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• Visions

• CIA in Spokane!

• From the heart...

• Angel Blessings 

• From the Prez

• Hello Out There!

• Hospice Happenings

• To Myself - Love

Visions

By Will Hiatt

Let’s pretend.  Let’s pretend we live in a new world.  In this new world, we can entertain any notion we want and no one ridicules us, laughs at us, or looks at us as if we belong in an asylum.  Let’s pretend we can take any notion we like and play with it in our mind without being concerned whether its true or not, believable or not, accepted or not.  We can play with it simply because we’re adventurous and curious to see where the pursuit of this thought will lead. 

Let’s pretend some more.  Let’s pretend we live in a world where others support us when we play with an idea like this.  They enjoy hearing about our inner travels.  They have their own inner travels which delight us.  Together we have a community that respects and honors each others adventurous spirit and revels in the vistas we each discover.

What else?  In this new world, if we think a thought that is particularly engaging, and we can get others to enjoy the thought as much as we do, we can give the thought enough energy to become real.  Like artisans, we are on the lookout for particularly beautiful notions into which we all breathe life, so that our world soon reflects the beauty that we each conceive.

So, let’s play with a few thoughts.  Let’s see in our mind a group of people who hear the silent call of those who face death alone.  This group is on fire with the desire to bring a presence to every person preparing to die.  They see the dying person surrounded by love and caring and they deeply feel the goodness of this vision.  Their vision is touching and their community soon comes to value it immensely.  Resources open up.  The number of people involved grows.  There is an office fully staffed during business hours.  There are phone numbers, answering machines, desks and chairs.  People can easily get in tough with the group and they do.  The group gets many calls.  Enough are involved that it’s no problem to set up vigils at bedsides.  Before long there is a growing consciousness among the whole community that watches out for those close to death.  Only those who want to die alone need do so.  Everyone else has all the love and support they desire.  The group thrives and so does the community they serve.  Find the thoughts that bring beauty to your mind.  Breathe life there.

CIA in Spokane!

By Ronnie Mound

A great big howdy from our newly formed chapter of Compassion In Action, Spokane.  We were trained by Mark and Dove back in mid-January and it’s been nonstop ever since.  They did such a fantastic job that a very strong bonding experience was created.  Eleven of us graduated CIA certified!

Let me introduce you to our officers.  Our Secretary is Claudia Drake, Mike Zundel is our Treasurer, Robin Rigoli is our Vice President, our Coordinator is Kate Bacon and then there’s me, Ronnie Mound, Madam President at your service.  Our other graduates are Lavoine and Arnold Schellenberg, Link Fountain, Linda Vetter, Dale Halstead and Rabbi Mikael Kagan.

A few weeks ago we were invited to attend a CIA retreat up north, near Enumclaw.  Our hostess was the lovely Louise Henley, and fine job she did.  Her home is quite beautiful and very comfortable.  We had a pristine chilly lake and a cozy warm hot tub at our disposal.  It was a wonderful chance to join our Spokane group with the Seattle members.  Our next retreat is set for the end of July and I know you will not want to miss it!

We are pleased to announce that we have just finished our first fund-raiser.  That was very exciting.  Bill Elliott was our guest and he did a terrific presentation.  We also had a silent auction that was very successful.  There were lots of contributions from local business and our volunteers make everything run smoothly.  We were very fortunate to have a beautiful hall donated to us by Neila Potesham, owner of the Glover Mansion.  Neila was nominated as hospice worker of the year!  The best part was that CIA Spokane made the nightly news!  They gave us some wonderful publicity, and we received a few phones calls already.

CIA Spokane is now in the process of developing a working relationship with our VA Hospital.  They are truly happy to have us on board.  They like the idea that we will bring spirituality into the dying experience!

This weekend (April 17-19) Dove and Mark are coming back to train a second group of dedicated volunteers.  Our past graduates will join the group for their graduation.  An then it’s party time for all.

Believe it or not, we already have our second fund-raiser set up.  It will be Friday night, June 5th from 7pm - 10pm.  Dr. Scott Mandelker will be our speaker.  He will be discussing topics such as the near death experience, global awakening, and ancient prophecies.  It’s bound to be an enlightening experience.

Compassion In Action Spokane feels very privileged to be serving such a fine and noble organization.  We would like to thank Mark and Dove and Cheryl Birch for all their assistance in helping us get started.  We also extend a special thanks to Dannion for his never ending labor of love.  We look forward to serving our fellow brothers and sisters on this planet and watching our spirits soar. 

In Love and Light,
Ronnie

From the heart...

