Join the author as she travels back over 2000 years to visit with a miraculous woman in the holy land. Open the door and walk into a world where people are more connected to the land, to nature, and to God. Explore a time where people didn’t separate their religious beliefs from their daily lives. Awaken and explore the rituals and the richness in everyday life.
The story follows the life of Samara as she grows up in her Uncle Binyamin’s house on the road to Jerusalem after losing her mother when she was just an infant. Her cousin Joshua surreptitiously affords her the opportunity to obtain something few women of that time had; an education. Equipped with knowledge, a strong connection to God and a very inquisitive mind, Samara defies the odds and leads a most extraordinary life; especially for a woman.
In an age when women were subservient to men Samara disregards convention and becomes a strong, independent woman. But this is more than just the story of Samara. This is a modern day parable meant for all WOMEN (and the men who care about them). Even today women still struggle with the tension between their more traditional, child-raising, supportive roles and the modern, liberated, successful, leadership roles that are now permissible.
So, come along with Samara on a profoundly moving, deeply inspiring walk back in time. Partake of this divine mystery and allow yourself to be inducted into the deeper mysteries of who we really are. May the light that shines through Samara illuminate your own life and reveal your own true path. If something deep within you begins to stir honor it. If not just sit back and enjoy the story. Either way, it will take you somewhere you have never been before.
Samara's Story
By Samara Balboa Press
Copyright © 2012 Samara
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4525-6274-2 Chapter One
I have come to visit the WOMAN of over 2000 years ago.
Walking along the dusty road, a strong, earthy odor from a nearby herd of sheep fills the air. After my long journey, I can finally see my destination. As I approach, enticing aromas coming from inside the dwelling gradually replace the musty scents of the land. The smell of freshly baked bread from the hearth seems to dance with the spices wafting up from smoked meats. There is a richness in the mingling essences of the different spices and delicate fragrances that makes me feel light and wonderful.
The WOMAN greets me and invites me in. She is dressed in a beautiful, long, flowing robe, and is wearing a headdress vibrant in all the colors and shades of the rainbow. She asks me to take off my shoes and sit down, and offers me a drink. It is a drink that I recognize, but I just cannot seem to place, although the aroma and taste are so familiar. As I enjoy this elixir I can feel its calming effect on me. She tells me that we have much to talk about, but that she wants me to bathe first since I have journeyed on foot from so far away.
After I finish my drink, she takes me by the hand and leads me to the room where I will be sleeping the night. Her handmaiden brings me fresh clothes to change into after my bath. She directs her handmaiden in a different tongue as to how she wants to bathe and dress me. Then she turns to me and says that after I have bathed, rested and dressed, we will meet. We will have supper and then talk, she says, for she has waited a long time for this meeting and is full of anticipation and excitement for this day. I hug her warmly and feel an intense closeness to her—her mere presence seems to fill my spirit with pure joy and love. I turn my head to watch her leave the room, knowing that I will be with her again soon.
Her handmaiden then directs me to a different area, where she undresses me and helps me into the bath waters. It is a large enclosure of water, and the bath waters feel so cool and refreshing against my skin. The handmaiden adds drops of precious oil to the water, and the natural aroma of the oil makes my body tingle and my head feel light. I love the feeling of it; it makes me feel sensual and uninhibited. The handmaiden comes over to me and washes my skin and hair ever so gently. Her touch is so soft and soothing, and her voice is so calm. She hums a gentle tune that makes me feel so at ease, as if I do not have a care in the world but to just enjoy and feel wonderful. I touch her arm softly and ask her what her name is and she replies "Rivkah." I thank her for her kindness and her gentle touch. I ask Rivkah what her lady's name is, and she tells me that soon I will find out.
