<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?><?xml-stylesheet href="/xml/rss.xsl" type="text/xsl" ?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:g="http://base.google.com/ns/1.0"><channel><title>BSEOL Obituaries</title><link>http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/</link><description>Remembering and Lending Assistance to Those Who Have Passed Away.</description><category>Obituaries</category><pubDate>Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:09:16 -0400</pubDate><lastBuildDate>Sun, 05 Sep 2010 06:09:16 -0400</lastBuildDate><language>en-us</language><copyright>Copyright 2010, Buddhist Support at the End of Life</copyright><generator>BSEOL RSS script generator</generator><docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs><ttl>86400</ttl><image><url>http://www.bseol.org/images/recline_buddha.jpg</url><title>BSEOL logo</title><link>http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/</link></image><item><title>Jerry George</title><link>http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=485</link><description><![CDATA[Jerry was a deep thinker, an investigator of philosophy and the nature of consciousness. He discovered Buddhism in the mid-1960s, first through his philosophy degree studies at the University of Washington, and later directly through meditation. His early teachers included Master Hua, Edward Conze, Turrell Wylie, and John Reynolds. In more recent years, Buddhism was more of an influence, and philosophical explorations took him into evolutionary psychology and the psychology of morality. 

His companion of 40 years, Barbara Berger, introduced him to Tibetan lamas. He was a good friend of H.E. Kilung Jigme Rinpoche and developed the first website for the Kilung Foundation.

One of Jerry\'s close friends with whom he had years of deep discussions, David Mitchell, said, \"He was a quiet, wild man; this came from the intensity inside him. You had to know him very well to see this. He had an amazing mind, amazing soul in there. I\'ve lost my teacher.\"]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate><g:expiration_date>2010-10-21</g:expiration_date><g:location>Bainbridge Island, Washington</g:location><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=485</guid><category>Amitabha</category><category>Butter lamps</category><category>Chenrezig mantra</category><category>Heart Sutra</category><category>Mani mantras</category><category>Phowa</category><category>Shitro</category><category>Vajrasattva</category><category>White Tara</category><author>Submitted by: Diane Berger</author></item><item><title>William Gex</title><link>http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=484</link><description><![CDATA[William Gex died unexpectedly leaving behind a family with two sons. He was a kind, peaceful person  with an inquisitive mind.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 12 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate><g:expiration_date>2010-09-30</g:expiration_date><g:location>San Diego, CA</g:location><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=484</guid><category>Shitro</category><category>Vajrasattva</category></item><item><title>Harley</title><link>http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=483</link><description><![CDATA[Harley the Chihuahua was the beloved companion and work partner of Theresa Litorneau.  He was well known around the Madrona/Madison Park neighborhoods, at the Marymoor dog park, and in Agility circles, as he accompanied Theresa wherever she went in her daily life and in her dog walking/training business.

Harley was totally and completely devoted to Theresa for 10 years.  As she says, “The happiest place for Harley was near his mummie’s heart . I collapsed a couple years ago onto a lawn and when the EMT’s arrived, Harley was lying on my chest with his face inches from mine....”
Another time, Theresa left Harley at a friend’s house when Theresa had decided she needed to drive herself to the emergency room.  Harley managed to escape from the friend’s yard and was found running down the street in the direction that Theresa’s car had gone.

Theresa sums up her life with Harley:"We fell in love the moment we met.  NEVER a day went by that I was not thankful he was in my life. He saw me through the deaths of almost all my family members and Lily (Theresa’s poodle who died 3 years ago) as well. He brought a smile to my face many times a day and was always on my lap or very near to me for the last 10 years. We were rarely apart as he worked with me also. He may have been little, but his spirit was HUGE. He was a character for sure and the world is a darker place for me without him here."

Harley enjoyed a great life with many happy adventures right up to his sudden unexpected departure from this world. His last day was very difficult, involving emergency surgery for a ruptured spleen, the discovery of massive abdominal cancer, and euthanasia.

