When I first heard the news about the passing of Dakini Dancer last night on Hyblaean Julie’s Blog ,I was as shocked as everyone else. What struck me immediately is that Josie’s niece Judy had the presence of mind to start an account on OS so that she could inform our community that we had lost an important and valued member. She put other people who she had probably heard of but never met, ahead of her own grief. I private messaged Judy (the niece) to thank her for thinking of the virtual world she left behind and for sharing this news at such a tragic time. Here is the exchange we shared:
To: Niece of Dakini
From: Cartouche
Subject: Please let me know…….
if there is ANYTHING I can do to help. I have sent out text and email messages to those who might have met her in San Francisco.
The people of OS are a wonderfully supportive and loving group and I would be more than willing to spearhead an effort for all those whose lives she touched to contribute to a memorial in a single post that could be read when family and friends gather to celebrate her.
Please let me know and I will get started on it immediately. Do you know or mind sharing the cause of death and can you give us more details about the pets in need? I will do everything possible to help.
My love to those she left behind. Thank you for being so generous in this time of sadness to let us know. You are truly a wonderful niece and the love that she shared is reflected in you.
Patricia (cartouche)
Within a few minutes I received the following reply:
Hi Patricia,
Sefa (our family nickname) was at the gym yesterday afternoon swimming. For some reason she floundered and sank. They were not able to revive her. An autopsy will be done tomorrow. That may give us some answers.
The timing was uncanny, as my Mom, her older sister, passed away last week. Sefa was planning to attend the memorial in Oregon May 30.
Right now I feel that the best thing I can do for her is to take care of her pets. My niece, in Portland, has volunteered to take her Dalmatian dog, Blue. That is, unless we learn that she had made pre-arrangements for a friend to adopt him. My sister in Portland will take a female cat. I've just got to get them there.
That leaves two more cats to find homes for.
A memorial post would be appreciated. Sefa was my dear friend, as well as my aunt. We are stunned and haven't begun to make plans for a memorial yet.
Thank you for your kind words and help.
Judy
There have been a number of beautiful posts and testimonials in comments about the loving, kind, playful, soulful spirit that was “Sefa” to her family, “Josie” to the world at large and “Dakini Dancer” here on OS. Some of you were fortunate enough to meet her in person and spin in her light as recently as a couple of weeks ago to celebrate her birthday or last month at the Open Salon Anniversary meet up in San Francisco.
Many of us were touched in one way or another by her gentle, thoughtful, often funny and generous contributions through her writing, the comments she made and in private exchanges. She remains a force and spirit that watches over us whether she is pole dancing or chanting her way through the galaxy. I think it is fair to say that Dakini had a positive, loving presence that can’t be duplicated and will be sorely missed. She embodied the meaning of and more importantly, shared a rare kind of love that was too large to fit into her dancer’s body. She dances in our hearta and across the universe. One can’t ask for a better entrance or exit than that.
As I post this, I have compiled the other posts and tributes to this amazing force of nature that have been written overnight and this morning. I'm sure the list will grow and I will continue to add them as they publish. Please make sure to visit the following:
Gary Justis
Last but not least, Josie had a wonderful sense of humor and it should not be lost that her final post on OS was titled “Nekkid Glory”. I think you’ll agree, she lived and died that way. You can’t hope for better than that.
If you can help, remember she has pets that need loving homes. They loved her too.
Wherever you are Dakini Dancer, OS was your partner in words and love. We will miss you. With deepest condolences to her family and friends.
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