Spender - NEVER AGAIN - OFFICIAL

This is my son, @Tom Spender first video release for his first solo EP coming up for release soon. The video and photography is by Wilk, check out Tom's new website here.

This just blew me away...I am bursting with pride ofcourse, but apart from that I am in awe of his talent

Our Mama Raven's wings have lifted her spirit from this lifetime and she is in flight to her next journey, where she will dance in our hearts forever.

I've been in tears or the edge of tears all day. when I opened my emails this morning I found that Gabrielle Roth had left her body. I have known she was on the brink for over a week now, and been feeling a sort of undertow of sadness and grief. 

But now she's gone, and its like one of the foundation bricks of a whole generation's Spiritual journey's had been taken out. And I also know that her work is just starting now too. I first came across her book 'Maps to Ecstasy' in 1989, and it was so resonant for me, that I couldn't understand how come I hadn't always had this book in my life. Reading it changed my life in many ways, and practicing 5 Rhythms over the last 23 years, is a corner stone in my Sadhana.

Thank you, thank you, thank you

I love you Gabrielle Roth.

Solfeggio 528 Hz Emerald Heart Ascendance

The ceremony in the Vineyard

The ceremony in the Vineyard
Originally uploaded by anselm_van rood

Here they are, the newly wed pair Rosie (my niece and her lovely husband, Nic; so beautiful, in front of the vines..

Rosie and Nick's wedding

Jess, Tommy & Leroy
Originally uploaded by anselm_van rood

This little video taken by my brother Anselm van Rood captures the juicy-ness and warmth at this beautiful wedding..such a joy!

Love is what we are

Love is what we are born with. Fear is what we learn. The spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and prejudices and the acceptance of love back in our hearts. Love is the essential reality and our purpose on earth. To be consciously aware of it, to experience love in ourselves and others, is the meaning of life. Meaning does not lie in things. Meaning lies in us. ~ Marianne Williamson

Lioness Man

This is such a moving video of a man and a lioness, it reminds me of how through trust and love we can get on with anyone...enjoy

Llewellyn Vaughan Lee: A New Light

May we be those who shall renew this existence – Zarathustra

At the core of creation something is changing, coming alive in a new way. A light at the center of the world that has for millennia been dormant has been rekindled. This is the light of life itself waking up, remembering its own real nature and divine purpose. And with this awakening, the living being that is our world is undergoing a transformation in its very essence. The awakening of the light at the center of the world carries the potential for a whole new revelation, the possibility of a new way of living and being and relating to one another and to life. At this moment, we stand on the edge of a new stage in the evolution of life and consciousness, a new paradigm for the world. Life is one, has always been one. It is a single, living, organic wholeness and everything in creation is a part of it, as vitally and inseparably related to the whole of life as an individual cell or organ is related to the larger organism of which it is a part.

