I Hope This Helps

About the Book

This book straddles the nexus between spirituality, Christianity and self-help to provide meaning and guidance along the Path from birth to death. Structured as a conversation at the telescope during a night under the stars, this book addresses questions like: Why are we here? What is the point of life? How do we handle relationships, sexuality, health issues, Christianity, grief and all the challenges life provides? What are some strategies to make it all easier?

Beginning with an overarching exploration of the purpose of life, the book takes the reader on an increasingly practical journey through the implications associated with this purpose – finding one’s calling, understanding and following one’s path (the Contract we make with the Divine), and recognizing and avoiding the obstacles. More concrete advice follows: how to make a relationship work; re-defining a crisis; managing conflict; helpful spiritual practices to make things easier. Healing, relationships, sexuality, parenting, death and bereavement, and a critical examination of both Reiki and Christianity round out a book whose purpose it is to help people make sense – and success – of life.

About the Author

After a successful career in music education (as a high school band director and classical pianist), John Neal (BME, MM) came to believe that most of us gain some insight into life along the way, but fail to write it down and pass it on. Having spent six decades in pursuit of “the truth”, he wanted to do better for his children and grandchildren, and this book is the result. Widowed, he lives in Maine where he continues free-lance work in piano performance and conducting while enjoying golf, canoeing, traveling, amateur astronomy – and writing.