Aquarius. “Aquarius is my favorite sign because some of the nicest people are Aquarius. (My husband is Aquarius). I was thrilled that my first born book was Aquarius.

“Love Cats” was ready for publication a long time ago. It could have been an Aquarius, but wasn’t. I kept stalling and Aquarius passed us. So did Pieces and Aries. Now “Love Cats” is with the publisher and will definitely be a Taurus when it’s officially published in a few weeks!

How could that be? It didn’t make sense until I put together the Taurus Connection of “Love Cats” which you can read about here: https://maryannemistretta.wordpress.com/2015/04/20/bizarre-taurus-magic-and-numerology/

And now the coincidences are getting more bizarre.

In addition to being an author, I am also a public speaker. I have a wide variety of topics I speak on in assisted living facilities, libraries, Jewish Community Centers, etc.

I’m often coming up with new ideas to keep me coming back to my favorite places, and to open doors to new places. I also love working with amazing people.

One of the coolest people I know, an Aquarius, named Carol Erickson, has become a good friend of mine over the years. She’s a beautiful songstress and her favorite performer is Ella Fitzgerald. I decided I wanted to work with Carol so I put together a series called “Learn and Listen” featuring the music of Ella Fitzgerald. (I also put together on featuring the music of Elvis Presley). The program entails a half hour bio on Ella, presented by myself, then a half hour of Ella’s music, sung by Carol.

Last night I started writing the Ella bio and was blown away by the number connection she had with my beloved Grandmother.

Check this out:

Ella was born in 1917. My Grandmother was born in 1918. My Grandmother died in 1995 of diabetes. She lost one leg. And had cataracts in both eyes. Ella died in 1996 of diabetes. She lost both legs. And had a cataract in one eye.

That’s where the Grandmother connections end, but then we go back to the Taurus connection — Ella Fitzgerald was a Taurus. And my first presentation of the Ella program with Carol will be on Monday, May 4, during the cycle of Taurus!

[And an interesting side note: Ella was born in Newport News, Viriginia. I had traveled there, alone, in the 1990s, two years after Ella died, to visit the Peta House, where I considered taking a job as an animal rights activist].

What does this all mean? I am not sure, but I am always open to interpretation. Today I have an exciting meeting that could change my life. Even if it doesn’t work out, the fact that I was considered for this meeting has my husband super duper high on the fact. He even told his brother about this meeting, he’s so proud of me!

Me, on the other hand, I am afraid to drive to the meeting, as it’s in the Pulaski Skyway area and I’m afraid of accidentally driving over the Skyway again. I was so nervous thinking about this, instead of going to bed last night when I was supposed to, I was sipping organic wine and researching about Ella Fitzgerald.

When I finally did go to sleep, I had a beautiful dream about my Grandmother. In the dream, I knew she was dead, but I was able to speak to her briefly. It was so surreal. And it made me realize that it’s not just about life after death — but life after life and life during life too.

I rarely dream about Grandma and I have to ask myself, is this an omen the meeting will be a success, or that just my drive there and back will be because she’s watching over me?

It could be her blessing for doing the Ella program. And to show that the tragedy of diabetes can happen to anyone, rich, poor or middle class.

When I read about Ella’s last day on earth, she just wanted to go outside in her wheelchair and be with her 12-year-old granddaughter. How significant, the dynamic of the love between Grandma and granddaughter.

We may not always know the answers, but with little signs God gives us through Astrology, numerology and coincidences, it shows many things that are pretty cool when we open our minds to interpretation. It’s His way of showing how our loved ones speak to us. Or how even God himself speaks to us — as He knows what is important to us and He gets us!

Beautiful Ella “Get Happy!”

Bizarre Taurus Magic and Numerology

I swear, you can not plan these things or make them up.

When writing my upcoming fiction book, “Love Cats” I used two songs that were significant to move the story along. Of course, one was “Love Cats” by The Cure. The other was “Mass Production” by Iggy Pop.

In order to use these songs, I had to get legal permission from Hal Leonard Music, which I did. It cost me $100 to use the lyrics to “Love Cats.” And $43 to use “Mass Production.”

