Brazil and John of God

October 25-November 7, 2015

I feel like I should answer one question that is on everyone's mind right from the start.  Why did I go to Brazil?  There is not just one reason, so I will list the many reasons.  First, I wanted to see the man known as John of God.  I will explain that much more in detail as just saying the word "man" is not 100% accurate.  Second, I needed a break to get my mind and heart in the right place.  What does that mean?  Basically, it means I needed to work out my emotions.  I needed to get rid of some excess emotional baggage that I really just didn't need and that at times would just drag me down, and I was hoping that in turn would promote physical health and general well-being.  Next, I needed some real rest and relaxation.  Every mother knows what this means.  I needed and wanted to just take a break from the juicing, the food preparation, the errands, the stress, and so much more.  Last, I just needed some ME time.  Time to just sit and meditate or read or sleep or just stare off into space if I wanted.  

I left for Brazil on Oct. 24.  It took a bit more than 24 hours to get there.  I flew into Miami, and from there it was about an 8 hour overnight flight.  I flew into the capital of Brazil which is Brasilia.  My Final destination was a small town called Abadiania which is about and hour and a half southwest of Brasilia.  

Once in Brasilia, I got my luggage and found my taxi driver waiting for me with a sign with my name on it.  We walked right outside and he pulled the car right around and we were off.  It was as easy as that.  No long waits or craziness with customs, etc.  Before I knew it we were at the pousada (like a B&B).  The actual name of the pousada that I stayed in was called Pousada Namaste, but it was part of another pousada across the street called Irmoa Sol Irma Lua (traslated this means brother sun sister moon).  My room was at Pousada Namaste, but I would eat and find my group at Irmoa Sol Irma Lua.  

View of my room and a bit of the indoor courtyard and flora that is so common in Brazil.

Just inside of the front door of Pousada Namaste

Just a small flower I found in a tiny courtyard behind my pousada just steps from my door.

When I got to the pousada, I had a note waiting for me from my amazing guide Sara.  She was seeing her father off to the airport as he had been there with her the following week for his own work.  She told me to take a rest and then meet her in the lobby for lunch around noon, so this gave me time to unpack, shower and take a baby nap.  Before I was ready to head off to the lobby, she was there to welcome me.  I could tell we were going to get along great.  She was so warm and loving from the start.  I  should mention she knew my mother, and she was just as amazing as Mom and friends had told me.  

She quickly showed me the little tricks to the room and bathroom.  First, do not flush the toilet paper.  Always put it right in the trash.  There was a bidet sprayer (you know like in Europe) to clean yourself with as well.  She showed me how to get the shower temperature to work properly, and lastly, she showed me the trick with the door, key, and lock.  

We walked to the lobby quickly after the room orientation, and I met the one other member to our group.  Lorald from afar looked slightly like an old biker/medicine man.  Honestly, he looked slightly intimidating, but the moment we were introduced I knew we were going to be lifelong friends.  He took my hand in both of his right away and looked into my eyes.  I could tell see right then and there that he was very genuine and sincere.  I loved him from the start.  

We ate lunch which was wonderful.  I was pretty much vegetarian at this point.  I mentioned this to Sara when I booked the trip and she mentioned this was not a problem.  The owners of our pousada also owned a small family farm just a few miles away.  They got fresh produce from there on a regular basis.  One thing she made sure I understood was that although it was not "certified organic", it was just as good as or better than "organic".  Unless food in Brazil is grown on a large corporate farm owned by international corporations, everything was grown the good old fashioned way.  What a relief.  I had wonderful home cooked/prepared meals that I did not have to prepare, and they were all as local and fresh as could be.  

Our main courtyard and eating accommodations at Irmoa Sol Irma Lua

Waterfall/fountain in the main courtyard behind the dining tables

Fountain and ornamentals inside the main lobby of Irmoa Sol Irma Lua 

As it was Sunday and I had just arrived from a long trip, I went back to my room and took a nap until dinner time.  At dinner it was explained what to expect on my trip.  In the next couple of days I would get a tour of the small town Abadiania and of the Casa de Dom Inacio de Loyola or just the Casa where the medium John of God worked.  John of God only saw people Wednesday thru Friday.  On Monday and Tuesday we would be able to go to the sacred or blessed waterfall and have crystal bed sessions.  We would also purchase drinking water as it is safest to have bottled water there.  It was recommended to get the blessed water from the Casa as it was great for drinking plus it was blessed by the entities of the Casa.

