Shafiya’s bio

Shafiya Sandra Ripple Eve

So how did I get that name?

My mother was pregnant with me, as she and my father walked through a park and my father skipped a stone across the surface of a pond. As the ripples moved across the water, they hugged and said “let’s call our next child Ripple”. My birth name was Sandra Ripple Eve and until my mid 30’s I was called Ripple by all. I developed a sense of humor early on.

I was born in Petersburg VA.  When I was three my father purchased a tract of land in Chesterfield County and we moved to “the sticks”, as we affectionately referred to our home and land. It was like moving back in time.

We lived in an old farmhouse with no running water or indoor facilities for several years. We had an outhouse and the most wonderful cherry trees for climbing and the sweetest cherries, for the picking. We did have electricity, except when the wind blew, and a party-line telephone.

I remember hurricane Hazel. My father took us walking in the woods during this great storm. That night was scary as we sat by the kerosene lantern, the wind howling and the house creaking. My father told me I had nothing to be afraid of, that God would take care of me. We lost a cherry tree and the outhouse was blown over. It was in that old farmhouse that Jesus first appeared to me.

There were four children in our family and my parents cared for two other children, so we were six strong. Our playground was the forest, fields, and streams. Every morning, of my entire until I left home at 18, my father got all of us children up for “bible study”.  He would read, and then ask us what we thought.  In my early teens my father switched the readings to Edgar Cayce and other inspiring works. It was during those young teen years, that I read such books as “There is a River”, “As a Man Thinketh”, “The Prophet”, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and “Autobiography of a Yogi”.

I loved God and was taught at an early age that everything was a part of God.

When I was 22, my 26 year old brother, was killed in a mid-air collision. I was so mad at God that amidst grief and tears I screamed, “I hate you and never want to speak with you again” and embarked upon a path that I would wish on no one.

In my early 30’s, feeling despair and depression, I came upon the book “Love is Letting Go of Fear”, which is based on the writings of “A Course In Miracles”. I was inspired by those writings, so much so, that my father purchased the complete set of “A Course in Miracles”, which I read diligently. Much of it I didn’t understand, but I kept on reading. One night as I sat in bed reading, Jesus appeared at the foot of my bed, showering me with radiant love, a love beyond understanding. As I sat there, the thought crossed my mind, “How can you love me? Can’t you see what I’ve become?.” Jesus answered through my thoughts saying “I seeing nothing that is not loveable”.

In the mid 80’s I stumbled across a job in corporate America and quickly rose to the top in my profession. I excelled in sales for the contract/consulting Engineering and IT Computer industry. I rose from a clerk to National Sales Coordinator, traveling all over our great country.  I had the opportunity to meet and work with many wonderful people during those times.

It was also a stressful way of life. I began to seek God, wanting to feel that connection I had as a child. Someone told me about Transcendental Meditation (TM). Making an inquiry, discovered it cost $500 to take the TM class (it doesn’t cost nearly that much anymore). As I walked down the hall of my work place, I spoke to God, “Ok, if you want me to take the meditation class, give me $500 to do so” at that, I forgot about it and went about the rest of the busy day. That night, cleaning out a desk drawer, I couldn’t believe it, there it was, a $500 bond all forgotten about. I learned TM and meditated regularly thereafter.

In the mid 90’s I attended my first Dances of Universal Peace, sometimes referred to as Sufi Dancing.  I attended that dance as a social event. That was where all of my spiritual friends were going that night. A month later I attended my second dance in Richmond. At the beginning of the Dance, which is done in a circle, we were walking silently, being instructed to feel our feet as they touched the ground, to be aware of our breath, and to let go of our daily concerns and just be present. As I was doing this, the most remarkable thing occurred. A choir of heavenly Angels burst forth in song. I was struck with awe and wonder. I looked around to see the looks on others faces as they listened to this wondrous sound, but no one else was hearing it. Needless to say, I didn’t miss another dance for many years.

There were Dances of Universal Peace in Charlottesville also, as well as Sufi classes. The doors of my heart were blown open and I could not, not go and be in the presence of the Sufi’s and their teachings. It is referred to as the Mystical Path of the Heart and indeed it was for me, for many years. This order of the Sufi’s, called the Ruhaniat also perform a healing practice, praying for people in absence. To me it was one of the most rewarding experiences in life. Subsequently I was initiated as a healing conductor and given the name Shafiya. Shafiya means “it is the essence of God that heals” or “God is the Healer”. My belief is that God or Goddess is multi-lingual and recognizes the name of His/Her in any language or gender.

Another pivotal event in the early 90’s was that of taking a 6 week class called Healing Touch.  In the first class, in which we learned Therapeutic Touch, our instructor, who later became my mentor, told us. “You are all healers. If someone comes to you for healing, don’t call me. You are the healer”. These words resounded through my entire being.  From that day forward I began the work. I undertook the complete classes offered in Healing Touch and eventually taught an unofficial version of healing touch to several hundred people.

During this time I left corporate America, published a Magazine in Richmond called “Spirit Magazine” and operated a center called “The Holistic Place”.

Ultimately I returned to corporate America for a few years, there were still lessons for me to learn there. In 2005 I returned to the healing path.  In May of 2007, through the generosity of a giving soul, I was given the opportunity to move to the Northern Neck. Now my life work and lessons are being conducted in paradise.

In September of 2007 the opportunity to take Reiki was given and I jumped at the offer and have since taken Reiki II. The power of Reiki exponentially increased the potency of the energy healing sessions. Reiki is spiritually guided life energy. One of the interpretations of the Reiki symbol is “Uniting God and humanity in harmony through the communication of love” (“Reiki The Healing Touch” by William Lee Rand.) Indeed it seems so!

I love the Reiki Ideals which are: Just for today, do not be angry; Just for today, do not worry; Just for today, be filled with gratitude; Devote yourself to your work; Be kind to all living things and beings. Reiki invites us to join our hands in prayer morning and night and decree this so.

I have the delight and honor to sing in the choir each Sunday at Heathsville United Methodist Church and practice energy healing in Kilmarnock, Warsaw, and Richmond. Both are a profound source of love and joy.

One of the things I was struck with when moving to the Northern Neck, as I sought out a spiritual and healing community, was that there were lots of little groups and individuals, here and there. The only way to find them was through word of mouth. All these little lights spread about, and an idea was inspired to create a vehicle that these lights might join together to cast a broad beacon of light from the rivers to the bay.

Hence the idea of Rivers to Bay Holistic Connection, an e-newsletter and website.

A lot has happened since that inspiration and I will go into more updates about Reiki Training and becoming a Reiki Master, EFT (Emotional Freedom) technique and more.  WOW what an awesome journey this has evolved into. Thank God or Goddess.