We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dothula Baron. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dothula below.

Alright, Dothula thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I’m hoping to build a legacy that portrays me as a person who lived to make my community a better place. Through my adult life, I have committed myself to creating a world in which needs of disenfranchiised people are addressed, a world in which they are empowered to live a better life socially, financially, environmentally. My community work and my writing contribute to this effort. In my book, Walking in Light, Living in Love, I write about helping to make this a better place to live, where citizens are taught meditation and peacemaking. I envision a ripple effect in which children are taught effective ways of interacting with each other. This system of kindness, thoughtfulness, love, and light become a way of life for all of us. After I am gone, I want to be remembered for being a caring person that dedicated her life to making life easier for otther people.

Dothula, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The most significant influence in my life has been my mother who transitioned in 1974. She was my guide, my guardian, my light. She had a profound effect on me morally and spiritally. In fact, her spiritual teaching started when I was a child. We were Catholic, but she subscribed to Unity’s Daily Word. I read every issue. Later she explained that she belonged
to the Rosicrucian Order, a society devoted to the study of metaphysics. She also identified herself as a psychic. Through the years, I learned to appreciate her teachings and allowedthem to permeate my being. Even after her passing, I felt
her guiding and directing me. Subsequently, I have learned to be very prayerful and caring. Though not perfect, I am very thoughtful about other people’s needs and discerning how I might be helpful to them.

As fate would have it, after college, I went to work as a librarian. While working as a public librarian, I coordinated a children’s outreach project in which my department facilitated programs in centers located in low income communities. Our premise was that children needed to have their basic needs met before they could develop an interest in reading. When a child is hungry or cold, he/she probably will not become an avid reader until he/she is fed or clothed. This experience led me to an inspiration to work with families and children in need. Thus I began a career in working with women’s programs. Through the years, I have been employed with social justice programs that address women’s work, violence against women, and environmental pollution in poverty-sticken areas. Currently, I am leading an organization called MyFACE that assists women in upward economic mobility. At the center of my concern for women has been mediation and peacemaking. How do we change people’s outer lives if we don’t also focus on ther inner being?

My book, Walking in Light, Living in Love, is a tool for illustrating how individuals can go with wthin for creating a better life for themselves and those they love.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

My resilience is based on my spirituality. As earlier stated, my mother led me to rely on my inner life as guidance for moving forward in any situation. When my children were small, we struggled financially. There never seemed to be enough income to cover our basic needs, so I had to set priorities. Mortgage, utilities, and food were my foremost priorities. When an emergency arose, I usually had to be creative in managing my finances. I sacrificed my own needs to cover unexpected expenses, like car or household repairs; I also made sure my children had clothing and food before I provided for myself. As years passed, I learned to rely on my faith and hope for balancing my financial affairs. It was a process, but with each year, it became easier and easier. I am still learning about faith and following inner guidance. I am learning that the Universe always provides!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One lesson I have had to unlearn has been that I am not of this world, that we are not physical beings but spiritual beings living in the physical world. From my earliest days on this planet, I questioned physicality. I often told my mother that I could see our spirits, our essence. Of course, being a person focused on her inner life, she understood. As I grew older and especially after she passed, I realized this more and more, and everywhere I lived I sought out individuals and groups that supported my world view. As my spiritual teachers have transitioned, I have had a more difficult time finding a spiritual community, so I have found myself surrounded by people who were very much in the physical. I am learning that it is my turn to be the teacher, to help others unlearn their worldliness and learn to live in from the inside out.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.dothulabaron.com
• Facebook: facebook/dotbaron
• Linkedin: linkedin/dothula baron
• Twitter: dothula baron
• Youtube: Dothula Baron

Image Credits
Dothula Baron