Now, last year, when my first book “On the Guest List: Adventures of a Music Journalist” came out, it was during the cycle of Aquarius — my favorite sign. Many of my friends are Aquarius. And I married an Aquarius.

I wanted my baby “Love Cats” to be an Aquarius too, but it just didn’t pan out that way. “Love Cats” is going to be a Taurus, published in early May.

Sharing this with my friend Shaolin, a zodiac fanatic (name a friend or celebrity or famous musician and she will know their zodiac sign off the top of her head — incredibly impressive!), she immediately told me that both Robert Smith and Iggy Pop are not only Taurus, but their birthdays are on the same day!

I looked it up on Wikipedia and yeah, she’s right!

Then I took it a step further and went the numerology route. I added up the numbers of their birthdays.

Iggy Pop – 4-21-1947 (4+21+1947 = 1972, 1+9+7+2 = 1) #1 is a powerful force that doesn’t let anything stand in it’s way.

Robert Smith = 4-21-1959 (4+21+1959 = 1984, 1+9+8+9 = 1) #22 is a master number, where dreams manifest.

With the power of numbers, astrology, music (and cats!) this baby of mine is sure to be something else! Stay tuned for “Love Cats” — Coming May 2015, from Next Century Publishing.

Janey Peyton is filthy rich, but also a down-to-earth goth chick. She lives in suburban New Jersey during the 1980s. Janey has it all, including an Italian live-in housekeeper (who sometimes drives her batty with overbearing dated love advice).

Since Janey’s status symbol-driven parents are absent in her life love-starved Janey desperately seeks a soul mate as she cruises the new wave nightclubs.

Enter Beck Stewart, also a workaholic, but for all the right reasons. The working class hero wants to make a better life for himself. Beck falls hard for Janey and turns a blind eye to the immediate red flags: she’s a snoop and obviously hates his beloved old cat, Morticia.

When Janey discovers Beck can’t resist overtime hours, she mistakes his job loyalty for neglect. For “revenge” she takes on other lovers and is careless when it comes to hiding her conquests. What happens when Beck feels enough is enough and the couple who had their ups and downs finally hit an all time low? And what happens when a stray kitten shows up on cat hater Janey’s doorstep?

If you love the’80s, alternative wave, sexy chick lit, and of course CATS, this book is for you!

Endorsements

“Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta draws you in from the very first page. This book will make you find yourself yelling at the characters. I laughed out loud, I cried; my emotions were all over the place. With engaging characters and a unique story-line set in 1980s New Jersey, ‘Love Cats’ is a story that will captivate you and stay in your heart long after you read the last line.” – S.C. Miotto, author “Moonstone Dreams” and “Diamond Love.”

“Maryanne’s zeal for life and passion for creativity shines through in all of her work. Here in her first book of fiction she gives us multidimensional characters mitigating love and growing pains as they manicure their pop culture lifestyle at the tail end of the ’80s. It’s romance — Gen X style! I could not get enough of Janey and Beck.” – Scott Schiaffo

In “Love Cats,” Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta really takes you there, to the fun and electricity of running around, being young in the 1980s, in New Jersey, but enough universal magic so we all can relate: the spontaneity, adorable flirting, daring and exploring, making mistakes and finding your way. Maryanne treats tricky, sensitive and intimate topics with the most refreshing honesty. – Zaphyrella, fashion designer.

 

RIP Bayani Mendoza De Leon, Loss of a Very Special Friend and Spiritual Mentor

Bayani Mendoza De Leon

November 24, 1942 to September 13, 2013

In the late 1980s I was a young girl, not yet 25, working at A.B. Bookman in Garfield, New Jersey, as a typesetter. Bayani Mendoza De Leon was a proofreader there. The first time he spoke to me, it was because he was very impressed with my typing skills and asked how I got to be such a good typist.