Here I do believe would be a great time to explain John of God.  John of God or Joao (John in English) Teixeira de Faria is medium that allows spirits/entities/angels to work through him with the blessing of God or Source or whatever term that you prefer or are comfortable with to describe the Creator.  Here is a description which I found here at my guide Sara's website which was very helpful when researching John of God.

"Joao de Teixeira de Faria, popularly known as "John of God", is one of the most powerful spiritual healers of our time. Up to 3,000 people a day from 28 different countries visit Abadiania, a remote town in Brazil, to see this remarkable Brazilian man. 

For the past 50 years he has treated people from all incurable physical diseases like paralysis, mental disorders, blindness, Aids, Cancer, just to name a few.

John of God is said to be the world’s best known full trance or unconscious medium.  What does that mean?  As a full trance medium, John of God basically surrenders himself and allows very powerful Entities or Spiritual Doctors to enter his physical body and use it as an instrument for healing.  By working through him, they are able to assist people with their physical, psychological, mental and spiritual suffering.  Because John of God is a full trance medium, he has no memory of the healing work that the Entities do while they inhabit his physical form.  As he says:  “I do not cure anybody. God heals, and in his infinite goodness permits the Entities to heal and console my brothers. I am merely an instrument in God’s divine hands. - João Teixeira de Faria"

Having all this information the night before, I was ready to get out there and experience everything.  After breakfast the next day (Monday), we went to exchange money, tour the town and many shops, and get our drinking water at the Casa.

The town was quaint and definitely third world.   Sara had told me that up until just a year or two prior there were no paved roads in the town.  One wonderful thing was food was literally growing everywhere.  Mango trees especially were growing in just about everyone's yard.  I even found a watermelon plant growing in a construction site right next to our pousada.

There were also many wonderful shops on our way to the Casa.  Most of them were rock/crystal shops, souvenir shops,  or clothing shops, but there were a couple others there too.  There was even a juice bar there!  I was in heaven after finding this out!

The Casa was an easy walk (maybe 10-15 minutes away).  Sara gave us a nice tour and showed us the important things like the book store, the Great Hall, the pharmacy, bathrooms, snack bar, crystal beds, and the prayer triangle locations.  One very interesting place she showed us was the small room where they kept the canes, crutches, wheelchairs, and braces that were left at the Casa after their owners were healed.

Outside the Casa gates

The Book Store and Souvenir Shop

Outside the Great Hall where one prayer triangle is located inside. (No cameras allowed inside)

Chapel and covered area outside the great hall where the other two prayer triangles are located

A close up of the covered area outside the Great Hall where a prayer triangle and a picture of King Solomon is placed

So now you may be wondering about these prayer triangles.  What are they and what is their purpose? Here is a description that was helpful to me in my research.

Historically, the triangle is one of the oldest spiritual symbols.  The hexagram--a star-like figure formed by two overlapping triangles--is associated with protection and warding off negative energy.  The symbol can be found in a number of faiths and cultures:  in Judaism, the Star of David; in Kabbalism, the Serifah; in Hinduism, the Shatkona; and in Christianity and some pagan sects, the Seal of Solomon:  where the triangles are representative of the union of opposites--the tip of the first triangle reaching toward heaven and the tip of the second grounded in the earthly plane.  In a universal sense, the triangle symbolizes the transmutation brought forth by a union of components, such as the divine masculine and the feminine.  At the Casa, it is a symbol offered to help us focus so we can readily connect with the Divine.  Viewed in this framework, the triangle is the aggregate of three principles that guide a proper spiritual life:  Love (tolerance, respect, and kindness to others), relief (caring for the community through good works), and truth (authentically being ourselves).  As the entity Dr. Valdevino has remarked, "The triangle symbolizes the sacred family, and the center is the ever-present One God."

This is quoted from the book "John of God: The Brazilian Healer Who's Touched the Lives of Millions" by Heather Cumming and Karen Leffler

One thing that I want to add here is that often you will see each side of the triangle labeled with three words.  In Portuguese they read Fe, Amor, Caridade or in English they read Faith, Love, Charity.  Another thing to mention is that these triangles are where people will place prayers and pictures of friends or loved ones.  It is said that there are many triangles similar to this across the globe and that because so many people participate in adding their prayers to them that a river of energy runs through them to add to the power of the original prayer.  Even Medium John will add his prayers to those prayers placed in the triangles for 21 days afterward.  One thing I have learned is that prayer is a powerful tool.

