A Mystic's Conscious Passing

The Passing of a Great Mystic, and the Challenge of California's new "Right To Die" Law

My dear friend, Judith Larkin Reno, transitioned from her body last night. Judith was an amazing woman. A big, open heart, a renowned mystic. She created a mystery school long ago, Gateway University, and was the vessel for the deep teachings offered.

Like Simone, Judith was a living miracle. 18 years ago, she was given 6 months to live due to bone cancer ravaging her body. Apparently The Divine had other plans. But it was a relentlessly painful stretch of time.

Judith touched so many lives. She was instrumental in Simone finding her way to peace and release from this life. And that is when Judith and I came into each others' circles.

We were drawn together by our love for Simone. Our mutual irreverence allowed us to laugh and cry about life and death, to be sages and goofballs, deep friends. She declared me her Godson, then corrected herself, "No, you're my son from God!" Very touching.

Over these last months, Judith knew it was her time. She was having to get blood transfusions weekly and the pain and toll of this was too much.

She wanted to choose her time to gracefully and lovingly say goodbye, to leave the body, and asked me to help her navigate through California's new "Right To Die" law.

What we found was that fear and inner conflict prevailed. Doctors and pharmacies were afraid and uncomfortable, the law was new and they didn't know if they would be endangering their practices, reputations, lives.

Understandably, they were internally conflicted about helping someone die. This is no small decision, and to their credit, the doctors gave the situation careful consideration. They had to address the internal fear and religious beliefs. For all of the flak that gets thrown at the medical industry (some of which is well-deserved), the vast, vast majority of doctors go into the profession because of a beautiful, pure desire to help people. And helping someone to die can be very confusing and disconcerting to one who dedicated themselves to preserve life.

Ultimately, to help the doctors feel safe, Judith offered to submit herself for a psychiatric evaluation. Her doctors agreed. That would take some of the heat off. But it was near impossible to find a psychiatrist willing to do such an evaluation.

We worked our networks and found a courageous soul to do the psych eval and upon passing, her doctors (with some clear, assertive communication from one of Judith's daughters), signed off and prescribed the medication. Ultimately, we found the one pharmacy in California willing to dispense the medication.

I hope this process will become easier for people over time. Those who are near the end need to be treated with love, care, and should they choose to exit in their own way and time, it would be most compassionate if that would flow easily as well.

Simone did not have this opportunity. Her last month was one of unnecessary horrible pain, and so painful to witness. I'm so glad that Judith could say goodbye in her own time and way, consciously, blessing her family and the world as she waved goodbye in the arms of her loving husband, Bruce.

I love you Judith. And yes, my friend, I will live fully.