From Heron Dance~
In life, as in dance: Grace glides on blistered feet.
Alice Adams
When someone close to you dies, you develop an awareness of the gossamer thread that life hangs by. You get an awareness of transiency. Everything is transient. Without that awareness, how can you truly live in awe of what you see the seasons, the sun. To live life fully, to avoid devoting your whole life solely to accomplishing things, you have to be aware of death. Death gives you a set of lenses that no other experience gives you.
Lorry Nelson (From Heron Dance Issue 47)
I was lying in bed one day thinking about my death, wondering if Id be conscious enough to talk to my children, what Id want to leave to them; famous last words, as it were.
The key word is trust. Trust everything that happens in life, even those experiences that cause pain will serve to better you in the end. Its easy to lose the inner vision, the greater truths, in the face of tragedy. There really is no such thing as suffering simply for the sake of suffering. Along with developing a basic trust in the rhyme and reason of life itself, I advise you to trust your intuition. It is a far better guide in the long run than your intellect.
Next on my list is to learn what love is. It is complete and utter surrender.Thats a big word, surrender. It doesnt mean letting people walk all over you, take advantage of you. Its when we surrender control, let go of our egos, that all the love in the world is there waiting for us. Love is not a game, its a state of being.
Henry Miller, from Reflections, edited by Twinka Thiebaud (as quoted in The Heron Dance Book of Love and Gratitude)
Dear Heron Dancers,
Last weekend I drove alone to my Uncle Kennys funeral through snow squalls and high winds. From across the church I watched my cousins and their children cry openly. After the priest finished the mass he asked if anyone wanted to share some words about Kenny. His son Casey stood at the podium and read an essay written by Emma, Kennys granddaughter. In it she listed all the things she loved most about her grandpa. Now tears were streaming down everyones faces. Her memories stimulated feelings of love in all of us, displacing the heaviness of sorrow, and for an amazing five minutes the whole church was seeped in Love. I felt as if my body had disappeared and I was floating. Had I forgotten the power of many hearts cracking open at once?
When I came home, my 11-year old daughter asked me cautiously, When grandma and grandpa die will you get depressed? Will you cry all the time? Because I dont want you to.
I replied, I will be very sad and cry a lot. Their deaths will change me, but I wont be depressed.
I just dont want you to be sad. She added.
I dont know what to say Emma, except I wouldnt enjoy the blue skies as much if they werent sometimes black. Sinking into your sadness, allowing your heart to break open from grief, letting it flow out as tears, goes hand in hand with being able to feel more love and more joy. I really believe that a closed heart that feels no sadness, can feel no love.
Id like to say she that her eyes lit up with understanding and gratitude for what I thought were enlightening words, but her response was a nervous, So whats for dinner? I resisted the urge to try and explain it more and started cooking.
Chopping the onions, I thought about how I have responded to her when she's been down. I laughed at myself as I recalled how much I hated to see her sad and how hard I would try to fix it. Sshh Its okay. Dont cry. Dont feel sad, was my normal response. Better to just hold her quietly with love in my heart and let her cry so she can experience her own heart breaking open.
In celebration of open hearts,
Ann E. O'Shaughnessy
( To respond to, or discuss Ann's email, visit here and
add your review to the bottom of the page)
Sign up to receive this weekly email.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non Profit Donations: Heron Dance donates the use of its art and notecards to small nonprofits for use in their fundraising or donor correspondence. Please contact grassroots@herondance.org if you are part of an organization that could take advantage of this program.
Visit here to learn more about this program.
Visit here to view a list of organizations we have donated to.
We are still offering our 2006 Heron Dance Wall Calendar to small nonprofits for free. Email grassroots@herondance.org or call us at 888-304-3766.
Visit here to order our calendar for 50% off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heron Dance offers several beautiful books and films that deal with the subject of death in different ways. If you would like to talk to a human being about any of these films or books please call us at 888-304-3766.
Talking With Angels: Robert Perkins is a wilderness canoeist who has made many beautiful films of his solo trips into the Canadian north and beyond. In this film he records the journey he took with his partner Irene through the challenges of her cancer.
The Man Who Learned to Fall: This is a moving account of writer Phil Simmons' experience with Lou Gherig's disease (ALS). Director Garry Beitel creates a beautiful portrait of Phil's courage, humor and wisdom.
Dancing Animal Woman: After her first husband's sudden death, Anne Hillman faced the reality of raising two young children on her own. Her story of that journey is inspiring and heartening, painting a picture of the difference between just surviving and truly thriving.
A Death On The Barrens: This book by George Grinnell is a powerful book of survival and awakeninga physical and spiritual odyssey in the Canadian Barren Lands.
The Heron Dance Book of Love and Gratitude is a wonderful book to give to someone who is struggling, grieving, or dealing with the challenges of care giving. Visit here for more on this book. If you have this book and would like to review it please visit here and add your comments to the bottom of the page.
