Describing a retreat adequately is a little like trying to describe what
salt tastes like, or what a rose smells like -- no words can even begin to
approach the experience. I can honestly place my life into two categories:
before I attended the Conversations with God retreats -- and after. After
many years of "exceptional hedonism", I experienced a personal spiritual
awakening at the end of January 1999. Shortly after, a friend recommended
Conversations with God. I was hesitant, due to that "G" word in the title --
but decided to give it a shot. As most fellow CWG readers understand, I was
quite blown away -- and treated to the opening of spiritual vistas (and
real-world application of timeless truths) that I could not have ever
imagined!

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that within just a few months, a CWG
Retreat would be held at the beautiful Dahn Retreat Center near Sedona,
Arizona. I had never attended anything like this in my life. My closest
experience had been multi-day business or self-improvement seminars. The
immersion experience of the CWG retreats counts for so much -- spending all
day and evening with like-spirited individuals from all over the world
opened my heart and soul to a level of union and spiritual experience (not
to mention sheer happiness and a whole lot of fun!) that I would never have
dreamed possible. Neale, Nancy and the entire staff are wonderful people
that quickly felt like lifelong friends. In fact, some of the staff, music
team and fellow attendees have become lifelong friends! Between the
sessions, communion with everyone there (and Spirit), personal contemplation
and meditation -- my life was forever changed. I was amazed, impressed,
eternally grateful --- and just getting warmed up!! Because you see, just a
few weeks later in August of 1999 -- The Gathering, the alumni retreat --
was taking place near Medford, Oregon.

The Gathering felt like coming home. There was much more depth and
interaction than at the original retreat -- though both were extremely
enjoyable, and perfect in their own way. Several of the friendships I began
in Sedona continued here -- and continue to this day! Also, as you might
expect from a CWG retreat, the "fun factor" is VERY high! Neale, along
everyone associated with ReCreations, and nearly every attendee -- have
exceptional senses of humor and "general joviality"! There is lots of
wonderful music, activities, enjoyable meals -- and plenty of time to enjoy
the beautiful, natural surroundings -- alone, or with others.

Since that time, my spiritual path has branched out a bit -- as has my
spiritual and life's work. I still review CWG regularly, study many other
spiritual resources, and facilitate a Course in Miracles Group at my local
Unity Church. I recently left my full-time employment to begin writing my
books -- Living Unbound and Humanity Unbound -- which first started taking
detailed shape in my mind during the Sedona retreat! Living Unbound is a
step-by-step guide to aligning every facet of our life, in order to live our
dreams and serve the world around us fully -- as Gandhi said, to "Be the
change we wish to see in the world". Humanity Unbound is a step-by-step
guide to becoming more unified as a global family, and identifies what each
of us can do to help bring this about. Living Unbound will be published in
the Winter of 2001, with Humanity Unbound to follow shortly after. If you'd
like further information, please visit www.HumanityUnbound.com

The purpose of the above paragraph is not to serve as a commercial for my
books by the way -- it is to emphasize the point that CWG retreats can be
life changing, life enhancing, life defining and life evolving -- the
retreats I attended had very direct bearing on who I am choosing to be and
become in every area of my life! The spiritual immersion I experienced there
 helped me to open to the clarity of who I am, and what my chosen life's
purpose is to be.

Oh Yes -- a Conversations with God retreat -- and the attendant spiritual
communion, CAN be that powerful! Enjoy!!

Namaste,

Doug