I woke up to the news that another grandmother figure and master teacher of mine, Fran Bennett had left her physical form... And before the bubbling up of a deep sadness I found myself become very still and intensely aware of my body and the vitality of it. I swear for a moment I could literally feel every cell in my body and I experienced a deep silence... As well as her incredible scope of work as an artist, this woman literally taught me how to breathe. She taught me how to use my voice. And the question arose: Fran how can I honor you? And this is what came... The root of a human being’s very essence lies in their breath. If Fran offered her very essence into her work, and a part of her work was offering me the gift of how to breathe which I gratefully accepted, then her essence lives on in every conscious breath I take. In the moment of this realization, I became so aware of my breath and I felt her presence so deeply. It was as if every breath was a hug from her. It then occurred to me that every choice I make in life either brings me closer to or farther away from my true Self. Once again, if the essence of myself is in my breath, then whenever I move away from that, I also move away from her and from every great being who has invested in my development and entrusted me with their very own precious life force. I express this not to create guilt but only to move deeper into a greater understanding. So, Fran I thank you for all that you have given me and my classmates. I thank you for your hard work, your resilience, your focus, your self sovereignty, your love. And I honor you. With every supported breath I take, I will honor you. ❤️🌊❤️