How to change a difficult family member

How would you like to spend Christmas with this bunch? Especially the guy on the end who has a bottle of bourbon in front of him?
We all seem to have difficult people in our lives. The ones you just can’t seem to get along with, the ones that no matter what you do, your interactions are unpleasant or worse. If it’s a family member, you’re forced to be with them during the holidays and you can already feel yourself gearing up for what you know is going to be unpleasant, not fun and the opposite of how you want to feel, which is happy, joyful and full of Christmas cheer (not the kind in a bottle!).
Not too long ago a woman came to us for a Soul Adventure telling us that she simply couldn’t live with her husband anymore. She said he was driving her crazy, didn’t appreciate anything she did, was constantly criticizing her and never doing anything to express his love for her or to do anything to help her. He had shut down and they weren’t communicating, and when they were communicating, she felt like he wasn’t truthful with her. She wanted to do the retreat to recenter, and gather her strength so that she could leave the marriage.
Instead, something else happened.
And a few weeks after she got home she reported “It’s a miracle. It’s like he’s a completely different person. It’s almost unbelievable.”
What happened? What caused her husband to change? It’s simple – she changed.
How did that happen? During her retreat, she was able to really get it that everything she was complaining about was something that she was doing to him. She was stunned. She realized she was driving him crazy, she didn’t appreciate anything he did, she was constantly criticizing him and never doing anything to express her love or to help him. She realized that she had shut down also and neither of them were communicating with each other, and when they were communicating there were many times she wasn’t completely honest with him, because she wasn’t telling him how she was truly feeling.
Digging a little deeper, we discovered that she was mirroring her own parents’ relationship. Her mother didn’t appreciate her father, was constantly criticizing him, they never expressed their love for each other and there would be long stretches of time where she would give him “the silent treatment”, just like she was doing with her husband.
She had also had a difficult relationship with her mother who she felt never really loved her. She realized how much she was trying to get the love she never got from her mother from her husband. She was shocked to remember that her mother kept secrets from her father and engaged her in that conspiracy, and she was doing the same thing with one of her daughters, setting up this Us vs. Him dynamic.
In her sessions, all that got changed around. In her Core Belief Transformation, she was able to go into compassion for her mother and for her husband and for herself. She was able to let go of the belief “I’m not lovable”. She was able to see that her husband truly does love her. She was able to see how her lack of self love was preventing her from giving and receiving love to and from her husband.
But it was her Clarity in Relationships session that really nailed it for her. She discovered how she was projecting all over her husband. When they reached the turn-around phase of the session, she was absolutely dumbfounded. She saw the truth that it wasn’t him, it was her – the results of her wounds, her pain and the negative beliefs she’d been holding. And the best part is, it wasn’t us telling her all this, it was her coming to that understanding completely on her own. That’s one of the magical pieces of what we are able to do here.
In her Breath Journey, her mother (who had passed away many years ago), came to her in a vision. She came up to her, looked deeply into her eyes and hugged her. Nothing was said, but she felt this overwhelming love from her mother, unlike anything she had ever felt before. It completely filled up the empty hole that had always been there. She told me later “feeling all this love from my mother, somehow made me start feeling all this love for myself and for my husband and for my children and really, for everyone!”
In her final Integration session (where we map out a plan for integrating all the awarenesses and implementing all the tools you’ve received), she made the commitment to herself that she was going to maintain all this. Not only was she not going to leave the marriage, she realized how much she loved her husband and how much she wanted their family. She decided she wasn’t going to demand anything from her husband or try to get him to change, she was just going to go home and love him.
She went home and said to her husband, “I love you. I know I’ve criticized you and blamed you and I’m sorry for that. It stops now.” She set one boundary with him and said “I’m going to be truthful in all my communication with you and I want you to be truthful with me”. He agreed.
She didn’t force him to engage. She didn’t force him to communicate with her, but suddenly, amazingly, that’s exactly what he started doing. He saw immediately how changed she was and started asking more questions about what had happened on the retreat and she answered him openly and honestly. They cried together.
She got it. She started living what the poster says:

He told us he started feeling all the love from her. He couldn’t believe all the changes and how peaceful and calm and happy she is. And guess what? After the holidays they’re coming for a Couples Retreat. He’s the one who suggested it! He wants what she’s having — peace and calm and lots of love. He wants the same kind of turn-around she had and they want to really learn how to communicate and to grow more deeply together.

I love this quote from Byron Katie – Everyone is a mirror image of you — your husband, your wife, your children, your mother, your father, your annoying relatives that you have to be with at Christmas. Everything you don’t like in other people is a mirror of something you don’t like in yourself.
But the good news is, it’s something that is trying to come up for healing — that’s why it keeps coming up!
And the really good news is – The only difficult family member you need to change is you!
It starts with a simple decision:
Decide to have a different Christmas.
Decide to have a different year next year.
Decide to heal these wounds that are holding you back and keeping you from the peace and joy we all yearn to celebrate during the holidays.
Decide to have a turn-around. Decide to come and do a Soul Adventure.
It will turn everything around.
Connect with us and speak with one of our Retreat Guides. They’ll get you started on the turn-around.

They’ll connect with you (or both of you, if it’s a couples retreat) in deep conversation. Then they’ll custom design the perfect retreat for you.
Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
Eileen says, “This experience has changed my life!”
“Ok, this has taken so long coming back to you because I wanted to be able to say something helpful instead of “It was so great!!” which it was, but to be more articulate…” I was at a point in my life where after a few rough years, I simply needed some help, I sought it and found Sedona Soul Adventures. This experience has changed my life, it centered me, allowed me to see the amazing life I already have and appreciate it, it has given me direction and an idea about how I want my future to be. I was extremely impressed and grateful for the customized sessions for my particular needs and the quality of the practitioners and SSA staff. Thank you Sedona Soul Adventures!”

– Eileen G., Northport, Maine

 
On the Egypt trip, we take care of everything! Join us Feb. 11-25
One of the most wonderful things about our Return to Egypt tour (Feb 11-25, 2018) is that we take care of absolutely everything! On a trip like this you want to make sure that you’ll be safe and taken care of by people who really know Egypt.
This is my 18th trip to Egypt, I’ve been going there since 1983. I’ve been working with Guardian Travel since 1995 and have been taking groups to Egypt each year since 2004.
Guardian Travel is known and respected throughout Egypt and they handle everything in such a magnificent way. From the largest most important things to the smallest details, everything is taken care of masterfully. It starts in Cairo where they greet us so warmly at the airport and from that time on, you won’t have to touch your bags for the next two weeks – it’s one of the small details that I love.
They arrange everything at our fabulous 5-star hotels and 5-star Nile Cruise.
They take us to wonderful restaurants like the one that has a panoramic view of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid and on one of the nights we have dinner at the Fayed home which is across the street from the Sphinx!
They’re with us all the time on all of our excursions from our camel ride to the Great Pyramid to slipping some extra baksheesh (tip money) to the guards at temples so we can do a private meditation there (ssshhh – don’t tell anyone!).
Our guide is giving us all the information about the amazing places we’re going to, answering all of our questions, reading hieroglyphics to explain a particular carving, making jokes and shepherding us to the ins and outs of all the most important places.
Every day we’ll be going to yet another magnificent place and each one is even more incredible than the last.
Every day is planned so beautifully so that we have the perfect combination of seeing the sites, connecting with the energy and having fun!
I took a trip to England and Paris a few years ago and found myself in the position of having to plan everything — the hotels, getting around, deciding where to go and how, where were we going to eat each day, etc., etc., etc. Even though I’m good at it, it was exhausting. It gave me a renewed appreciation for everything that Guardian Travel does and how over the past 14 years I’ve designed this trip so that it truly is the perfect spiritual tour of Egypt.
We even provide you with traveling companions! Don’t worry if you don’t have someone to travel with, our groups are typically in love with each other within 48 hours and make friendships that last a lifetime. It’s so wonderful to have these experiences with other like-minded adventurers.
Everything is completely taken care of — you can come and just focus on all the fun and the amazing transformations that will happen in this sacred place.
“I went to Egypt with Debra two years in a row, 2013 and 2014. The country is so amazing–the energy is so high and I’ve felt drawn to so many of the temples and sites. Guardian Travel is so wonderful and our tour guide made the trip unforgettable! I could go back year after year and still discover new things. I felt completely safe on both tours, the people were so warm and welcoming. All of the travel arrangements were perfect. We never waited for a bus to be there, meals were great, and everyone was always more than willing to help out with anything we needed or answer any questions. And I’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime. Don’t wait to sign up for this amazing tour!”
– Betty Ann Dean (that’s Betty Ann on the end in the red sweater)
If you have any questions about our trip, send me an email at: Debra@SedonaSoulAdventures.com
Or feel free to give me a call, toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada)
Or Click here and I’ll call you – I love talking about Egypt!

