Trafford Publishing: When In Doubt, Follow The Yellow Brick Road

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When In Doubt, Follow The Yellow Brick Road

by Bernard J. Srode

101 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #00-0123; ISBN 1-55212-458-4; US$16.50, C$23.06, EUR15.00, £10.40

The author uncovers the new and exciting reality that the Divine is truly present within each human being. Each one's experience of this Divinity is always personal and unique. The special road that the author travels to make this discovery is called "The Yellow Brick Road."

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about the book      about the author      excerpts and Table of Contents      catalogue info

About the Book

If you love travel and excitement, then you are going to love this book. The author will take you along paths you never dreamed of going. Ride with him as he discovers just who God really is. Feel the excitement as he uncovers the great mystery of who we are and why we have come to this earth. Imagine the disbelief of learning that we all have the option of returning to this earth again and again! Learn how our spirit communicates with our body and the wonderful messages it wishes to convey to us. See how powerful each of us really is and where that power resides. Get acquainted with some of the universal spiritual laws and see how they can help us learn the exact same lessons without having to go through the hard knocks of life. Laugh with the author as he takes time out to attend class conducted by his clever canine companion called Toby. Examine close up the author's blueprint for the kind of church needed in the twenty-first century; and be informed of the four majot ingredients important to every religion. "Surprise" does not adequately describe the shock of discovering all those who are available to help us in our daily endeavors. Then experience what it is like to go through a reality checkpoint. Finally get a glimpse of God's master plan for us and the world as we experience the unexpected in today's world, nature, and events. Who knows, after experiencing this unique adventure, you, the reader, may decide to journey on your own "yellow brick road" just to discover what wonderful insights you, too, will uncover!

About the Author

Bernard Srode has a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1965. Having served as an associate pastor of a large Ohio parish for ten years and then as a hospital chaplain for one year, he decided to leave the active ministry and marry in 1976. He and his wife, Molly, now live in Columbus, Ohio, and have completed twenty-four wonderful years together. Presently retired, Bernard has spent the past several years compiling his insights into who we really are as spiritual beings. The result of his labor has been his book When In Doubt, Follow The Yellow Brick Road

Excerpts and Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
I. Slow Down and Image Your God!
II. Stop Here To Recall "You Are Gods And Goddesses!"
III. Proceed With Caution, Even Though You Have Been Here Before!
IV. Exit Here To Tour The Temple Beautiful!
V. Caution: Highly Explosive Power Ahead!
VI. Give 'em A Break - Obey The Laws!
VII. Be Prepared: Animals Crossing Ahead!
VIII. Construction Ahead - May Mean Long Delays!
IX. Tunnel Ahead - Remove Sun Glasses and Turn On Lights!
X. In Case Of Emergency - Use The Call Boxes Along The Highway!
XI. Warning: Reality Checkpoint Ahead!
XII. Life Is A Journey. Enjoy The Ride!

from the Introduction
     A final point I wish to emphasize is that each one's path or journey to discover the Divine within is truly a personal experience. Therefore, in sharing my personal insights, despite my background as a Catholic priest, I do not officially speak for the Catholic Church nor for any other religion. Nevertheless, I am well aware that today most individuals do in fact rely upon a particular religion to help them along their personal journey. This is fine. In fact Mohammed taught that mankind can learn about God from all religions because each has a special truth to convey. The fact remains that each one's journey is still a personal experience. Therefore, each individual is not expected to have the same insight nor be at exactly the same crossroad as everyone else. As a result, then, one does not need the permission of any religious authority to begin this journey. All that is needed is the will and desire to be open to all the new insights, ideas, and truths one will discover while traveling this road. In fact I have it on good authority that anyone deciding to travel this "yellow brick road" need not fear any boredom. Instead he or she will find ideas and truths that challenge, excite, inspire, empower and even exult the wonderful being each person is.
     By the way, Oprah Winfrey, in dedicating a special segment of each of her shows to "Remembering Your Spirit" is vitally interested in this personal experience. She is not concerned with what a particular religion teaches about one's spirit. Her main interest is in listening to individual experiences of one's spirit.
     So if you are ready and willing to walk with me and to feel the joy and excitement of new discoveries, then let us begin.

