Dying as Light as a Feather

In Tom Robbins book, Jitterbug Perfume, (one of Ilene’s favorites) a character is advised to die with a heart lighter than a feather in order to assure entrance into heaven.

In the last year of Ilene’s life, she did her best to accomplish that impossible feat. How did she do that?

First, Ilene sought to be fully present in each moment. The moment might be filled with joy, grief, anger or any other feeling. It made no difference what the emotion was. Her intention was to allow the experience of the moment to fill the cup to the brim—and overflow if necessary.

If the instant was one of joy over something, she celebrated it fully, and invited the child inside herself and others to come out and play with full-out innocence.

If the situation aroused anger, she would express that fully, then let it go. She strove to release the anger and move on to more important issues in relation to people and/or her soul journey.

The moments most challenging for her were the continual and ever greater loss of functions in her body; a body she cherished and in which she took enormous pride for its litheness and athleticism. It was amazing to watch how she faced a loss, such as the ability to hold a fork between her fingers, let it go, and move on. Occasionally she would share her mantra aloud: Grieve the loss; let it go; move on; closer to “home”.

Second, was her absolute belief that our souls come to earth from another realm. That realm is one of pure energy, of which our individual spirits are tiny fragments of a vast whole that is beyond our comprehension.

Third, she believed we are all here to learn lessons we have chosen in between lives to advance our soul growth.

Lastly, the key for Ilene was to let go of all attachments to the physical and emotional realms we think we know as reality and ego.

Did she succeed? No, and yes, to the best of her self-acknowledged limited ability. But if her heart was not lighter than a feather when she transitioned, it wasn’t from lack of will. Certainly it was not any heavier than a feather. She did everything she knew how to do to be free to float through the portal for her final journey; a journey she relished with curiosity and anticipation.

NK