I discovered the map the hard way: crawling on my hands and knees through every inch of it. Battered by an exceptionally brutal divorce, and abandoned by almost all my clients and friends, I wrote to God out of sheer desperation. In the course of my daily writing, I stumbled upon the mystical powers of sacred journaling and personal prayer. While I was making my pilgrimage, I didn’t realize I was going through a logical, healing sequence. It was only at the miraculous conclusion that I looked back and saw that I had traveled through seven distinct sets of experiences. That’s when I realized that Spiritual Geography was a map with seven countries, and a series of seven books with guided prayer exercises. I drew the first rough graphic of the map and gave it to a graphic artist to bring to life.

“The only way out is through” is the core truth of the map of Spiritual Geography. Do you want to get to Peace? Then, you must travel through: through the countries, through the pain, through the grief, through the struggle, through the fear, through the panic. Through. The only way out of the trauma is through the trauma. This is one problem you can’t skirt. On the map of Spiritual Geography there is no freeway bypass that circumvents the congested traffic in your heart and mind. Nope. In Spiritual Geography you’ve got to see what you see, feel what you feel, and explore what you are experiencing. When you do, you reap the great reward of the seven essential spiritual gifts, and reach the blessed shores of the Country of Peace. When you complete your pilgrimage, and receive your whole and holy heart, you will be grateful you went through it all.

S.E. stands for Spiritual Explorer. When you reach the Country of Peace, and submit your prayer of forgiveness, you can request a Spiritual Explorer certificate. (Prayers of forgiveness can be submitted in confidence or you can request that your prayer be posted on the Peace bulletin board, opening this fall.) Watch for an announcement that S.E. certificates are available.

Spiritual and civic organizations that offer divorce-recovery classes using Spiritual Geography are listed in “Travel Aids” on the main navigation bar. There may be only a few listings initially, but as the concept spreads, and more organizations download the ten-week curriculum, more and more listings will appear. The fastest way to get an organization near you to use the Spiritual Geography curriculum is to bring it to their attention. Tell the director of divorce recovery at your organization about the website or bring them a copy of a Spiritual Geography book and encourage them to consider using Spiritual Geography in their divorce-recovery classes.

Therapists, mediators and other professionals utilizing Spiritual Geography in their practice are listed in the Directory. Initially, there may be only a few listings, but as the concept spreads, and Janet speaks with more professional organizations, more listings will appear. The fastest way to get a specific professional guide to consider Spiritual Geography is to bring it to his or her attention. Suggest that they look at the website, review a copy of a Spiritual Geography book, or read a copy of a Spiritual Geography e-newsletter (coming in the summer). “Professional Guides” on the navigation bar is a section of the website specifically designed to assist practitioners in the fields of law, mental health, education and ministry utilize Spiritual Geography in their work. Encourage professionals you know to check it out.

You can order the books on the website in the “Travel Shop” on the main navigation bar. Payment is handled by PayPal, a safe, secure, and very easy to use service. Or you can calculate the cost and send a check to Dear God & Company, PO Box 277, Ozona, FL 34660. Books are $16.00 each, tax is only applicable for residents in Florida, and shipping is $5.95 for the continental US.