To all in Compassion in Action

I would like to thank everyone for your loving and caring in the passing away of my dear father on March 5th.  It all happened so very suddenly.  He was getting the house and yard ready for his 65th birthday party, (which was to be held the next day) and was observing the yard he’d just freshly mowed.

As quick as lightning he went down with a sudden heart attack.  The knowledge of living in the moment and for the moment was once again shoved in my face.  We truly never know our last breath on earth.

My father was my best friend.  We always talked at least twice a week long distance.  The phone bill always seemed worth it to me.  Last Christmas I shared with my Dad my near death experience.  He asked many probing questions.  He had read David Kessler’s book.  “The Rights of the Dying” and Kimberly Clark Sharp’s book, “After the Light” and Robert Ghostwolf’s work about “Life after Life” We had many talks - but on Christmas it’s like he was preparing to die.  Without showing it so much on the outside.

I knew it, but didn’t think it would happen so soon.

Dad would have coffee with the guys every week and one topic he enjoyed sharing was Dannion Brinkley.  He read both “At Peace In The Light” and “Saved By The Light” many times over.  He would pass Dannion’s books around.  It was important to Dad to keep up with Dannion.  He was so excited to follow the progress of Seattle CIA.  Dad knew how important hospice work is to me, and what was important to me was important to him.

He gave me the courage to step out and be a trainer.  Now I know Dad and I will continue to be a team teaching, he on one side and me on the other.  My conviction for CIA grows on.

It has helped so much, to be a part of the CIA family.  Everyone has been so supportive and caring.  How will I ever thank you enough?  Through the last weeks it seemed so impossible to go on.  But you all just seem to know when to call or send a card.  Thanks, from my father Leo, and me, Dove.  I love you all. 

In light and love,

Angel Blessings 

A Parting Word

You are lights. 

Wherever you are is lighted. 

You are never in darkness. 

You are only approaching darkness. 

You are never in death. 

You are only approaching death,

for when death is entered

it is life. 

For you are alive. 

(Excerpted from Emmanuel’s Book)

From the Prez

Hello everyone!  Happy Spring!  At this time of new beginnings, I have a favor to ask of each of you.  That request is that each of you look at why you were drawn to Compassion In Action.

The reason I am asking is that Compassion In Action needs more action, that is, action from its volunteer members.  We have a mailing list of around three hundred, mostly Puget Sound, and the rest from all other the U.S.  Out of this we have less than one hundred who have gone through our free training and fewer still who are actively serving under the Compassion In Action banner. 

Mark and Dove have been working hard to open doors so that you, our volunteers have places to work out of.  As some of you know, we have been welcomed at Evergreen Hospice, and Terry Page has been instrumental in helping other hospice organization understand who we are, and that we a valuable asset to their community (A heartfelt thanks Terry!)  We will soon be serving with the Seattle Veteran’s Administration Hospital by providing volunteers and training for them.  We have places that you can serve in now, all we need is you!

Sooo, that is why I ask you to do some soul searching and re-examine why you were drawn to CIA.  I know how hard it is to commit.  I have a full time career (consulting engineer), family (two girls 5 and 8) and a life, a life that is truly enriched by serving the dying.  Please contact me if you are ready to put more action in your compassion. 

Ron Hays

President, Seattle CIA

Hello Out There!

By Mark Harrod

It’s that time again...a call to arms for donations and fund-raising to help us out of the hole for the newsletter costs and for further trainings.  Without that we can’t continue.  Dove’s and my own bank accounts are empty now and we have no more funds to continue.  We have a scheduled training to be done in Spokane during the weekend of the 17th, 18th, and 19th of April.  The following weekend there is one scheduled at Evergreen Auditorium - Thanks to Terry Page - Bless her heart.  We desperately need every one’s help on these matters.  We have to be self-reliant when it comes to our costs.  We could also use some volunteers in helping with setting up the training here in Seattle.  Please contact Ron Hays, our beloved President here in Seattle at 425.688.8671, if you can help in any way.

I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch with so many of you lately, there has been a lot of things going on and it’s been rather hectic.  I’ll try to do better!  I’d like to welcome Spokane CIA to our growing family.  Our dear friend Ronnie Mound is running things at light speed (pun intended) with the help from the group over there.  I’d mention the names but I’ll leave that to her.  Some of you know her already and the rest of you will get the chance soon, I’m sure.

Dannion’s doing fair to middlin’ we hear and can always use your prayers as he’s not out of the woods yet!  He was on Art Bell’s program recently and we tried to let everybody know ahead of time, but if we missed anybody we apologize for that.  He had some interesting times over in Egypt and other places that he talked about.  He holds all of you in CIA close to his heart and said as much.  He is deeply committed to the work at hand and follows it closely, aside from his own efforts.

