THE CIRCLE & THE DANCE
(c) Jan Black 2004

It is the middle of the night.
I am prompted to pray for my dearest of dearests.
As I begin, an image appears of a large circle on a floor. The circle is bordered by a low railing.
I call out to one of those I will be praying for and ask him to stand in the middle of the circle.
I am not certain where this is headed, but I trust.
The others are outside the circle, waiting.
I come to understand that my part is simply to call my loved ones into the circle, one by one, and say to Spirit, “Let your will of love be done in this life.”
Spirit takes it from there, moving through and over the person, healing, adjusting, repairing, empowering, whispering.
A Divine Oil-Can Henry.
I am not privy to the details of the transaction, only the glory of it.
At some early point, a shaft of light bolts into the circle, enveloping the one at center.
I am seated to the side, as if on a bleacher, and the light’s warmth reaches me.
I see my loved one lift his face to the sky and soak up the light, arms gradually stretching out in surrender to the experience, as on a perfect day at the beach.
I observe pure joy.
There is no sense of hurry. Restlessness is absent. I am at peace.

When Spirit has completed its work, I call to the next person, who steps over the railing and moves into the light.
The scene is repeated until everyone has had a turn.
I don’t want the experience to end and ask Spirit who else I might call in.
Other names come to me and they step into place.

As the last person leaves the circle, Spirit turns to me and says, “Your turn, Jan.”
I am startled by the invitation.
Like being asked to dance by John Travolta, only better.
I step over the railing and into the arms of Divine Affection.

Any remaining doubts that I am entirely loved vanish.
 

Christmas Find-It and Poem

​

MANIFESTO for WOMEN'S FINANCIAL EDUCATION PROJECT
by Jan Black 
​

OUR INTENT
Is to educate women around the world to achieve financial well-being.
To make growing money as common a topic among them as growing children. Or lilies.
To build a new population of money-smart women
                  Who know how to dance on the bottom line instead of being trapped under it.
                  Who don’t dumb down financially to be accepted socially.
                  Who are heard when they insist on pay and pension equity.
                  Who aren’t invisible to the banker or the loan officer or the men in their families who might still believe women only know how to spend money, not determine the best way to invest or protect it.
 
OUR INTENT
Is to help women create ample supply, to have enough
And to celebrate it by giving to people and causes they care about. Intentionally. With joy.
Without fear that giving a birthday gift to her grandchild will mean Frosted Flakes for dinner this week.
 
OUR INTENT
Is to tell true stories of real women so that we learn from each other.
From young women who wonder what the “glass ceiling thing” is all about
To their aunts whose heads still duck because of it.
From Great Grandma who bucked tradition and became financially independent in her thirties
To the CEO who endured panic attacks and doubt while growing her successful business.
 
OUR INTENT
Is to create adventurous financial learning experiences
For every woman who breathes,
Who barely has two dimes to rub together or two million to give away,
Who wants to be sure she has enough,
Who is ready to take action and reverse what’s not okay about money in her life and enjoy what is good about it.
 
WE WILL NOT
Re-invent what is already being done.
Instead, we will embrace it. Highlight it. Send women to it.
The need is urgent, without time to be territorial.
We will do our part to furnish a new way for women and girls to think about, organize, and invest their money,
Especially if the way they think about themselves keeps them from doing it.
 
BECAUSE
Financial well-being – for women, for girls, for people – is our intent.
Not because money is everything
But because enough of it is essential for almost everything.
 
© Jan Black, 2000