September 2025 Newsletter Shared Heart-Joyce and Barry
Dear Shared Heart Friends,
Welcome to our September 2025 Newsletter!
Excerpt from this month’s article: Only through embracing the darkness can we embrace the fullness of the Light.
“A Couple of Miracles is an amazing book by two amazing humans. I was brought to tears many times. I don’t want you to miss a word of this outstanding book.”—Susan Campbell, PhD, author of Getting Real
A Couple of Miracles: One Couple, More Than a Few Miracles, available only on Amazon.com as a Kindle e-book for only $6.95 (or paperback for $18.95). Here’s the link: A Couple of Miracles
“I would add to Joyce and Barry’s number of miracles … this book! When two health professionals, despite our training, can open their minds and consciousness to the truth of life, miracles can happen. Read this book!” —Bernie Siegel, MD, author of Love, Medicine & Miracles
“A truly inspirational story that can open our hearts to appreciate the many miracles that can come through love, compassion and wisdom. A real page turner!”
—John Gray, PhD, author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
“The Vissells’ latest book, A Couple of Miracles, will bring tears to the eyes of readers: tears of joy, tears of compassion, tears of heartache, and tears of laughter. It’s got everything! Readers who are skeptical about miracles should be warned that this book could turn you into a believer! Read this book if you’re looking for a jolt of pure inspiration!”—Linda Bloom, LCSW and Charlie Bloom, MSW, authors of 101 Things I Wish I Knew When I Got Married
Shared Heart Column Heartfulness
September 2025 with Joyce and Barry Vissell
Good Weather Inside
On May 18, 1996, Joyce turned 50. I turned 50 nine days later, on May 27. Wanting to treat this event as a life passage, a time for us to reflect upon our lives, we decided to pack up our old motorhome and head for Yosemite for three nights by ourselves. Our birthday gift to ourselves was time away to renew our relationship as well as our vision for our remaining years.
The last trip we took in our motorhome was one and a half months previous. We went skiing with our children. The weather and snow conditions were perfect before we left. The day we left, the clouds started building. By the time we arrived it was snowing. The next morning, we couldn’t go skiing due to blizzard conditions. By afternoon, the conditions were so bad, we left the mountains and came home. Our ski trip was “ruined,” but we had made the most of our time together as a family. The adverse conditions had served to bond us closer together.
Still, for this next trip, Joyce and I looked forward to sunny, warm, spring-like conditions at Yosemite. It hadn’t rained in Central California for one and a half months, that’s right, since our last trip. On the day we left, we noticed clouds were building. The weather forecast was a “chance of rain.” Still, we felt hopeful.
We arrived in Yosemite that evening. It started raining during the night, and by morning was raining hard. We donned our raingear (which we were smart enough to bring) and had fun anyway. That evening the storm really picked up, and by 10pm, we noticed more and more people were packing up and driving out. We were feeling pretty cozy and warm in our motorhome until, around 11pm, a ranger knocked on our door and said, “Excuse me, folks, but have you looked at the ground lately?”
He pointed his flashlight at the ground and we gasped. We were parked in about a foot of rapidly moving water. The Merced River had overflowed its banks upstream and made the whole campground its new bed. We were evacuated to a parking lot on higher ground. By midnight, three feet of water churned through most of the campgrounds in Yosemite Valley. Everyone got out, but camping gear, tents and even some vehicles had to be left behind. To make matters worse, the road on which we had arrived was flooded and closed.
The next morning it was still raining. Park officials decided to close the park, but the few of us who remained were “trapped” for three more days. Finally, everyone was evacuated by way of a different road over a mountain pass.
So much for the outer events around our “vacation.” But this was not just a vacation. It was also a vision quest. About halfway through our time in Yosemite, we understood why the weather had to be so inclement, why the flooding, the road closure, the evacuation, the hassle.
Sages have often said that the way to really know a thing is to experience its opposite. The way to know health is by experiencing sickness. We understand happiness through the experience of sadness. The way to know love is by first thoroughly experiencing its opposite, and the opposite of love is fear, not hatred. Our real choice in life is to either live in fear or to live in love.
So too do the natural extremes — floods, tornados, volcanoes, droughts — serve a purpose in our lives. In 1989, the very earthquake that destroyed our home also taught us deeper gratitude and appreciation for life and for each other. The lack of a home also gave us greater appreciation for having a home, and we believe this drew us more quickly to our present land and home near Aptos, CA, which we love more each year.
