When I was fifteen, I was sole survivor in one of those horrific car accidents involving a bunch of teens, lots of alcohol, and late-night fast driving. While driver and other passengers were killed instantly when our car hit a tree on a drizzly summer night, I had most powerful experience of my life.

I felt myself being lifted lightly, and it seemed as though I was actually caressed by a loving presence. I remember feeling soothed, comforted, and cherished. I didn't want it to end.

The next thing I remember is lying in a pile of wet leaves with a bunch of flashlights in my face. I walked away without a scratch.

The others were from a different town, and their families, high school friends and teachers mourned their loss bitterly. When they heard that there was a survivor, someone from out of town, many of them felt angry that one of their friends couldn't have been survivor instead of me. In their anguish, they called to inform me of this sentiment. It was a lot for a 15-year-old to handle.

Nobody knew about accident at my high school. This was before crisis teams were in place to deal with tragedies. There were no counselors standing by in my case. I was filled with a tremendous sense of guilt, and my beautiful experience was one I never discussed. I couldn't talk about feeling cherished when others had died. It seemed disrespectful and arrogant.

Months later, one of mothers of victims called me. I hadn't had any contact with any of families or friends, and was mourning alone in silence, in exile, really, pretending that everything was just fine. She wanted to invite me over for tea. I declined. I was afraid of hurting her, overwhelmed by my guilt, and petrified that she would lash out at me.

She persisted. I must have declined her invitations half a dozen times in next three months, making lame excuses and once even pretending to be my sister, telling her I wasn't home.

Fortunately, she kept at it, and when I finally did come over to her house for tea, she wrapped me in a completely reassuring hug.

She was my first meditation teacher. She recognized my pain, and I am eternally grateful that she taught me skills to cope with it. I truly believe she saved my life for second time.

Imagine finally taking off seven coats youíve been wearing on top of each other for years and years. You've forgotten that some people consciously choose to live without seven layers of coats on even though most people are living that way.

You remember possibilities you imagined your life would be when you were a child. You decide to take off coats and start running joyfully through spring fields you forgot about. You move into light where you finally begin to laugh and live feeling inspired every day instead of simply walking around reacting to life, complaining, counting down days to next weekend or vacation until you finally die.

Start taking off coats that have layered your soul since you started to grow up. Forget about negativity of news. Donít believe negative people telling you that you canít make more money or move to a nicer city or do anything to better your life. Ignore all forces telling you what you canít do. Close your ears to people who blame their boss, government, their friends, and their circumstances for what they donít like about their lives.

Itís time to leave ëem all behind and say ìSee ya!î Itís time to adopt a new Belief System (yeah, whatever we believe is simply B.S. ñ just opinions we made up that may or may not actually be true.) Itís time to drop all that limited thinking that keeps you stuck on birth-school-work(paycheck-to-paycheck)-death merryñgo-round.

Itís time to learn magic of saying YES. Iím going to make YES your new favorite word. Imagine what you want most in life right now. Dream BIG. Think of what your ideal life would look like. See all tiny details. You have no limitations. You can have exactly what you want.

Money is no object. Your time is your own to spend as you like for as long as you wish. Dream BIGGER now. What fills your soul with more joy than youíve ever felt before? Remember best experience of your life? Start there and make it as amazing as you can.

How are you spending your days and nights? Who are you with? What are you doing? What emotions are coming up? What smells are in air? What are your favorite foods that youíre eating and tasting? What cities and countries are you visiting? What are you wearing?

As you reach out to touch your loved ones youíre sharing this life with what sensations run through your hands? ÖGet as specific as possible. The more specific you are more youíll get out of doing this. I want you to see, hear, feel, taste and smell every little piece of life you were born to live.