 
 

SSA featured in Forbes Magazine “my Soul Adventure was a major turning point in my life”

I am so incredibly thrilled that Sedona Soul Adventures has been featured in an amazing article this week in the Forbes Magazine online blog. It’s entitled

Autumn is an amazing person. This year she launched a clothing company that is ethically based, utilizing women in India, Holland, Kenya and New York. But even after having this incredible success, she was still feeling an imbalance in her work life and personal life. As she says in the article, here she was in “a time of dreams coming true with the release of my collection”, but at the same time she “was also filled with anxiety, uncertainty, stress and tears”.

I started my business in pursuit of professional satisfaction that would also create a sense of personal happiness. I decided to follow my dream at all costs sacrificing so much to make it happen, so when my dreams started coming true I was supposed to be happy right? I was wrong. My life was out of balance and I was very unhappy.
I was focusing so much on my business that my personal life was suffering. I longed to achieve a work-life balance. But how? I am blessed beyond measure to do my passion as daily work, but also longed to feel that other side of life: friendship, love, children, fitness, personal travel and time to myself to just be, laugh and enjoy the world.
Lately, my life as an entrepreneur was becoming stifling. There was always so much to do, so many rejections to arrive at one yes, attempting to manage my interns while I was having trouble managing myself, my time and emotions.
I needed to reset. It was time to make an effort in my own life in order to break unhealthy patterns that were binding me both personally & professionally.
The Catalyst For Cure: A Sedona Soul Adventure
I booked a spiritual retreat with Sedona Soul Adventures because I wanted to experience something transformative. I could have gone to Sedona to spend time in nature, hike the red rocks, meditate in their stillness. But I loved the idea of connecting with individual practitioners over a 4-day period, who specialized in everything from reiki and hypnosis to sound therapy and bodywork/massage.
From Thursday To Monday I engaged in the following 7 sessions:

• Radiant Heart Healing – Learning to open the heart chakra & self-love techniques for healthier relationships.
• Nurturing Massage – Identifying chronic muscular body aches and releasing them through massage/bodywork.
• Healing The Relationship Wound – Looking at childhood wounds and beginning to heal them.
• Inner Journey With Breath and Sound- Breath and music meditations with a focus on chakra activation.
• Angelic Guidance – A psychic reading on a horse ranch just on the outskirts of Sedona.
• Yoga, Heart & Soul Transformation – Barefoot yoga session on Sedona’s red rocks with prayer and meditation for manifesting life shifts.
• Reiki & Hypnotherapy – Healing childhood wounds through visualization, mild hypnosis and reiki.

Through these sessions, I took a good look at my inner child, seeing how childhood wounds were affecting me as an adult. A realized the gravity of connecting to my center daily through meditation, yoga and exercise; and the importance of spending time in nature as the best healer. Being in NYC for over a decade I don’t think I realized how much that lack of nature was affecting me.
I think the most powerful tool of my Sedona Soul Adventure taught me was my intention to fix the perceived work/life imbalance, followed by my action to embark on the sessions needed for healing. These two tools used in tandem- intention followed by action- were symbols of my real openness to change. When you follow intention with action magical things happen.
All creative and entrepreneurial people understand the relationship between intention and action. In order to turn the invisible into the visible- to create something from an idea or inspiration- be it a business, change in one’s life, relationship, or health transformation you must first set the intention. Then that intention has to then be followed by action.
Intention without action means nothing. The overweight person who intends to start a new workout and plan but doesn’t follow that with action will remain overweight.
The workaholic who intends to find a work-life balance but doesn’t follow that intent with action, will see no change. I know my trip to Sedona will represent a major turning point in my life. For years I have had the intention of achieving this balance but done nothing to affect that change. My trip and investment in myself by taking a Soul Adventure represent my willingness to change. I feel some major changes coming. Watch this space.
Autumn Adeigbo is an ethical fashion advocate and entrepreneur. She is founder and creative director of her eponymous women’s wear label autumnadeigbo.com.
She came to us in November and had an incredible experience. She loved working with the individual practitioners and in the article she outlines what happened in each session. She especially discusses “seeing how childhood wounds were affecting me as an adult”. She had major healing and says her Soul Adventure was “a major turning point” in her life.
And if you would like to bring balance into your life, connect with us. Isn’t that what life is about, having balance? Even if we are having success in one area of our life, sometimes we can be out of whack in the other areas. The key is to have balance in all parts of our lives – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Click below to connect with one of our Retreat Guides.

They’ll connect with you (or both of you, if it’s a couples retreat) in deep conversation. Then they’ll custom design the perfect retreat for you.
Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
Wishing you a week filled with balance,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
Shelley says the Egypt trip was “soul searching” and “life changing” Join us Feb 11-25



If you have any other questions, please email me at:
Debra@SedonaSoulAdventures.com
or call me at (877) 204-3664
I love talking about Egypt!
 

What’s Your Reaction To These Monkeys? [What’s Your Reality?]