One personal experience that I had with the triangle was when I was sitting in the chapel with my group doing a short meditation and prayer.  As I was sitting there in the meditation, I felt a huge surge of energy coming from the triangle.  It was so strong it almost felt like it was physically moving me.  I understand why now they say a "river" of prayers moves through it.  To me it really felt like I was in that "river".

The prayer triangle and all the prayers and pictures within

After John of God was featured on Oprah's show, they had a surge of people visiting.  The whole town was in the process of trying to accommodate everyone.  This was also true of the Casa.  They have anywhere from 2,000-3,000 visitors a week from around the globe.  There were signs of construction, and they were also adding a museum of sorts.

The small room to the side of the great hall with all of the discarded canes, crutches, wheelchairs, and braces

All of the canes, etc on moving day which will be relocated to their new room or museum

Some of the gardens of the casa are seen here below:

A Statue of Dom Inacio de Loyola

Our group at the statue of Dom Inacio de Loyola

Benches and scenic overlook next to the restrooms

Scene from the overlook.  You can see the road that leads to the sacred waterfall here.

Some of the many friendly dogs that frequent the Casa and the town of Abadiania

Once we had our water, we headed back to the pousada for lunch.  After lunch we planned to go to the sacred waterfall.  The waterfall is blessed and crystals are placed in it to help create a healing energy.  I hold a belief that all waterfalls and nature in general is sacred and healing in and of itself.  When we were at the waterfall, you could feel the peace, serenity, and love created there for our healing.  It was very neat to be surrounded by the jungle.  I have never seen so many butterflies of all shapes, sizes, and colors.  This was our first of many trips to the waterfall.  Once you feel its energy, you want more.

The Waterfall rules just by the path to the waterfall itself.

The last major activity of the day was our first crystal bed session.  I have had these done back home as a friend had been to see John of God a few years earlier and she received special permission to bring one back home.  I had felt the peace and state of well being it created, so I was happy to have it done as many times as possible while in Brazil too.  For more information on the crystal beds go here or here.  

Benches and scenic overlook next to the crystal bed building

What the crystal bed looks like when on
Image taken from this site: http://www.johnofgodcrystalhealingbeds.com/

What it looks like to have a crystal bed session.  One thing to note is that the eyes should be covered.
Image taken from this site: http://www.friendsofthecasa.info/?page=crystal-beds&country=USA

I had many crystal bed sessions while in Brazil and they were each wonderful and peaceful, but at the same time not one session was ever the same.  Some sessions I felt like sleeping.  Other times I just felt completely at peace and basked in the perfectness of it.  One time I strongly felt the presence of many of my loved ones that had transitioned.  This feeling was so strong that I even felt my hand being held.  I felt like I was able to talk and converse with my loved ones so easily at this time like there was no separation or veil to divide us.  This brought me to tears as I felt so loved by them all.  The guilt I had carried at times just disappeared and was forgotten by all present.  The relief of this was tremendous, and the gratitude that poured out of me could not be stopped.  

One fun thing you will quickly find here in Brazil is the vast array of wildlife, especially bugs and beetles to be specific.  Here are just a couple:

Geckos hiding above our dining table out back

The next day was Tuesday and we had lots planned including a small exertion across the highway to a small market that wasn't quite as tourist-like as the other shops on the way to the Casa.  I was able to find some fun toys for my boys, and we also found some fresh coconuts.  I found out that coconut water has the perfect blend of electrolytes to stay hydrated, and that was good as it was a bright sunny day.  Later we would enjoy another trip to the waterfall and have another crystal bed session before an orientation at the Casa.

Sara and I at the little market across the highway

This orientation was given to help people understand how everything worked at the Casa.  It was explained that there are different lines for different situations.  There is a first time line which basically means that you have never seen the Entity before or taken and blessed herbs from the Entity.  There was a second time line for those that had seen the Entity before or taken herbs blessed by the entities.  Then there was an intervention line.  This is a line that is used for those that were either went through the first time line and got a recommendation for an intervention (surgery) by the Entity, or it is for those that voluntarily chose themselves to have one.  The last line is the revision line which is for those that had an intervention the week before. Basically, you before the Entity to see if there is any other treatment that may be recommended to complement the intervention.

As it was our first time at the Casa, we would either be in the first or second time line.  I would be in the second time line because I had taken the herbs the year before.  In the first and second time lines you are allowed to take three requests before the Entity.  They can be anything form physical requests like help with illnesses or they can be emotional requests like asking for help to let go of grief or emotional hurts.  Some people ask for help to get rid of addictions.  Some people ask for help with their careers.  Some people ask for inspiration on how to serve those around them.  I met one woman that went before the Entity to ask for inspiration on how to help all the abandoned dogs in the area.

