Today august 24th marks the 12th anniversary of the passing of my dear friend and teacher the late pioneering thanatolgist. Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Every year on this day I post this precious story.
We met in 1979 in Escondido California when I attended my first Life Death Transition workshop. Several workshops later Elisabeth wrote a reference letter in my behalf and told me to take it to hospice. So began my work with the dying and a 25 year friendship with a dear colleague.
Elisabeth was a person of passionate spirit and I learned from her to open my heart to the spiritual nature of life.
Sunday August 24,2004 I came out of my shower and went into my bedroom and laid on top of the bed to relax and look out to the tops of the trees that give me so much grounded ness in my 3rd floor attic apartment.
As I gazed towards the trees I saw a pair of wings rising from the stairs below my deck. I raised my head in curious awe when an eagle appeared and perched on my deck looking into my room." Oh my God! "I exclaimed." what is this?" It was a small Golden Eagle. It did not fly over. It came up to intentionally perch on the railing of my 3rd story deck.
I sat in utter amazement and wondered what it meant. After about two minutes it flew away. I immediately got my animal spirits book and looked up eagle, hawk. It said, A Native American omen of healing, rebirth, and a sign that I should be alert to what is coming ahead. The eagle is the messenger to God who takes our prayers to Heaven. I knew I was being given a very important message but I wasn't clear what it was. I emailed a good friend in Arizona and related the event.
Tuesday morning I received an email telling me of the death of my dear friend Elisabeth' Kubler Ross, I took a shower and went into my room to lay on top of the bed and look out to the trees. As I looked out I came to clarity:
Elisabeth's totem animal was the Golden Eagle. I wept in deepest gratitude for this gift and for the wisdom to recognize it.
At Elisabeth’s memorial service a Native American woman performed one of many rituals. As she spoke of the Golden Eagle being at the top of Elisabeth’s totem she asked us all to look up and imagine Elisabeth as a Golden Eagle. I smiled.
Many Blessings Irene Smith
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