The Chaos of our current time

A Hathor Planetary Message Through Tom Kenyon Transition States of Consciousness Definitions: Chaotic Nodes are clusters of chaotic events.  According to the Hathors, Earth has entered a Chaotic Node and, as a result, we can expect ever-increasing levels of chaos—including but not limited to earthquakes, volcanic activity, aberrant weather patterns, ecological distress, as well as economic, social and political turmoil. Transition States of Consciousness are what the Hathors call the in-between places when a major loss has occurred and we find ourselves temporarily poised between an old reality that has passed away and a new reality that has not yet fully formed. Perceptual markers are a term the Hathors use to describe how we make sense of our world and navigate through our lives using our five senses. The Message By their very nature Chaotic Nodes tend to generate transition states of consciousness. Transition states of consciousness emerge when perceptual markers disappear. And when this occurs you enter a null zone in which your old reality no longer exists, or has changed radically, while your new reality has not yet come into existence.  Due to the fact that you have entered an even more intense phase of the Chaotic Node, we wish to share with you our views regarding transition states, in the hopes that you will be able to utilize this knowledge for your own benefit. For our purposes we can divide transition states into three primary categories: 1) personal transition states, 2) collective transition states and 3) physical death. Personal Transition States Let us turn our attention to personal transition states first, for your personal perception is the pivotal point around which your perceived reality operates.  Your perception of reality is fundamentally a personal creation. It is influenced by the collective perception of your culture, time, place and circumstance, but fundamentally your perception of what is real and not real is a creation—your creation.  Your perception of reality depends upon habits of perception, if you are like most persons. You are used to experiencing certain realities in your life and these tell you where you are, so to speak. You wake up in the morning and you look to the clock and the collective perception of time is immediately before you. Your choice to engage this illusion, or not, is a personal one. Indeed, one of the signs of spiritual mastery is the ability to navigate cultural illusions successfully while clearly understanding their nature.  When a situation in your personal life shifts dramatically there is a tendency for the perceptual markers to disappear or re-organize themselves. Let us present one possible scenario. If you have worked at the same job for many years you have built your life around the demands of this position. You eat lunch at a certain time. You return home at a certain time. You interact with others in specific ways, tailored to fit the demands of your job.  If that job were suddenly removed, unexpectedly, those perceptual markers would disappear. There would be no need to get up at a certain time, eat at a certain time, return home at a certain time, and the people you interacted with for the bulk of your waking hours would no longer be available to you.   This situation is inherently disorienting for most people. Again, the perceptual markers have disappeared.  The same phenomenon occurs when any radical shift in your personal life takes place. If a relationship that is important to you suddenly ends the perceptual markers of that relationship disappear, and you enter the transition state of consciousness.  If you have a health crisis and your physical life is affected in radical ways the perceptual markers disappear, and this can be disorienting. You have entered a transition state of consciousness. As the Chaotic Node increases in its intensity more and more persons will experience the shock waves of their old reality crumbling before them. What was certain in their lives is now uncertain. What was solid ground is seen to be no longer solid. We mean this both figuratively and literally.  There is another wave of transition states that is emerging from this Chaotic Node. It is already affecting many persons, but its affects will spread out in consciousness much like a tsunami.  This particular transition state has to do with the collapse of the collective lies of your culture. Increasingly more and more of you will see behind the shadow play; you will sense the puppet masters, and although their identities may elude you, you will see with increasing reality that aspects of your culture are a manipulation, a limitation, and in many cases, downright lies.  The lie that we are speaking to here is not the lie of economics, the lie of wars, or the lie of confining religions, but the lie of your identity—a lie that ensures your imprisonment. This lie is the belief and cultural assertion that you are nothing more than a physical human being and that there are, in fact, no other realms of being beyond your earthy experience.  The recognition of this lie is a harbinger of personal freedom, but in its beginning stages it can be quite disorienting. This is because multidimensional experiences are so different from your earthly day-to-day experiences.  If you find yourself marooned between your earthly and multidimensional life, you have entered a transition state of consciousness.  Our purpose in sharing this information is to suggest a practical course of action during transition states of consciousness. When you personally enter a powerful transition state you might, like many human beings, remain stuck in overwhelm. Many individuals find the shock of realizing that their perceptual markers have disappeared, along with the reality that they assumed to be real, deeply disturbing.   