Richard and I just got back from our second honeymoon. We didn’t intend to take two honeymoons, but here’s what happened. My dear friend, Sylvia (who I first met when she did her Sedona Soul Adventure, and then did another one, then went on one of our group trips to Egypt and then moved to Sedona and years later became one of our amazing practitioners!), gave us the most incredible wedding present — a week at her timeshare that is in Spain on the Costa del Sol. What a fantastic present!
But the earliest we could get in was a month after the wedding, so we decided we couldn’t just go home after the wedding and do email, we needed to go somewhere right after the wedding. So we went to the Grand Caymans, which was absolutely beautiful and wonderful. But what felt like the real honeymoon was going to Spain and it was fantastic, being right on the Mediterranean (here’s us on our balcony) and seeing things like the Rock of Gibraltar, the Alhambra and spending a day in Morocco. Thank you, Sylvia!
Going to Gibraltar was so fascinating because it’s incredibly beautiful (it’s where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic come together), plus the people who live there are so interesting. Even though it’s attached to Spain, it has been a British colony since 1873, so everyone we talked with spoke with a British accent, yet they feel very much that they are a separate entity.
And then there’s the monkeys. There are wild monkeys in Gibraltar, over 300 of them and they belong to five different troops (isn’t that a great word?). They are considered the biggest tourist attraction in Gibraltar. They are protected and have a very interesting background. At times, humans tried to get rid of the monkeys to no avail. Now they are loved and protected and taken care of. Queen Elizabeth came to visit them in 1954 and they were even featured in a James Bond movie!
They show up all over the place, you never know where you are going to find one and they usually travel with a few of them together. When you visit Gibraltar, the guides tell you not to feed them and not to carry food where they will see it, as they are very good at coming up and grabbing it out of your hands.
During our time there we had a lot of fun watching the monkeys and watching people interact with the monkeys. People would get a little anxious if one of them jumped on them, but that typically only happened if someone was (illegally) feeding one monkey and another one would see it.
But I wasn’t prepared for these two young women (in their twenties), who were absolutely screaming frantically every time they saw a monkey. The two girls were in front of us in a line for the cable car that goes to the top of the Rock and three of the monkeys started walking in the large room where we were. Even though the monkeys were not even close to them and were rather small, both girls started screaming. The monkeys were not in any way doing anything to them, but the girls kept screaming. If one of the monkeys turned to the right, the girls would scream some more. Never at any time did the monkeys threaten them in any way, but the girls just kept screaming.
At first the other tourists who were around (including us) thought it was somewhat amusing because these girls were having such a huge reaction. Some of the tourists even stopped taking pictures of the monkeys and were taking pictures of the girls. But in a very short time, it became increasingly annoying. The girls wouldn’t stop screaming. People were trying to help them, they were telling them they were okay, they weren’t in any danger, but the girls kept screaming. They tried to get the girls to move out of the room, but the girls wouldn’t move. The monkeys didn’t do anything to them at any time, in fact, after a little while the monkeys didn’t like the screaming either and they left.
Luckily, they weren’t in our cable car and we didn’t see them (or hear them) again. I can’t imagine how they navigated the rest of their visit, as the monkeys are everywhere. Richard and I kept wondering why in the world they would come to such a place when everyone who comes here knows about the monkeys. And how could they be so terrified of something that wasn’t doing anything to them? The monkeys were just walking around being monkeys. They weren’t harassing anyone, they weren’t taking anyone’s food, they weren’t even connecting with the girls, the monkeys were trying to get away from the girls as they kept on screaming. The whole thing only lasted a few minutes, but it was very unnerving.
I don’t know the girls’ back story. Maybe both of them were attacked by monkeys as young children and so they have a phobia (the odds against that seem pretty high). Maybe someone told them that the monkeys would attack everyone. Maybe the girls wanted attention.
But I don’t think that’s it. They seemed to be genuinely terrified.
After being annoyed for a short time, I started wondering about what was going on. It amazed me that they were so afraid. It didn’t matter that people were helping them, the girls were refusing any offers of help. It didn’t matter that they could have walked away from the monkeys, the girls remained where the monkeys were. It didn’t matter that the monkeys weren’t doing anything to them – they still kept screaming.
And then I started thinking about everyone else’s reaction. The room was full of people and everyone had different reactions. The vast majority of the people were enjoying the monkeys, they would laugh as they struck a funny pose or looked particularly cute. Some of the people were actively trying to engage the monkeys, talking to them or giving them something to eat. Other people seemed a little skittish (especially as the two girls kept screaming), but no one else went into that level of upset.
It made me start to think about how we all react to something happening. Everyone in that room was reacting to the exact same thing, the same “stimuli” as my college professor would call it. The monkeys came in and they were being monkeys. They were walking, they were climbing, at one point they were grooming each other, they took food from people who were giving them food. They sat on the floor.
But the reactions to the monkeys were different for each person. Some people were laughing, some people were obviously having a lot of fun, a few people were a little anxious and the two girls were terrified and screaming.
Isn’t it interesting that different people can have so many different reactions to the exact same happening? I would have loved for every person in that room to have written a report of exactly what happened. The “reality” of what happened would have been different for almost everyone. Some people would have written that there were cute monkeys and the two girls would have probably written that “killer apes” had been unleashed.
And that’s the point because it wasn’t about the “reality”. It had nothing to do with the monkeys, it had to do with the person. It’s not about what’s happening on the outside [monkeys], it’s what’s happening on the inside — in this case it ran the gamut from joy, happiness and amusement to annoyance, fear, and terror.
We all pretty much have the same things happening to us — stuff going on with work, stuff going on with our relationships, stuff going on with our everyday lives. How are you reacting to all that? With joy or happiness or amusement or annoyance or fear or terror? What “reality” are you choosing?
And when something upsetting does happen, how do we deal with that? It was interesting to me that even when it was offered, the two girls refused help. They were terrified, they were screaming, people offered to help them, but they weren’t interested in getting help. They evidently just wanted to go on feeling badly.
We continued our tour and went to the top. Isn’t this view magnificent? At the top, we had a beautiful brunch and we sat next to two British couples who were talking about the two girls. They were not kind or compassionate, they just kept talking about why would these girls come to this place if they were that afraid of the monkeys?
I said to Richard, that’s another terrible part of what happens for most people when they’re experiencing problems in their lives — most other people don’t care and they wish you would just shut up about it!
Luckily, that’s not how we feel about it. After all these years of working with people, I know that our reactions are all different and they’re all the result of so many different things — our thoughts, our feelings, how we were raised, our wounds, our hurts, the “good” things that have happened to us, the “bad” things that had happened to us — there are so many factors. But the thing I know more than anything is that we can change our reactions and that also changes the reality of what happens to us.
Before I came to Sedona in 1999, I did a lot of what I call “stinkin’ thinkin’”. Even though I knew it wasn’t good for me, I simply didn’t know how to NOT do it. When I got to the root of what was causing that, everything changed. I changed my reactions, and my “reality” changed. My life changed.
How do you react? How is your “reality” showing up? Are you mostly experiencing joy, happiness and amusement or annoyance, fear, and terror?
You can change your reactions. And when you change your reactions, you can change your reality. That’s what we do, all day every day. People come here stressed out, burned out, having a particular problem in their life, or feeling lost and without purpose. They leave here, happy, content, knowing their life purpose and ready to live it. Couples come in crisis or having lost their sizzle – they leave with a deeper and firmer commitment and love for each other that they never dreamed was possible.
Would you like some of that? It’s my wish for you. Please connect with us and see how a Soul Adventures retreat can transform your life or relationship. Click below and connect with one of our Retreat Guides:

They’ll connect with you (or both of you, if it’s a couples retreat) in deep conversation. Then they’ll custom design the perfect retreat for you.
Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
Wishing you a week filled with new realities,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
Regina says her Soul Adventure gave her a “different perspective” and she “had a true spiritual awakening” and she is “changed in so many ways”

“This adventure was so much more than expected! I went into this experience hoping to work some things out and walk away with a different perspective, and I am changed in so many ways! I gained so much more, and had a true spiritual awakening. This isn’t just a “break from the daily grind” but a very real adventure that will position you to dig beneath your layers and plant the seeds to grow into your truth. I am grateful to the staff at Sedona Soul Adventures and all the practitioners for creating a comfortable, safe, nurturing environment to do this work in. Just dive in, you will be glad you did!”

– Regina C., Atlanta, GA

 
Diane says “my soul has been enlightened” in Egypt. Join us Feb. 11-25

Click below to get all the information.

If you have any other questions, please email me at:
Debra@SedonaSoulAdventures.com
or call me at (877) 204-3664
I love talking about Egypt!
 

Because of Your Generosity We Helped 130 Hurricane Harvey Families!

I feel so grateful to all of you, especially at this time of Thanksgiving! Because of your generosity, we helped 130 families that were affected by Hurricane Harvey. Wow!
If you’re new to the newsletter, last month I sent out a newsletter “Asking you to send prayers and $$ to one of our grads in flooded Houston”, when we discovered that our Sedona Soul Adventures grads, Joe and Teresa DePaula, were right in the middle of the Hurricane. Here are pictures of the devastation they endured.
I asked you to send prayers and money, and boy did you come through. While I was on my honeymoon, I received the most beautiful message from Teresa:
Hello Debra,
So sorry to just now be sending an email of Gratitude.
Thank you very much for your newsletters and for mentioning us & Tallowood Church.
Tallowood this past Sunday gave 130 of us at church a special card with $$ in it.
All of us were humbled & overwhelmed with love. No words express the love all of us have felt from others after Harvey. Next Wed, at Tallowood, I am attending a Harvey Women’s Support Group; I’m looking forward to it.
Joe & I have talked about going to Sedona again and seeing counselors, especially doing breathwork. However, with Harvey, moves, house, work & family in other states, it might be Year 2019.
Thank you for being a caring compassionate loving soul!
Teresa DePaula
Is that just amazing? Isn’t it incredible what just a little force for good can do in the world?
I’m so proud of you guys. And so thankful to have such a wonderful, generous community.
I hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving – I for one am very thankful for you!
Wishing you a week filled with gratitude,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
Ann is so grateful for her “life changing” Sedona Soul Adventure

“I wanted to take a minute or two to thank you and your staff for a life changing experience. I’d read all the testimonials and was impressed with what people had to say about their experiences. That was one of the things that drew me to you. I was also drawn to having an individualized experience. As time passed and I was preparing to come I started having doubts….what if I don’t have a life altering experience, what if I’m a dud? Or what if these folks are a bunch of new age hucksters??? My fears were all for naught. You’re the real deal. I’m so thankful to my Angel Guide for setting up such a perfect retreat and to all of the other practitioners I worked with. Everyone was awesome. I did have a life altering experience. I wasn’t a dud after all!”