Alice Adams
When someone close to you dies, you develop an awareness of the gossamer thread that life hangs by. You get an awareness of transiency. Everything is transient. Without that awareness, how can you truly live in awe of what you see the seasons, the sun. To live life fully, to avoid devoting your whole life solely to accomplishing things, you have to be aware of death. Death gives you a set of lenses that no other experience gives you.
Lorry Nelson (From Heron Dance Issue 47)
I was lying in bed one day thinking about my death, wondering if Id be conscious enough to talk to my children, what Id want to leave to them; famous last words, as it were.
The key word is trust. Trust everything that happens in life, even those experiences that cause pain will serve to better you in the end. Its easy to lose the inner vision, the greater truths, in the face of tragedy. There really is no such thing as suffering simply for the sake of suffering. Along with developing a basic trust in the rhyme and reason of life itself, I advise you to trust your intuition. It is a far better guide in the long run than your intellect.
Next on my list is to learn what love is. It is complete and utter surrender.Thats a big word, surrender. It doesnt mean letting people walk all over you, take advantage of you. Its when we surrender control, let go of our egos, that all the love in the world is there waiting for us. Love is not a game, its a state of being.
Henry Miller, from Reflections, edited by Twinka Thiebaud (as quoted in The Heron Dance Book of Love and Gratitude)
Dear Heron Dancers,
Last weekend I drove alone to my Uncle Kennys funeral through snow squalls and high winds. From across the church I watched my cousins and their children cry openly. After the priest finished the mass he asked if anyone wanted to share some words about Kenny. His son Casey stood at the podium and read an essay written by Emma, Kennys granddaughter. In it she listed all the things she loved most about her grandpa. Now tears were streaming down everyones faces. Her memories stimulated feelings of love in all of us, displacing the heaviness of sorrow, and for an amazing five minutes the whole church was seeped in Love. I felt as if my body had disappeared and I was floating. Had I forgotten the power of many hearts cracking open at once?
When I came home, my 11-year old daughter asked me cautiously, When grandma and grandpa die will you get depressed? Will you cry all the time? Because I dont want you to.
I replied, I will be very sad and cry a lot. Their deaths will change me, but I wont be depressed.
I just dont want you to be sad. She added.
I dont know what to say Emma, except I wouldnt enjoy the blue skies as much if they werent sometimes black. Sinking into your sadness, allowing your heart to break open from grief, letting it flow out as tears, goes hand in hand with being able to feel more love and more joy. I really believe that a closed heart that feels no sadness, can feel no love.
Id like to say she that her eyes lit up with understanding and gratitude for what I thought were enlightening words, but her response was a nervous, So whats for dinner? I resisted the urge to try and explain it more and started cooking.
Chopping the onions, I thought about how I have responded to her when she's been down. I laughed at myself as I recalled how much I hated to see her sad and how hard I would try to fix it. Sshh Its okay. Dont cry. Dont feel sad, was my normal response. Better to just hold her quietly with love in my heart and let her cry so she can experience her own heart breaking open.
In celebration of open hearts,
Ann E. O'Shaughnessy
( To respond to, or discuss Ann's email, visit here and
add your review to the bottom of the page)
Sign up to receive this weekly email.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non Profit Donations: Heron Dance donates the use of its art and notecards to small nonprofits for use in their fundraising or donor correspondence. Please contact grassroots@herondance.org if you are part of an organization that could take advantage of this program.
Visit here to learn more about this program.
Visit here to view a list of organizations we have donated to.
We are still offering our 2006 Heron Dance Wall Calendar to small nonprofits for free. Email grassroots@herondance.org or call us at 888-304-3766.
Visit here to order our calendar for 50% off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heron Dance offers several beautiful books and films that deal with the subject of death in different ways. If you would like to talk to a human being about any of these films or books please call us at 888-304-3766.
Talking With Angels: Robert Perkins is a wilderness canoeist who has made many beautiful films of his solo trips into the Canadian north and beyond. In this film he records the journey he took with his partner Irene through the challenges of her cancer.
The Man Who Learned to Fall: This is a moving account of writer Phil Simmons' experience with Lou Gherig's disease (ALS). Director Garry Beitel creates a beautiful portrait of Phil's courage, humor and wisdom.
Dancing Animal Woman: After her first husband's sudden death, Anne Hillman faced the reality of raising two young children on her own. Her story of that journey is inspiring and heartening, painting a picture of the difference between just surviving and truly thriving.
A Death On The Barrens: This book by George Grinnell is a powerful book of survival and awakeninga physical and spiritual odyssey in the Canadian Barren Lands.
The Heron Dance Book of Love and Gratitude is a wonderful book to give to someone who is struggling, grieving, or dealing with the challenges of care giving. Visit here for more on this book. If you have this book and would like to review it please visit here and add your comments to the bottom of the page.