Well, I have to start preparing for the next training as time is getting short, so I hope to see all of you soon!  Please remember to take good care of yourselves and remember that each and everyone of you are very special to me, and the people we all serve!  If anyone has any issues or questions please contact myself, Dove, Ron or Melody.  Bless you all! 

In Light and Love, 

Mark

Angelic Voice

At one time in my life I was severely depressed.  I was unemployed, broke, and all seemed hopeless.  It was so bad, I was living in a garage attic.  No heat, no electricity, and certainly no water.

Anyway, one day I was particularly depressed and despondent.  I remember lying in the bed when out of the blue I heard my name called.  Just once, but I will never forget it.  The voice was clear, no wind through the tree thing.  Very very clear.  The voice was feminine, loving, and kind, but firm.  The voice snapped me out of my despondency immediately.  I, of course, wanted to talk with this mysterious person, but alas, it never spoke to me again.  I spoke to every corner of the room, every piece of furniture, anything that I thought would house a spirit.  Good thing nobody was there!  They would have sent for the men in the white coats and had me hauled off!

Angelic Hand

During my second near death experience (another story, another column!) I saw what could only be the hand of an angel.

I was in a helicopter that I knew was going to crash.  For a few seconds, I thought of several ways to escape.  One of the things I thought to do was jump (had I done this it would not have been a near death experience!)  So I started for my seat belt.  I reached for the latch, and was about to pop the handle (different than typical auto and airline buckles that are more familiar).  Anyway, I had my hand on it just about to pull, when a hand, with wrist, but not much farther up the arm, rested on my hand.  It looked like a human hand with skin and color...just no arm or body attached.  Needless to say I didn’t open the seat belt.  What is weirder is that I really didn’t think about the hand again.  My mind went on to other things.  It is really funny about the mind, the crazy things that enter it when death is imminent, but that is yet another story and another column.

Seeing Angels

I have recently started seeing angels.  Well sort of seeing them anyway.  It started with my first visit with a hospice patient.  I don’t see them like I would see you if you were standing in front of me.  I see light areas where they are.  Not bright light.  Light that is maybe a shade brighter than the ambient room light.  Then I get a picture in mind of what the angel looks like.  They don’t talk to me.  I have figured out? Been told? They are not my angels, so they aren’t there for me to have a relationship with.

Sometimes they change.  On several occasions, I have seen an angel go from standing straight up, eyes ahead, change to a meditative or praying position (head bowed, hands folded loosely in front).

I do get very simple, one word explanations (impressions?) as to why a particular angel may be there.  I might ask a certain angel, who might not have been there before, “why are you here?” and I might get a one word answer like “message” or “praying”.

As I said earlier, I saw angels at my first hospice patient’s room.  There were two.  One, I have come to understand, was his guardian angel.  Guardian angels are very tall, and stay off to the left of the person, usually standing.  The second was an angel with bowed head and folded hands, in prayer.

At my father-in-law’s bed weeks before the time of his death there were two angels.  One was his guardian, the second was a praying angel, much like I describe above.  As the time came nearer, I started seeing relatives who had passed on before.  One, my wife’s second cousin, a twelve year old boy, “spoke” to me.  He told me to tell his mom he was doing great.  The relatives came and went.  My father-in-law’s mother came, and stayed with him.  He wanted his mother to come for him and be with him when he went.  Closer to the end, two more angels came.  At this time, I had to return to Bellevue, and was not present when he passed.

I do see my guardian angel now.  Mostly, when I get into the car, I see him seated in the front passenger seat.  Don’t know where he goes when people are seated there.  Another mystery to ponder!

And, thank God, I don’t see angels without some effort on my part.  I have to consciously stop and look for them.  They do seem to be everywhere, so it would be very distracting if I saw them without having to make an effort.  

Ron Hays

To Myself - Love -

It is not so much that you work so hard at love.  Love is not something to work at or search for in someone else. 

No person will ever be able to love or give love the way in which you seek. 

Nor can you be expected to love or give love to another person.

Love is something that you ARE - It radiates from your entire beingness. 

The light which shines from and around you-- that’s what love is all about. 

Love of self, because love is the self.  Be that – Love - then you will have discovered the truth of why you are here.  Angel of Light show the way for others to discover they too are love. 

Linda Vetter

CIA Photos

Suggested Reading

Tying Rocks to Clouds
by William Elliott

After Death Communication, Final Farewells
by Louise E. LaGrand, PhD.

The True Work of Dying
by Jan Selliken Bernard, RN,ND and Miriam Schneider RN, CRNH