Linda’s Journey
Grieving the deaths of my mother, father, aunt, and a good friend, I began my journey to a new relationship with death and love. My questions, seeking and meditation practice led me to realizing that physical death actually opens a different and deeply enriching way of relating through the heart. Death takes away the physical presence from our sight, our hearing and our touch, but, in fact, we can then actually find a connection to the living soul of the other. The mysterious gift living in death and grief came alive for me.
In 2002, Tamara Slayton, a good friend, who has since died, commissioned a special candle to burn for 24 hours. Those are now the ‘pillars’ of my business I teach folks to make today for their loved ones. They can be used in a variety of death care situations.
Spiritual Resources
My spiritual insights are continually being informed by two important sources: working with Robert Sardello and Cheryl Sanders-Sardello at The School of Spiritual Psychology in North Carolina AND the life and works of Dr Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) in anthroposophy (‘the wisdom of the human being’).
Together they have deepened my own desire to know and practice ways of living in today’s world with the knowledge that those who have died are indeed with us and that their world and ours are really one.
More preparations
- my love of words from my undergraduate degree in English Literature and Religion & Culture
- my desire to connect and communicate through my 20+ years as a life skills and community development facilitator in Waterloo, Ontario mostly with women whose first language is not English
- my creative connection with my hands making gifts of pure beeswax candles comes from 13 years of the joy of rolling candles and
- my finding the art of being present without words at all, through 16 months of keeping my own honeybees.
Honeybees and Candle Making
Between April 2008 and August 2009 I kept bees – or rather – they kept me! I started with four hives of honeybees. It was an intensive initiation into their wisdom and Love. I have discovered that many many people are keenly interested in supporting the honeybees. I like to think this is because the honeybees offer us courage to hold what is important in our lives that is both visible and invisible.
After 13 years of rolling thousands of sheets of pure beeswax, a profound connection began unfolding. I understood how rolling beeswax candles and working with the honeybees created an artistic way to a loving spiritual, soul relationship with those no longer here. My passion for the honeybees and candle making is the doorway through which I invite others to walk in their hearts when they are grieving.
Now I feel even more interested to stay in touch with Linda through the newsletter, Waxing courage! to support my own grieving journey!Click here
I am interested in finding out links to other resources, Linda has found. Click here