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My Heart is with Arny and Amy Today

When I heard the news of Arnold Mindell’s transition yesterday (June 10, 2024), I was overwhelmed with tears…as I am now while finally having some clarity to write to you.

I ask myself, where are these tears coming from? I know Arny has been moving in, out, and through this dream realm as consciously as anyone I know…and I celebrate his graduation and return to Source…I should be full of joy, which I am with a light heart, yet I also feel a deep sorrow.

This sorrow is multifaceted, but here are the headlines…

Arny was a positive father-figure in my (and many people’s) lives. He wasn’t just a teacher of Processwork theory (PW), he was a model and mentor for its practice in daily life. My heart grieves for him as if he was my own dad.

Arny was (and perhaps will continue to be from Spirit world) a kind, funny, and supportive husband to my friend and his wife, Amy. I grieve for her loss of his companionship at this time. I also know Amy is in tuned with the dance of dreaming, side by side with Arny, and has many friends and family to love and hug her through this process…but as a widow myself, I also know the feeling of a missing limb…that is now intangible, like a ghost entity, or “Ghost Role” as we say in PW. I feel the ghost of spirits-past in my home, who sometimes bring me little gifts to remind me of their loving presence.

There is a part of my tears that express pride in the work that Arny and Amy have accomplished in the world as they traveled it teaching many about PW theory and skills, yet knowing that chapter has come to its end. I’ve written about my connection with them in past weblog posts, the most recent being a year ago…link here.

I’ve had the wonderful privilege of living in the same community as Arny and Amy, and have fond memories of the many times we celebrated his January 1, 1940 birthday each New Year’s Day, and night. Arny would proudly proclaim how he was the first baby born in NY that year.

And this brings me to the last part of my salty tears and trembling lower lip…the Walking On of a Chariot/Tower brother. In my Pathworking with Tarot Numerology work, I teach students how to identify their life purpose and pathway utilizing their birthdate and numerology, plus adding the wisdom of the Tarot cards that shares their numbers. Arny and I have the exact same cards and mission in this life:

  • VII The Chariot – the “social activist” who bravely goes into new territory as an agent of change, yet equally works on their inner life to be the change they wish to see in the world…in Mahatma Gandi’s words. This is the part of Arny that was inviting the world to wake up to the awareness of moving through the dream as consciously as possible…his true brilliance.
  • XVI The Tower – our “Shadow” card, based on the work of Mary Greer. This is less obvious to us in our younger years, but, hopefully, we grow to embrace this superpower as we mature. From a Jungian POV, the Tower is the one who transforms the world, and oneself, to dissolve the old form, so something more Divine may rise, like the phoenix from the ashes…or the butterfly from the cocoon.

Then I looked at Arny’s “Death Day card”…based on the date of his transition, which is “The Emperor”.

  • IV The Emperor – is the “father” of the Tarot deck, the one who builds an empire.

Arny certainly completed his journey here, starting out as a warrior spirit riding into new territory in his chariot and dissolving the old forms so the natural new energies could emerge. And yes, PW has become a worldwide empire, which includes “Worldwork” and Deep Democracy…a powerful way to hear, honor, have compassion with, and embrace all parts, and the difficulties of our world…knowing, ultimately, it is also a profound relationship and inner condition wanting to be loved and integrated.

Amy has been working on a book which I can’t wait to read that is a beautiful collection of stories from the many lives that Arny and Amy have touched. I’ll post that here as soon as it’s published.

So, my worldwide friends…I would not be who I am today, someone I sincerely love and respect, if not for the profound influence of Arnold Mindell. He’s in my heart and spirit, always…and I hope he touched yours as well.

Last, after having a day to be with my feelings, I have the perspective to realize it was the empath in me that was overwhelmed with tears…mine and many others. This happens to me when big things are going on in the world…and another reason I need to live so remotely. Arny stirred big feelings in us all, and I’m so grateful to be in the alchemical alembic together.

konaway nika tillicum / all my relations / love, Katrina

Photo of Arny by Amy Mindell

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