Author Name:
Cynthia Lynch Bischoff
Book Title:
On Wings of Hope: Leading Lily Home
Website URL:
Link to book page on Amazon:
Social Media Links:
Twitter: @OnWingsOfHope
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Heartliving
Instagram: cynthiaheartliving
What is your book about?
On Wings of Hope: Leading Lily Home is a poignant recollection of my experience in assisting a young client, Lily, through her journey with breast cancer and untimely death. Based on a true story and filled with wisdom and life lessons, it describes Lily’s inspiring passage from despair to enlightenment as a result of using unconventional therapy and a compelling and inspirational view of the afterlife. Lily’s story, her journey from heartache to peace, demonstrates that the world is illusory and that we create our own reality. It offers an integration of my varied areas of expertise–life coaching, spiritual psychology, and energy healing–to present a unique approach toward understanding the meaning of life, relationships, and mortality. Heartfelt and unforgettable, this memoir brings the reader face-to-face with important insights about life and answers many age-old questions. It leaves the reader with a comforting, new perspective that life goes on, that our connections are eternal, and that we can live with a newfound trust in life after death.
What inspired you to write your book?
My desire to write a book began with an intention to help guide my clients to live their lives with passion and purpose. I’ve worked for over 25 years in my business Heartliving, teaching in the US and abroad. My passion has always been to help others in their transformational process, to live life fully. One night I had a dream and a former client Lily came to me and told me I would write a book about my work with her. I had begun working on a self-help manual and the dream made total sense to me. Honestly, my relationship with Lily taught me more than any experience I’ve ever had. I met Lily when she was 33 and she had just been told she had breast cancer for the second time. The first time was at 26. Our relationship spanned 9 years until she passed at 43. I was with her when she passed. I helped her through her life journey, addressing body, mind, and spirit. She attended all classes that I taught. So I feel that On Wings of Hope is not so much a book about dying but rather about living a life full of meaning. It was written before Covid and took me several years to write, yet it was published at a unique time in our history when many of us are trying to make sense of unexpected deaths and loss of loved ones and trying to manage anxiety and change while attempting to live wisely and fully.
If you have a business related to your book, tell us about it:
I am the founder of my business Heartliving, a coaching and seminar business, which I established over 25 years ago. I am an international life coach, energy medicine practitioner and intuitive, and inspirational speaker. I teach and perform healing sessions in the U.S., Japan, and Europe, and since Covid have done many programs on Zoom for wide audiences. I’ve helped clients with the most challenging circumstances, such as reframing traumas, managing life-threatening illnesses, and guiding people to understand their life’s journey. I help walk people through significant, transformational life events. I hold a PhD in Metaphysics and certifications in Acupressure, Bio-energy, Breathwork, Hypnotherapy, Medical Intuition, Shamanic Studies, and Reiki. I am a Reiki Master Teacher, healer, and intuitive in Japan and in the U.S. Prior to creating Heartliving, I was a university faculty administrator and communication consultant for businesses nationwide.
What is a typical day like for you?
I truly love my life! I start the morning with a brief walking meditation and then center and focus myself for my day. I’m an advocate of opening the day with therapeutic oils, tai chi, and prayer. In my Heartliving work, I generally see 5 clients each day for varied treatment sessions and on certain days each week I teach a variety of classes in shamanic studies, spirituality, manifesting, energy healing, mind-body awareness, and all aspects of healing your heart and soul.
What do you most enjoy about what you do?
I most enjoy making a difference in other people’s lives since it makes such a difference in my own. I also love being able to use so many tools from my certifications and life experiences to offer people hope and hold a container for their healing. I am always inspired by others’ journeys.
What are some favorite books you’d recommend to our readers?
Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls by Michael Newton, PhD; Why People Don’t Heal & How They Can and others books by Caroline Myss, PhD; Educated by Tara Westover; The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and other books by Jan-Philipp Sendker; The Boy Who Saw True (anonymous); Ask and It Is Given and other books by Esther and Jerry Hicks; Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav; Cafe on the Edge of the World by John Strelecky; The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz; The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle; The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho; The Untethered Soul by Michael A.Singer. I have held a monthly spiritual book club for 10 years so I could go on and on but those might be my favorites! I love reading and learning.
What advice do you have to offer our readers?
Trust your heart’s intuition. It’s important to have the courage to make “irrational choices” in life. Some of the most valuable risks I have taken felt right to my heart while my mind held some doubt. Those choices have been most life-enhancing for me! I think you benefit most by living passionately and embracing life fully despite the pounding in your heart.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Even though I’ve presented before audiences of 500, I started life as a very shy child. I decided in college to go into teaching and was required to present to a fourth grade class. I taught “How to Write a Limerick.” I was terribly nervous but got through it well. The students were to put feedback on index cards anonymously. One card said: “I like you a lot. From the one you smiled at.” That moment changed everything. I realized the power each of us holds to make a difference with nothing more than a smile.
What’s next for you?
I intend to continue my life as I’m doing and promote my book. I have also just started an on-line Heartliving Academy. One class is already up and I’d love to help more people with that venue.
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