Due to the fact that time is accelerating—and by this we mean more events taking place in less time—remaining in a state of shock or overwhelm is a psychological indulgence which you cannot afford. The essential point we wish to convey here is that regardless of the nature of the transition state, whether it is personal in nature having to do with changes in your personal life, or due to recognizing your cultural manipulation—you are the creator of your reality.  You may have stories to explain why suddenly your life is bereft, but these are just stories. You may blame other persons, situations, or institutions for your problem, but this is misplaced responsibility. Your stories may be true and there may be other persons, situations or institutions to blame, but when you have entered a transition state of consciousness, you are at the central vortex of a powerful creative process. There is no reason or need to cry over “spilt milk” as one of your folk sayings goes. What is lost is lost. What is gone is gone.  Now the central question becomes, “What will you do?” Will you remain stunned, in shock, in overwhelm, anger and sadness? Or will you step into your identity as a creator of your life? To those of you who choose to remain in lower states of consciousness, we have no comment.  Our comments are for those of you courageous enough and bold enough to step into your identity as creators. If you are one of these, here is what we suggest. When everything disappears, meaning the perceptual markers of your former reality, understand that you have entered into a void point.  A void point is a critical transition between an old reality and a new one. That which was, has ended. Instead of regretting the loss, you accept the void. This is, for many persons, a challenging undertaking, because in the void point there is nothing that can be done. You must simply be a witness to it, and to yourself, for in this no-man’s land there are no perceptual markers. Be careful what new markers you put into place, for these ideas and beliefs will be the stars in the new sky of your mind, and you shall navigate your way into these new times by the stars (thoughts and beliefs) that you have placed in the heavens of your own consciousness. So be wise when you go about creating new stars, our fellow navigators of the Mystery. Collective Transition States of Consciousness The human collective, from our perspective, is currently like an immense cosmic serpent shedding its old skin, writhing and twisting, scraping off old encumbrances. Some of these take the form of economic turmoil. Some of them are political in nature. Some of them are the collapse and transformation of cultural institutions. And some of these writhings and twistings are related to earthquake and volcanic activity, as well as aberrant weather patterns.  As natural and manmade disasters increase, more and more of you will find yourselves entering transition states of consciousness. Obviously those who experience an earthquake, volcano or destructive weather directly are the most prone to enter transition states, but those of you who are empathic in nature can experience the brunt of a natural or manmade disaster as if you were physically present.  Indeed as the veil that separates human consciousnesses from one another dissolves, more and more of you will experience the changes taking place in the world at a visceral level.  We now wish to address the question of a new creation for those of you who may find yourself in the aftermath of a natural or manmade disaster, such as an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, or destructive weather patterns.  If the destructive force is strong enough, the perceptual markers of your former reality may no longer exist. Your home or place of business may no longer be there. You may find yourself dealing with shortages of food and water, and there are any number of variables that can come together to create a state of shock and overwhelm. We wish to be very clear in what we are about to say. Shock and overwhelm in the face of disasters are a natural mammalian response, and if you are to transcend and transform the moment you must reach upward to higher dimensions of your own existence, your own being, to those realms of consciousness that are beyond time and space.  To the extent that you are able to incorporate the transcendent aspects of your being as part of the equation for your survival, you will be able to mitigate the shock and overwhelm.  The central feature that needs to be identified in the midst of chaos, any form of chaos, is the portal of opportunity.  This opportunity for survival or for a new life may present itself in ways you do not expect. This is because the perceptual markers are no longer in place and your consciousness may not recognize an opportunity when it presents itself.  There is a deep-seated human habit, or tendency, that wishes to conform new realities to those of the past. This would be an unfortunate habit to engage in these situations. There is much we could say about the hyper-dimensional realities involved in choice making during chaotic events, but we wish to “cut to the chase” and give that which will be most practical. Perhaps some other time we can share with you our philosophical musings about your infinite nature and the infinite possibilities that reside within you. However, for now, let us be a little simplistic and give you a formula to recognize and create opportunities for new life and a new destiny when they present themselves to you.  Assuming that you have entered a transition state of consciousness and that you have befriended the void point and are more or less comfortable with the great uncertainty of your situation, this is what we suggest. Be curious and expect miracles.  By entering a state of curiosity you engage an aspect of your mind that is free to move unfettered by expectation. It becomes very much like the mind of a child, and it is this innocence—which is not the same as childishness—that allows you to enter a vibratory state of consciousness, which greatly benefits you.  