Even though I’d heard the expression, “Whenever a door closes, a window always opens,” I didn’t see how that could apply to my life after losing my husband, but it did. Then, not long after my husband died, I lost both of my parents, too. I was just feeling so lost, with no sense of direction. Not knowing what else to do, I started asking, “What do You want me to do now?”

The first door that opened was the opportunity to study with Dr. Deepak Chopra and other highly recognized teachers. Those studies led to my certifications for teaching meditation and yoga. They also took me to India to study several times, as well as Canada, and even on an Alaskan cruise. And that was just the beginning.
Much to my surprise, I’d begun an adventure I never could have anticipated, with many unexpected turns along the way. I tell the story of how all that unfolded in my book, “From Grief to Joy, A Journey Back to Life & Living.”

The point is, without my ever knowing how, a whole new life opened up for me, a happy life where there was meaning and purpose, and a deep sense of inner joy. I’m not talking about the “happy” that comes when we “get” something, or when something nice happens. I’m talking about the joy of following your spiritual path and growing into a deeper, more authentic expression of who you really are.

So if you are wondering what to do next, my suggestion would be to start asking, “Where do You want me to go from here?” The universe never ignores an open heart.

Donna Miesbach

I have been on a spiritual path all my life. I was first introduced to meditation when I was seventeen. I knew this was an important tool, but I wanted to go deeper than that particular method allowed, so my search began. I attended workshops and classes, read books and tried every form of meditation I could find, to no avail. Then in 1994, my life changed dramatically. My husband died very suddenly. Soon after that, I lost both parents, too. They say when the student is ready, the teacher appears. This student was certainly ready. About a year after my husband’s sudden death, I learned about Dr. Deepak Chopra and his teachings. It was like finding the light at the end of the tunnel. I took meditation training from Dr. Chopra and began attending his courses. They fed my deep roots and made such a difference in my life that I committed to being certified both in meditation and yoga so I could share these wonderful practices with others. I have studied with Deepak and also Roger Gabriel both here and in India. I also studied sound healing with Jonathan Goldman, and remote viewing with Dr. David Morehouse, having completed all five levels of his training. As my teaching became established, doors began opening that allowed me to teach meditation to at risk youth. Then another door opened and I found myself working with Playmakers Mentoring Foundation, a Sacramento-based outreach. Together with their Executive Director, we wrote a book and then opened a chapter here in Omaha. In addition to my work with Playmakers, I continue to teach meditation in the Omaha NE area, offering both private and group instruction. I also hold group meditations and programs five times a year, and speak to groups on various aspects of spirituality upon request.   It has been an amazing journey, one I never could have anticipated. I didn’t know it then, but I know now that it is possible to get to the other side of grief, and that is what my book, “From Grief to Joy, A Journey Back to Life & Living,” is all about.

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