One Week in Silence: Mission Accomplished!!!

(For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I copy here the post about this topic in my former blog)
"A few weeks ago, I learned that my friend John Birch has become involved in a project to help save the rainforest. And one of the activities he has planned is quite peculiar: he has decided to lock himself in one room of his house for a week, with no food, no entertainment, no electrical lighting and no heating. Only water,a camcorder to film his experience, a notebook and pen and a sleeping bag. He intends this to be both a spiritual journey and a sponsored activity to raise funds for and awareness of the Amazon Rainforest Foundation. You can find the whole story here.I must be honest to you.My first thought when I heard this was "He's crazy!" I was angry with him for personal reasons and that didn't help, I must confess. But after reading about the project he's involved in at the AmazonCry page,and giving it a good deal of thought, I realized that he is making a difference. He's doing something I would never have the guts to do (I can't stand the idea of being locked up for an hour, let alone for a week) and he's trying to raise awareness about the Earth and the environment when most of us choose to look the other way or even turn to denial. When, two days ago, a Spanish politician, leader of the Conservative Party,as good as denied the existence of global warming, I decided that John deserved a post and my support. He may seem mad to you, but believe me, I think the real madmen are in much higher places"

Well, now I'm pleased to announce that John completed his feat, raised some money and is in excellent health. You can read about it here and in his webpage in preparation One Week in Silence.

Island of the West: Death from a Pagan point of view

Dedicated to Bluething. She knows why.

I was happy. Wherever I... was... I was happy. At peace. I knew that everyone I cared about was all right. I knew it. Time... didn't mean anything... nothing had form... but I was still me, you know? And I was warm... and I was loved... and I was finished. Complete. I don't understand about theology or dimensions, or... any of it, really... but I think I was in heaven.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Episode "After Life"

I am often asked about the Pagan views on death. Well, we hold different ones-some of us believe in a sort of heaven named Summerland, others believe in reincarnation...and others, like me, believe that death is an eternal rest from this strife called life. But what we all do share is the idea that death is not a fearful place, but a place where we lay down our head on the breast of the Goddess, no matter what we've done, no matter how good or bad we've been,and rest in perfect peace.
This song by my admired Starhawk and her band Reclaiming sums up perfectly what I feel:

The ship is on the shoreline,
the crossing it is near
The time has come to say goodbye
To all who’ve loved you here
Give back your body to the earth
Like a child to its mother’s breast
And may you then grow young again
on the Island of the West
Lay down, lay down, your burdens
Lay down your treasures too
The love you gave and gathered
is all you take with you
But know to me your memory
will ever more be blessed
And may you then grow young again
On the Island of the West
They say there is an orchard
across the farthest sea
Where fruit and bud and blossom
grow together on the tree
The hurt will there find healing
The weary there find rest
And may you then grow young again on the Island of the West

(Starhawk and Reclaiming, Island of the West)

If you, like me, have seen a loved one struggle through illness and seen the peace in his/her face after death, I need to say no more. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.