Rivkah helps me out of the bath waters and wraps me in cloths until I am dry. She rubs more aromatic oils on my body and tells me how soft and beautiful my skin is. I hug Rivkah because she seems so familiar to me, and the hug comes from my heart. I feel such love for her and I do not question why. She walks me over to the dressing area and asks me to raise my arms over my head so that she can dress me. As she adorns me, a sense of my own beauty washes over me. I feel the smooth, sensual silk of the dress as it cascades down my body. Rivkah then guides me over to the bed and asks that I rest, for I have had a long journey and will have much to talk about with my hostess. She tells me that I need my rest. I remember putting my head on my pillow, and that is the last thing I recall.
It seems like only a short time before Rivkah comes back and awakens me from my sleep. I stretch my body across the bed and slowly get up to greet her and hear what she has to say. Rivkah tells me that she will finish dressing me now. She guides me over to a table and chair and asks me to sit so that she can brush my hair. She tells me that she loves my long, dark, wavy hair. As she brushes it, I am tingling with delight. It feels like a wonderful massage and relaxes me so. I gradually get up from the chair with her help. She then takes my left hand and guides me into the room where my hostess is sitting. Rivkah bows graciously to both of us and leaves the room.
My hostess, in her warm way, waves with her hand for me to come and sit next to her. She has two goblets of wine and some delectable fruits and meats waiting for us to devour. I didn't realize I was so hungry until now. I feel almost famished. So we sit together in silence and eat from the beautiful display of fruits and meats and drink wine. When we are finished, Rivkah returns to take the food away and then leaves us alone.
I feel so comfortable, as if I am in my own house. The WOMAN looks at me and says, "You are."
"How did you know what I was thinking?" I ask her. "I didn't even say a thing."
"You don't have to," she replies, "for we are the same." Then I realized that I was looking into a mirror of myself, and that she is I and I am she. Then we hug each other, for I feel one with her and I love her. For she is why I am who I am today. I ask her what her name is and she replies, "I am Samara." The name reverberates inside of my body and echoes in my mind. It feels like it is my own name. Then she begins to tell me the story of us. For it is truly US.
Chapter Two
Isaiah, my scribe, starts off this session by stating the following: "We Are Ready To Start Transcribing, For There Is Important Information That Needs To Be Put Forth. There Is Much Going On In Your Times Of Now, And Many Are Living Parallel Lives Of Times Before. This Is The Time To Relive Things, To Walk Through Your Emotions To Make Yourself A Clear Channel, And You Do This By Re-Living, Re-Experiencing And Re-Emotionalizing It. At This Time On Your Earth Plane, It Feels Like Time Is Being Compressed, With So Many Activities And Events Being Squeezed Into Your Lives. It Is No Longer A Long Stretch Of Linear Time, But Of Simultaneous Time, Because That It Is How It Really Is, With All Time Running Together: Past, Present And Future. That Is Why Spirit Is Presenting Many People At This Time The Opportunity To See The Parallels In Their Lives, So They Can Work Through It And Not Have Their Energies Drawn Back Into Time. If All Can Do This, Then All People Will Be Living In The NOW. It Is The NOW That Makes A Difference In Your Living. In The NOW Is Where Your Power Is."
Samara continues to tell me the story of when she was a little baby, in a land not too far away from here. She holds my left hand in her lap, and as she begins to tell of her life of many years ago, she gently reminds me that this is our story. As I look into her sparkling green eyes, I know this to be true.
She starts by describing the conditions of the time:
It is a very hot day. The sun is unrelenting, and the desert winds are blowing dirt and brush into dust devils that spin across the ground. The land is dry and parched, for there have been no rains in a long time to quench the thirst of the earth. I hear a lot of commotion around me. It sounds like people are packing up their houses and getting ready to leave. In the background I hear the anxious cries of those who do not want to leave their cherished dwellings and possessions behind. Through the commotion, we hear a man run into the main section of the village and call out to residents to hurry and pack—the Romans will be entering the village soon. "Hurry, Hurry," he says. "There is not much time. They will be here by sunset." The villagers are so frightened that they cannot think straight. Everyone seems scared and panicked, scurrying around like they have lost their heads.
