Welcome! Ready to ride?
GR: Tell us about your
latest release...
BB: This book is an
exploration of my life. From the outside, my life may seem perfectly
ordinary, but from a very young age I experienced phenomena that took
me out of the ordinary and dumped me smack dab in the middle of what
could only be called extraordinary. I’ve received messages from
spirit animals, I’ve felt tremendous bliss when the kundalini
energy that lies dormant in most people awakened in me, and I’ve
experienced dimensional shifts in my awareness that have allowed me
to witness what only a few have seen.
I’ve come to believe
these events are manifestations of spiritual awakening – my
conscious connection with “All That Is” – God, the source of
everything. With each strange occurrence, my connection to this
source became stronger and more alive. All this I have done without
the benefit of a particular spiritual teacher – this personal
expansion has come about through my believing in, allowing and
listening to my inner guidance. It has brought me to a level of peace
and joy that I didn't know was possible, and I'm convinced that this
is attainable for every human being on this planet.
This book is an account
of my journey and the lessons I’ve learned. It is meant to be a
mirror for the reader to reflect their own experiences back to them,
and a gentle guide for those who are at the precipice of an
extraordinary adventure, and are either scared to jump or who hunger
for answers and understanding.
GR: What inspired you
to start your writing journey?
BB: I've been a writer
for a very long time. I've written books, blog posts and articles. I
have written and created seminars and workshops. What inspired this
book, and all of the writing I have done, is the polarity I see in
the world; the right/wrong thinking about religion, politics, the
validity of science, etc. One could look out at the world and say
that we'll never have a more peaceful world, we will never have a
world that is more supportive of everyone and all things. Yet, I
have experienced evidence that if we are willing to be present and
non-judgmental, we can help change the world in a very extraordinary
and beautiful way.
I feel this book
creates a new conversation around an age old topic; how we experience
each other, beauty, and grace. It delves into how we experience
spirituality. It explores a new way of communicating with ‘that
which is bigger and more profound than each of us as individuals. It
puts words to what I was and many others are confused about in
relation to hope, love, and the purpose of life.
GR: Who have been some
authors that have inspired you along the way?
BB: The funny thing is
I'm not much of a reader. I have dyslexia and reading has always been
quite difficult for me. But when I did it was those writers who wrote
about universal truths, consciousness, and human evolution. Writers
like Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle, Gary Zukav, Neale Donald Walsch, Dan
Millman, James Redfield, and many others. The concepts, ideas, and
quality of thinking presented by these authors held my attention well
enough that I was willing to read even with my challenges. They
aren't what inspired me to write my latest book. What inspired me to
write was my expanding connection to Source, God, the Divine or
whatever you choose to call it.
GR: What is one piece
of marketing advice you can give to new authors?
BB: Start doing
everything way sooner than you would think. When you start writing
your book, begin looking for someone to write the forward, for people
to review the book, and for an editor. Start building an audience
immediately, through as many channels as possible. Use videos,
articles, social media, your community, any place you can have your
message seen, heard or experienced.
GR: If we went on the
ride of our life, where is one place you'd like to be sure to stop
along the way?
BB:
I'm assuming since this is the bikers with books blog you're talking
about the ride of our life on the back of a motorcycle… So the one
stop I'd like to make – sooner rather than later – is at car
rental place. :o)
GR: Would you be
afraid to ride on the back of my bike?
BB: The short answer is
YES! Afraid, worried, uncomfortable, and downright scared. When I was
15 both my brothers had minibikes and I loved riding them until I
spun out and hurt myself pretty badly, never quite came back from
that fall and I haven't been willing to get back on that particular
kind of metal horse.
GR: What can we expect
from you in the future? Any new projects?
BB: I'm in the middle
of writing two new books. One is a book about using mindfulness to
reduce stress and the other is a how-to book in relation to
connecting with your inner guidance and your higher source of wisdom.
I'm also creating a certification course with my husband. We're
certifying Incite Coaches in the personal growth work that we've been
doing together for 20 years. You can find out more about that work at
FocusedAttention.com.
Thank you so much for
chatting with me today. I wish you the best of success and to always
leave your hair blowing in the wind!