– Ann J., Normal, IL

Pretty much everyone who comes to Sedona Soul Adventures has the same fear that Ann had – that she would be the “dud” who wouldn’t have a life changing experience. And I’m so happy to say, that simply doesn’t happen. Pretty much everyone who comes to us has exactly that — an absolutely incredible, amazing, almost unbelievable life changing experience.
Of course, there are a few people in the past 15 years where that hasn’t happened. But what we discovered was that in those situations (unbeknownst to us) these were people who were dragged here kicking and screaming by their spouse or their mother or their sister. We’ve always tried to weed them out, and now we’re even better at it. We only want people to come here who really want it, who really want their lives or relationships to change.
Because if you truly want the life or relationship of your dreams, that’s what happens here. Because each retreat is custom designed for exactly what you need, you get exactly what you want. We spend time connecting with you (or both of you if it’s a couple) before you come to Sedona, really getting at the heart of what’s holding you back or causing the problem. Then we design a retreat of private, one-on-one (or two-on-one sessions) designed to remove the blocks and gunk and bring you back into connection. Then we give you the tools to take home to not only maintain the connection, but to make sure it continues to deepen. That’s why this works and works so well and in such a short period of time.
Are you ready for a life changing experience? Do you really want your life (or relationship) to change? If so, connect with us, talk to one of our Retreat Guides. Click below

Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.

 
You’re running out of time to join us in Egypt February 12-25. Give yourself this gift!

After all the craziness of Black Friday, I saw again an article about things that people spend money on that really make people happy in the long term. And, of course, special trips was one of the most important. I know going to Egypt has been such a life changer for me and so many of the people who have gone on this trip with me.
This is truly a gift that keeps on giving. So I invite you to give yourself this gift.

But you’re running out of time if you want to go with us February 11-25. Make the decision now. Click below for all the information, including pricing.

And if you have any other questions, please email me at:
Debra@SedonaSoulAdventures.com
or call me at (877) 204-3664
I love talking about Egypt!
 

Stop Going Crazy! [FREE Meditation] Come now save $100

I was going to write about something else in this message, but instead, I opened up my email today and I had 4 emails from people talking about how to deal with holiday stress, so I absolutely had to send this to you.
Here’s why:
The first one recommended taking a trip to the beach (don’t cook, get away from the family).
The second one was about going to Spain (don’t cook, get very far away from the family).
The third one was about just staying home (cook for yourself, completely disconnect from your family).
And the fourth one was about taking a supplement to help with the stress that you’re going to have from cooking and overeating and being around the family!
The problem is – None of these things work!
Why?
Because they’re not dealing with the real issue.
What is the real issue? Well, the true answer to that question is that it’s different for everyone.

• Some people have issues related to their mother never giving them the love they needed and being around family re-activates that wound.
• Some people have issues related to their father never truly loving or accepting them and the effects of that are showing up in all their relationships.
• Some people have issues with siblings that started in childhood and never got resolved and being around family just makes all that come up.
• Some people are in marriages or relationships that are barely hanging on by a thread and they’re gritting their teeth, just barely making it through each day.
• Some people have issues with their children — lack of respect, love, motivation, drug issues, alcohol issues.
• Some people are overcompensating for their wounds by wanting to have everything be “perfect”, which is, of course, impossible.
• Some people have other stressors in their life — problems at work, money trouble, drug or alcohol issues, illness, weight issues — and the holiday stress just adds to it and makes it worse and worse.
• Some people are just feeling stuck and overwhelmed and have the feeling that they’ll never have the life they truly want. The holidays come along and make that all feel so much worse, because we’re “supposed to” be happy at this “happiest time of the year”.

Going to the beach is not going to help any of those issues. The same person who goes to the beach is the same person that’s going to come back home. Staying home is not only going to deeply offend your family (and make things even worse), that kind of isolation leads to what some psychologists call “holiday despair”. And taking a supplement is only glossing over the issues.
Here is the answer: these issues are just that. They are issues showing you that something is off, something is wrong and it needs to be dealt with. In short, you need to do something about it! Something that will actually address these issues, get to the root of them and move them out.
I’m not sure what your issues are – for everyone it’s different. I grew up in an alcoholic home and my father’s alcoholism really kicked when I was 12. Before I was 12, Christmas was wonderful, almost idyllic. After that, Christmas was always some kind of a terrible mess. There was one year my father wasn’t even there. The worst part was not knowing what was going to happen, just knowing that it was never going to be okay. My mother always acted “as if” everything was okay, which just added to the insanity.
So after lots of therapy and finally, doing lots of sessions with the practitioners here in Sedona, I’ve come to realize that the holidays used to bring up all these issues and the way it showed up for me was that everything had to be “perfect”. I would do all this planning and orchestrating to have everything be perfect. When it ended up not being perfect (and of course it never was, how can anything be under all that pressure?), I would be unhappy, usually depressed.
The last time that happened for me was Christmas, 1998. My marriage was in tatters, I hated my work as a divorce attorney, I was in debt, I was 40 pounds overweight (and had just gained some more during the holidays). Lucky for me, I did a session with my therapist who was also an energy worker. We did a process and the information came in that I needed to do a retreat. I decided to come to Sedona. I came 2 weeks later. I did something and it changed my life forever.
So I’m going to suggest that you do something.
If you’re single and you don’t have family obligations, this is a perfect time to be doing something helpful and constructive and wonderful and to not be alone. We have practitioners that even work on Thanksgiving. And the weather is wonderful now, the forecast says it will be 66 degrees and sunny on Thanksgiving. Perfect! We’ve had so many people come here for retreats at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and they’ve always said it’s the best thing they’ve ever done.
If you’re married or have other family obligations, come right after Thanksgiving. Don’t go shopping on Black Friday, do something wonderful on Black Friday and come to Sedona. You’ve done your duty, now do something to take care of yourself.
If you book your retreat and come in the next week, you’ll save $100. We usually charge an Express Fee for people who come with less than seven days notice because of the extra time involved in setting up a last minute retreat. But I feel so strongly about this, that if you book your retreat and come in the next week (no later than November 30 as your start date), we’ll waive that fee for you. I can only do this for the next 12 people, so CLICK HERE to make that happen.

Or if the next week doesn’t work, come sometime between now and Christmas, or come during the Christmas holiday. We have practitioners who are working during that time, it’s a beautiful, wonderful time to be in Sedona. Best of all, it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
And if you can’t come over the holidays, make the decision to come in the next 30 days, or as soon as you can. The bottom-line message of all of this is – DO SOMETHING! These issues that are causing your holiday stress are with you all year long, they just get more concentrated at the holidays. They don’t go away unless you do something to take care of them.
Connect with us and let us custom design a retreat that will make you healthy and whole or bring your relationship back into healthy wholeness. Because the things that are causing these issues are different for everyone, our Retreat Guides will connect with you personally on the phone (or with both of you (separately) if it’s a couples retreat). Your retreat will be one-on-one, private sessions with the master practitioners of Sedona. In a couples retreat, you’ll have some one-on-one sessions and some two-on-one sessions. We’ll get to the root of the disconnection, clear it out, bring you back into connection and give you the tools you’ll need so that you’ll not only maintain the connection, but it will continue to deepen and deepen. Click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you:

Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
And remember if you book your retreat and come in the next week (start date by November 30), you’ll save $100.
Now I realize that for some of you, coming right now might not be an option. So in the spirit of the holidays, I want to give you a gift, a meditation that at least on a very small scale will allow you to do something now. Of course, it’s not the same as doing a Soul Adventure and for that reason I almost hesitate to provide it to you, because it will not be the thing that will make everything right. But it is a start, and it’s given from my heart.
And how perfect, it’s Releasing Stress, it will help a little bit with the stress that is happening for you. It’s only 9 minutes, everyone has 9 minutes, so start doing this daily, ideally when you first wake up. This is part of my Sedona Meditations series and it is very powerful. My prayer is that it will help, even if it’s just a little bit.
Click here to download the meditation.
And have a fabulous, blessed and happy Thanksgiving!
Wishing you a week filled with peace and calm and have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
Carolyn says after my Soul Adventure “My life and the way I view myself and the world has completely changed.”

