Beth Green

Beth Green has always been dedicated to peace and the alleviation of pain on this planet, first as a social activist, then as an intuitive counselor, spiritual teacher, author and composer. Beth is familiar with pain - physical, emotional and spiritual. Born in New York City in 1945, she was educated to be a classical musician, but sickness changed the course of her life. Chronically ill since the age of 15, she was unable to pursue her music, but nothing could stop her from pursuing her passion to help support positive change on this planet. First her caring brought her into radical politics, and during her years as an activist - from 16 to 33 - she promoted many challenging ideas, such as early participation in the peace and the women's movements, including four years as the West Coast Coordinator of the Wages for Housework Campaign. Despite illness and other hardships, such as threats, arrests, poverty and expulsion from school, Beth's dedication to her ideals was unrelenting. Unrelenting, that is, until she realized that she had become the kind of person she did not like. She felt bankrupt emotionally and spiritually. It seemed her life had come to a standstill.

Then through a surprising twist of fate, Beth experienced a psychic awakening in 1980 at the age of 35. While unsuccessfully pursuing alternative medical treatment for her continuing illness, she discovered her prodigious intuitive gifts and, in a radical change of direction, Beth became a spiritual teacher and an intuitive counselor. Since 1980, Beth has counseled many individuals and groups, and she has trained therapists and laypeople alike in the application of the intuitive process. She has founded a number of spiritual organizations over the years and is currently Spiritual Director of a nonprofit organization, The Stream, www.thestream.org.

One more surprising twist in Beth's eventful journey was her return to music in her 50s. Unable to play music for more than 35 years, Beth discovered the power of the electronic keyboard to help her overcome her physical disabilities. Once cut off from musical expression, now Beth has become a composer, creating her own works. While not able to perform in public, Beth is able to share her music through CDs. The Gift of Peace is her first, and it is being offered to the public free of charge as a gift of peace.

Beth is a very innovative spiritual teacher. Her organizations have developed many exciting and unusual programs. Her talks, tapes and articles challenge our paradigms, including our closely held spiritual beliefs. Some examples are The Alienation of Love and Spirituality: The Last Block to Freedom. Her recently-released book, Sacred Union: The Healing of God, turns Western spirituality on its head and helps free us to relate to a God who, like us, is evolving, rather than perfect. Her new book-in-progress, Living with Reality: Nine Platforms for Becoming Ourselves, works with collective consciousness and brings spiritual beliefs into practice in a profoundly challenging yet doable way. And her earlier book, The Autobiography of Mary Magdalene presents an alternate view of Mary Magdalene and Jesus and the shame and blame the earth has carried as a result of the crucifixion.

Beth's counseling is very powerful. Her ability to intuitively guide people into deep healing has amazed those who have gone through the process, either through individual or group work. It is a testimony to the oneness of consciousness.
And Beth's music is healing as well - deeply spiritual, emotional and beautiful. It helps us to bypass the mind and transform ourselves through sound. Beth Green lives in Southern California, with her partner, Christopher, and dog, Chootchky. She continues to offer intuitive counseling, groups, training and workshops both in person and by phone.

Beth Green's website is www.bethgreen.org. There you will find more information about Beth and examples of her work.

 

Pageonelit.com: Where did you grow up and was reading and writing a part of your life? Who were your earliest influences and why?

Beth Green: I grew up in New York City, and reading and playing classical music were my life. I was an odd kid and felt alienated from most everybody, so the worlds of music, fiction and ideas gave me a vital place to go, a place to feel less alone. I did some writing, as well, and always thought writing would be some part of my journey. As a child, I loved Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. I believed in magic, and the mystic in me resonated with these stories. When I was about 12, I became enthralled with all the works of Dostoyevsky. I think his dark, passionate soul reflected how I felt about life. I also started dabbling with reading -- but not understanding -- Freud. Even earlier than 12, I was reading Upton Sinclair and becoming conscious of social issues, the Spanish Civil War and the painful history of our world. Books gave me a perspective that took me out of the narrow confines of my life. I grew up in the 50s. I watched the Army-McCarthy hearings, and I experienced the culture of conventionality. Without books, I wouldn't have known that there were other perspectives in the world.

