What's in a name?

Boy, oh, boy. Mercury is retrograde and according to an astrologer friend on the Astrology for Fun forum on Powerful Intentions, because it hit my 9th house, it relates to a need to take a look at people’s perception of the book and reassess the marketing strategy. Also, because Jupiter is retrograde in my 5th house, there may be a need to consider the aesthetics of it.

Now here is the funny/cool/maddening part. The other night, someone posted the following question to me in a Yahoo group:
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Julia, I have a question about your book.

It seems, in the promotional material to be leaning heavily on the Christian idea of Adam and Eve. I have a feeling from exchanging e-mails with you that the message of the book is meant for everyone. However, I am wondering if the book relies heavily on the bible and/or an assumption of Christianity among its readership? I personally am able to read through/past this type of thing (I am not Christian, but the best book on adult children that I ever read was written from a Christian perspective) but I know many, many other people who are not able to do this. Do you feel that your book is intended for Christians? Have you had comments from readers in this vein?

I ask because I am strongly considering reviewing it for my website but I want to keep material there as nondenomination as I possibly can. I don't believe God has a Chosen People. We're here, therefore we are inherently all chosen... (to be very simplistic about it.) I hope what I am asking makes sense. I do plan to read your book and I imagine I would enjoy it greatly but I have been put off by the Adam/Eve imagery in the promotional blurbs in the past... which is why I have yet to read it (in conjunction with financial issues.)

And here is my reply to her:

I hear you there, but want to assure you that not only is Recreating Eden non-denominational, there's really nothing Christian, per se, about the story of the Fall of Man from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3! It's an Old Testament story. Also, the story of the Fall of Man from the Garden of Eden is found in the sacred texts of almost all religions. One of the reviewers that reviewed Recreating Eden mislabled it a "Christian tale" which really cheesed me, I must admit! I tried to get them to take the "C" word out of the review, but they wouldn't do it. Ah, well.

FYI--I never set out to even include a biblical story in my book--it started out with the title "Spiritual Rejuvenation," but apparently, God was wanting someone to reinterpret and heal the Adam and Eve story, and I was IT! I was guided--almost kicking and screaming--to analyze and reinterpret the story. Now, I see how important it is--it is humanity's master myth and explains EVERYTHING about how we came to be operating in a world of turmoil, and shows the way back to the high-frequency state in which we were designed to thrive, a.k.a. "Eden." You'll see what I mean when you read the book! (By the way, in my interpretation of the story, Eve and Adam don't represent a man and a woman--they represent aspects of the human brain--inner feminine and inner masculine.)

Recreating Eden was not written for any denomination at all. It is a spiritual book, not a religious book, and I have had enthusiastic reviews about it from people of all kinds of paths--Buddhists, Jews, Wiccans, followers of Meher Baba, MANY people of no definable spiritual category, and yes, some Christians! It's funny, but I never even considered that the title Recreating Eden would be an issue for people. I've found out, however, that there are a lot of what I call "church-wounded" folks who have learned a false interpretation of the Adam and Eve story and have a real sore spot about it. I was fortunate not to be one of them!

I do hope you'll give it a try. There are several women on this forum who have read it and participated in a study group about it with me who may also be able to discuss this issue.

In Joy,

Julia

P.S. Thank you for asking this question! I'll bet there are others who have been thinking the same thing.
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This whole thing threw me into a little tizzy, wondering if I had failed the mission somehow by using that name and the cover image (which, by the way, was channeled through me and is pretty amazing when you fully understand the symbols)! So Rick and I discussed this all last night on our way to the jazz club where stepdaughter #1 was singing with some of her college cohorts, and we pretty much decided that going at this whole issue from a marketing standpoint--about what would be a more enticing title and approach for getting people to read the book-- was antithetical to the message of Recreating Eden, which is about honoring your inner guidance over the ego-world's messages.

The title was divinely selected, and since it fits the book perfectly, I need to not worry about it! It is true that I would like to see Recreating Eden be read by all those it has the potential to reach, but I have to trust that the same guidance that created this amazing book (and I don't mean that in a bragging way—this book was written through me and is much, MUCH larger than me) will see that it draws to it those it is intended for. Whoever is a vibrational match to it will get past the preconceived notions and read it. People who are ready for it will see that it’s NOT “your father’s Fall of Man From the Garden of Eden,” and that it is actually a healing of that story.

As Rick said--we're not in this to sell a million books and get rich (although, if that happens, we wouldn't be upset over it!). We're in it to fulfill the longings of Spirit to express in whatever way is most aligned with the Wholeness, and most liberating to humanity.