“When I was 5, I watched my father have a heart attack and die on Christmas night. Growing up it had always been hard to trust and let people in. It was difficult when a relationship would end because I felt like “the man in my life” was leaving just like my father had left all those years ago. Earlier this year, all these issues started to resurface. I resigned from my teaching job, and on that last day, I felt I had officially hit rock bottom.
The next morning my two sisters dragged me on a plane to Sedona, Arizona for a Soul Adventure that would impact my life in remarkable ways. They truly believed I had lost my spiritual self and this was the only place to find it. I met with several spiritual healers in the course of a few days. In one session, I was able to let go of the anger and sadness I had toward my father for leaving me.
Somehow they helped me open the door to empowering and loving myself. My life and the way I view myself and the world has completely changed. I wake up every morning and tell the universe what I am grateful for. Rather than seeing a glass as half empty, I now see it has half full. I am going toward a new career path that I am passionate about. I am nurturing friendships and for the first time I feel truly independent and confident. I would strongly recommend a Sedona Soul Adventure for those who feel lost, exhausted, hopeless, depressed… There is a powerful force amongst the Red Rocks of Sedona, if you don’t believe me, go and experience it for yourself. My sisters and I plan to go back every couple of years.”

– Carolyn M., Fremont, CA

 
Egypt Tourism is predicted to go up by 51% next year – come with us Feb. 11-25 and beat the crowds!

I was reading Air Europa’s Airways magazine on our flight from Spain to Paris last week (our second honeymoon) and they had an article on tourist projections for next year. Based on their figures, Egypt’s tourism is expected to jump by 51% by the end of next year. This is due largely to the fact that people have been waiting to go back to Egypt in the past few years and now people are heading back in big numbers. Egypt is a bucket list trip for so many people all over the world and what I saw last year is that Europeans and Asians have already started to come back. This is definitely going to be the last year where there won’t be the huge crowds.
So take advantage of that and come with us on our trip February 11-25. The trip is absolutely spectacular: the Pyramids!, the Sphinx!, 5-day cruise down the Nile, Abu Simbel, Philae, Karnak, Luxor, 2 hours of private time for ceremony in the Great Pyramid just for our group.
The Pricing is all inclusive – air fare to and from New York (JFK) to Egypt, 3 flights within Egypt, 5-star hotels, 5-day 5-star Nile Cruise, 3 meals each day, all transportation, admission to all the sites, our Egyptian guide (who reads hieroglyphics!), even tips and travel insurance. Click below for all the information.

“I went to Egypt with Debra two years in a row. The country is so amazing–the energy is so high and I’ve felt drawn to so many of the temples and sites. Guardian Travel is so wonderful and our tour guide made the trip unforgettable! I could go back year after year and still discover new things. I felt completely safe on both tours, the people were so warm and welcoming. All of the travel arrangements were perfect. We never waited for a bus to be there, meals were great, and everyone was always more than willing to help out with anything we needed or answer any questions. And I’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime. Don’t wait to sign up for this amazing tour!”

– Betty Ann Dean

If you have specific questions, send me an email at:
Debra@SedonaSoulAdventures.com
Or call me – (877) 204-3664
I love talking about Egypt!
 
 

Are you settling [This video is soooo funny!]

Are you settling? In your life, in your relationship, your money situation? You name it, settling is not the way we’re supposed to be living our lives!
One of my friends sent me this very funny video that’s from Saturday Night Live. It hits a little close to home for me, also, because before I met my husband last year, the thought entered my mind that maybe I needed to settle. I had decided I wanted to have a relationship in my life, I wasn’t necessarily thinking about marriage, but I knew I wanted to have someone to share my life with.
The problem was that I wasn’t finding anyone. No one was showing up. I would get contacted on Match.com, but the few dates I went on were hugely disappointing. Sedona is a very small town and the male/female ratio is said to be 4 to 1 (!), plus I just wasn’t meeting anyone who even came close to what I wanted. In a moment of despair, I thought “maybe I’m just going to be alone for the rest of my life, or maybe I just need to settle for less.”
And then I stopped. “Wait a minute! What the heck? I’m the person that writes and talks all the time about creating the life you want! I founded Sedona Soul Adventures! The title of my book is “The Journey To Happy – How Understanding The Concept Of Nothing Is Wrong Can Transform Your Life”! Nothing is wrong here, I’m just not allowing this to happen. I’m constantly telling people to not settle and here I am thinking about settling!” That I would even entertain that thought for 5 minutes astounds me now, as I look back on it.
So I did what I tell everyone else to do — I did some Sedona Soul Adventuring. I took my own advice. I did a “Core Belief Transformation” session and discovered there were some beliefs still running around in there about “not good enough” and “maybe I’m too old” and “maybe I can’t have a loving relationship”. In the session those negative beliefs were replaced with empowering beliefs — “I’m more than good enough” and “I deserve love”. Isn’t it amazing how these limiting beliefs can hold us back, even when we think there aren’t any in there?
I did a “Radiant Heart Healing” session and discovered that there was still some pain around my divorce, even though it was seven years ago! Those old hurts can stay and fester, if we don’t do something about them.
I did a breath journey and that really brought me into the higher love vibrations. I felt this huge surge of energy of totally loving myself, which of course is the most important thing when we’re trying to bring in someone to love us.
I made a list of everything I wanted in my new relationship and I didn’t hold back. The list was jam-packed with 22 incredible, wonderful things of exactly what I wanted.
I set the intention that I wanted someone to come into my life right after my book came out, because I was so busy with the book, I wouldn’t have time to have anyone in my life. My book came out last October 16 (2016) and hit Amazon #1 International Best Seller in 5 countries. One month later, I was in Los Angeles filming an appearance on the Radical Dating reality TV show and helping people in this reality show to clear blocks that were holding them back in finding the relationship of their dreams. I was using one of the same processes that Rick used with me in the “Core Belief Transformation” session. During the filming, the two people that I worked with had huge breakthroughs, which included a lot of crying and emotional release. As I worked with them, I felt a cracking open in my own heart. The entire experience was really beautiful.
Three hours later I was sitting at the beautiful Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica with my sister watching the sunset. I received a message from Match.com, my first communication from Richard.
Amazingly, about the time that my book came out, Richard was doing a Vision Quest at Mt. Shasta and he connected with the spirit of his mother, who passed away many years ago. She told him she was sending him someone. And now, one year later, we’re married.
Even more amazingly, he has 21 of the 22 items on the Wish List. The only one he doesn’t have is “Has a Grandbaby”. His son, Mark, is 22 so hopefully down the road this Wish will be taken care of too!
I’m so glad I didn’t settle. I’m so glad I got all the things on my list (even though at the time I was concerned that it was too much!). I listened to the advice that I give everyone else and kept on doing the work to clear out the blocks from bringing in the relationship of my dreams.
I know with every fiber of my being that we can all have the life we want. It’s simply a matter of moving and releasing the old energy that isn’t serving us and bringing in the energy of connection and staying in that energy. It’s simple, it’s not necessarily easy, but when it’s done right, it works! That’s the sweet, holy truth.
Where are the areas in your life where you’re settling?
Your relationship?
Your work?
Your body?
Your money situation?
Are you living your life purpose?
Do you know what your life purpose is?
I believe there’s nothing worse than living an unfulfilled life. Please don’t do that to yourself.
If there’s any part of your life where you’re setting, please contact us. We’ll figure out what needs to be moved and released and we’ll bring you into the energy of connection and satisfaction – it’s what we do. Click here to get started:

Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
And I almost forgot, watch this hilarious sketch from Saturday Night Live on “Settling” – and then don’t settle!

