Autumn 2009
After a 22 day journey across the United States, Lani has returned with an evern stronger passion to champion young women and men in crisis across the United States. She wants to be able to help them understand their history, to create programs that can teach them to relate to their family's history of violence, in turn allowing them to change the course of their lives. Please visit the Women in Crisis, Compassion and Change through Conversation blog @ http://cronesunite.blogspot.com
The wheel of the year is turning up here in the mountains of far far Northern California . Black oaks are turning red igniting the stubbly draws and gulches pleating the mountainside in crimson. With the Autumn Equinox only a few days away, it’s cold in the mornings and nights, September sun more taffeta than gold lame`. The garden is overflowing, yesterday made thirty pounds of veggie chili. The day before it was plum butter and mole`. Next week it will be Thai soup and beet borscht, getting ready for winter’s cold and putting up comfort for the time to come.
After a 22 day journey across the United States, Lani has returned with an evern stronger passion to champion young women and men in crisis across the United States. She wants to be able to help them understand their history, to create programs that can teach them to relate to their family's history of violence, in turn allowing them to change the course of their lives. Please visit the Women in Crisis, Compassion and Change through Conversation blog @ http://cronesunite.blogspot.com
The wheel of the year is turning up here in the mountains of far far Northern California . Black oaks are turning red igniting the stubbly draws and gulches pleating the mountainside in crimson. With the Autumn Equinox only a few days away, it’s cold in the mornings and nights, September sun more taffeta than gold lame`. The garden is overflowing, yesterday made thirty pounds of veggie chili. The day before it was plum butter and mole`. Next week it will be Thai soup and beet borscht, getting ready for winter’s cold and putting up comfort for the time to come.
Autumn
Kali, Kali, gather wood
Only green alfalfa stores
In the barn.
Each pumpkin, ear of corn
Mirror the orange moon.
My tables are full, bowls
Spilling over.
Blackberry ink of children’s
Fingerprints spot the sink.
This unknown one, though
Sown in spring will come
In winter’s darkest day.
To give birth or be born
Is a step to the platform
With no simple choice of
Music or horse.
Goddess of all sweet
And final, we take each day
Two dry seedpods rubbing
To friction.
Each ripe fruit or kiss
Is a gift…
utumn, Transition, Change, Impermanence, Transformation. Our friend Joan Lucas crossed over last month. She was a great dancing spirit and teacher to many. If it is true that as we live, so will we die, then Joanie went doing what she loved. Here is a tribute that her son Richard Lucas wrote,
as only he could;
At sunset last night, Sept 1, 2009, Joan slipped peacefully, painlessly to dance among the stars. She was surrounded by her family, close friends and a few amazing caregivers and hospice nurses for several days, hearing our conversation, laughter, stories, and was able to respond to our heartfelt words, hugs and wishes.
She, as always, choreographed the whole thing perfectly. Only 2 weeks after hearing from her doctor that her cancer had returned, she was able to let go of the body that had served her so beautifully for most of the past 79 years.
She was exactly where she told us she wanted to be, in a comfortable bed in the front window of her living room, cool breezes bringing in the abundant lavender blossoms, the deeply resonating chimes, the trickling waters of the beautiful stone fountain a few feet beyond, the direct view of Mount Shasta beyond that. She was relaxed, in no pain, just gradually slowing down....
During the last few days, her cats Fred and Ginger would lie on the floor on either side of her bed, purring, with Joan in the middle. Her last meal, chicken soup, of course!
In the late afternoon yesterday, I brought my computer to her bedside and read every one of the dozens of messages and cards sent to her. She absolutely could hear me and was looking directly at me with the most calm and deeply serene eyes. As I would mention certain words in the messages, such as "dance", or "friend", she would breath a little more quickly, letting me know she understood.
An hour or so before dinner, I got a call from one of her many local dancer friends, letting us know that they were beginning a 2 hour rehearsal for an upcoming performance, and that they were dedicating their dancing to her that evening. Most everyone had left, and for the first time in days, the home was relatively calm and quiet. The few of us still here had dinner on her front porch. At the end of dinner, another dancer friend called, panting and crying, saying they had just finished "dancing their asses off for Joanie." I thanked them all, walked into the home, and Mom had let go. She had sailed off while they were dancing, the last alpenglow rays of Mount Shasta bathing her face.
This morning, while a gigantic beautiful lenticular cloud hovered over the Mountain, we picked out her most regal golden silk shirt and purple velvet pants (complete with some cat hair), the women washed her body, did her hair and lipstick and changed her into her "royal dancing outfit.” We stood over her, singing and saying our prayers and anointing her with sacred oils and bundles of fresh lavender. We then covered her with a transparent teal shawl with gold spiral filigree. She is before me now, as beautiful as ever, preparing to exit, stage left, 24 hours after passing, on to the local Chapel for cremation in a few days, as she wished.
We are all immensely thankful for the graceful way she moved in life and in death and moved us with her Love and kindness. Please hold her in your prayers as she moves into the Light.
