Artist: Joseph Barker | Joan and Susan first met around fourteen years ago at a Universal Medicine Retreat and many things have changed in that intervening period amongst which is the passing of the years and the cycles of life. Susan would have been 62 years and Joan 66, and in retrospect there is a very different feeling and energy now than there was then. Being in one’s sixth decade feels considerably different to being at a time when the eighth decade is not too far away or as in Joan’s case is only a month away. |
There was an instant connection between us, and the relationship began quite gently and slowly and developed as we met up when attending presentations by Universal Medicine. We lived a way apart from one another and sometimes would meet in London when we attended a Women’s Group.
In those early days of learning about The Way of the Livingness we did a fair amount of checking out not yet knowing what the true purpose of this work held for us, but since then we have been given every opportunity to turn ourselves around, and as we grew older we began to discover a flowering of ourselves as we deepened the connection with our souls and care of our bodies. As our bodies grow older our essences are given space to emerge into full bloom.
The connection was always present between us and yet we seldom met in between the events we attended. We both joined a Seventies Group and realised how the 70’s is a journey of the body and learning to accept its ageing, however at the same time to grow and expand and deepen the way we live our lives in full, not to let ourselves contract and fade away but to be fully present in the richness of all that is offered us to be.
We have struggled with this through the last few years – how to respect and care for our bodies yet engage fully in life. Slowly, in commitment to putting into practice The Way of the Livingness, we have both learned to appreciate ourselves more and to enter our Divine sacred space within and express with grace in our words and movements. Much of this has been a process of letting go of the ideals and beliefs around ageing.
Recently we were both attending a workshop called ‘Leaving Gracefully’ and there was no coincidence when we were put together to be buddies – to support one another as we worked through the different stages of preparing our paperwork (Wills, Lasting Power or Attorney etc.). There was an instant knowing that we were being offered an opportunity to deepen this friendship. We began emailing one another and it was apparent this was a Heaven-sent opportunity to deepen the intimacy with ourselves and each other, and a transparency which would enable us to surrender gently to our passing over when it is our time for us to leave this life. This led to the following email exchange in which we deepened to the next level ……….
From Susan
Dear Joan
What a joy to hear from you - I love our deepening connection and intimacy.
Again, today I had to remind myself not to go into comparison with other students of my age and to allow my beautiful body to surrender and heal after so many lifetimes of disregard.
Today I have slowed down even more and now, having just done some Esoteric Yoga my body is feeling greater settlement – and yet I can feel there are still many layers to go. I have been talking to another student about this propensity to push through and I am now feeling that it is all the most amazing preparation for passing over. As we have heard said, there is ‘Work to be done' and yet without any doing, simply being.
It is lovely to feel the commitment to letting go of all these lifetimes of patterns – and when I do let go my body rejoices in the tenderness that is felt throughout my body.
Enjoy the grace and beauty that you are dear Joan.
With love always,
Susan.
Response From Joan
Your most recent email completed something for me. As I read it, I could feel layers of “trying” peeling away and a sudden settlement in my body. A glorious feeling of letting go of the drive and striving. At last, I feel I know my direction and purpose to let go of trying to do or be anything I am not. This includes wanting to be a volunteer in any way whatever.
It is enough to walk the streets, the woods, the lanes, and meet others and bring the whole of me without any trying to be a something or a somebody, just walk and express whatever comes, no trying to bring light or joy, just being – and so live in Truth. If something then arrives for me to partake in it will be natural and Heaven sent, and then I will be given the energy to do it, but searching for it and having ‘good ideas’ is not the way of Heaven. Live gracefully and tenderly and delicately knowing my connection to all that is Divinely Feminine within me.
Giving myself space to breathe God’s breath is of the utmost importance, it is the beginning of everything. When we pass over then we know its pulse and we continue in the vibrations of Universal Flow.
How delicate and beautiful must be that moment of letting go into God’s Atma, and we can practise that in the outgoing of every breath. Sitting here in the middle of the night, in the stillness and welcome silence, reading again your angel words to me and Esoteric Teachings and Revelations, I find myself so open to this upcoming of my passing whenever it may be.
