Amira

Our wonderful Amira (Sue-Lin) Simons passed away on October 12th at 11am from breast cancer. Amira was an amazing leader, mother, counselor, singer, artist, creator, mystic, poet and support for me and many in my community.  Her reach into the world was huge – she walked in many worlds – NW Festival culture (Beloved, SSHR at Breitenbush, Oregon Country Faire (Spirit Booth in Community Village), Sacred Circle Dance, the WOW Hall in Eugene and her extensive connections in her work and family life.

Amira was other-worldly.  She had/has information about light bridges to other worlds and other beings that she would talk about often. She also spent time with everyone she met and often impacted peoples’ lives with one meeting.  She was amazing at seeing the good in someone and encouraging them to come out more and show themselves – whether through art, music, or in relationship.  Amira was real with all of us and I personally got to be real with her – sharing personal challenges back and forth, and trying to figure out how to help members of the community that needed our love and support.

I love Amira as do so many and it’s very hard to see her go.  And, most of us agree that she is out there, up there, smiling and having some laughs and making new friends and dancing and singing and soaking in the warm waters of her journey.

Amira’s daughters are planning a celebration for Amira in Eugene during the week of October 24-29 and I’ll update this page when I know the exact details.

In addition, a group of us are putting on an art exhibit to show off and give away Amira’s art creations called: In Celebration of Amira’s Creative Spirit on Saturday November 12th, 2011 from 4-7 at the Englewood Christian Church : 3515 NE Killingsworth Ave., Portland, Oregon.  The event will feature live music from some of Amira’s favorite musicians, an art exhibit and giveaway of Amira’s art work (see slideshow above), finger food, and a chance to join together as Amira’s friends and share our love for her.

If you’d like to be a part of the celebration, please contact Albert @ albertkaufman@gmail.com – we are also looking for volunteers who might be available for a trip to Brownsville to clean and pack up Amira’s art work to bring it to Portland on November 5th or, possibly, November 11th.

If you knew/know Amira, I hope you’ll come and join us on 11.12.11!  I’ll update this page as more information about the event is clarified.  On 11.12.11 there will also be an after party at the CedarSanctum, right down the street on the corner of 35th and Simpson NE once we’re done cleaning up at the church.

For more information about Amira, please visit her Facebook page, or come to one of the upcoming events.  Thanks, Albert

Music: Gate, Gate by Deva Premal

Gate, gate means gone, gone; paragate means gone over; parasamgate means gone beyond (the other shore of suffering or the bondage of samsara); bodhi
means the Awakened Mind; svaha is the Sanskrit word for homage or proclamation. So, the mantra means “Homage to the Awakened Mind which has crossed over to the other shore, freed from suffering.”

2.17.12 Update: Hi Amira Sue Simons fans. Maren Souders** made a video on happiness recently which featured Amira. Here’s the uncut interview of Amira. It’s 50 minutes long. It is unedited. But it is a wonderful view of our sister, mother and friend. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeO4hTPAq78

**Filmed by Maren Souder as part of her project: How We Found Our Happiness: Four Journeys from Darkness to Light

Film located at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMzeU4OoDfI