There will be a memorial for her in a month or so in Mount Shasta, and again in Princeton perhaps around Thanksgiving, so stay tuned for more info as we know.
With much thanks and blessings for the Love you all shared with her,
Richard
If you would love one our cards on a tee-shirt or a mug let us know and we will create it for you at:
http://www.zazzle.com/Cronesrock
Autumn Links to the World Pearls for Teen Girls
http://pearlsforteengirls.com
MEN
Men Engaged in Nonviolence Taos New Mexico
http://www.nonviolentmen.org
http://www.grandmotherconnections.com
Want to give the beauty of another’s art?
visit www.etsy.com for incrediable hand made gifts!
Kali, Kali, gather wood
Only green alfalfa stores
In the barn.
Each pumpkin, ear of corn
Mirror the orange moon.
My tables are full, bowls
Spilling over.
Blackberry ink of children’s
Fingerprints spot the sink.
This unknown one, though
Sown in spring will come
In winter’s darkest day.
To give birth or be born
Is a step to the platform
With no simple choice of
Music or horse.
Goddess of all sweet
And final, we take each day
Two dry seedpods rubbing
To friction.
Each ripe fruit or kiss
Is a gift…
utumn, Transition, Change, Impermanence, Transformation. Our friend Joan Lucas crossed over last month. She was a great dancing spirit and teacher to many. If it is true that as we live, so will we die, then Joanie went doing what she loved. Here is a tribute that her son Richard Lucas wrote,
as only he could;
At sunset last night, Sept 1, 2009, Joan slipped peacefully, painlessly to dance among the stars. She was surrounded by her family, close friends and a few amazing caregivers and hospice nurses for several days, hearing our conversation, laughter, stories, and was able to respond to our heartfelt words, hugs and wishes.
She, as always, choreographed the whole thing perfectly. Only 2 weeks after hearing from her doctor that her cancer had returned, she was able to let go of the body that had served her so beautifully for most of the past 79 years.
She was exactly where she told us she wanted to be, in a comfortable bed in the front window of her living room, cool breezes bringing in the abundant lavender blossoms, the deeply resonating chimes, the trickling waters of the beautiful stone fountain a few feet beyond, the direct view of Mount Shasta beyond that. She was relaxed, in no pain, just gradually slowing down....
During the last few days, her cats Fred and Ginger would lie on the floor on either side of her bed, purring, with Joan in the middle. Her last meal, chicken soup, of course!
In the late afternoon yesterday, I brought my computer to her bedside and read every one of the dozens of messages and cards sent to her. She absolutely could hear me and was looking directly at me with the most calm and deeply serene eyes. As I would mention certain words in the messages, such as "dance", or "friend", she would breath a little more quickly, letting me know she understood.
An hour or so before dinner, I got a call from one of her many local dancer friends, letting us know that they were beginning a 2 hour rehearsal for an upcoming performance, and that they were dedicating their dancing to her that evening. Most everyone had left, and for the first time in days, the home was relatively calm and quiet. The few of us still here had dinner on her front porch. At the end of dinner, another dancer friend called, panting and crying, saying they had just finished "dancing their asses off for Joanie." I thanked them all, walked into the home, and Mom had let go. She had sailed off while they were dancing, the last alpenglow rays of Mount Shasta bathing her face.
This morning, while a gigantic beautiful lenticular cloud hovered over the Mountain, we picked out her most regal golden silk shirt and purple velvet pants (complete with some cat hair), the women washed her body, did her hair and lipstick and changed her into her "royal dancing outfit.” We stood over her, singing and saying our prayers and anointing her with sacred oils and bundles of fresh lavender. We then covered her with a transparent teal shawl with gold spiral filigree. She is before me now, as beautiful as ever, preparing to exit, stage left, 24 hours after passing, on to the local Chapel for cremation in a few days, as she wished.
We are all immensely thankful for the graceful way she moved in life and in death and moved us with her Love and kindness. Please hold her in your prayers as she moves into the Light.
There will be a memorial for her in a month or so in Mount Shasta, and again in Princeton perhaps around Thanksgiving, so stay tuned for more info as we know.
With much thanks and blessings for the Love you all shared with her,
Richard
Listen to Judith Orloff Interview (18mb)
Welcome to our newest section in our newsletter, Innerviews, Wise Words From The Feminine Heart. Our first innerview was with world reknown author and psychitrist, Judith Orloff MD. Judith is a professor of clinical pyschiatry at UCLA and has written.
If you would love one our cards on a tee-shirt or a mug let us know and we will create it for you at:
http://www.zazzle.com/Cronesrock
Autumn Links to the World Pearls for Teen Girls
http://pearlsforteengirls.com
MEN
Men Engaged in Nonviolence Taos New Mexico
http://www.nonviolentmen.org
http://www.grandmotherconnections.com
Want to give the beauty of another’s art?
visit www.etsy.com for incrediable hand made gifts!