Becoming Zia is a memoir of two weeks in the life of an ordinary woman who begins to experience the extraordinary through a series of magical and synchronistic happenings.Diagnosed with a tumor in her throat CINDY realizes that there is more to understand than just the tumor. She looks closely at her life and begins to see what it represents on a metaphysical level - the fifth chakra - the center of self expression. Exploring that begins the unfolding.A planned trip to New Mexico and an intuitive painting retreat take on a new meaning. It becomes a solitary sojourn into the desert that opens her mind and heart in ways she never expected. A painting retreat plays center stage in the unfolding drama of forgotten memories and unhealed wounds. With color and brushes, and a little magic, she paints the images of the blockage in her throat and comes to find a deeper understanding of her illness. On the sacred ground of the retreat she finds connection to a power that transforms her - a spiritual awakening.On her journey through New Mexico she meets a variety of interesting characters who assist in her transformation. She has several unusual encounters with Native influences. She learns about the people of New Mexico in a new light that will eventually change the course of her life.As the days progress Cindy becomes more aware of her own truth. A peacock charm she received at the beginning of the painting retreat becomes the symbol of her transformation. Over time she comes to understand and accept the messages and events that have profoundly shifted her reality. So when she hears the name ZIA POE whispered to her in the car on the drive home, she knows. Cindy may have come to New Mexico, but Zia Poe was heading home.