Q.  What is Shandarrah? 

A.  Barbara J. Gill was writing fiction in early 2001 and the name Shandarrah evolved as part of the writing. She loved the name, the character and innocence of her fictional heroine. Barbara said, "If I had to name my soul - I would call my soul Shandarrah. I decided to collect all my writing and artwork under the umbrella of Shandarrah's Place." 

Q. Is Shandarrah actually Barbara's alter ego? 

A.  Perhaps!

Q.  Why should I read Soul Gifts: The World's Self-Help Book ( Soul Gifts ) ?

A.  Soul Gifts is dignified and uplifting. It will provoke a smile. Maybe a tear. It is intended to comfort you. It is non-exclusionary. It challenges the mind and traditional ways of thinking.

Soul Gifts is one of the greatest mysteries ever written! "Clues" are embedded within the book to help the reader discover how his/her own life is connected to the author's or to the many contributors found between the covers. When you begin to uncover the connection, you will begin to understand more fully that: "We Are One".

When you understand your connection this brings its own measure of inner peace. When enough discover their inner peace - there can be more global peace.

Q.  What audience is Soul Gifts intended for?

A.  Women, in particular, will find the book appealing.The author has written the material in such a way that even children may find some parts entertaining. Men who are introspective, enjoy a puzzle and the "big picture" will also find the book of interest. The predominant male voice in Soul Gifts is Barbara's life-long friend: Jim Goodspeed.

Q   Where can I buy Soul Gifts?

A.  Soul Gifts and its companion Soul Rubbing Exercises can be purchased globally at all major online bookstores such as Amazon. The books can also be purchased from LuLu.com in paperback or downloadable files at a significantly reduced price. Soul Gifts is also part of the Ingrams data base. This makes it possible for any bookstore in the world to order it for readers. 

Q. Is Soul Gifts a religious book?

A. The book is secular in nature. "God" is explored in a generic sense as well as the author's relationship to "God". Religions are touched upon but the book is not religious per say. The spiritual quest of the writer is a journey that will inspire you to look at your own life in a wonderful way.

Q.  Is Soul Gifts "New Age" ?

A.  Some might consider the writing - or parts of it - NEW AGE. The author's experiences and her interpretations of these are drawn from forty years of her writing - much of it accomplished before the Western World began to embrace New Age Spiritualism.

Q.  How can Soul Gifts help me with cancer?

Barbara J. Gill's family has a cancer history. In Soul Gifts she offers pragmatic and spiritual insights and releases for public consumption her 2001 visualization. (Big Bear, Rumba Bear and My Little Tumor take centre stage in Chapter Seven). The experience of other cancer survivors is also shared. Barbara's Blog features a cancer category. 

Q. How can Soul Gifts help me with fibromyalgia?

A.  Barbara J. Gill was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 1979 - after ten years of diagnostic testing.  Fibromyalgia was not the buzzword it is today. As a matter of fact, the Word Health Organization had not even recognized its existance as a disease process or disorder. Having lived for well over thirty-five years with chronic pain, the author offers compassionate understanding and encouragement. Hope. Barbara's Blog features a fibromyalgia category.

Q.  How can Soul Gifts help me create balance in my life?

A.  Barbara's health history includes a burnout in 1994. Burnout is a stealthy and steady process often associated with overwork. Barbara explains how it crept up on her and through the contributor writing of Alice Finnamore she encourages the reader to question their own burnout potential. Barbara also encourages contemplation of the micro and macro - and suggests that Humanity and the planet Earth may be headed for "burnout". Barbara's Blog deals with many balance issues.

Q.  What about the seemingly metaphysical underpinnings in the book. Coiincidences and synchronocities are numerous.  Did these things actually happen?

A.  To validate Soul Gifts "truth", Barbara asked all living contributors to sign a document and have it witnessed. Those deceased contributors are quoted from their letters and diaries. The one exception to contributors swearing  truth is "Hubba Hubba" who has not (yet) signed the witness form. There are also a few unwitnessed events of the author. She said, "You will just have to take my word for it." The reader can interpret the meanings of experiences and conversations and in so doing, find their understanding of the book's truth.

Q.  Soul Gifts suggests that women stand up and take on their rightful role as our planet's caretakers. How is this actually possible?

A.  Good question. The answer is simple. We can gather. We can create circles. We can ensure that "Mother Earth" is tended properly. We must begin to really examine our role and the actions we need to take.  We must seriously examine what we give as gifts to one another  and ourselves. It is all set out in the book ... 

Q.  Is this book about Native Spirituality?

A.  No.  It does, however, draw on some of the lessons that aboriginals, particularly those from Turtle Island (North America), have for us. 

A.  Barbara developed a simple philosophy in the mid-eighties to better manage her own life.   She has worked with this philosophy (or blueprint as some call it) for over twenty years. The chapters of Soul Gifts unfold around the eight points of the philosophy. Soul Rubbing Exercises focus on each of these points - as a starting point for beginning "seekers".

You.  

You Can.

You Can Risk.

You Can Risk Change.

You Can Risk Change. Be Gentle.

You Can Risk Change. Be Gentle. Be Giving.

You Can Risk Change. Be Gentle. Be Giving. Grow. 

You Can Risk Change. Be Gentle. Be Giving. Grow. Pass It On. 

Q.  What is the significance of the number eight that has impacted Barbara's life since she began compiling the book?

A.  Barbara doesn't have that one figured out. She is simply aware of the presence of the number eight and its multiple sixty-four (eight times eight). For instance - music, particularly the piano, is important in the book and to Barbara personally. The piano has ... 88 keys of course.