And the Greatest of These is Love
I was going to title this post “Piled Higher and Deeper” because two days ago when I began writing this, that’s what it felt like. But now, the awareness of Love that has always been there is renewed in my consciousness again…thanks be.
The opinion of this mere mortal is that Thanatos is a greedy so-’n-so. Another year and the first death in it, the transition of my oldest friend, shamanic mentor and spiritual father, Corliss Raymond “d.” deLarm Jr. With it comes great joy, but also a great sense of loss for us left behind. Though I know d. is still doing his work in spirit, I am human and flawed and selfish enough to wish he were still here for me to “jaw with” as he put it. To journey in person with. To see his kind and loving face. This picture is of d.in a shamanic trance-state, taken at his Columbia, Missouri home in late 2002. That dear, inimitable smile so captures the essence of his person it cheers me to see it…
I’ve known d. as he was called (his mother called his father “Cordy” – little Corliss was always known as “d”) since I was eighteen or nineteen. Too many years and several more decades than I care to count, plus all those previous lifetimes of friendship we both felt existed before this one. He was my father in more ways than I can say, and saved my life when we first met by teaching me how to overcome the negative voices in my head through shamanic journeying, healing and the skillful use of my brain. He remains my best and oldest friend, supporter, teacher and mentor and I miss him….though several days later, I am at peace with what is.
d passed away late Thursday night January 8th and was found late Friday night by a member of the tribe, Monique Silverstar. Characteristically considerate, he waited until another friend dropped him off Thursday evening after their regular supper together and before anyone came on the morrow. So like him to be considerate in not wanting to bother anyone with dying while they were there. It was peaceful and quick and not entirely unanticipated. He had been in and out of the otherworld most of the past two weeks and expressed to most of us that he was looking forward to his transition.
There is no memorial planned at d’s request and he was cremated last Saturday – his ashes will probably be spread over the land he lived on and loved in life. If you are reading this and knew d., Monique Silverstar can be contacted in Columbia, MO, for more information at: 573-817-2765. Carl Thames, d’s best friend says there will be a celebration of his life after the students return to town after January 21st. The beneficiary of d’s will asked me to counsel her on what to do with d’s posessions. As he always said “give it all away when I’m gone”, I think a formal Giveaway will probably be in the planning as well.
We of the tribe and community d. created drummed all Friday night, each in our separate locations, and for three days following his transition. And as is fitting and proper upon the passing of a man whom I consider to be a major Peace Chief. I was privileged to have some limited contact with him in spirit that leaves me joyous. d. is at peace as is the tribe. Everyone I have spoken to in those first few hours after learning of d’s transition feels the same: there is no grief, no wailing (just a little understandable sadness) because we all have a powerful Grandfather-in-spirit in our corner now – d’s still doing the work, just from a different location. He joins the many powerful lights who have passed in the last few years and is absolutely a-okay. When time permits I will be posting my own celebration of his amazing life at my website. For now, I will share what was his core and most important teaching: “You are LOVE, You are LOVED and You are LOVING” and his version of generating Bodhichitta (and dedicating the merit of it) with which he began each circle, each meditation: “We do these things for the benefit and enlightenment of all concerned”
With joy in my heart and a tear or two in my eyes,
Maryam
(continued…)
On Bodhichitta and the Dedication of Merit: “Generating the Compassionate Mind of Enlightenment” from Buddhist practice. Here is a prayer that pretty much says it all and was the core of d’s teachings:
May all beings be free from suffering
and the causes of suffering
May all beings have happiness
and the causes of happiness
May all beings live in perfect equanimity
without too much attachment
and too much aversion
and live believing in the equality
of all that lives
Here is an enlightening website that shows another explanation of this
Posted by Maryam on January 13, 2004 at 05:27 PM
Amazing Things…More on d.
Just a short thing. You know how there is no coincidence and sometimes, everything seems to work to bring continual miracles into your life? I’m preparing to give a talk on Energy Therapy to the Mended Hearts Club of San Jose, CA tonight and have little time to write about the amazing things that took place this weekend concerning my recently deceased mentor d., but will in time. A correspondent just sent me an online link to an amazing online movie that perfectly explains what d. did for me while he lived. If you want to know what a spiritual mentor can bring you to awareness of, have a look here at DuirWay’s Vision. (you might want to turn your sound volume down a bit, but this is just AWESOME!)
Thanks, Peggy!
Posted by Maryam on January 13, 2004 at 05:33 PM
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