Wishing you a week filled with not settling,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
Before Sedona, Julia says she was “half a person”. Her “life changing” Soul Adventure made her “Complete, content, whole and full of love”

“Two words come to mind when I describe my experience: LIFE CHANGING. I left home and arrived in Sedona half a person, I came home complete, content, whole and Full of love. I “found” myself amidst the beauty of a place I now consider “home”. I look at life in a whole new light and enjoy each and every day. Thank you to all the wonderful people at Sedona Soul Adventures that helped to open me up to a whole new world of possibilities.”

– Julia R., Stoney Creek, Ontario

 
Diane says the Egypt trip was “amazing”!

If you have specific questions, send me an email at:
Debra@SedonaSoulAdventures.com
Or call me – (877) 204-3664
I love talking about Egypt!
 

This transformation (and how it came about) is almost unbelievable

Every Sunday I tell you about the incredible transformations that have happened to people who have come to do a Sedona Soul Adventures retreat, but I have to say this one is almost unbelievable.
It started with me talking to one of our coaches who does long term after-care with our clients, doing a monthly coaching session after their retreat. Rick told me about a woman who came this past February (I didn’t get to meet her because I was in Egypt with our group). He told me that when she came for her initial Orientation and lit the candle to say a prayer and set her intentions, that she has gotten everything she asked for! Which is pretty amazing when you find out that what she asked for was:

• peace
• clarity
• to understand and fully open to her intuitive gifts
• to know God in a deeper way
• for her work and money situation to be satisfying and financially lucrative
• to find her soul mate

A rather tall order, but I have to say, we are up to the task!
She did her Soul Adventure in February and ALL of those things happened, including she is getting married in January, in a destination wedding in Mexico! This is Hendrice and her fiancé, Antonio. Aren’t they a beautiful couple?
Her story and all of the synchronicities are almost unbelievable. I had so much fun talking to her on the phone this week and I just kept saying “oh my God!” over and over and she kept saying “oh wait, I forgot to tell you this part!” It just kept going on and on.
Probably the most amazing part of the story is that for three years prior to her coming to do her Soul Adventure, Hendrice had been praying for God to send her the man she was meant to be with. Shortly before her Soul Adventure she had done a session with a practitioner who told her she had energetic blocks to love. When we talked, Hendrice said she felt like during her Soul Adventure, all the blocks to love were just completely disintegrated.
She told me about the amazing practitioners she worked with, how Sher helped her to remove blocks from her heart and how Tina knew things she couldn’t possibly know about and helped her see what gifts she had to give the world. Tina also gave her the sacred message that her ancestors are proud of her for breaking through the constraints of the patriarchy (that meant a lot to her). She said she was afraid the breath session “wouldn’t work” for her, because she’s so in her head, but in that she felt a peace she hadn’t ever experienced before. Her session on the land with Yana was glorious, allowing her to really connect in with the energies of Sedona and to deepen her connection with nature.
The day after her Soul Adventure ended she when onto an online dating app and met the man she is now going to marry in January! She told me she had never done an online dating app before, so it was so strange that she had heard about this app and decided to do it. And what’s really interesting is that this is the type of app where you don’t choose people, you put in information and then the app matches you up, so connecting requires a lot of different factors. Both Hendrice and Antonio believe that their coming together was a direct result of divine intervention! And it happened the day after her Soul Adventure was completed!
One of the other most gratifying things that has happened since her Soul Adventure has been with her work. Before her Soul Adventure, she had a job where she was not only working as a therapist, but working as an administrator and director of services. She enjoyed the therapist work, but the administrative work was making it so that she was working long hours each day and working 6-7 days per week and felt like she didn’t have a life. She told me “before my Soul Adventure, I was in a job I hated and I was scared to leave” because she was afraid she couldn’t find another job that would pay as well. When we spoke this week she told me “my Soul Adventure gave me a peace and a trust so that I knew that no matter what happened, I would be okay, that I would be taken care of”. She left her job and found another one where she works regular hours, she loves it and she feels like she has a life again (especially now that she’s getting married!) Even better, this job pays her about the same as the other one. Hendrice told me, “I have freedom”.
And actually it was these parts of her Soul Adventure that I loved the most. Hendrice told me “Before I came to Sedona I was depressed, there was a lot of chaos in my life, I couldn’t get into that peaceful place or get centered”. She told me that since her Soul Adventure all of that has changed. She told me she feels a peace she never felt before. She said “even on days when I’m surrounded by chaos, I feel peace”. She told me the tools she received here have helped her banish negative thoughts. She told me “I know my beliefs are shaping my life”, so she’s utilizing that knowledge to shape her life into exactly what she wants and of course, finding her Soul Mate!
Hendrice told me she felt completely different immediately after her Soul Adventure. And now, nine months later, her life has transformed. She changed her job, got rid of the drudgery and is loving what she does and being paid for what she’s worth. She’s found the man of her dreams and they are living their dream together, with their connection with the Divine as a main centerpiece of their relationship.
She’s living a life of connection and that’s what it’s all about. Most people are living their lives being disconnected on one of the levels – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual. When you’re living your life in disconnection on one or more of the levels, your life is messed up, and you feel unhappy, dissatisfied, tired and bored or worse (depressed, angry, regretful). It’s a terrible way to live.
When you come here, we figure out where and how the disconnection is showing up in your life. It’s different for everyone and because of that we custom design a retreat that will remove the blocks and gunk that are causing the disconnection. Then we move you back into connection and give you the tools to not only maintain that connection, but to deepen the connection as you move through your life after you go back home. That’s why this work is so incredible and why it has such long term effects.
Are you ready to live your life in connection?
When you read about Hendrice are you thinking “I’ll have what she’s having?” Because a life of connection is only one phone call away.
Connect with us, speak with one of our Retreat Guides and they’ll bring you into the happiness and joy and peace that Hendrice is experiencing.

Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Retreat Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
Wishing you a week filled with unbelievable miracles,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
Martina says every part of the Peru trip was fantastic! Join us April 14-27
I love it when people who have gone on my trips say it better than I do! Here’s what Martina wrote to me:
“Whether you have been on a spiritual journey for years or are new to a lot of the concepts, this journey will open your mind to new ideas, concepts and perspectives about life in general as well as the meaning you make of it. There is no “religious” component to this trip, so it doesn’t matter if you are of any particular faith or no-faith – Jorge’s stories, legends and ceremonies will touch you, open your mind and provide for a new outlook that makes, as he puts it “the ordinary Extra-Ordinary”.
Everything was very well organized and communicated – we didn’t have to worry about a thing, but were very well taken care of. From the moment we all met up, everything was handled. We could focus solely on the experience without any thought about the logistics, or when or where to show up. It was such a nice break from a busy life…
Our Group:
As diverse as our group was in personalities, backgrounds and ages – travelers who sign up with Sedona Soul Adventures have a lot in common: An open mind, an innate curiosity, a willingness to learn and experience new things, and a strong desire to look for a deeper meaning in travel as well as life itself. Traveling with like-minded people makes such a difference. We easily connected with each other, had so much fun and laughter, and throughout the 2 weeks we have forged some true friendships that I believe will last for a long time.
Debra has been organizing these trips for many years – and thus has implemented many lessons learned from the past so that we had such a smooth journey with not a single hiccup. The journey had a great structure and flow – and the lessons along the way built really well onto each other.
Jorge Luis Delgado, our shaman and guide and author of “Andean Awakening” is a wonderful person, great guide and always has a fascinating story or legend to meet any question or situation. He combines history, legends, Incan Ceremonies as well as personal experiences, which bring the landscape as well as the many different historical and archeological sites to life. Jorge takes you beyond the usual or ordinary tourist tracks of Peru – and takes you to unique places even in the most “popular” sites like Machu Picchu. Every day feels special, every place has it’s own beauty and meaning. When we first met Jorge he greeted us “Welcome Home!” – and throughout the trip truly made us feel at home, and like we have been invited into a very special and intimate world full of beauty and treasures around every single turn of the path – if you only dare to look. I will read his book again, now that I feel such a personal connection to the many places he introduced us to.
Some of the highlights from the trip:
Oh, what to pick? Seeing Machu Picchu for the very first time brought tears of joy to every single eye in our group; I could have spent a week in Ollantaytambo; Amantini, where we stay at Joaquin’s home with his family’s very caring hospitality, is an experience not to be missed; the experiences and trips at Lake Titicaca were very unique which I will never forget.
Accommodations & Food:
The hotels we stayed at were fantastic: welcoming, lovingly decorated with the textiles and ceramics from the region, and had all the amenities you can think of – plus generous “servings” of oxygen and coca tea to help adjust to the altitude which came in handy.
The food was delicious, no matter where we went! The meats, fish and vegetables are so flavorful – and regardless if they were prepared very simply or with fancy dressings, always lovingly prepared and tasty. Especially the trout and chicken dishes that were available pretty much everywhere were delicious, and my new favorite is the Avocado-Tomato Salad that is simply out of this world!
Shopping:
Oh the shopping! Peru offers such treasures in all the different places, and every single piece I purchased has a story and reminder of the many wonderful places and people.”