Chapter III. Proceed With Caution, Even Though You Have Been Here Before!
     If you have ever played a game of Pinocle, you feel quite comfortable about bidding when you have a full hand of aces. But you have to proceed with caution lest your partner has no meld and your opponents have all the cards of your trump suit.
     Now in playing out this real game called "life" I seem quite comfortable about declaring what I believe, while continuing to alienate or exploit those who are so audacious as to believe other than I. In fact if someone had asked me, the priest, if I believed in reincarnation, I would have emphatically said No! What is it that has now changed my mind to a resounding Yes? This change has not come overnight, but has come about after much thought and deep questioning within myself. One thing I have learned these past few years is to proceed with caution lest others misunderstand my new found belief in reincarnation.
     First of all, what does reincarnation mean? For me it implies that I am first and foremost, a spiritual being and that there is an individual continuity in my soul throughout lifetimes. Reincarnation recognizes that my soul not only continues after my physical death but also exists prior to my physical birth. Reincarnation likewise suggests, but does not require, that I have been incarnate on this earth plane before, perhaps many times. And, finally, it leaves open the possibility that my soul may experience many planes of consciousness besides this one on earth. For Jesus said, "In My Father's house are many mansions." (John 14:2)
     Now, before I go any further, I should mention that anyone who is a student of comparative religions is aware of the fact that practically all major religions have held or do hold a belief in reincarnation in one form or another. So even though I am speaking about it from the Christian point of view, I do not wish, by any means, to imply that this truth is restricted solely to this faith.
     I began to change my belief about reincarnation for the following reasons.
     Until just a few years ago, I never stopped to consider that reincarnation is really a question of fact, not necessarily of belief. Either things work this way or they do not. In this very real sense, then, reincarnation is just as scientific a question as the shape of the earth. It can be studied and researched objectively. Just as present-day geologists, archaeologists, anthropologists, and astronomers are scientists using objective methods, so reincarnation researchers can also be scientists using objective methods. I only need to recall the documented cases of several young children, who cannot read a note of music, but can play Bach or Beethoven at the early age of four or six. There are also documented cases of children and adults who are able to describe the exact layout of a house in another part of the world, mention the names of their parents, spouse, or brothers and sisters present with them at another time in history. When all the facts are checked out, they prove to be correct. Last but not least there are the psychologists and psychiatrists who have documented patients involved with past life regressions speaking in languages that are not even well known or studied today.
     So for me, reincarnation is a question of fact, not just a question of religious dogma. But it is certainly evident that these facts do have tremendous religious implications. If the Catholic Church thought it was frightening to switch from flat-earth to spherical-earth cosmology a few hundred years ago, no wonder it is anxious now about this next step of reincarnation. I feel that when Christianity is willing to switch from the "flat-earth" notion that I have but one life, to the "spherical-earth" awareness of reincarnation and all that implies, the shape of Christian institutions and doctrines will change dramatically! And what is even more astonishing is the fact that the spiritual universe will open up to us in a far greater expanse than did the physical universe with the Copernican revolution
     In addition to reincarnation being a fact, I believe that Jesus told us about the reality of reincarnation in Matthew 11:14. There Jesus tells us "If you are willing to accept it, he (John the Baptist) is Elijah who is to come." Again in Matthew 17:12-13 Jesus says: "Elijah has already come and they did not recognize." The next verse goes on to say that His disciples understood Him to be speaking about John the Baptist.
     I am also convinced that Jesus came to develop a pattern for us prodigals on earth. He said: "If you have seen me, you have seen My Father." In other words, this is what God is supposed to look like when incarnate. But I suspect that I will need several incarnations to manifest this potential. Nevertheless this pattern and this power are still available to me as well as to all of humankind. What He taught is that I am to learn to live in perfect love - no matter how many lifetimes it takes. He implanted in me the pattern to do it. He lived out that pattern to show me how to do it. He promised to give me the power to do it. And He promised me His abiding presence to help me do it.
     The real goal, then, as I see it, is not to be free from the body, so that I can go to heaven. The real goal is to learn how to love in this body. The goal is to be like Jesus and say "Here I am, send me." And for me there is no better place to learn how to love than by being incarnate on this planet.
     Once I begin to see clearly my place as a son or daughter of God, it instantly opens up great new insights into the understanding of God's plan for all His children. I immediately see without a doubt that each and every one of us is dependent upon a growth process requiring many incarnations. Wow! This truly is a cosmic plan!
     If I think that the conditions of the planet or the challenges of my own life must be met in one life-time only, I am overwhelmed. But if I see that love is the only answer to our planet's challenges and that I myself must become perfect in manifesting this love, if not in this lifetime, then in the next, I may begin to start practicing this spirit of love. For I know that no matter how many lifetimes it takes, I will eventually become perfect in it.
     Because of all these insights, then, I am convinced of the reality of reincarnation.
     In conclusion, I must always remember to proceed with caution in expressing my belief that my soul has been on this planet before. But I do need to recall this fact often to myself. For my belief in reincarnation truly enables me to have patience and love for myself and for everyone else on this planet. I now realize that some of us may be fast learners; some of us may be slow learners; but each of us is doing the best he or she can, given the progress we have made thus far.

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