I went before the entity to ask for help in healing any and all cancer in my body at the root cause.  I don't know all that may have caused cancer to show up in my body, but I do know it is not all physical. It could be something in my DNA.  I could an emotional issue.  It could be something that I am carrying for others.  It could have just been excess stress.  I wasn't sure the cause, so asking for a healing from the root cause covered all my bases.  I also knew that it was not enough to to be healed because if I didn't ask to be healed at the root cause, it very well could come back.

Once I was before the Entity, he held his hand out for me to take.  My guide Sara was translating for me, and without even hearing everything she had to say he recommended an intervention in the afternoon session.  It is said that when you hold an intention in your heart it is not necessary to speak the reason that you are there.  He can feel it energetically.

So, I was to have an intervention. Many people may have seen the Oprah exclusive of her experience with John of God.  Some saw the physical intervention.  Just to clarify, physical interventions/surgeries are not the norm.  Usually it is just a psychic surgery.  Some need physical proof that something changed or a healing took place.  I may doubt things, but I felt that physical proof was not necessary.  I chose to just do the psychic part only.

In between the sessions, we waited at the Casa and we partook of the free soup that they provide.  This is not just any soup.  It is a soup that is carefully prepared and blessed as a sort of treatment for anyone that comes to the Casa.  It is a vegetable soup that is made weekly for all those that come to the Casa.  I have to add that it is very tasty, and it was the perfect meal just before a surgery (psychic or not).

My intervention went perfectly.  To spice things up I will post pictures of my journal entry to explain it all to you.

24 hours may seem like a long time to stay in bed, but it was needed and very refreshing.  All meals were brought to me in bed by my sweet guide Sara, and when I couldn't sleep I colored some mandalas that my mom had sent with me.  It seemed like time passed pretty quick, and before I knew it, it was time for dinner the next day.  It was nice to get out and visit with my small group, but I went to bed quickly afterwards.

I spent the next day (Friday) in the current at the Casa.  What is the current?  Here is a good explanation that I found here:

"The Current room is a place where people sit to receive and to give healing energy. Inside the Current rooms there are thousands of light beings working on people and it is a place where psychic surgeries are taking place. In one of the Current rooms you find “Medium Joao” in his chair, while masses of people walk the line to present their healing requests to John of God in entity."

To be honest, my first current session I found to be very uncomfortable.  I usually find meditation and prayer very soothing, but on this day it was difficult.  I think it was because I was letting go and working through old traumas.  The one thing that was very comforting for me was the fact that although it was more than three hours long it felt like maybe 30 minutes.  I also felt assured that I had help releasing all of my old hurts.  Sometimes I felt they were not all my own hurts but the world's hurts in general.

The next two days were spent in relaxation and contemplation.  We did take a stroll through the part of Abadiania that is more for the locals on Saturday.  Sara showed us where Medium Joao lived with his family and his free soup kitchen and free dental clinic for the locals.  She mentioned that this was just one of the locations of free soup kitchens he has in Brazil.  He is very involved in helping his beloved Brazilians.

Our group out for a stroll in the town of Abadiania

Free Soup kitchen for the community sponsored by John of God

Free dental clinic sponsored by John of God

Free dental clinic in blue and white and John of God's home in the tan just next door

Our amazing small group by the soup kitchen

After dinner later that day Sara found some live music at the local juice bar.  It was spectacular.  There were both locals and people from out of town.  There was even one man that had never sung in public before that was willing to give it a go.  I have to admit that there was some very amazing talent there, and it was so great to just sit back and listen to the beautiful music.

Frutti's juice bar with the yummiest fresh juices

Our group at Frutti's juice bar on Halloween listening to live music

The next morning (Sunday), we went to services of a sort at the Casa in the Great Hall.  It was basically just a gathering of people that came together to sing songs and quote inspirational poems, etc.  Just like the night before it was great to sing and enjoy the company of people with the same mind and spirit.  It was a great way to show gratitude and feel the Spirit of God and all the other angels and entities present.  I sat very close to a small family with two young daughters, and it was so precious to watch the girls sing and light up with the music.  It was a great reminder of the power of music in our lives.  

