Margot Henderson 21st April 2014

You were loyal to the last, you chose your day
in Perfect Timing as we say, the AGM of the NFA!
The new councillors were voted in just as you passed.
Bless you, Dear Dürten, now you can relax.
I am so glad that we were gathered
in that moment when we heard the news
so that we could sit together to bless and honour you.

Bless you Dürten for all you were and gave.
Your heart was always open to everyone who came.
You were always there to do what needed to be done.
You did so willingly and lovingly through every changing form,
Co-worker, Listener Convener or Focaliser for Cullerne.

In life you were a grandmother in the deepest sense
always offering support and encouragement
In so many ways you showed us
what Love in Action meant

You stayed faithful through the loss and grief of the redundancies
and somehow through the tears, you had the strength to stand
resolutely in the legacy of Eileen, Peter and Dorothy
You had the vision to see what we might yet become
and the willingness to do what must be done.

I once said to you, “Sometimes I think
there are 4 pillars at the core of Findhorn
Eileen, Peter, Dorothy and you.”

You were such a teacher
in the way that you embraced
your diagnosis as your healing journey,
with courage, tenderness and grace.
When I read your words in the Rainbow Bridge
I was so touched I felt I was receiving satsang.

You were so often the one who held the meditations
for those who were leaving or those who had passed on.
It is hard to believe you are the one who has now gone.

You were always so generous in your praise
You wanted to gather the memorial poems I wrote
to be part of a community archive.

Not for a moment did I imagine
that I would be writing one for you…
and all too soon.

The last time we sat together we shared stories
of our brothers who had died around the same time.
We remembered them as we held hands
and of course we laughed and cried.

The last time I saw you was on screen in Firebird
What struck me then was your vast and tender heart
weeping as you watched the fire burn
and your wisdom afterwards
as you sat calmly whittling
and spoke so eloquently of the power of art
and of what we might become.

Some say that Elders are ‘the hollow bones’
the ones who have been honed by their experience,
emptied of all ego, becoming the essence of themselves.

I saw how this was true of you, as you went through
your illness with such consciousness
rising and surrendering to the waves
till you were hollowed out,
bone bright, stripped to the marrow,
filled with light.

As I write these words, a woman laughs outside
speaking with your voice, she says,
“You’re Welcome” So are you my dear, Dürten

Well Come into this life
Well Come into this community
this One Incredible Family.
Well Come as you return to Light

We send you love along your way
Now you are our ancestor, a guiding star
In all our hearts, never far away.