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SOUL RESCUERS
A 21st Century Guide to the Spirit World
TERRY & NATALIA O’SULLIVAN
To Kadamba Simmons
for her love, beauty, sense of adventure and freedom
CONTENTS
Chapter 3: Ancestral Connection
Chapter 4: Ghosts and Hauntings
A special thanks to Nicola Graydon, our co-author, for her tireless and industrious contribution; the interviews, stories, research and editorial inspiration. Without her determined efforts this book would not be such a powerful read.
Thanks to our ancestors and spirit helpers who have guided us for keeping the heart of the soul rescuers intact. A big ‘thank you’ to all our family and friends who have already moved into the spirit world for their encouragement and visions of the afterlife; and to our children, Sequoia, Ossian and Bede, for their patience and love as we spent so much time completing the manuscript.
Thank you to our publishers and editorial staff including Michelle Pilley for commissioning us and Lizzie Hutchins for her precise attention to minute detail, patience and tolerance. Without their help this book would not have been born. Thanks also to Dave O’Sullivan from Spirit magazine for his unconditional generosity in encouraging our writing talents in his magazine.
We were gifted with the experience and vision from practitioners, shamans, healers and spiritual leaders from many world traditions. Denise Linn, Malidoma Patrice Somé, Credo Mutwa, Emma Restall Orr, Bishop Simon Barrington Ward, Father Edward, Canon Andrew Harvey, Lillian Too, Lama Khemsar Rinpoche and Sister Jemini of Brahma Kumari all spoke to us about the journey of the soul and the craft of soul rescue. Words of wisdom came too from those who help the dying to move through the gateway of death, including hospice workers, nurses, midwives, bereavement and palliative care experts and undertakers. Special thanks to Clare Proust, formerly of The Voyager Trust, Dame Cicely Saunders, Julia Riley, Soizic Aureli, Margaret McGovern, Gillian Lewis, Ali Woozley, Susan Bowes, the paediatricians of Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Roger Gillman Funeral Services, Aggie Richards, Janet Cox, Yvette Tamara, Steven Upton.
And thank you to all our family, friends and clients who sent in stories, experiences and anecdotes to add to the heart of the book: my mother Purita Kovacs, Genie Leiras, Christina Afentakis, Janine Clements, Liz Whiston, Victoria Harvey, Sue Thoday, Diana Scrimgeour, Frank Ozak, Jessie Gabriel, Jack Pleasant, Eileen Quirke, Taryn Hill, Anna Castana, Michelle Bayliss, Nikkita and Joey Rae, Sheila Simpson, Colin Fry, Jenny Waite, Tina Laurent, Connie Beigler, Caro Ness, Bobbie Spargo, Tai and Viv Long.
Generosity of spirit to: Kadamba Simmons’ family, John, Kumari and Linda, to Robin Bailie, Patrick Riley, Kathy and Amy Eldon, George Barker of Flying Rhino, Anita Overland, Emma Westcott, Amina Ricciardi, Mary Summers, Ken and Zina Wiwa, Colleen and Philippa Johnson, Jo Lal, Lara Burgess and Isobel for sharing their moving, powerful stories about their loved ones who have died. Although many stories could not be included, the final text is enriched by their love, compassion and courage.
Extra thanks to Marco Wilson for his inspirational contribution and to Mick Brown and Barbara Erskine.
The following extracts are reprinted with grateful acknowledgement:
Rudyard Kipling, Wee Willie Winkie and Other Stories, published by permission of A.P. Watt Ltd on behalf of The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty.
Timothy Leary, Design for Dying, published by permission of Thorsons.
C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle, published by permission of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
Caitlín Matthews, Singing the Soul Back Home, published by permission of Element Books Limited, Shaftesbury.
All efforts have been made to trace the copyright holders of extracts quoted in this book, but this has not proved to be possible in every case. If those holders of copyright who have not been credited contact the publishers, Thorsons will be happy to give due acknowledgement in any future editions of this book.
Not long after beginning to write this book a great friend and our children’s favourite babysitter was murdered by her boyfriend. She had been preparing to come and stay with us for a retreat which we hold during the summer solstice, but instead we got a call telling us that she was dead. The great shock was followed by deep sadness that this young woman who had so much to live for and who gave so much to life could be killed in this senseless way.
Kadamba, whose name means ‘The Flower of Enlightenment’, had a beauty and wild charisma which meant that she was seen at all the right parties. She dated Prince Naseem Hamed and Liam Gallagher among other high profile boyfriends while modelling and waiting for her big break into the movies. Called the ‘star’s star’ by the Icelandic pop star Björk, Kadamba had an indefinable quality which the rich and famous hungered for.