I enjoyed another great crystal bed session, and later in the day we went to the waterfall again.  This time I was able to really enjoy the beauty of the forest.  I did notice how the waterfall ran along and created an amazing little stream that could be tiny or very large depending on the rains.  You could often see the tangled root systems of trees, and there were so many butterflies!  I had fun watching a couple of lizards and ants while we waited for our turn there too.  It seems like the more grateful you are the the more you see to be grateful for.  

Sara took us aside after dinner and we had a good meditation and set our intentions for the next week.  The meditation was so soothing, and I chose to make my intention to really feel and trust my intuition and open my communication with my angels, the entities, and Source.  Little did I know that I would get exactly that.  It was just what I needed to really kick-start communication with all of my loved ones in the Spirit realm.  

The next couple days brought more trips to the waterfall, more crystal bed sessions, and lots of talking and befriending others that were also at the pousada.  I really was enjoying getting to know the other groups and bumping into them both at the pousada and around town.  It is really nice just meet everyone and hear their stories and feel their support.  It think that is part of the draw of Abadiania.  Such great energy from both the locals and the visitors.

Wednesday came and it was time to visit the Casa and the Entity again.  I could choose to just go through the revision line for a quick follow-up, go through the second time line to ask a specific question, do a voluntary intervention, or merely sit in the Current and offer energy and get energy in return from all of the people present.  I chose to sit in the Current during the morning session, and in the afternoon I chose to do another voluntary intervention.  I was feeling so great and the spirit was so strong.  I wanted to take full advantage of being in Brazil and to make all the spiritual progress I possibly could.  Not to mention it was my birthday and this would be the perfect gift to myself.  

This intervention was much the same as the last.  I would say the only difference was that someone's phone went off, and it scared me during the procedure especially because it had the same ring tone as my phone.  I would also have to say that my 24 hours of quiet bed time was just a bit more uncomfortable.  I had a migraine which is not something that is common for me.  It was hard to eat and even hard to sleep.  After discussing this with my guide, I thought that it may actually be my third eye opening.  I did decide to ask my angels and the entities to help relieve it, and soon after the pain wet away and I was able to sleep.  I was so grateful.  The best part was after a good night's sleep I woke up very refreshed.  

One thing that you learn quickly when in Brazil and most importantly in Abadiania is all about Spiritism or the Spiritualism movement.   Spiritism is really a belief that spirits or angels are here around us and help us and can interact with us.  Spiritualism goes even farther to actually making this a religion.  It is highly recommended that you read about Allan Kardec who is known as the founder of Spiritism to get a better idea.  There are also many books written by Mr. Kardec in his investigations and studies of the spirit world as he was a scientist and had a doctorate in medicine.  

How does this relate to the Casa?  Well here I found this explanation of Spiritism and mediums and how they play a big part at the Casa and their work.  

"The main tenet of Spiritism is that Spirits exist before and after they have an incarnate existence like the one we are experiencing now. Spiritist doctrine also states that we can communicate with these spirits.

The people who have developed the ability to communicate with these Spirits are called Mediums. There are many different types of communication and many different types of Mediums. In addition to this, Mediums are in different stages of development of their abilities. 

In Brazil, Spiritism is practiced with great discipline and devotion in many Casas or Spiritist Centers. The Casa de Dom Inacio is unique in it's size, scope and reputation. So be prepared, you are coming into a unique opportunity. We hope you will make the most of it."

One man that was a huge influence on Medium Joao and was a personal friend (and actually the man who gave Medium Joao his nickname of "John of God") is the man and philanthropist Chico Xavier or Francisco de Paula Cândido.  He too was from Brazil and also a medium of sorts.  He wrote over 400 different books as a medium in a process known as psychography.  His most famous book was "Nosso Lar" (roughly translated our spiritual home) and details the experience of a doctor's experience in life and death.  While in Brazil I watched a movie about it called "Astral City".  I highly recommend it to anyone.  

Photo of Chico Xavier found at my pousada

After my 24 hours was up post-intervention, I had to decide what I would do the next day (Friday) at the Casa.  My guide thought it may not be a good idea for me to sit in the Current as I had had two interventions in the last two weeks.  Her reasoning was that my body was working hard to do what it needed to, and the Current while it was good energy, it was often intense.  We decided to actually go through the second time line and ask the Entity if it would be okay to sit in the Current.  Sara also said while we were at it we could ask the Entity how things were progressing with my requests of healing.

Once we got to the Entity, Sara was busy translating my request, and the Entity just smiled and stopped her to say that He would see me that afternoon in the Current.  Not only did the Entity not need to have my questions translated or verbally stated, His response to me had a double meaning.  Yes I could go to the afternoon Current, and I also felt like during the Current he would in some way answer all of my questions regarding my requests.  I felt like He with the help of God and angels would too.  This trip had taught me that I can communicate without someone there doing it for me.  I am capable of this as is everyone else too.