Now this was before home computers, and I shared that I spent many hours typing poetry I wrote on my Smith Corona typewriter at home. Bayani expressed interest in my poetry and we became good friends, spending all our lunches and breaks together, as we were both vegetarians and very much into the new age. Bayani was a lot older than me — at age 46 he seemed almost ancient. But the age difference didn’t stop us from becoming friends. Then something extraordinary happened — Bayani became my spiritual mentor. He gave me hundreds of books and tapes on Teachings of the Far East, Gurdjieff, Buddha, Ouspensky, numerology, alphabet-ology, The Bible … and so on. I stopped going to night clubs for about eight months, spending all my time studying with Bayani and on my own.

I celebrated my 25th birthday with Bayani. Our favorite restaurant was The Gate in NYC (of course it’s no longer there). It was a Japanese restaurant that served green tea and red bean ice cream — something extraordinary back in those days. Another restaurant we favored were Pumpkin Eater up on 79th Street. We also saw one of my favorite musicians — Mick Karn — perform at The Bottom Line.

Bayani was also a well known musician in the Philippines. He was friends with another musician, Eleanor Academia, who was from California (where Bayani spent some time living). One day Eleanor treated Bayani and I to lunch in New York City. She had a great saying, “Spend your money, save your soul.”

When Bayani left A.B. Bookman several months after we became good friends, we touched base a few times but really didn’t keep in touch. So I was beyond thrilled when out of the blue I heard from Bayani in 2011! He found me via my website (www.peartreeenterprises.com) and wrote me an email! A few months later, February 2012, we got together for lunch at my favorite restaurant, Veggie Heaven. He was in great spirits and we had a wonderful time. I was 48 (two years older than Bayani was when I first met him!) and Bayani was 69.

We promised to keep in touch, but  sadly, that was the last time I saw Bayani. Our last email was a few weeks after our lunch.

I heard of Bayani’s death today by chance. I was looking up info on music.orb and found that they acknowledged his birthday! I was excited and Googled him — only to find a sad tribute about his death on You Tube.

I was shocked and sad. When we were friends back in the 1980s Bayani met both my mother and grandmother. He also took pictures of my sister and I one night before we went to a Halloween party. That’s how close we were. I once met his sister too and had dinner in his home when she was visiting. I still have photos of me and her together. As well as all the pictures he took of my sister and I on Halloween, 1988. One of the few nights I deviated from my spiritual studies.

So many fond memories, but my favorite was when we took breaks at A.B. Bookman and sat in the hallway sharing vegetarian snacks like Eden Soy Milk and Japanese plum ball sours. In just 15 minutes we shared great food and had such deep conversation. It was great!

So September 2013 was such a tragic month. My Billy cat died Sept. 3, my mentor Joan Finn died a few days later, and then Bayani (which I just found out about) left us at age 70.

Rest in Peace to a wonderful soul and an ever-joyful spirit … a deep, quiet man with a good heart. Definitely heaven’s gain.

LUCKY 13

 

 

All week I was running around with no time to go to the bank.

Since today I don’t have appointments until later in the morning, last night I was organizing a few checks and bills.

When I went to make out a deposit slip of what’s going into the bank, the total was “666.”

I’m not superstitious, but I didn’t want to put that evil number on a bank slip — just in case.

I’ve been about numbers and numerology for over 25 years. I memorized what numbers are good for me, and even though 666 = the number of my wedding day, 9 (6+6+6 = 18; 8 +1 = 9), according to Angel Numbers 101 (by Doreen Virtue) 666 means that your thoughts are too focused on material illusions (which certainly isn’t me, so I definitely needed to change the vibrations!)

Then realizing that I’ll be traveling today, I could use an extra $5 cash for tolls.

I subtracted $5 from $666, bringing my total deposit to $661, which adds up to 13. (6 + 6 + 1 = 13)

While some fear 13 as unlucky (and I did once have a very unlucky Friday the 13th where I totaled a brand new car I had less than a year!) it really isn’t a number to be feared, as it stands for an ascending master, such as Jesus Christ. Very positive, of course!

So, 13 it is! (On Oct. 12, making it a double 13, today and tomorrow! 13-13, reminding me of one of Lydia Lunch’s cool back-up bands she had early on too!)

And all this from a dyslexic who often struggles with numbers!

Happy 12th and Happy 13th too!