Our beloved Angeles Arrien passed away unexpectedly last Thursday afternoon April 24, 2014. Many knew her as a cultural anthropologist, educator, mediator, and author. I knew her as a shaman.
I recall a time we had tea together in her Sausalito office. I believe it was in 1992. I had quit my corporate job and was devoting myself to writing and healing. Her cultural work had had an encouraging influence on my life and I wanted to talk to her about serving through writing. But what I really wanted was to rest in her kind, quiet, and wise presence, to know the answers to my questions without words. This quality of being was more accessible in her presence.
She gave me sage advice: (1) Tell the truth in kind ways, and; (2) When you offer yourself up to writing, make sure you maintain a parallel creative process, like dancing, painting, gardening – something like that. Been writing and dancing every sense!
At Angeles' wish there will not be a public memorial. Angie herself requested that for those who wished to honor her over this next year, that once a month on the anniversary of her passing (the 24th of each month), that individuals light a candle and say a prayer to honor her memory.
Angeles Arrien – 1940–2014 – a rare treasure! Rest in peace.
Angeles Arrien had a profound influence on my life after I met her and read her work in the early 1990’s. May she rest in peace.