Jean Houston Gives Birth, at Almost 81!

What? Okay, Penny.  What are you talking about? Well, as my readers know, Jean Houston is my beloved teacher. What I mean is that she “birthed” the new me. Thankfully for both of us we avoided the usual pain given both our ages, it wouldn’t have been pretty.

I recently finished my sixth class with her. I feel like I’m the poster child for her programs, for each has guided me along my path of transformation. If you don’t know who Jean Houston is, you should. She knows all of the world leaders—presidents of countries, spiritual leaders, the Dali Lama and works with the United Nations. Yes, that’s right, Jean Houston is no joke! Click on her name and it will lead you to her interview with Oprah during a Super Soul Conversation.” Listen to it, you’ll get more of an idea of who she is, and you’ll find any time with Jean Houston is profound and well worth spending.

Jean Houston is the mother of the human potential movement.  Presidents of countries seek her advice. I’ve been lucky enough to not only attend her classes over the last few years, I’ve had the honor to speak with her on six occasions, and yes, as if you haven’t noticed, I admire and respect her tremendously…that is, me and the rest of the world who are familiar with  Jean and her teachings.

Thank goodness for the Internet! Where else could I have been born and learned so much without even having met my birth mother : ) Someday, I’m hoping to have that privilege and thank her in person!

I had first heard about Jean from another interview with Oprah in 2013. In my mind, I have two special connections with

Oprah. The more personal happens to be that we share the same birthday. She’s a couple of years older than I am, and I’m still waiting for my rich genes to kick in—a girl can have hope can’t she? My son is going off to college in a few months, and I surely could use more funds : )

My other connection is that Oprah has been my greatest teacher. Not only is she wise, but through her various programs she has introduced me to a score of profound teachers—Jean, Claire Zammit, Eckhart Tolle, Gary Zukav, Deepak Chopra, Michael Singer, Brene Brown, Louise Hay, Dr. Shefali Tsabary (a must for any parent—the list is endless, and I will always be grateful.

Her 21-Day Meditation series taught me to meditate. The lessons she and Deepak taught me have also changed my life.

It’s funny looking back over these years of incredible personal transformation—I’ve come a long way baby. When I first heard various terms these world-wide spiritual teachers spoke about, I didn’t have a clue what they meant…you are not your thoughts and feelings, but the Observer of them, synchronicity, the flow—over-time, not only did I understand, but today I know I live happily in their truths.

As you know, teachers hold a special place in my heart. Not having had the most supportive parents (Maya Angelou would have said, “If they knew better, they would do better”), I got my kudos at school, which probably was the reason why I’ve been an avid student and life-long learner. Teachers are the unsung heroes of our communities. They help mold our precious children, developing our societies year after year, yet their earnings are shameful, as a society, what are we thinking?

So what does this have to do with Jean giving birth? Well as Mother’s Day is quickly approaching, I was thinking that in fact Jean gave birth to the new me. I had just finished my first class with Jean on “Finding Your Life’s Purpose” and was in my second when we went to Israel—and I believe I did.

We were on a family vacation in July 2014 when we found ourselves in the middle of war. I’m still trying to get over the Jewish guilt of taking my son to war for his Bar Mitzvah present! Being a human target blasted me from complacency to want to work on Peace…retaliation can never bring back the mothers’ children from their graves. Why not just STOP?

Being human targets made me want to work on Peace, and I’ve begun working with Peace makers…who knows, there may be a Peace movement in my future. I can see working with moms around the world and of course in Israel, who say enough is enough! Stop killing our children and let them thrive and live the lives they deserve.

But first, let me get my book launched this fall : ) I recently finished my manuscript for my book: “Finding Peace in Israel, A Mom’s Tale of Terror & Transformation,” have www.PennySTee.com and my writer’s support group: Writers4Writers.

I’m thrilled to say Writers4Writers is moving online on May 14 after meeting for over two years locally. No one would recognize my life today with what it was before my first class with Jean, and I’m very grateful.

Other fun facts about Jean:

• She is a medical anomaly. Born May 10, 1937, she will be eighty-one in a couple of weeks. Happy birthday Jean! She’s been scientifically tested and ignoring her chronological age, the doctors say her body thinks she’s forty-something. How’d you like those results? Yes, follow what she does, don’t you think?
• She helped Hilary Clinton write It Takes a Village.
• Her dad was a comedy writer for legends like Bob Hope.
• As a teen she met Mrs. Roosevelt, Albert Einstein and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin…how would you like your teen to rub elbows with these world leaders?
• I really laughed with this one…she was married to Robert Masters of the Masters and Johnson sex fame. I suppose the techniques he taught rubbed off on her and I imagine probably account at least in part for her always pleasant demeanor : )

In addition, Jean Houston is a prolific writer, spiritual leader for over six decades, mystic philosopher historian and scholar. She describes herself as “an evocator of the possible, and a midwife of souls.” She’s worked in 108 countries.

My latest class with Jean is the Influencer’s Masterclass, filled with people who want to be change makers in the world. The closed Facebook group for the class is the most supportive, enriching environment I’ve ever experienced in a Facebook group. It’s filled with people of substance, full of love—willing to help each other with their life’s passions. I’m truly honored to be in their presence.

Both Jean and Oprah have impacted thousands, probably millions of people who feel the same grateful and devoted way I do. I hope they sometimes sit back, take a deep breath from their tiring schedules, and smile.

At times, I shake my head and wonder, how in the world did I ever get to take classes and even speak with such a world leader like Jean? Surely, somehow I seem to have grown a couple of appendages usually attributed to the male species : )

Then I soothe my awkward discomfort in the words of author Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

So I ask you, are you playing small? If you’re living the life that feels right to you, terrific! But if not, please take the first step in being who you were meant to be…

You might ask, “How do I know what that is?” First, figure out what you love and that will give you a clue. The rumor that life has to be hard is a fallacy, take your natural talent and thrive! I promise you once you find out what that is, the world will deliver you to a place you’ve never before dreamt could be your reality. I know, because I’m living that dream…please step into your future.

Look around—the world is a mess. We can’t wait another second for you to delay being the You that you are meant to become, and share your gifts with the world! Begin today.

As always, I invite you to Join Me on My Journey…