Mark Wenz

After retiring in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, Ela Cabral prayed for guidance. She no longer wanted to live in Whittier, Calif., and was looking for a new direction when she received signs that motivated her to sell her house and look at Arizona as a possible retirement location. After first leasing a house in Gilbert, Ela found the perfect house in Sun Lakes where she now happily resides.

Raised a Catholic, which gave her a religious foundation, Ela’s spiritual journey has been amazing. When her father, a doctor, became a victim of homicide, Ela did some serious soul searching, and the Catholic Church wasn’t providing clear answers. Subsequently, she explored other religions, but they weren’t providing clear answers either until a cousin introduced the concept of reincarnation to her. Ela began researching this topic, and her searches led her first to the Church of Religious Science (Science of Mind) and later to Unity, both of which clicked for her. Once she moved to Sun Lakes, Ela found a home at Unity Church of Sun Lakes where she now serves as a board member.

Many life-changing health challenges led her to the present moment. In 2005 Ela was diagnosed with a form of leukemia, and she subsequently received a bone marrow transplant at City of Hope in Duarte, Calif. Instead of letting this setback defeat her, Ela took positive steps to heal, and she shares her experiences with others. She participated in a cancer support group called Writing for Wellness, which published a collection of writings by the group entitled Writing for Wellness, a Prescription for Healing. (All proceeds received from sales of the book are donated to the City of Hope to support cancer research.) For several years, Ela–who strongly believes that the written word is a powerful tool in restoring hope, compassion, and healing–also coordinated and facilitated Writing for Wellness support groups throughout her community.

In 2010 another health challenge occurred when Ela was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. A strong believer in synchronicity, Ela recognized that the cancers were signaling her to pay attention, listen to her intuition, and assess her life choices. Becoming stronger in her spirituality as a result, Ela has established a meaningful connection to a greater truth and purpose. She has learned to understand how intent begins the process of raising one’s level of consciousness and creating future potential. In her daily meditations, Ela expresses gratitude and continues to co-create the next life design for further growth.

Ela is currently working on a children’s book based on her grandmother’s stories that highlight her Hispanic ancestry, and she plans to enroll in a screenwriting class at ASU next semester. Ela’s spiritual journey has taken many twists and turns over the course of her lifetime, and she is open to whatever spiritual opportunities await her in the future.