Rites of Passage Journey is a natural expansion and furthering of our work with death and dying* and yet it represents a new beginning and way of being in the world. As part of this new way of being, we will be communicating more through images and music on this site than with words. This will help to remind us all, of our purpose here on this planet in these most amazing and transformational times - the times of the greatest challenges and yet the times of the greatest potential.
*Please visit http://www.ktc.net/ritesofpassage and http://www.wisdompeople.org for information on our work with death, dying and bereavement as well as on the videos and exhibits we have produced and created
When I think back over the many years of working with terminally ill patients, bereaved parents and others facing death, I think first of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, world renowned pioneer in the field of death and dying and my most beloved teacher. And when I think of Elisabeth, I remember with tremendous gratitude, a life lesson which she drilled into me continually and which she communicated quite forcefully to every audience she ever lectured to:
Follow your intuition, Listen to your heart and do what you love and believe in no matter how difficult the path, no matter how many sacrifices you have to make.
Then, she would say, at the end of your life you will not need to speak these words, words that she heard from so many of her dying patients. ” You know Dr Ross, I made a good living but I never really lived.”
From the very beginning we followed this teaching in our work with Rites of Passage*, experiencing and moving through many extreme challenges and difficult times yet striving always to take the highest choice as we traveled this path of the Heart. And quite naturally, a few years ago, this path led us to spending time with and learning from the First Nations/Native American people, the Original People, for it is their ancient teachings which many people come to appreciate and understand at the end of their lives:
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Life it is a Circle |
On this site then, you will find information about Starblanket:A Spirit Journey, our soon- to- be- released First Nations documentary, as well as links to people, places, music, art and seminars that we have found particularly helpful. And in time, we will share other resources which come to us....as we continue....on this Spirit Journey
-Cindy Pickard
Director, Rites of Passage, ACA
*Rites of Passage was originally named AIDS Care & Assistance. Our legal name is AIDS Care & Assistance DBA Rites of Passage, ACA. We have been a 501[c]3 not-for-profit organization since 1988.
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