Learning about and bearing witness

       Today I did what I am best at and that is sitting silently waiting. I am again doing hospice volunteering in the Eleventh Hour program. I was called yesterday to attend to a seventy year old gentleman with Alzheimer's who was breathing his last. I arrived at noon and took my place in his room. His roommate was a very frightened man who left when I sat down and I did a prayer and the ran my hand over his aura. I have very sensitive hands and generally when I run them over an aura, (Therapeutic Touch), I can feel a general warmth of the body but B's body  was less than an hour from death and the sensation was similar to running the hands near ice. I felt warmth but it was my own and the aura was exceptionally difficult to feel.
        His wife came in and I asked if she wished to be alone and she did so I sat out in the garden waiting and reading Bernie Glassman's book Bearing Witness. Just as I finished that work, which is of the reflections from meditation retreats in Aushwitz and on the streets of New York, C walked outside and had tears in her eyes. She said he was dead. We sat together for awhile and we hugged. We talked a little, she composed herself, started notifying the relatives, and then I alerted hospice of the situation.
       There is an awkwardness that happens in those moments that my guru speaks to me very clearly and commands me to do things that are not natural for me, perhaps for others but I have to push myself to go towards people in grief especially if I do not know them. I do it and watch the awkwardness as part of staying aware. It is always an honor to be in the situation and I treat it with the deepest respect.
       Given the state of this body and its diagnosis it is surprising how much I want to do this or perhaps not.
        I spent the weekend talking to several fascinating individuals. My ex-wife's ex-best friend was my Saturday experience. S had the same type of experience in departing from L. I shared my hard won insight with S and she grokked it immediately. That is how the ex is and accepting that makes life more fulfilling. Forgive and accept is the only successful way to deal with her, it makes you feel better which is the best outcome one can hope for in the circumstances.
      After we left that topic we talked about sensitivity and healing for an extended period of time sharing different  stories and insights about how to experiment with consciousness. There is much more there to share and we will.
      I particularly like how she climbs into one of the trees in her yard and becomes wrapped in its energy, she describes it beautifully.
      Sunday was with W and her son D. He is one of the most emotionally available and sensitive men that I have met. He is also a gifted psychic who described to me at length some of the history of his experiences. Making the weather accommodate was amazing, he carved out a spot between rain clouds that  allowed him to make an outdoor meal for friends that had been waiting anxiously for the meal for days and then when he had completed his task  the heavens let go.
     More will be heard of him in the future I have know doubt.