 

Pageonelit.com: Why do you write?

Beth Green: I write because I need to connect with others. Ideas and feelings jangle about in my brain until I get them down either in fictional or nonfictional form. Stories and music come from my soul. Nonfiction comes from the intersection of my mind and spirit. Writing allows me to express, and it allows me to believe I am not alone. Of course, the full realization of this desire to connect only comes when you read my book and say, yes, I know how you feel.

 

Pageonelit.com: Tell us about THE SACRED UNION THE HEALING OF GOD -- What do you mean by 'A radical idea whose time has come'?

Beth Green: The basic premise is very simple. If God is the totality of all being, then God includes everything -- the good, the bad and the ugly. Therefore, God includes us, the parts of us we like and the parts we don't like. The Bible tells us that we were made in the image of our creator, but then how could we be bad and God "perfect?" In fact God is like us but simply more inclusive, because God is the totality that includes us. Thus God carries all our defects and complexities, as well as all strengths and compassion, plus all the beauty, grandeur and violence of all the universe.

We've been telling ourselve forever that God is perfect. But if God is perfect, then how do we explain life's pain? In order to keep God perfect, we have had to make us wrong, defective, at fault, even guilty of original sin. But what if God isn't perfect? What if God is evolving, as we are? Then what? Suddenly we see ourselves in another light. We see that we are part of an evolving universe, and we have an important part in the evolution of consciousness. We see that it's not our fault that we are in pain, not our fault that we get caught up in cruelty, pride and selfishness. We are simply aspects of God in the process of working out God's plan and design. When we see that we really are God, aspects of God's consciousness, we see that we can change, but real change can only come through the change of us all, the evolution of the collective, the healing of God.

Sacred Union: The Healing of God starts with the startlingly simple idea that we really are God and God us. From there, it delineates God's evolution, explains the root of our pain and demonstrates our role in the healing of God. It's a radical idea whose time has come, because the idea is so obvious, yet nobody else seems to be talking about it. It's time has come because people are always asking, How could God let this happen, and no one has the answer? but once we realize God is not a perfect, all-loving, all-knowing and all powerful being, then we realize how God could let this happen, that what happens is a reflection of God's evolutionary struggle to overcome separation and fragmentation. We realize that our struggle is a reflection of God's struggle. Why is it time for this idea? Because a) In order to save our planet, we need to come from a consciousness of oneness, and we can't do that if we keep separating into what is "godly" and what is not, b) Many people are tired of the old conception of God, where we can't reconcile our belief in a perfect God with our awareness of the pain of the world, and c) There are those ready for a new relationship with God, one where we go from being bad kids to partners of the universal consciousness of whose evolution we are a part. We're ready to see that just as God is healing us, we are healing God, because we are the God that is healing. It's time has come, because, as God says in my book, "The healing of God, let's go for it."

 

Pageonelit.com: Tell us little about your experience as an intuitive counselor and spiritual teacher.

Beth Green: This has been a most fascinating experience. Having had a psychic awakening in 1980, at the age of 35, I opened up to so many levels of consciousness whose faces had been hidden from me for a long time. I could access the consciousness of all being again -- I could know what was in your mind and heart, and what was in the minds and hearts of those around you, living and dead. And through the counseling process, I could see all these fragments, all these beings, coming together, trying to heal themselves through honestly coming clean, releasing old beliefs and fears, and healing their relationships. At first, it was wild. I could hardly believe that I had this intuitive gift. But I had so much confirmation of what I was hearing on the inner planes and what I was feeling, I came to know that it was true. Being an intuitive is hard, as well as exciting. It's hard to be so connected to everyone, to feel the pain of so many beings. But on the other hand, it's great to know that my connection to you can help surface deeply buried thoughts and feelings, and it's great to know that bringing them into the light has helped so many people. On the other hand, being an intuitive counselor and spiritual teacher has brought me into confrontation with many people's deeply held beliefs about themselves and the universe. That doesn't always make me the most popular person on the planet. But I have never held back from saying what I say and felt, because I was afraid of disapproval. You never know when your words have helped someone, even if they resist at first.