Needless to say the session that afternoon was wonderful.  I did indeed have my question answered about my healing request.  Basically, as long as I could be patient and keep the faith I would heal 100% at the root cause.  Not only did I get that answered, but I felt like I held whole conversations with my angels and loved ones.  I received reassurance that all is well and we are all being taken care of.  Of course there is some suffering and discomfort here in this life, but it is so we can learn and progress and move on to bigger and better things.  I felt truly comforted and so special.  Which if I stop to think, my second request for the Entity was to know my own self-worth so I could live up to it, and this sure seemed like the perfect start to that request.  Current went by so fast that afternoon, but I know I sat there for at least a good three hours.

When we were finished, Medium Joao made himself available to see and meet and take pictures with some of the different groups that were there.  We were lucky enough to be one of those groups.  I saw one woman in her excitement to see him give Medium John a huge kiss.  He was so sweet and just smiled at her in his peaceful, loving way.

Our group with Medium John

The next day was Saturday and I flew out at 11:59 pm.  So basically I would leave and fly home at midnight on Sunday.  The rest of my group would do the same.  My guide Sara surprised us with an early departure to Brasilia for a tour of the Temple of Good Will which has a seven sided pyramid with a huge crystal fixed atop it.  Below the crystal is also a labyrinth for visitors to experience.  So now you may want to know what is the Temple of Good Will?  Well I found a great answer to this at the official website of the Temple of Good Will to help explain.  You can find it here:   

"The Temple of Good Will (TGW) is an ecumenical monument located in Brazil’s capital. It was conceived and built by José de Paiva Netto, President of the Legion of Good Will (LBV), who inaugurated it in October 1989. Every year it receives more than one million pilgrims, making it the most visited place in the city, according to official data from the State Secretariat of Tourism of the Federal District (SETUR). Acclaimed by the people as one of the Seven Wonders of Brasília, the TGW is part of the Legion of Good Will’s Ecumenical Complex, together with the World Parliament of Ecumenical Fraternity, the LBV’s ParlaMundi. 

Known as the Temple of Peace, it is a mystical and spiritual icon. Its doors are open day and night to serve the needs of its visitors searching for a place to pray or meditate freely, according to their beliefs. It has at least 12 main rooms that combine spirituality, culture, art, ecology, and mysticism. The distinguished architecture arouses curiosity, as it has proportions and measurements linked to the number of perfection (7) and to the number 1. The Monument is in the form of a pyramid, with 7 sides, and 21 meters high. Each detail in its plan has a reason for being." 

The Temple of Good Will

Sitting just to the side of the Temple of Good Will is the Jose de Paiva Netto Memorial and the World Parliament of Ecumenical Fraternity

Just barely visible on top is the giant rock crystal

Part of the art gallery within the Temple of Good Will

Unfortunately we were unable to take a full tour as there was a wedding taking place.  We did get to go see the natural spring that runs through the temple and partake of the healing waters and go to the gift shop and see the crystal mandalas they sold there.  We were also able to glimpse part of the art gallery from above.  As you can see even at night the building is beautiful and breathtaking.  I would love to return one day to walk through the labyrinth and see the rest of the wonders it has inside.

Overall, this trip was amazing and beautiful and very healing on so many levels.  I learned so much about myself and it is something I will never forget.  Even though I have been home for nearly two months now, I think if it daily and I am still finding little aha moments and processing the trip in general.  I can see why so many people actually pick up and move to Brazil.  I can see why they relocate specifically to Abadiania.  The people and the energy in this country are amazing and so healing in general.

If anyone is interested in learning more I encourage you to visit the many websites I added in this post and read the few books mentioned.  The website for my guide Sara can be found here at http://www.tripstojohnofgod.com/.  The book that was most helpful for me was "John of God: The Brazilian Healer Who's Touched the Lives of Millions" by Heather Cumming and Karen Leffler.  Other honorable mentions go to "Nosso Lar" the book or movie or sometimes seen as "Astral City" and the documentary "Healing: Miracles, Mysteries and John of God".  Really anything by Allan Kardec or Chico Xavier is highly recommended.  Another fun rescource is this YouTube channel  Be Happy Today with Cecelia and Philippe which you can find here.  On this channel they answer many commonly asked questions about John of God and the Casa.