Please pray for Harley, Theresa, and Stella, his new poodle sister who has lived with him since she entered Theresa’s life as a puppy 3 years ago.
]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 02 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate><g:expiration_date>2010-09-20</g:expiration_date><g:location>Seattle WA  USA</g:location><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=483</guid><category>Christian prayers</category><category>Shitro</category><category>Vajrasattva</category><author>Submitted by: Ruth Yeomans</author></item><item><title>baby raccoon</title><link>http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=481</link><description><![CDATA[A couple of weeks ago I started feeding some raccoons who were visiting my yard.  Amongst them was a mother and her three kits.  A few nights ago I noticed that one of the kits had a trap on its left front leg.  Other than that it appeared to be doing pretty well.  I knew it could not, in the long run, survive with the trap on its leg, so I decided to catch it in a carrier and take it to a wildlife rehabber nearby.  After a couple of long nights (early into the morning) I finally managed to catch the little one in a dog container.  We spent an interesting night; I slept on the floor next to it to try to calm it when it got upset.  They make very interesting vocalizations.  I felt like a traitor taking it from its Mom, but wanted to help it.

We went to the rehabber early this morning.  Her brave husband pulled the little one out of the container with heavy duty gloves and restrained it while his wife, the rehabber, took the “rat trap” off its leg.  She immediately looked at me and said “It needs to be euthanized.”  I became very upset and the next little while was not pretty.  She ended up sedating it and amputating the leg, agreeing she would have the vet that oversees her license take a look at it later in the day to see if he felt it could be saved.

I learned at 6:18pm that they had euthanized it (that’s not when they did it, and I don’t know the time they did…message came in email), saying the infection was gangrenous, the bones in wrist had been shattered, and that it could not be saved.

I ask predominantly for prayers for the little raccoon, but also for understanding for all of us involved…I feel in great turmoil because of my actions.  I thank you for the prayers.  I also ask for and end to cruelty to animals.
]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate><g:expiration_date>2010-09-12</g:expiration_date><g:location>Vashon, WA</g:location><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=481</guid><category>Prayers for all sentient beings</category><category>Shitro</category><category>Tonglen</category><category>Vajrasattva</category><author>Submitted by: Leona Troese</author></item><item><title>David Petit</title><link>http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=479</link><description><![CDATA[The following was written by Anne Klein & Harvey Aronson:
It is with heavy hearts that we write to share very sad news. David Pettit, Lama Tsultrim's husband and the chief force behind building the wondrous physical expression of blessings at Tara Mandala, 
died last night. 

All of us who have visited Tara Mandala have benefitted from David's enormous energy, skill, and heart-felt love of creating ground for dharma practice. Even those of us who have not been there have benefited from what has emanated from there.
 
... David is a deep dharma brother to all of us, and we pray as well for Lama Tsultrim and her strength, to continue her and their work, for their families, and for all at Tara Mandala. He will be deeply missed. 

Update from Tara Mandala:

Dear Friends,

Lama Tsultrim, her family, and the Tara Mandala community regretfully announce the death of Lama's beloved husband, David Petit, on July 22nd, 2010. The cremation will take place at the stupa at Tara Mandala at dawn (5:50 am) on July 24th, 2010. Everyone is welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers please make offerings to Tara Mandala for which David gave his heart and life force. He died in his sleep of a heart attack. David was a great practitioner so we don't need to worry about him. He spent the last twenty years of his life in the constant accumulation of merit for the Dharma. The night before his death he was joyful and at peace.

David is survived by his wife, Lama Tsultrim Allione, his siblings Lenard Petit, Leo Petit, Jasma Petit, Bobbi Petit, and Chris Petit, his step-chidren, Sherab Kloppenburg, Aloka Sands, and Costanzo Allione, and his father, Robert Petit.

If you would like to offer prayers, blessings, or condolences of words or images, please email Lizzy at info@taramandala.org. These will be placed at the stupa. You can also mail them to Tara Mandala, PO Box 3040, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.

David Petit (1955-2010) would have been fifty-five August 11th. He was born in Salem, Massachusetts, the third of six children of Peg and Robert Petit, and later moved to New Hampshire with his family. At the age of sixteen he went to Europe and began studying in the Anthroposophic communities in England and Germany where he graduated from college, stayed for thirteen years, and became a famous performer and teacher of Eurythmy. He had his own dance company there with his first wife Leslie, and then they returned to the United States and were divorced in 1987.