The “bad” weather in Yosemite provided the ideal conditions for Joyce and I to experience the good weather in our lives and relationship. Just like our “ski trip” helped to bond us as a family, this trip bonded us as a couple. Without the lure of the sun to pull us outside the motorhome, we spent long and relaxed inward time, writing, appreciating what we love about each other, talking and revisioning our lives, giving thanks and making love. It was an exquisite time of love and nurturing. We will be drawing upon the power and inspiration of those three days for a long time.
We realize now that every hardship in our life or relationship has provided an opportunity for more soul growth. The low spots in our relationship, the times we didn’t feel love, gave us so much more gratitude for the love that was and is there all the time. Every dark time has allowed us to more deeply appreciate and experience the light that is within us. Every argument, every tense moment, every sad time of disconnection has, by its very contrast, brought renewed appreciation of the times of love, harmony and connection.
If we can only be more patient and accept the difficulties in life, we will more deeply receive the gifts and blessings of life. Only through embracing the darkness can we embrace the fullness of the Light.
(Reprinted from Heartfullness: 52 Ways to Open to More Love by Joyce and Barry Vissell)
Order our new book HERE
Joyce & Barry Vissell, a nurse/therapist and psychiatrist couple since 1964, are counselors near Santa Cruz, CA, who are passionate about conscious relationship and personal-spiritual growth. They are the authors of 10 books and a free audio album of sacred songs and chants. Visit SharedHeart.org for their free weekly inspirational video and monthly e-heartletter, their updated schedule, and inspiring past articles on many topics about relationship and living from the heart.
Our schedule at a glance (details below — All events are now in-person):
October 11: Free Inspiring Evening
November 6-9: Autumn Couple’s Retreat
November 12-16: The Greatest Journey (Mentorship Program)
January 9-11: Esalen Couple’s Retreat
February 11-15: The Couple’s Journey
March 20-22, 2026: Men Living from the Heart
Quote of the Month:
Please join Joyce and me in holding a vision of a world where women, men and children of all nations, races and religions can see and feel the divine in themselves and one another. Here is our current 2025-2026 workshop schedule. Joyce and I would love to see you at one of these events. Please remember how important this spiritual-emotional growth work is. Together let’s take another step on this journey into the heart of love and deeper awareness, where real world healing begins. Peace be with you all.
October 11: Free Inspiring Evening
We are inviting you to our living room on Saturday, October 11 at 7pm.
90 minutes of inspiration, singing, chanting, and opening your hearts to the divine. Join Barry and Joyce and talented guest musicians, Ken and Justin Sundermeyer.
November 6-9: Autumn Couple’s Retreat
Would you like your relationship to reach a new level of love, healing, intimacy and commitment?
Couples describe these weekends as a safe and loving place to learn and practice new skills for their relating.
November 12-16: The Greatest Journey (Mentorship Program)
Find and live your dream, your passion, and your purpose! Individually and together with a small, carefully chosen group of 8-14 participants, these 6 months will help you transform your life.
January 9-11: Esalen Couple’s Retreat
The Shared Heart New Year’s Couples Retreat. Learn skills to dramatically improve your relationship, while luxuriating at one of the most uniquely beautiful retreat centers we have ever visited. Work-trades or alternative lodging available. Phone: 831-667-3005.
February 11-15: The Couple’s Journey
A 4-day retreat just for couples that will transform your relationship. During this retreat, you will not only open to more love and connection you thought possible, but you will have enough time to integrate these positive changes into your lives back home.
March 20-22, 2026: Men Living from the Heart
Before we as men can really know intimate love, we need to more deeply connect with our own hearts and with other men. Come to this retreat to learn how this process works, to establish meaningful friendships, and to learn how and why men distract themselves from their true happiness.
We are excited to offer our FREE album of sacred songs and chants, “I Stand for Love,” our first musical recording. You can download the whole album for free, or listen to it on YouTube. Wait till you hear the exquisite harmonies added by our son, John-Nuri.
Free Album Download
Listen on YouTube
Volunteers Needed. The Shared Heart Foundation needs volunteers. If you would like to support our vision and work, no matter where you live, email info@sharedheart.org
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Counseling with the Vissells. For individuals or couples who want help, you can choose from one hour to a two-day intensive with either one or both of us. http://sharedheart.org/counseling/
Our love and blessings to you all,
Barry and Joyce Vissell
Please click on SharedHeart.org for inspiring articles about relationship and consciousness, as well as our updated schedule.