By holding the expectation of miracles you release the power of creation within you, and to the extent that you accomplish this you will find increasing incidences of serendipity, coincidences of benefit and unexpected treasures, whether they be physical in nature or mental and emotional.  This combination of curiosity about what will happen next joined with an expectation of miracles will move you rapidly from the void point to a new life, a new creation, regardless of what might be happening for those around you.  During collective transition states of consciousness it is helpful to remember that each person is the creator of his or her own reality, and in the midst of chaos people will make different choices and enter different personal realities.  Do not be swayed by those who enter lower vibratory realms. You cannot save them from themselves. Look upward and live upward with curiosity and an expectation of miracles, and even in the gravest of situations miracles can, and will, occur for you.  Physical Death One of the greatest difficulties for embodied beings is the transition state of consciousness you call death. This is due to the fact that all perceptual markers, including the five senses, disappear. If a person identifies solely with his/her material existence, he or she will find this transition state to be most difficult. This is because what she or he identified with no longer exists.  Although the physical world continues on, there is no input into consciousness from the five senses. It is as if the world has vanished and the body along with it. The great I Am, the central feature of transcendent consciousness, no longer receives information from the body, the five senses, or the external world. This can be deeply disturbing and disorienting for someone who has not directly experienced the other realms of his or her being. Metaphorically speaking, you are like a vast tree, a Tree of Life, with many branches and many, many leaves and blossoms, and your current physical existence is just one of these leaves and one of these blossoms. When a person passes through the transition state of consciousness you call death there are several options. If you are in a spiritual tradition the central figure of which is a guru, avatar or savior, you can follow the path of this being into the vibratory realm of his/her consciousness. In some religions this is known as heaven.  If you follow the path of a guru, avatar or savior understand that you are entering into his/her heaven, her/his vibratory attainment, and by necessity you enter also into his/her limitations in consciousness.  From our perspective the universe is infinite in nature, and by this we refer not to external space but to the interdimensional realities of your universe, and there is no single being in existence, from our experience, who understands and embraces all that is.  If, however, you wish to join your guru/avatar/savior in the death realms we have a few suggestions. One is to mentally call upon his/her name. This is an ancient understanding encapsulated in the Egyptian term Ren, meaning name. When you call upon the name of a spiritual being an aspect of him/her is compelled to move toward you.  If, in that moment of encountering your guru/avatar/savior, he or she deems you worthy, you will be taken by him/her into his/her heavenly realm.  For those of you in eastern spiritual traditions there are mantras connected with specified deities. Chanting these mantras mentally during death, or in the death realms, has the same effect. For those of you who are not part of a spiritual tradition that follows a guru, avatar or savior, then the transition state of consciousness called death offers other possibilities.   As with the other two transition states of consciousness, the death realm has a void point, and its dominant features are stillness (silence) and darkness. All possibilities exist within the Void, but no actuality is in existence. It is like the acorn of an oak tree. The oak, the giant tree itself, is potentially within the acorn, but it does not yet exist.   So when you find yourself in the Void, which you will recognize by the fact that you are utterly alone in darkness and utter stillness, know that you are in the central nexus of your creative powers.  What you choose to create next will determine the course of your destiny and what worlds you will inhabit or realms of existence you will reside in. This is a critical juncture.  Many persons frightened by the darkness move to the light prematurely. And what they do not realize is that in their yearning they create the light. A portal opens before them, like a tunnel, and they can move into this tunnel of light, encountering those they have known before, thereby entering back into embodiment or other vibratory realms of existence without having fully understood the consequences. This is certainly one option open to you, and one that is often taken. Another option, however, is to remain at the void point, residing in the Void itself, becoming aware of your Self as pure consciousness—transcendent to all phenomena.  If you reside in this state of awareness long enough without the need to create something, you will discover your identity as the great I Am. And from this point of awareness you can choose the circumstances of your embodiment. You can choose the worlds you will inhabit or the realms of consciousness where you will reside.  This latter method gives you the greatest opportunities, though it is the most difficult for most people. And the reason for this difficulty has to do with the fact that most humans find it uncomfortable to not have a body. The yearning for a body and the experience of the material world often draws a person from the Void prematurely.  