Title:
Interviewed by God - A Journey to Freedom
Author
Name: Beth Banning
Author Bio:
Beth Banning is a best-selling author,
inspirational speaker, and spiritual catalyst who lives in California
with her husband, their cat, and their six pound poodle. She was born
in New York City and from a very young age could sense the feelings
of people around her, felt kundalini energy running through her body,
and experienced other unusual events that she didn't understand. The
well-meaning adults in her life told her she was depressed and that
these experiences were just her imagination. Growing up in this cloud
of ignorance and disbelief, these gifts were buried and unable to
flourish and so she was left confused and lonely.
As a young adult she recognized the
same sense of confusion and loneliness in others and became
passionate about helping people better understand themselves and
those around them. Later in life she took this passion into her work
with her husband Neill and co-founded Focused Attention, Inc. She has
written numerous books, co-created the Pathway to Personal Freedom,
and the Art of Conscious Connection Seminar Series.
After many years of integrating this
consciousness shifting work into her own life and teaching it to
others, she experienced a profound reconnection with God that turned
her life upside down. This radically changed the way she perceives
the world and functions in it. Beth now lives her life guided by her
inner source of divine wisdom. She is committed to helping others
discover this for themselves and fully experience the essence of who
they truly are.
Author Links -
Website: www.BethBanning.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/BethBanning
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/BethBanning
Pinterest:
http://www.pinterest.com/bethbbanning/
Linkedin:
www.linkedin.com/in/BethBanning
Book Genre: Spirituality
Publisher:
PuddleDancer Press
Release Date:
September 1, 2014
Book Description:
Interviewed by
God is an account of Beth Banning’s
journey of spiritual awakening—her conscious connection with God
and the lessons she’s learned along the way. From a very young age,
Banning experienced phenomena that could only be called
extraordinary: she’s received messages from spirit animals, felt
kundalini energy
awaken in her, and experienced dimensional shifts in her awareness
that have allowed her to witness what only a few have seen. She was
visited by totem animals, took ritualistic baths, and visited shamans
and healers; she experienced ecstatic states and received messages;
her ego mind began to battle against her higher mind. As she
experienced her spiritual journey, a small voice within guided her.
With doubt as her constant companion she continued to follow her
inner promptings, which led her to higher levels of truth about her
connection to herself and the world and reality as we know it.
Written in a format in which the author is “interviewed by God,”
the book is meant to be a mirror for the reader to reflect their own
experiences back to them, and a gentle guide for those who are at the
precipice of an extraordinary adventure and are either scared to jump
or who hunger for answers and understanding.
Excerpt One:
Interviewed by God
Chapter 2, What is REALLY Real?
Pg. 11
Beth: I'm not sure why I'm writing about any of this. Who's going to care?
God: There are many people who are having experiences similar to yours and they're embarrassed or think it's all their imagination and are not allowing these experiences to blossom. There are others who are right at the precipice of these extraordinary, life-changing experiences, but they are pushing them away. These people need to know they're not alone and what they're experiencing is actually more real than what they thought was true.
Beth: They need to know that there is more to life than they are told about, is that it? They need to know that the world is much richer and more wonderful than they ever imagined.
God: Yes, it's time for people to know just how much more there is to life. You've already begun the process of transformation, and your experiences can help to guide them. I've heard you say you have had many unusual experiences. What do you mean by this?
Beth: Over the last four years, many things have happened to me that are outside the realm of ordinary human life. They come in different forms. I may feel them, hear them, or see them, but they are nothing like my previous day-to-day existence. Research has showed me that these types of experiences are not completely uncommon. On one hand, knowing that others have had similar experiences helped me at times when I thought I was going crazy. On the other hand, I mostly found that saints, eccentric geniuses or gurus in India were the ones having these experiences. There were only a few stories involving ordinary people like me.
God: So what has changed in your life over the last few years?
Beth: In short, I have gone from wanting to know everything, understand everything and control everything in my life, to a place of peacefulness and acceptance to a degree that I've never known. I don't mind now when plans change, or someone else thinks they have a better idea about how to do things. And I don't have to agree with or understand exactly what someone is talking about in order to hear what they're saying and be able to empathize with them. My whole being has shifted. As I continue to have these unique experiences, they change me and how I perceive the world in incredible ways. I've gone from an almost compulsive need to "know" everything to an acceptance of just what's going on in the moment, and a sense of calm trusting about the future.