In 1989, through the Waldorf School in Springs Valley, New York, David met Lama Tsultrim. It was instant recognition when he heard her name mentioned by another teacher in the corridor of the school. Her children attended this school and David taught them theater and Eurythmy. After they met, they fell deeply in love, and this love has gone on for the last 21 years. David took on the responsibilities of co-parenting Lama Tsultrim’s children, being her partner in all ways, and supporting her vision. First, he helped build a stupa dedicated to Tara at their house in Valley Cottage, New York. Then, together they found the land that became Tara Mandala on Sept 18, 1993. At Tara Mandala, the first land project was building another stupa, which David did with his own hands and the assistance of a few people from the native rocks of the land. It is dedicated to Nyala Pema Duddul, was completed in 1999, and consecrated by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. From the first yurt and tepee to the incredible Tara Temple, nothing at Tara Mandala would exist without David. He also kept watch over the finances and worked in his own way with the spirits and animals of the land. To this end, during ten years of outdoor kitchen every summer, there were never any disturbances from bears. David has been a pillar of strength, forbearance and constant support for Lama Tsultrim and her family, who all adored him.

One thing that many people do not know about David is that he was a very great practitioner of Dzog Chen. In conversations with Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche during the past twenty-four hours, Rinpoche told Lama Tsultrim that she should tell people this. He was an advanced practitioner of Tögel, and in the last two years he moved ahead through the four visions rapidly. A few days before he died, he told Lama Tsultrim that he felt his body was disappearing, dissolving. Rinpoche suggests that everyone attempt to mix their minds with his mind, as he was definitely liberated in the Bardo of Dharmata, and he has complete confidence in this. If the Sangha does this it will benefit them greatly. In the last weeks Lama Tsultrim and David had many particularly poignant and deeply felt times, with expression of profound and ever increasing love.

At the same time as his practice was developing extremely rapidly to the point where he was experiencing Tögel visions day and night, David was very burdened by worries about Tara Mandala and surrounding issues, trying to make Tara Mandala grow in a good and stable way, and both he and Lama Tsultrim experienced strong obstacles arising at Tara Mandala this summer. Because of this, Lama Tsultrim called a meeting of some core Tara Mandala people about a week ago, and had asked for certain practices to be started.

Now these practices will continue along with the Zhitro practices for David. If the Sangha could keep a strong protector’s practice and Chöd going with the energy sent to Tara Mandala this would be very helpful. The ultimate practice to do is Prajna Paramita, and in the central nature of mind portion blend your mind with David's in the boundless space of the Dharmata. If you have Dzinpa Rangdröl Dharmapalas, please do that also along with Zhitro every Thursday until Sept 9. If you can do this Lama Tsultrim would be grateful. You can use the attached photo of David for Zhitro and other practices, or use a photo from the online album of David.

It is natural that when something very positive is taking place negativities also arise. However, the suddenness of David’s death and the indications before it show he certainly has been liberated. More difficult is what will be missing at Tara Mandala and for Lama Tsultrim and her family in David’s absence. Please do what you can to help to support the growth and stabilization of Machig Labdrön’s lineage.

Lama Tsultrim will go into retreat shortly after the cremation and will remain in retreat until the Drub Chen. The family retreat will be held by Tara Mandala staff, as well as Charlotte Rotterdam, our beloved former director, who will teach the adult portion of the retreat. Lama Tsultrim has asked Debra Travis, a warm, knowledgeable teacher highly esteemed in the California Sangha who is moving to Tara Mandala in early August, to teach the Sutrayana and Mahayana portions of the Three Yana Retreat. Lama Tsultrim requests as many Sangha as possible attend the Drub Chen where special ceremonies will be done for David.

Blessings from all of us at Tara Mandala.

]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate><g:expiration_date>2010-09-09</g:expiration_date><g:location>Tara Mandala, Pagosa Springs</g:location><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bseol.org/obituaries/names_details.php?id_num=479</guid><category>Green Tara</category><category>Mani mantras</category><category>Phowa</category><category>Shitro</category><category>Tonglen</category><category>Vajrasattva</category></item></channel></rss>	