Feeling today forever grateful for our two year union and collaboration of 40 years ago. And, so moved by the fact that, thanks to Bill Chisholm, another old friend, I had been able to contact David before he died, that I actually, finally — and suddenly! — got up the gumption to do what I said I was going to do about a month ago, make my first podcast, or CroneCast, or CRONECAST, or however I’m going to label it. . . So here’s to David, one of my mentors and companions, with whom I learned so much about life — and especially, as told in this cronecast story, how we can completely shift whatever is going on in the outer world, over and over again, by conceptually reframing it.
The spirit of Dave and our old friends will be gathering in Buhl (near Twin Falls) at a brew pub this evening, a few hours from now, to honor the memory of this dear being.
Old friend and activist Bill who told me about David’s impending death, and then found a phone number for me to contact David only a day or so before he died, has just undergone another death, that of his own sister. Which prompted Bill to sit down and write a letter to her young daughters. He emailed it to me, with permission to publish it here. Thank you, Bill!
Aho Ann,
With the recent dream like passing of Dave and now my eldest sister after a very long slow passing, I wrote this for my sister’s daughters… thought you might appreciate this perspective.
Namaste’,
Bill
My Dear Nieces,
I reckon like all of the family, I have been feeling and pondering the passing of your Mom, my dear Sister. I wanted to share a little of my experience and perspective.
In some indigenous cultures the word for breath, wind and spirit is the same word.
My first awareness of what that means came from Uncle John Chisholm. He was napping in his chair in the living room of his house when my grandfather, William passed. He said he was awakened by a breeze and went back to check on his dad, to find he had passed on.
My next awareness came when I was the first to arrive at an automobile accident, where a car had left the freeway went up on an embankment and rolled, landing on its wheels. I saw it happen and was right there when the car landed. The driver’s side window was open and the driver, a young man, was slumped over the steering wheel. I touched him on the shoulder and asked how he was. He moaned and sat back, then a breeze blew by me and when I felt for his pulse there was none.
I was sitting next to my dad reading. It was evening, he was in his chair and I was on the couch next to it. I had a light on, but the room was very quiet except for his breathing. When it suddenly stopped, it was truly the sound of silence. I turned to look at him and it was obvious that he had left his body behind and his spirit was free. Mom came out of the kitchen and the first thing she did was take off his glasses and his hearing aids, saying “He won’t need these anymore.”
After Dad passes and later Mom, I realized how much more accessible they were to me after they had left their bodies. Before I had to drive 60 miles to see them. Suddenly they were available to me all the time and still are. I am constantly accessing their knowledge and inspiration.
As a long time yogi, I have known of and spoken of breath as “prana” life force. I saw the article this quote is from last week and realize how much it ties into the relationship of breath and death and reunion.
” I was less impressed by the suggestion that – to quote the teacher at a retreat I attended – my breath was ‘the most powerful force in the Universe’ or that ‘all wisdom starts with proper breathing’. Breathing? ”
It was so noticeable with your Mom, as her body got weaker, her spirit grew stronger. It was almost as if that energy that had been holding her body together was then making her spirit grow stronger.
Yesterday I mourned her passing with the rest of the family, but I also felt a lightness, that I could only tie to her being free of bed and her tortured body. She is free and reunited with the Great Mystery.
I love both so much and send you Light and Love,
UBC
