‘Hello, God?’ ‘Conversations’ Author Walsch Discusses His Spiritual Journey

Neale Donald Walsch is a former newspaper reporter and editor with a new job description: taking God’s dictation.

He is known around the world as the author of the best-selling series of books called “Conversations with God.” The books are written in a question-and-answer format, with Walsch asking the questions and God providing the answers.

“It was, literally, like someone was whispering in my right ear,” said Walsch during a recent phone interview.

He is in Spokane today to speak at the annual St. Stephen’s Lecture Series. He will discuss his newest book, titled “Communion With God” (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $23.95).

Walsch’s spiritual journey began in the dark of night several years ago. His health was declining, he was unhappy with his career and he had family problems. It was 4 a.m. and he was pacing the floor, wondering what it took to make life work.

“I’d reached a terrible low point in my life where nothing was working,” he said. “I flipped on the light and wrote an angry letter to God. I recall writing `Just tell me the rules.’ As weird as this sounds, I felt visited.”

He grabbed a pad of paper and began writing what he heard as the answers to his questions. “I wrote like that for three and a half hours. I did that every night for three weeks. That’s how this began.”

The result was the first of his three “Conversations With God” books, published in 1996. Its success surprised Walsch. Within two weeks of publication, it was on the New York Times best-seller list. “It was there for 141 weeks,” he said.

He sent that first manuscript to only five publishers selected at random, knowing that publishers are routinely deluged with hundreds of unsolicited manuscripts and most are rejected. But one publisher was interested and now his books have been published in 27 languages. The success seems likely to continue with his newest book.

“Communion With God” represents a change from Walsch’s previous books. Rather than presented as a question-and-answer session with God, the book is more along the lines of God’s stream of consciousness.

It’s organized around what is called the 10 illusions of humans, including failure, judgment, condemnation, superiority and ignorance. The rest of the book deals with mastering those illusions and meeting the creator within.

Walsch said that he still does all his writing in the middle of the night, away from the distractions of the day, when it is calm and still enough for God’s message to be heard. Walsch believes that many people have similar experiences, but are reluctant to talk about them.

He sees this in everyday life when people somehow know exactly what to do or say to a person who is grieving or dealing with other difficulties. “I think that’s God inspiring us,” he said. It’s not a matter of who God chooses to talk to, he said, but who is willing to listen.

Despite the popularity of his books, Walsch is used to dealing with skeptics. “Some churches call what I’m doing blasphemy,” he said. “Our culture teaches us that we can’t have a direct experience with God, only through the church.”

Walsch said that he welcomes skepticism, and describes himself as the biggest skeptic of all. “I don’t have any illusions of certainty about this,” he said. “It absolutely feels like I have been inspired by God.

“Here’s the secret. I really don’t care what people think. I’m not trying to prove anything.”

Walsch is also under no illusions about his role in producing his books. “I see my role as that of a humble messenger. Not a holy man, not a religious leader, God knows.

“I believe we are all messengers. The whole point of the book is that we are all divine messengers.”

Nina Culver can be reached at (509) 459-5487 or by e-mail at ninac@spokesman.com.

These 2 sidebars appeared with the story:

1. BOOKS

Hear the author

Neale Donald Walsch will speak at the annual St. Stephen’s Lecture Series at 1 p.m. today at the WestCoast Grand Hotel at the Park, 303 W. North River Drive. Tickets are $30, available at Huckleberry’s, Auntie’s Bookstore and at the door.

2. EXCERPTS

`Communion’

Excerpts from Neale Donald Walsch’s “Communion With God”:

“Teach your children that they will never be judged, that they need not worry about always getting it right and that they do not have to change anything, or `get better’ to be seen as perfect and beautiful in the eyes of God.”

“Teach your children that there are no conditions to love, that they need not worry about losing your love, or God’s, and that their own love, unconditionally shared, is the greatest gift they can give to the world.”

“Teach these things not with your words but with your actions; not with discussion but with demonstration. For it is what you do that your children will emulate, and how you are that they will become.”

“Now is the time of your deciding. Now is the hour of choice. You have come - as has your species - to a crossroads. … You can create a new kind of civilization. You can seek a newer world. The option is yours. The moment is at hand. This is your moment of grace. Use this moment. Seize the day.”

“Most people believe in God: They just don’t believe in a God who believes in them. God does believe in them. And God loves them more than most of them know.”

“The idea that God turned stone-silent and stopped talking to the human race a long time ago is false. … God loves every human being who ever lived, lives now or will ever live.”