So, to truly accept how I am and what I am and learning at last to treasure my precious body in this time that is left to me, is the way of living every day, knowing I am loved and held, and every tool is given to me to complete this life in Simplicity and Grace.
Joan C., Susan L., UK
For further reading you may also like:
https://www.joyofageing.com/relationships/emails-between-friends
In those early days of learning about The Way of the Livingness we did a fair amount of checking out not yet knowing what the true purpose of this work held for us, but since then we have been given every opportunity to turn ourselves around, and as we grew older we began to discover a flowering of ourselves as we deepened the connection with our souls and care of our bodies. As our bodies grow older our essences are given space to emerge into full bloom.
The connection was always present between us and yet we seldom met in between the events we attended. We both joined a Seventies Group and realised how the 70’s is a journey of the body and learning to accept its ageing, however at the same time to grow and expand and deepen the way we live our lives in full, not to let ourselves contract and fade away but to be fully present in the richness of all that is offered us to be.
We have struggled with this through the last few years – how to respect and care for our bodies yet engage fully in life. Slowly, in commitment to putting into practice The Way of the Livingness, we have both learned to appreciate ourselves more and to enter our Divine sacred space within and express with grace in our words and movements. Much of this has been a process of letting go of the ideals and beliefs around ageing.
Recently we were both attending a workshop called ‘Leaving Gracefully’ and there was no coincidence when we were put together to be buddies – to support one another as we worked through the different stages of preparing our paperwork (Wills, Lasting Power or Attorney etc.). There was an instant knowing that we were being offered an opportunity to deepen this friendship. We began emailing one another and it was apparent this was a Heaven-sent opportunity to deepen the intimacy with ourselves and each other, and a transparency which would enable us to surrender gently to our passing over when it is our time for us to leave this life. This led to the following email exchange in which we deepened to the next level ……….
From Susan
Dear Joan
What a joy to hear from you - I love our deepening connection and intimacy.
Again, today I had to remind myself not to go into comparison with other students of my age and to allow my beautiful body to surrender and heal after so many lifetimes of disregard.
Today I have slowed down even more and now, having just done some Esoteric Yoga my body is feeling greater settlement – and yet I can feel there are still many layers to go. I have been talking to another student about this propensity to push through and I am now feeling that it is all the most amazing preparation for passing over. As we have heard said, there is ‘Work to be done' and yet without any doing, simply being.
It is lovely to feel the commitment to letting go of all these lifetimes of patterns – and when I do let go my body rejoices in the tenderness that is felt throughout my body.
Enjoy the grace and beauty that you are dear Joan.
With love always,
Susan.
Response From Joan
Your most recent email completed something for me. As I read it, I could feel layers of “trying” peeling away and a sudden settlement in my body. A glorious feeling of letting go of the drive and striving. At last, I feel I know my direction and purpose to let go of trying to do or be anything I am not. This includes wanting to be a volunteer in any way whatever.
It is enough to walk the streets, the woods, the lanes, and meet others and bring the whole of me without any trying to be a something or a somebody, just walk and express whatever comes, no trying to bring light or joy, just being – and so live in Truth. If something then arrives for me to partake in it will be natural and Heaven sent, and then I will be given the energy to do it, but searching for it and having ‘good ideas’ is not the way of Heaven. Live gracefully and tenderly and delicately knowing my connection to all that is Divinely Feminine within me.
Giving myself space to breathe God’s breath is of the utmost importance, it is the beginning of everything. When we pass over then we know its pulse and we continue in the vibrations of Universal Flow.
How delicate and beautiful must be that moment of letting go into God’s Atma, and we can practise that in the outgoing of every breath. Sitting here in the middle of the night, in the stillness and welcome silence, reading again your angel words to me and Esoteric Teachings and Revelations, I find myself so open to this upcoming of my passing whenever it may be.
So, to truly accept how I am and what I am and learning at last to treasure my precious body in this time that is left to me, is the way of living every day, knowing I am loved and held, and every tool is given to me to complete this life in Simplicity and Grace.
Joan C., Susan L., UK
For further reading you may also like:
https://www.joyofageing.com/relationships/emails-between-friends