 

Pageonelit.com: You say, "If we could all support each other in becoming more powerful, more wise, more abundant, we would all become more powerful, more wise and more abundant." Please explain.

Beth Green: Once we realize that we are all God, we come to understand that we are all parts of a greater whole -- just like the hand is part of the body. If the hand hurts the foot, isn't it really hurting itself? because isn't it part of the same body as the foot? Similarly, if the hand helps heal the foot, isn't it strengthening itself by strengthening the body of which it is a part? In just this way, when I help empower you, I am supporting myself, because you and I are a really aspects of the whole, aspects of one another. I have taken the old phrase, "I am my brother's keeper" and brought it into perhaps a deeper meaning by saying that "I am my brother." In addition, let me say that everyone feels afraid. Everyone feels they need more power. That's why we keep trying to dominate one another. Ironically if you are trying to dominate me, it's probably because you feel afraid that your own needs will not be met. If I could help you identify those needs and supported you to get them met, you would carry less fear in your heart and have less need to try to bully me!

 

Pageonelit.com: There's a section in SACRED UNION THE HEALING OF GOD called 'Fragments of Consciousness Out of Balance' --- 'Money minus Love = Greed' -- Please Explain...

Beth Green: God's evolution looks like this: First there was the oneness, and then, in order to experience, God needed to create him/herself into different forms. Here's an example, if everything were white, there would be no experience of white, because whiteness can only be experienced in contrast to something else. Just in this way, God needed to become multiplicity rather than oneness in order to experience him/herself. But each of these fragments of God -- that includes everything that exists in body, mind and spirit -- came to experience itself as separate. Everything that is differentiated from the whole, in fact, experiences its separation, develops "ego." That includes ideas, objects, people, mind, body, spirit, everything. When we get caught up in "I am separate," we tend to fight for our own existence. We tend to compete. The same is true of fragments of consciousness themselves. Everything competes and tries to dominate. Love tries to dominate violence, violence tries to dominate love, and so on. When any fragment of consciousness is out of balance, we become sick. Let me make this idea concrete: If we have no fear, we'll sit on the railroad tracks while the train comes to run us over. But if we have too much fear, we'll sit on the railroad tracks paralysed by fear. Too much or too little fear is fear out of balance. Just so, there is nothing wrong with money, but when it is out of balance, when it is separated from love, it becomes greed. This is all explained in much greater detail in my book.

 

Pageonelit.com: Tell me about the Gift of Peace campaign, and what does it have to do with The Healing of God?

Beth Green: Many of us feel that there is too little effort to understand one another and too much use of violence to deal with conflict. This is as true in our homes as it is in our world. When you cross me, my first reaction is anger. I feel threatened and try to defend myself. But what if I were to practice the concepts of oneness that I talk about in my book? What if I asked myself why? Why would you be behaving this way? Why does my husband, friend, child? I feel threatened. Does he or she? Why did the terrorists resort to violence? What were they trying to express?

When we stop demonizing other people, we try to understand. Once we realize that fundamentally we are all one, all the same, we can start asking questions, instead of starting with violence. If we say I've got God on my side, you're the devil, then we have ended the dialog. By making you the devil, I am saying that I couldn't possibly understand you. I would never behave "that way". Yet if we get honest about ourselves, we see the same kinds of reactions and instincts in us all. And if we studied American history, we would see behaviors in ourselves -- towards blacks, native Americans, women, other nations -- that have been downright terrorist.

Assuming oneness. Seeking to understand. These things help create the energy of peace. Of course, everyone on all sides needs to be willing to take this attitude. But as always, we need to begin with ourselves.