In summation, due to the intensifying phases of the Chaotic Node many of you will find yourselves in transitional states of consciousness. Regardless of what level you find yourself engaged in, whether it be your personal life, the collective experience, or the transition state you call death, know that you are the creator of your reality.  The Hathors April 20, 2011 Tom's Thoughts and Observations I personally find this message to be stunningly eloquent and a vast storehouse of information. I have read and re-read this message several times, and each time I discover something new. There is, indeed, much to be read between the lines in this communication. I especially liked the Hathors’ statement… “Be careful what new (perceptual) markers you put into place, for these ideas and beliefs will be the stars in the new sky of your mind, and you shall navigate your way into these new times by the stars (thoughts and beliefs) that you have placed in the heavens of your own consciousness. So be wise when you go about creating new stars, our fellow navigators of the mystery.” At the level of our collective mind, I think our mythic realities are changing. The old stars, those thoughts, beliefs and presuppositions about reality that have guided us as a culture for millennia seem now to be dimming, not to mention that they have led us in directions many of us no longer wish to go.  The collective ship of our culture seems to be plying through the waters of the Great Mystery with little regard for the sacredness of this planet or life upon it. But even as our collective vessel sails through the Great Mystery, seemingly without awareness, it (the ship) and we owe our very existence to the Mystery itself. This very odd duality seems, to me, either amusing or tragic, depending upon what mood I am in, and how connected I am or disconnected I have become from the Mystery itself.  One of the ironies of our situation is that the crew of this vessel, those who make it sail, through an investment of their life-force, creativity and, in some cases, blood sweat and tears, are no less than you and me, and all the other nearly seven billion humans alive on this exquisite planet. We are—all of us—crewing this vessel, regardless of our personal situation, our life station or our beliefs.  There are those in the New Age community who say, and have been saying for years now, that we are near Unity, and that the Golden Age is just around the corner. I do not share this perception.  We are all in the same boat together, whether we like it or not, and it seems to me that our crew is polarized. There are many who insist that the paradigms of greed, arrogance and usurpation are the true reference points for our sextants.    Others of us, however, are sensing that we are headed in the wrong direction—that we can no longer ravage this planet and its life (both human and other-than-human). For us, there are new stars in the sky of our minds. And we are setting our sextants clearly upon these cosmic beacons.  How it will all turn out is anybody’s guess. But I am encouraged by a silent mutiny I see happening all around me.  Many of us crew members, and I suspect that if you have read this far you may be one of them, are silently taking action to turn our collective vessel (i.e. our cultural madness) around or at least slow it down.   Some of us are pulling out our sextants and are pointing out new stars to those around us. We do this by living the change we wish to see. We do this by having the courage to live by a new Earth-reality that we sense is possible. We do this by extending kindness to each other.  And when necessary, we do this by standing our ground. I am reminded in this of a grass roots movement in some of the world’s poorest countries to preserve the use of non-hybrid seeds—seeds that produce new seeds when crops are harvested—rather than succumb to international economic interests that would enslave the poorest of the Earth to buy new seeds whenever they wish to feed themselves and their families.  As I write this, I am nearly weeping at their courage to stand up against the Titans that have set the course for our collective vessel through greed, arrogance and an utter disregard for the sanctity of life. As difficult and as challenging as these times are both for individuals and the collective, I think there is hope in the uncertainty that we are facing. I say this because the human spirit has sometimes risen to heights when faced with dire uncertain times.  If the Hathors are correct, all of us will face numerous transition states of consciousness before our time on Earth has ended. The perceptual markers of our old reality are being displaced. How we deal with the loss of our perceived reality and the old world will determine the next cycle of Earthly existence for humanity.  And for us individually, what we choose to create in the transition states of our lives will determine the realms of consciousness that are opened to us.  I wish you, my fellow crew members and those whom you love, safe passage through these turbulent times. But regardless of what happens, regardless of where and in what situations we find ourselves upon this perilous journey, let us remember that we are—above all else—creators of our own reality.  There are new stars in the sky and new worlds to discover. Be bold. And have a good journey. © 2011 Tom Kenyon. All rights reserved www.tomkenyon.com You may make copies of this message and distribute in any media you wish as long as you change nothing, credit the author, and include this copyright notice and web address.  If you received this message as a forward and you would like to receive future Hathor Planetary Messages, free of charge, go to the website and opt in to receive these via email. You can also, if you wish, opt in to receive workshop schedules, updates and other information from Tom such as articles and new Sound Gifts postings. We do not share your information with others.

