The Offering

By Carma Cruz.

Before pursuing her Masters in Spiritual Psychology, Carma was written about by a Harvard Pulitzer Prize winner and featured in People Magazine and The Learning Channel.

In 2001, after being scheduled-off the ill-fated 9/11 flight, she strived to make sense of healing. In witnessing deep dark days of pain, she transcended to a higher level of awareness, guiding her to help by writing this book.

It takes place on her birthplace on the tiny island of Santa Maria in the mysterious Atlantic Ocean. In this ever-so-compelling Tales that Teach, Carma provides her knowledge of Spiritual Laws on topics including: Expectations, polarity, cause and effect, cycles, action, unity, receiving, choices, awareness, and abundance!

Carma traveled the world a fair bit, including a number of times around the United States, where she drove through the beautiful back roads to town centers witnessing the pain of hard times. She wrote this book as a collaborative healing journey where each chapter ends by asking the reader to write in a journal.

From a loving place of gratitude, please allow your heart to join her in The Offering!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Mar 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781504350716

Carma Cruz.

As a native islander from Santa Maria, Azores, Carma yearned for more peace in our ever-so-spinning world. In more than the wars we see, it's a place of tremendous honor to learn and grow in the mind of God. Carma has lived in Australia, Maui, and Hollywood, CA. She is an ordained minister, attended Boston University, Lesley University and University of Santa Monica with an emphasis in Spiritual Psychology. She lives in Clearwater, FL with her family, including four dogs and a pack of Peacocks.

Book preview

Chapter One

The Law of Expectation

The Lighthouse Welcomes You!

F rom the mystical island of Santa Maria, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the lighthouse welcomes you! The chain of islands, known as the Azores, was discovered by my forefather in 1432. His name was Gonçalve Velho Cabral, and as a side note, his nephew, Pedro Álvarez Cabral discovered Brazil.

In his memory, his loved ones built this lighthouse - welcoming the world!

Lighthouse.jpg

Hidden in the dark Atlantic Ocean, this tiny island gives light of consciousness. Starting with expectation as wisdom passed down through generations. This torch reminds us that a great deal comes from our ancestors. In listening to, Give us this day our daily bread, we see the faith.

Truth includes awareness of greatness - and how this energy transmits peace. As the polar opposite of war, we see light infusing our expectations. As humans, we receive it every moment, and thus, this darkness becomes a catalyst for growth and change. In this, we also see that depression is just a perceived separation from the light.

Beyond the pain, we're guided by a Universal intelligence. As it exponentially expands, so do we. We picked-up reading this book for a reason. I suspect it has to do with timing and being guided by a higher power.

This book encourages us to listen. Are our dreams hidden behind dissatisfaction? Let this guide us to action, by bringing problems into the light. Bring it on by closing the gap!

Closing The Gap

As a philosopher, my father, also known as Pai told stories starting with, Not all days are good, so learn to navigate the waters. Man, he was right! I realized that the good life comes from an examined soul.

Pai's stories touched my heart with wisdom. The tales that teach guided me to get it! The knowledge inspired me to use it! Somewhere in between, I got empowered to share it!

Empowerment takes us a step further in life. It gives self-awareness an advantage to succeed. As a success story, featured on TV, I wanted to touch hearts, like my dad did for me. I didn't feel like re-inventing the wheel, so I went back to our stories.

They were intertwined with the Laws of the Universe. So much so, that I got it more in story-form. Together, it formed and at the end of each chapter, I ask questions, so please be willing to write your answers in your journal. This helps connect us to healing. You want to heal, right?

I know you have stories that you may want to share. Please write these in your journal. Don't be afraid to share with your friends, as in a book club.

Pai had a radio club and the villagers listened to his long wave radio. This, of course, allowed him to report the news to the others. As each hemmed over international affairs, they took solace they were safe.

Just shy of 1940, he tuned in to see how long his employment would run. While the Americans built the Air Force Base, Pai worked there building the third largest runway in the world.

The strategic location between the United States and Europe left most islanders hoping that it would soon become a U.S. territory. Regardless, the island transformed into Made in America.

Our neck of the woods, called Santo Espírito (Saint Spirit) is lined with vineyards, tall pines, and lavender hydrangeas. Our hill, called Almas (Soul) is located under a very large cross called the Cruzeiro (Cruising from the air). Here's the view from the cross.

HillySeaside.jpg

It's where a two room bungalow, housed my family of five consisting of:

Mom, which is Mãe - pronounced as My, with a twang.

Dad, which is Pai is pronounced like a slice of Pie. Both were also called, Tia and Tio, meaning aunt and uncle, designating elder status in the village.

They had us three girls - Maria, named after my aunt the nun. Nina, named after a French romance novel. Both my sisters are older, so it was like having three mothers. Finally, my nickname - Gata Brava (Wild Cat).

Island Paradise and The American Dream soon clashed.

I'm told that Grandpa and Pai were on opposite sides of happiness. This is Polarity. My grandpa Antonio was very happy. He had earned enough money in America to build homes under the Cruzeiro for all his children. It was the epitome of soul. Meanwhile, my Pai hoped that our immigration papers were late, because he wasn't happy about moving.

Truth is Like Oil in Water

Time to move to America! During the last couple of months in Almas (Soul), Pai feared our move to the land of milk and honey. As he set-off to the dump with his donkey cart full of trash, he wondered if he could be able fill his father's shoes. He assured himself, I can do it!

Suddenly, as if a record player scratched to a sudden halt, DeSoto the local (and only) cop shouted, Ola Tio José!! I followed you and the white trail! I touched it and it's all over my hands.

Mãe showed up in her apron and wondered what was going on. She took a stance and said, "Truth is like oil in water and it always comes to the surface!!"

Pai shrugged, I'm sorry, the cap came undone on the shoe polish, then he slapped DeSoto on the back, My son, it's a lot better being caught white handed than red!

When Mãe returned, she handed DeSoto white shoe polish.

In disbelief, DeSoto exhaled, A gift?! Thank you Tia Filomena! Now, I just need to find my wife a pair of white shoes. As he wiped his brow, he continued, Times have been tough and we go without!

Bring your wife here to see what's in the barrels. Mãe nudged him, "No one should ever live without! God delivers Love and soothes pain. Overflow has no limits - It's worldwide like