Pageonelit.com: And your CD?

Beth Green: My CD, The Gift of Peace, carries a healing energy. When people listen to it, it's helps them relax and feel centered, at one with everything. For me, when I am in a relaxed place, I am open -- open to asking, to listening and to finding new solutions. So the CD itself helps create peace within us and the peace within us gives birth to more peaceful solutions in our lives.

The energy of peace is so needed today... That's what inspired the Giving the Gift of Peace. I want to give away as much peace as possible by giving away as many CDs as possible. No charge -- no royalties. All we're charging is shipping and handling to those who order these CDs through the mail. We're going to get this start, but our resources are limited. We're going to have to depend on others to spread this gift of peace. We ask people to order as many as they can distribute. We're asking them to be creative about where they give this music. And we're also asking those who can to make whatever contribution they can to spread the Gift of Peace. As you know, I'm the spiritual director of The Stream, a nonprofit organization. People can make tax-deductible donations to The Stream that will enable us to make more CDs, so that together we can give the peace to others.

Pageonelit.com: Why music? Aren't you primarily a writer?

Beth Green: Music is a direct connection to the soul. It's easy to argue with ideas and concepts. But we don't argue with music. Oh, of course, there will be people who don't like this music. But what's important is that it carries an energy that impacts people, that people can feel, that soothes and relaxes them. I've seen it. And I'm grateful to God to have had the opportunity to bring this music to others.

Pageonelit.com: What if people want more information or wish to order this free CD?

Beth Green: Go to The Stream website, www.thestream.org, and click on The Gift of Peace. There will be lots of information there.

 

Pageonelit.com: Now that you are an experienced published author - What advice can you offer for those writers who are working on their first book?

Beth Green: Have patience. (I have little to none.) Be honest with yourself. Think and rethink what you're saying. And if you want to publish, be ready for a hard and rocky road. The process has to be satisfying in itself, because the end is a mystery.

 

 

Pageonelit.com: What has been your feedback from readers? What do they say to you about their interpretations of your books?

Beth Green: Some people love my books. Some people buy them and are scared to read them. Some people can't hear what I'm saying. They create a strawman and then attack it. And some people feel that reading my books confirms them in their own beliefs, which is fine. What's exciting, though, is that sometimes someone will contact me and tell me that they've had the same thoughts but didn't dare to express them to anyone else, or that their whole paradigm is shaken in a good way. when I see that I have impacted someone's life, I'm overjoyed. Then it's all worthwhile.

 

Pageonelit.com: Who are your favorite writers and why?

Beth Green: I'm embarrassed to say I have no time to read anymore. I'm promoting the ideas in The Healing of God, writing another book and making CDs of my music. I look forward to the day that I can sit down again and just read for the fun of it.

 

Pageonelit.com: What's next?

Beth Green: As I mentioned before, I busy with Giving the Peace and the distribution of my free music CD and I am working on its distribution. And I'm way into another book, Living with Reality: Nine Platforms for Becoming Ourselves. This book is in draft form and not nearly finished, but people are already gathering to discuss it and practice its processes. This book offers us doable and concrete ways of living our spiritual beliefs, and it's great to meet in groups to share our experiences and put these new habits into practice. Because it is proving so useful to people, the first draft of the parts I've written are already on my website (www.bethgreen.org) and can be downloaded for free, along with a meeting format. We only ask that 1) you contact my nonprofit spiritual organization, The Stream, to get support, if you are having group meetings, and that 2) again if you are meeting as a group, you send whatever donations are collected to The Stream to support the work.

 

Pageonelit.com: Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance your writing.

Beth Green: I have no time for hobbies, because I am doing what I love -- counseling, teaching, writing and making music! I live in the forest, which is where I am most happy. And I meet with others for mutual support. As is mentioned in my bio, I've been chronically ill since I'm 15 years old -- which is a long long time -- yet by the grace of God and the computer, I've been able to find self-expression and connect to you, which is what I live for. Thanks.