I began volunteering for hospice wanting to be exposed to the death and dying process more. My attempts at understanding and integrating dying with living brought me to an even greater mystery. Meeting my spiritual teacher was my blessed introduction this lifetime to Bhakti, the greatest life elixir known to all true saints. At age 20, I began my spiritual path, the Divine Teachings of Light and Sound. Pictured here is my teacher Sri Gary Olsen.
In 2001, I settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico after finishing my studies in Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology and Nutrition, and began as a massage therapist at Ten Thousand Waves Japanese Health Spa, set in the foothills of the Sangre De Cristo mountains. I remember wondering how it would work out to try to make a living in a place with so many massage therapists. It turned out there was room for me. I found people are starving for human connection, touch, and a loving presence.
My time in Santa Fe wove me in and out of caring for and helping maintain healthy bodies as a massage therapist to caring for and serving those whose bodies were failing, as an in-home caregiver for the dying. And somehow by saying yes to being with death, I became a magnet for it. Beginning with my 88 year old neighbor who became a dear friend and my first paid position as an in-home end-of-life caregiver and next a friend’s grandmother, clients came word of mouth all in divine timing.
It became clear that people need help in our culture when it comes to the completion of a life and I was on a trek, to learn and develop ways to deal better with it. I served friends with dogs who were dying, helped plan and lead memorials, and companioned some incredibly brave departures.