– Martina Hutchinson

If you have specific questions, send me an email at:
Debra@SedonaSoulAdventures.com
Or call me – (877) 204-3664
I love talking about Peru!
 
 

“I was ready to end my life”

Over the past few months, I’ve had the joy to re-connect with Rob Wergin, one of our amazing SSA grads whose life was completely changed by coming to Sedona and doing a Soul Adventures retreat. I’m now incredibly proud to say he’s now featured as one of the amazing healers in the new documentary “Heal” (see the trailer below).
I’ll let Rob tell you:

“In February 2003, I was ready to end my life. In a last moment of “yelling at God” I asked for a message…….the message was “Go to Sedona….NOW!”

Debra answered the phone when I called Sedona Soul Adventures…..I told her I had little money and didn’t know why I was calling…………

What happened next was complete life transformation in my journey with Sedona Soul Adventures………….I was opened to who I really am, reconnected to the Divine, and stepped into the truth of who I am…..and that was in about 10 days.

In June 2003, I moved to Sedona and was honored to become a practitioner for Sedona Soul Adventures for over a year….and since then my work has exploded all over the world, working with over 80,000 souls…….

Now, in 2017, I am honored and grateful to be in the beautiful documentary film “HEAL” which just by coincidence premiered in Sedona! What a magic circle!

I am deeply grateful to Debra and Sedona Soul Adventures for launching me, way back in 2003! Please see this beautiful movie, it is inspiring and truthful and will change people’s thinking.”

In his original testimonial to us in 2003 he said:

Not only did he come back, but when he came back, it was as a full fledged healer. In Sedona, during his Soul Adventure, all of this information and energy came to him that allowed him to truly connect with the Divine and bring forth the dormant healing gifts he had. He worked with us for almost two years and did so much incredible work in our retreats.
And now he is one of the featured healers in the new documentary “Heal”, which premiered at the Illuminate Film Festival here in Sedona this past June. That’s when Rob and I re-connected and he honored me at a workshop the following day. You’ll see Rob in the trailer helping the woman who says “I don’t know who I am without being sick”.
I love this movie and I especially love the message. It features so many luminaries, such as Deepak Chopra, Gregg Braden, Marianne Williamson, Michael Beckwith, Joe Dispenza, Bruce Lipton and many others. I especially love the message of the movie and believe it completely. Some of the things they talk about in the movie (and the trailer) is that almost every illness has stress at its roots. I love the phrase that is said “Not just disease starts in the mind, EVERYTHING starts in the mind”.
One of the people talks about studying all different types of cancers and that in all of them there have been virtually spontaneous, unexplained remissions and in the cases this woman studied there were 9 different things that each case had in common in what they did to turn it around to cause the remission. Two of the nine were physical, but the other seven were emotional, mental and spiritual.
We are really starting to understand that health, happiness and well-being results from being balanced on the emotional, mental and spiritual planes more than anything else. And by spiritual, I don’t necessarily mean going to church, spirituality is about beliefs. What do you believe? Do you believe that your beliefs are creating your reality? If so, are you using your beliefs to create the reality you want?
I love what Marianne Williamson says in the trailer, “We have more faith in the power of cancer to kill us than we do in the power of infinite possibility”.
I believe in the power of infinite possibility. I watched my life change when I switched to that belief. I watched Rob’s life change when he switched to that belief. I’ve watched it happen in thousands of the people we’ve worked with over the past 15 years, because that is everything we are doing here at Sedona Soul Adventures — helping people to come into balance on all the levels — physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
The ripple effect that has come from this is really staggering. By helping Rob, we’ve now helped tens of thousands of people and with this movie, it could turn into millions of people.
But it all comes back to the purpose that I came up with 15 years ago – “Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time”. So right now I’m talking about YOU and your soul. Are you ready to heal your life? Are you ready to be the happy, contented, enthusiastic, joyful person you were meant to come to the planet to be? If you’re ready, come to Sedona. And as Rob said, “NOW!” Click here so we can connect with you.

Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
And watch the trailer for “Heal” here.

Wishing you a week filled with healing,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
Join Debra for our next healing adventure in Egypt, February 11-25


If you have specific questions, send me an email at:
Debra@SedonaSoulAdventures.com
Or call me – (877) 204-3664
I love talking about Egypt!
 
 

Asking you to send prayers and $$ to one of our grads in flooded Houston

If you’ve been reading my newsletters, you know that 2 weeks ago I got married and went on my honeymoon and sent you newsletters chatting about my happiness and my beautiful trip with my new husband.
I received so many congratulatory emails, which was so sweet and fun, and then suddenly I read one from Teresa dePaula. She and her husband Joe had been here for a couples retreat a few months ago and it was life changing for them. I was stunned to read her email:
Dear Debra,
Thank you for the emails.
Congratulations on getting married!! BEAUTIFUL!
WE FLOODED VIA Hurricane Harvey after they released the Buffalo Bayou in Houston.
Our life changed in a day. First 3 weeks were an emotional & physical Hell; you are a walking Zombie not knowing what to do, in shock and where to live. We have 3 house dogs & it’s very difficult to find a furnished rental that accepts 3 dogs. We will be moving our third time into another friend’s home; like we are living out of a suitcase. Our rebuild has started and we hope to be back in by Dec 15; Hope. This builder is efficient – they work 6 days a week 7-5; of course he didn’t come cheap.
What clothes & shoes we saved are in a storage unit. Most everything downstairs (our master bed was down) was ruined; we had 2 ½ – 3ft in our house for 8 days of SEWAGE WATER.
I wrote Teresa back expressing my sympathy and then she sent me another email:
THANK YOU DEBRA!! And Truly I am happy for you finding your Soul Mate.
We were not allowed in our neighborhood for 6 days after flooding, once we could get in, Joe & 2 buddies canoed clothes, shoes & other out (trash pics is all our trash = 2 frigs, dishwasher, 2 sofas, 7 chairs, settee, tables, 8 pairs boots (etc..)
Pics are from when water was down 8”-10”; after we could get in.
WE ARE LUCKIER THAN THOUSANDS; WE REALIZE THAT. Many we know had 4-5 feet inside their homes; we only had 3’ max; plus we are lucky to not be in California fires.
Going thru this, I now have more compassion for ANYONE who loses their home & belongings in a Sudden Disaster, truly is your own Hell on Earth. My heart hurts for the elderly who lost their homes & for all those who have children & pets living with them. It will be years before some rebuild, if they do.
We did not furnish our house in a day and it may be a year before it’s furnished again. We even have to drain our pool, get resurfaced, etc.. It’s devastating how much you have to replace.
My car was totaled too, Joe’s was not so we are so lucky! SO MANY LOST all their autos.
THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR MARRIAGE, WE are still using the communication skills, etc.. We lost most papers from our sessions to flood, hated losing the pic from Burning Man of the inner child in all of us.
Hugs to you!!
When I read this, it just touched my heart. I was so amazed that even with everything going on, Teresa was sending me wedding congratulations and still thanking us for saving their marriage. I started thinking how I could help. I had the idea of reaching out to YOU – our beautiful Sedona Soul Adventures family, knowing how generous and loving you all are.
I also loved the idea of you all knowing that any donations you would make would be going to one specific family and helping them directly.
So I wrote Teresa to ask her permission. She wrote back:
I’m humbled & almost embarrassed to accept any gifts, yet, at this point I have sucked up my pride & try to accept (we have received aid from family & friends).
If someone is seeking a tax deduction, our church Tallowood Baptist had 106 families that flooded. I have contacted my church to find out if there are specific families in need. 4 Tallowood Baptist members helped us pack up our house. They could put our name Teresa & Joe DePaula for Harvey Victims in the memo; then they get a tax deduction for writing to the church.
Tallowood is a multi-racial church = various cultures, we have Chinese, Hispanic, Burmese & other worships. Our Pastor is super cool (he & his wife adopted their daughter who was a Hurricane IKE/Louisiana survivor).
You all know that I have never asked you for anything like this before, but if you feel it in your heart, I would ask that you send a check for whatever feels good to you (and every $5 and $10 helps!) to:
Tallowood Church
555 Tallowood Rd.
Houston, TX 77025
In the memo write: Joe & Teresa dePaula for Harvey victims
If you can’t send money at this time, no worries, then I ask you to send love and healing energy to Joe and Teresa and all these people whose lives have been turned upside down.
Please do not send any donations to Sedona Soul Adventures, as we are not a 501(C)(3) organization and we would need to return any donations. Please send them directly to the church and then you will also receive a tax deduction. I know that this will make a difference. Thank you for your generosity.
Wishing you a week filled with generosity and love,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com