I am in my parent's house rocking in a little woven cradle that my father made for me.
When Samara reaches this point in the story, I feel myself go back in time with her as if I am also one with this baby. My hostess Samara continues ...
I feel calm and content as I watch my mother move around the room. She moves with such ease, and as she moves she sings a beautiful song. She is busy packing her belongings, and as she does she talks and coos with me, and brushes the tips of her fingers across my cheek. How I love my mother so. I do not have a care in the world as long as I see my mother.
My mouth starts to feel dry, and I am starting to get those pangs of hunger in my stomach. I start to scream and cry and wiggle about. My mother comes over to me, picks me up and holds me tight to her chest. She loosens her right breast from her robe, and I attach my mouth to her nipple. The milk of her breast feels so soothing to my palate, and once again I feel so loved, nourished and protected. While she nurses me, she hums so softly. It is welcome music to my ears, a reassuring and uplifting sound. I am happy.
A man enters the doorway, and I recognize him. He is my father. He whispers into my mother's ear that we need to hurry and put our belongings on the donkey outside, that many people are already packed and leaving to the North. My mother finishes nursing me and holds me upright for a bit before she places me again into my woven cradle. Again, I watch her flow through the room, getting things done in her graceful manner no matter what the task.
The motion of her movements plus the soft rocking of the cradle have put me into a deep sleep. When I awake, I am no longer in my house but wrapped around my mother's back as she walks on the parched dirt road. I can feel the heat of the noonday sun on my back. The air is hot, dry and dusty. Donkeys struggle under their loads to keep pace. Sheep and goats run loose, adding to the chaos. I hear the moans of small babies who cannot tolerate the rugged conditions they find themselves in; their harried mothers cannot take the time now to stop and console them. The days of our journey seem endless. Our time is filled with walking, resting, eating and sleeping. It seems like our trek will never end. In the evening when we have camped, I hear my mother telling my father that she is tired and not sure if she can complete the trip. She also mentions that her feet are swollen, full of blisters and bloody from seven days of travel.
Then off in the far distance I see a gathering of dwellings and hear the faint sounds of clatter and chatter. As we approach this area I breathe in the familiar aromas emanating from this village. I am so excited to see other people. I know soon that my mother will be able to rest her body. I wish that I had the words to tell my mother of my excitement. I wiggle my small body with joy at this sight, this wondrous sight, where we will be able to finally bathe and rest our bodies. Oh! This will be the beginning of a new life, a joyous life, a life free from worry. I clench close to my mother and make beautiful babbling sounds. This is the only way I can express my love for her, and my joy in knowing that we are all safe now. Safe and protected from the Romans. Or so I think.
As we enter the village, I am full of glee. There are so many colorful things to look at, so many different scents to smell, so many things I want to touch and feel. I want to get down from the wrap on my mother's back and explore. I want to dance with joy. I want to tell everyone how happy I am to be here. But I can't because my little body won't allow me to do it. I feel constricted, and the more constricted I feel, the more angry I get. I can feel the tension rising up in me, and I am going to start screaming with frustration at any minute. Someone get me out of this body! Give me a big body so I can dance and walk and talk and eat just like everyone else. I know who I am. Why doesn't anybody recognize me? Don't you know who I am? I am a very powerful person here. I am a person who tells others what to do. I have many servants who come to my beck and call. Who brush my hair, paint my face and dress me in beautiful jewels. I want out of here and I want out of here NOW. I start to scream and cry. My cries are endless and my mother tries to soothe me, but to no avail. I cry so hard that I fall asleep from the exhaustion of my cries, and when I awake again, we are in someone's house.
My father and mother are talking to the owners of the house. It looks like they are engaged in a friendly conversation. My father pulls out a leather pouch and hands the man a few coins, and then they embrace. Strange how that man looks like my father. They both have dark curly hair and a dark beard. Their faces look like they were chiseled out of stone from the same mold. My father and this man both have strong muscular physiques, and you can see that they both have deep blue eyes. How strange this is to find these two similar looking men with such deep blue eyes.