The Path towards compassion

"We become compassionate not from altruism which denies the self for the sake of the other, but from the insight that sees and feels one is the other.” ~Huston Smith

(quote found at this blog)

Today I had a meeting with an old friend who I don't see very often these days. Our twenty four year friendship has indeed been through many twists and turns on its rugged path of love. We shared a house at one time, bringing up our sons, as we kept the wolf of single motherhood at bay. We've shared our spiritual journey as well, holding each other through the mystery, growth pains/gains and elevated illuminations. We've both learnt a lot from each other about so much, and still do. 

Today we talked about the 'shadow'.

The shadow is only there because of Light. The shadow of the self, so rich in its lessons of pain and suffering, and such a cornucopia of ripe pickings for the growth of the Soul. And on the ground, so little comfort and smooth running...

Today I felt deep compassion for each of us, as we reached into the void to access that place of Stillness and Heart in our search for the truth. I found myself opening my heart, for a moment as I drank in the Shadow. 

It was a bit like Tonglen, the Buddhist way of transmuting pain and suffering into Light. (Pema Chodron teaches this so well..)

I am grateful to my old friend, even though on a cellular level I feel myself bracing for the acrid winds of   karma. On a deeper level I am grateful for the momentary crack in the illusion which we busily hold together while going about our lives; forgetting about Love and all-that-is, and that we are all One.

“And can it be that in a world so full and busy, the loss of one
creature makes a void in any heart, so wide and deep that nothing but the width and depth of eternity can fill it up. -Charles Dickens

LOve, fear and the Light from a Rose

"Everybody suffers from love, or the fear of it, or the lack of it. Why? Why is love so universally and inevitably heart-breaking, whether it be through the end of a love affair, the death of a loved one or being locked in with the habitual casualness or grim indifference of a partner? The answer is because we've been taught and conditioned by the world to believe that love is a feeling. Love is not a feeling; it's a sensation. Drinking water when you're thirsty is a sensation, not a feeling. Being in nature or swimming in the sea is a sensation, not a feeling. Lying down when you're tired is sensational, not a feeling, although you may say it feels good. Feeling is an emotional interpretation of experience and these sensations don't need interpretation; they are just good or right. Making physical love rightly is a sensation, not a feeling. So is the love of God. The same goes for joy and beauty; both are sensational." Barry Long

that Intelligence that beats the heart...

What else is there, really, other than a very sensual world. Eyes which see, heart that feels, hands which touch, that intelligence that beats the heart, keeps the stars and planets hanging in the sky, and keeps the flowers growing. This effort to somehow get to this intelligence is the pain of separation, from the Beloved, when in reality who we are is only the Beloved, has only ever been, could only ever be. (from Sounds True)

A peace song for women and those who love them

Dear one, if you are a woman or you know one, please share these stunning words with her.

The Song of the Five Sisters
by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki

You are my sister, your skin black as night.
A princess of the Royal blood in the arms of Solomon the King.
Your beauty is different to mine but love is common to us both.
Yours is Saba, the Land of the South, rich in gold and spices,
Where the sun’s heat soaks into the parched earth.
Yes, you are my sister and together we shall live in peace.

You are my sister, with a body the colour of fine gold.
Your eyes follow the gentle curve of the almond, dark and mysterious.
In your veins flows the blood of the Seven Immortals, old as time itself.
The Dragon Throne was yours in that time and still awaits your return.
Cherry blossom floating on a still pool where golden fishes play.
Yes, you are my sister and together we shall live in peace.

You are my sister, your breasts are the colour of warm earth.
Soft as the voice of Rama, strong as the sword of Kali is your soul.
Generations of proud men, Kings and Warriors have sought your love.
The snow-capped mountains of the north have taught you endurance.
In the Art of Love you are without equal, daughter of Brahma.
Yes, you are my sister and together we shall live in peace.