 
We helped Joe and Teresa. Let us help you

I loved it so much that even with everything that is going on with her right now, that Teresa thanked me again for saving her marriage. I went back and found the email she had sent to me in April:
THANK YOU SEDONA SOUL ADVENTURES = SAVED OUR MARRIAGE, SAVED MY HAPPINESS & SANITY, AND BROUGHT ME THE MOST JOY! MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFETIME WAS THE BREATHING WITH PENNY! ALL THE COACHES I HAD ARE GIFTS FROM HEAVEN & GOD TO ME!!
I love it when we can save someone’s marriage and happiness and sanity! And that’s what happens with our Couples Retreats. Your relationship so greatly impacts your happiness and sanity, it changes everything when it’s going right.
Call and speak with one of our retreat guides. They’ll help you just like they did Teresa and Joe.

Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.

 
Come with us to Machu Picchu & Peru, April 14-27

“The Sedona Soul Adventures Peru Trip was AMAZING! It is my second Sedona Soul Sacred Travel trip and it, like the first to Egypt, was life changing. The magic of Machu Picchu, the peacefulness of Lake Titicaca, the energy of the Apu mountain spirits is not something you can read about – it must be experienced! On this trip, we had the privilege of being in the presence of Jorge Luis Delgado, our Peruvian Shaman and Chacaruna (bridge person – messenger of light) who is an extraordinary guide, teacher and spiritual Master. I have been on my spiritual journey for approximately 10 years now, and I have learned and experienced many things, but Jorge had an incredible way of saying thing in such simple powerful ways, it was like I was learning them again for the first time. I experienced with him the power of oral tradition – that it isn’t just the words that he spoke, but it was the energy and intention he imbued into his words that is the specialness of oral tradition. It is that energy which touches you and teaches you. He reaches you heart to heart, rather than from your mind. He led me on a Pilgrimage to my Inner Sun that deepened my commitment to a higher level of consciousness, that increased my understanding of the Cosmos and its wonder, and that fueled my desire to shine brightly in the world. I will be forever grateful for this trip and the positive impact it had on my life.”

– Suzanne West, Calgary, Canada

Getting Married, Part II, second chances

Remember in last week’s newsletter I told you that I got married and I assumed it was beautiful because I had to write the newsletter before the big day? Well, I’m happy to tell you it WAS absolutely beautiful and amazing. The weather was perfect, all of my 4 brothers and my sister were there and the ceremony was fantastic! I’m now on my first honeymoon (we’re taking 2!), but I wanted to send you some of the pictures and I wanted to tell you about the beautiful toast my sister made at our second reception (we had 2!)
Here’s us in the middle of the ceremony. My two wonderful friends (and practitioners) Ranjita and Yana co-officiated the most beautiful ceremony that incorporated Native American traditions and personal stories about the two of us. We were surrounded by the beautiful red rocks of Sedona at Mariposa, one of the most beautiful spots in all of Sedona.
Lisa Dahl, the owner of Mariposa (and 4 other restaurants in Sedona) was so gracious to let us have the wedding here, even though they typically don’t do that. Lisa allowed us to have 40 people at Mariposa, but that wasn’t enough for the entire celebration so we had another reception later that evening at the Rooftop at Sedona Rouge with over 100 people, including all my practitioners. Rather than having a cake, my dear friend Sylvia sent me a picture of cupcakes and I loved it. Here we are starting to cut the cake.
Richard’s brother Rob (his best man, in the red bow tie) gave a beautiful toast at the first reception and my sister Casey gave a beautiful toast at the second reception (see the resemblance?). In her toast she talked about that this was not the first rodeo for either Richard or me and that there are lots of famous people and wonderful situations that didn’t work out the first go around, but needed more than one try. Here’s her toast –
Top Ten People Who Needed a Few
Tries Before Achieving Success
#10 – Thomas Edison made over 10,000 attempts to perfect the light bulb. When asked about his repeated failure he said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
#9 – After Fred Astaire’s first screen test in 1933, the memo from the casting director at MGM read: “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.”
# 8 – Emily Dickinson had only 7 poems published in her lifetime.
#7 – Bill Wilson, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, relapsed at least 5 times before achieving sobriety for the rest of his life.
#6 – R.H. Macy failed 7 times before his idea for a department store caught on.
#5 – Steve Jobs originally went to Atari and said “Hey we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, what do you think about funding us?” They said no. Then he went to Hewlett Packard and they said “Hey we don’t need you. You haven’t even graduated from college yet.” Then he founded Apple.
#4 – The Wright Brothers experimented for years and conducted 100’s of glider tests before achieving 20 seconds of sustained powered flight.
#3 – J.K. Rowling’s book about a boy wizard was rejected by 12 publishers before little known Bloomsbury Publishing picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
#2 – The Chicago Cubs, the baseball team beloved by our father, went 107 seasons before winning the 2016 World Series.
And the #1 Person Who Needed a Few Tries Before Achieving Success – Debra Stangl married before honorable men who were no match for her passion, intelligence and lust for life. On October 7, 2017 at 3:00 pm that all changed. We’re so happy to welcome Richard into our family and to watch him make Debra so happy.
Is that the best? And it’s so true – I feel so completely blessed to have this “do over” at happiness. I think sometimes we think that when we get to a certain point in our lives, that it’s over, it’s too late, we’re stuck with what we have. I’m proof that’s not true. Lasting love, true happiness and real transformation can come to us at any age and at any time. I told you last week how improbable it was that Richard and I came together how and when we did. It’s never over til it’s over.
If you want to try to take another shot again at life – at love, at happiness, at transformation — I want to remind you that it’s not too late. You don’t have to “settle” for what you have, things can change in an instant like they did for me.
Connect with us and speak with one of our Guides. They’ll dig deep to get at what’s holding you back, they they’ll design the retreat that’s perfect for you and your situation.

Or if you’d prefer, call us toll-free at 1-877-204-3664 (US and Canada). For our friends outside the US and Canada call 01 928-204-5988 or click here and one of our Guides will call you.
Would you like to speak to someone today? We’re even open on Sundays, because we’re here for you.
Wishing you a week filled with joy and happiness,
Debra

Debra Stangl / Founder

Sedona Soul Adventures – Transforming Lives One Soul At A Time
(877) 204-3664
https://old.sedonasouladventures.com