As I continue to look at these two men, I realize that there is much love between them. Even though they have not seen each other in years, the love that they have for each other continues to flourish. A woman enters the room and brings a tray of sweet-smelling foods and two goblets of wine for them to enjoy. They sit down together and start conversing about years ago. They almost look like two small brothers playing with one another on the floor. Then I realize that this thought is true. They are brothers, and they are brothers who were born at the same time from the same mother. Then I start to notice their gestures and their facial expressions and how they seem to laugh in sync. I think how beautiful it is that my father has someone else who loves him besides my mother and me.
As I start to wonder where my mother is, she enters the room with another woman who is carrying a baby. Strange how babies seem so small. I am sure that I am not that small. The other woman and my mother approach me as I lie contentedly in my cradle. I realize that this woman is just as beautiful as my mother and that she also has my mother's sparkling green eyes. I almost feel like I am seeing a reflection of my mother. This can't be true. Am I actually seeing a double of my mother? How could these two people be doubles of my mother and father? Where's my double? I wondered. As I wondered about this, the other woman placed her baby in a cradle opposite from me. So it was almost impossible to look at anything else besides this baby, whom I felt was staring back at me.
I wanted to say this to baby, "Let's get out of our bodies and go explore." As this thought entered me, I felt like the other baby had the same thought. I watched this baby's eyes as his mother moved around the room. You could tell that he loved his mother as much as I loved mine. As I watched and listened to this baby coo, I began to join in with his soft cooing. It made such a beautiful harmony that it touched a special place deep in my heart. I felt that this baby and I will have many wonderful times together and that our hearts will always be close with one another. We were meant to explore this new place together and be the mirrors for one another, just like our parents are mirrors for their respective brother and sister.
The lady who had previously entered the room with the tray of sweet-smelling foods returned. She approached the other baby's cradle and picked him up. She kissed and hugged him and told him it was time to nurse him. I couldn't understand why his own mother wouldn't do it, but the other baby seemed content and happy, so I didn't see a need to scream and cry. Before she left the room, she came over to me and said, "I will be back for you soon." Little did I know then what she had in mind for me.
I was so busy with all of the new excitement that I didn't realize that I was so tired. I must have fallen asleep, because the lady who said that she was coming back for me returned and gently woke me up with the soft strokes of her hand across my cheek. She said, "It is your turn now," and proceeded to pick me up from my cradle. I started to scream and cry for my mother. Where is this lady taking me? I thought. I want my mother, NOW. My father heard my screams and entered the room. He came straight over to me and took me from the hands of this lady. He held me tight and walked around the room, and as he held me tight within his strong arms, he whispered to me that my mother was not feeling well and that she had to rest. The journey was a long one for her and she needed her rest to recover her strength. I screamed inside of my tiny body, NO! NO! NO! NO! I need my mother. I need to see my mother. I want you mother. I love you mother. I am scared, mother, that you will leave me and I cannot be in this existence without you. Please come and take me. Please come and hold me. Please come and nurse. Please nurse me so that I can feel protected, secure and loved by you. You are my only, ONLY. I am part of you, and you are part of me and I need that part of you now. I LOVE YOU, MOTHER!
I screamed and cried and wiggled until I could no longer breathe anymore. I could hardly catch my breath. I was so caught up in my screaming and crying that my father could not hold me anymore. He handed me to that other woman, and that only made things worse. She held me tight to her and walked slowly out of the room, but I kept my eyes on my father. He kept getting smaller and smaller as we walked away, but I would not stop crying until he became the size of a small, black dot. At that point I knew that my life had changed forever and it would never be the same. No, it would never be the same again.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Samara's Storyby Samara Copyright © 2012 by Samara. Excerpted by permission of Balboa Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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