You are my sister, your arms show the bronze of many Tribes.
In your hair shines the wing of the raven braided with quills and wampum.
Under your stilled fingers a weaver’s loom gives birth to beauty and colour.
Silver and turquoise are your marriage gifts, proud is your race and heritage.
Bitter have been your tears, and sorrow has been your companion.
Yes, you are my sister and together we shall live in peace.

Listen to my song, O my sisters, my face is white, pale as the moon.
Like you I live and love, bear children, grow old and will die,
yet I sing my song of hope for those that will follow us along the Path,
Throughout the Western Lands I sing the Song of Peace, of Peace between us.
Black and white, red and gold and brown, we are the women, the mothers.
Yes, you are my sisters, and together we shall live in peace.

For spiritual nourishment, please visit www.susancorso.com

Summer 1986-7

It is quite strange that I have posted this old photograph of myself up here with all the ladies are no longer with us. But I think its OK, because this particular aspect of me, is probably no longer with us either. The death of youthful beauty, is now making way for the inner beauty and power of me as the 'crone' I am now. 

Its the time of that of the year when one clears out all the old boxes and bits..I found this amongst some others of yours truly, probably taken around 1986-7. I think it was taken when I lived in Brunswick Street Fitzroy, at Maureen Fallons beautiful apartment. The lilies do look like her sort of accouterment. Its hard to believe I looked like that, and yet felt so unattractive! Just goes to show to not believe the stories you tell yourself..

Rita Bone (Uma)

A very special woman, Rita Bone (aka Uma)

died yesterday at 3:50pm 23rd May 2010

She will leave a big gap for those who were touched by her and loved her, and yet blessedly her

love will stay in our hearts...

be free now beautiful Rita, be all that is, I sing a song of wonder for you
even though we only met a few times we've always known one another and
will always know each other in all that is

and I will miss you

Isabel Allende tells tales of passion | Video on TED.com

Isabel Allende tells tales of passion | Video on TED.com

Jilly's wake

At the Beach House in Elwood we said goodbye to Jilly Halliday. Her family spoke of her with so much love and humour. I was particularly moved by what her nephew said. They gave such an authentic and loving portrait of her. And they told us with candour and courage of their love for her. There wasn't a dry eye in the house, as they say. Her friend Carol had arranged hundreds of gas filled balloons, and after people had said their words, we were asked to write on them and then set them free into the dusk sky.
Elwood beach looked particularly moody and evocative, and it was such a moving scene seeing people in little groups letting their balloons go, and calling out her name. She would have loved it. She was there in everybody's hearts. You are leaving a quite a gap in our lives Jilly, you will deeply missed.

In memory of Jilly Halliday

Jilly sent this to me, and called the photo: "I give you love!". (the photo was taken in her second home: Bali) This is so very typical of her I think. She had a wacky sense of humour and a great sense of fun, and most of all was so inclusive and heartful. She died this morning at six o'clock, after a long struggle with brain tumors. It took a year for them to take her out. And in that time she was so courageous and stayed so positive. I know it was very sad for her to lose her beloved dog Bingley in December, he was really her significant other, and had also developed a cancer, almost at the same time.
Rest in Peace my friend. God bless.

Ruby Hunter dies

 

I nearly burst into tears today when I heard the very sad news that Ruby Hunter died. I first saw her singing on the beach in one of the earliest St Kilda festivals, next to her life partner Archie Roach. It was the first time I felt the deeper shared connection of living on this land together with these people who have been so displaced, marginalized and generally abused by the newer immigrants (namely Europeans). I could sense the Soul of her people, and their culture and suffereing. She was an amazing artist, and it is a devastating loss for our ongoing understanding and empathy of her people through her love and her work.

Durga-the Tiger riding Goddess

I've been thinking about Durga quite a lot lately, the difference between her and Kali, for example. I get the feeling that Kali is more 'raw' (as my friend Madhuma put it), and that Durga comes more from the 'Source' ie 'Love'. Check out the link above, to see the Awakening Women's blog, Chameli's words about her. I like the way she says: "Durga comes from Love, and is moving always towards Love...and in that stream, she is unbeatable.."