I am a primary caregiver for my 93 year old mother in law.  She has advanced Alzheimer's. I recently came across the "6 words of advice" from Vajradhara to Naropa in my Dharma studies. They are basically: Let go of the past; let go of the present; let go of the future; don't analyze; don't try to make things happen; relax.  This is my mother in law's state of mind.  Realizing that she is living in an enlightened space really helped me to come to terms with her condition and helped me to come to terms with my condition. 

I was born a Water Dragon and a Taurus with Aquairus rising (I have an astrologer friend). My parents were devoted Catholics, as were my ancestors back to the days of the Acadian expulsion when they refused to join the Church of England and were forcefully invited to leave what is now known as Nova Scotia. I am the youngest of five and my first word was Jesus. My how the Dominican nuns were impressed. I spent my academic life in parochial schools through college (Jesuit training). Finally broke free for graduate school.

At age 13 I heard an amazing song by George Harrison called "Within you and Without you". I was inspired. I read the Bhagavad Gita and began sitting in what I came to learn was a "double lotus". My parents were horrified! I eventually moved on to existentialism (with Jesuit training).

I spent most of the 70’s and 80’s studying religions after getting married. I was a member of the SRF. Blessings to Paramahansa Yogananda. Found the Theosophical Society (or they found me). Spent much time studying the Yogasutras of Patangalie, and the writings of H.P. Blavatsky. Spent many years as a vegan (before it became fashionable). I remember when being vegan was like having a social disease.

My beloved bride and wife of 32 years is a druid/wiccan/nativeamerican priestess. But she can tell her own story and she does. She is a writer. She just joined Bnet, and her handle is "Mystic Maiden". Please welcome her.

During the 60’s, one who was to become an important teacher in my life, was in Dharmsala teaching children to speak English. There she became acquainted with the Dalai Lama, and her teacher, Tarthang Tulku. Ruth-La passed this life at age 90 about 10 years ago. With fondest memories.

Attached are some photos of her bequests to my wife and I.

I lived for a year on our 12 meter sail boat when I was 42. Learned celestial navigation. A must for the pre GPS days, and sounds cooler than snuff to other sailors.

My son is one of those angry Y2K kids. He is a determined Rasafarian, and has moved as far across the continent as he can get from us. I wish him all the best.

We live in the path of powerful hurricanes on the Gulf Coast. Katrina really made a mess here, and there are a lot of newly poor as a result. See photo.

These days I am blessed to take care of my mother in law (see paragraph one). After she fell in the bathroom and broke her arm I fell into a depressed state. I have come to learn that caregivers have the highest rates of depression of any demographic group. I know why.

In order to heal myself I decided to take advantage of all those years of Dharma study and meditation and quit spending so much of my time making money (which is increasingly worthless anyway). The plan is working quite well BTW!

So here I am. What you see is what you get. I don’t really care too much for belief. I think it is kind of like having an opinion. Having been judged a Gnostic heretic in a past life, I am interested in direct knowledge.

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