[Dialogue] Clarence Snelling's memorial service, Friday, May 11, 2018—and a witness to the connection of all beings

Tue May 15 10:07:42 PDT 2018

Thank you for this.

From: David Dunn via Dialogue 
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2018 2:01 PM
To: ICA Dialogue Listserv ; OE Community 
Cc: David Dunn 
Subject: [Dialogue] Clarence Snelling's memorial service, Friday, May 11, 2018—and a witness to the connection of all beings

Hello colleagues. 

We celebrated Clarence’s life last Friday at Park Hill United Methodist Church where he had been a member for many years.

Highlights
  a.. Not too many memorial service bulletin covers feature a great quote from Lao-Tzu (e.g., "…Darkiness within darkness/The gateway to all understanding”) 
  b.. The service began with the Fauré “Requiem" and concluded with “When the Saints Go Marching In” 
  c.. The high point of the service was the story telling by four of Clarence’s closest colleagues 
    a.. Rev. Jim Calhoun, former pastor at Park Hill UMCh 
    b.. Dr. George “Tink" Tinker, Professor of American Indian Cultures and Religious Traditions at Iliff School of Theology 
    c.. Dr. Don Messer, President of the Iliff School of Theology from 1981–2000 
    d.. Dr. Ken Plattner, for a time, an active Mankind Project elder; a psychotherapist, writer, and speaker
Personal Notes about Clarence’s journey since Shirley’s death

Long ago and far away, Charles Lingo said to me, “David, you’ve got to deal with your anger.” It’s taken much of my adult life to figure out what Charles was talking about. During a ManKind Project “New Warriors Training Adventure” last month—the highpoint of my “dealing with anger” to date—two men mentioned Clarence and his death just two weeks earlier. Beginning on that weekend retreat, a series of surprise encounters and new connections have occurred that shed light on Clarence’s remarkable life and his network of friends and colleagues.

Unbeknownst to me, Clarence was initiated in MKP—The ManKind Project—seven or eight years ago, at 83. He became a member of the Colorado MKP elders’ circle and attended gatherings nearly to the end of his life at 91. I’ve met at least half a dozen MKP men who revered him as a colleague and friend, among them Ken Plattner, who spoke at Clarence’s memorial service.

Clarence was Ken Plattner’s mentor and friend for many years; he was instrumental in getting Ken into a doctoral program at Iliff. Four years ago, before Shirley died, Clarence asked Ken to be his therapist. When Clarence said to Ken, “I want to die well,” Ken begain to meet Clarence regularly to help him do shadow work. In time, Clarence made a request concerning whatever remarks Ken might make at a memorial service: “Tell [everyone] the truth about me.” Last Friday, Ken spoke about the vulnerable, insecure man behind the profession, compassion, and energy of Clarence’s public persona as clergyman, professor, and global advocate for education

At one point in Plattner’s work with Clarence, when it had become clear that Clarence was in crisis, Ken asked a friend and Buddhist teacher, Doshin Michael Nelson Roshi, to work with Clarence. Clarence told Doshin Michael, “I want you to help me die gracefully.” Clarence had not yet been able to let go of all of the thoughts and images that were coming up as he (Clarence) was preparing to leave this world and his own ego behind. Doshin’s message was simple: “Stop taking everything that arises do literally. Let it go.”

Clarence embraced Doshin’s Zen Buddhist teaching. Letting go, he found some inner calm during his last years. In spite of a challenge communicating, Clarence and I had lively conversations about the dream world in which he was increasingly living, rich in metaphoric language. He spoke spontaneously and I responded with surmise and intuition. Also, when we read the Richard Rohr daily meditation together, Clarence frequently remarked on a phrase or sentence that resonated in some personal way.

Life is a sweet mystery and Clarence is a sweet memory.

David

—

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mystery, possibility, and the power to choose" 

David Dunn
740 S Alton Way 9B
Denver, CO 80247
720-314-5991
dmdunn1 at gmail.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello colleagues.

We celebrated Clarence’s life last Friday at Park Hill United Methodist Church where he had been a member for many years.

Highlights
Not too many memorial service bulletin covers feature a great quote from Lao-Tzu (e.g., "…Darkiness within darkness/The gateway to all understanding”)
The service began with the Fauré “Requiem" and concluded with “When the Saints Go Marching In”
The high point of the service was the story telling by four of Clarence’s closest colleagues
Rev. Jim Calhoun, former pastor at Park Hill UMCh
Dr. George “Tink" Tinker, Professor of American Indian Cultures and Religious Traditions at Iliff School of Theology
Dr. Don Messer, President of the Iliff School of Theology from 1981–2000
Dr. Ken Plattner, for a time, an active Mankind Project elder; a psychotherapist, writer, and speaker
Personal Notes about Clarence’s journey since Shirley’s death

Long ago and far away, Charles Lingo said to me, “David, you’ve got to deal with your anger.” It’s taken much of my adult life to figure out what Charles was talking about. During a ManKind Project “New Warriors Training Adventure” last month—the highpoint of my “dealing with anger” to date—two men mentioned Clarence and his death just two weeks earlier. Beginning on that weekend retreat, a series of surprise encounters and new connections have occurred that shed light on Clarence’s remarkable life and his network of friends and colleagues.

Unbeknownst to me, Clarence was initiated in MKP—The ManKind Project—seven or eight years ago, at 83. He became a member of the Colorado MKP elders’ circle and attended gatherings nearly to the end of his life at 91. I’ve met at least half a dozen MKP men who revered him as a colleague and friend, among them Ken Plattner, who spoke at Clarence’s memorial service.

Clarence was Ken Plattner’s mentor and friend for many years; he was instrumental in getting Ken into a doctoral program at Iliff. Four years ago, before Shirley died, Clarence asked Ken to be his therapist. When Clarence said to Ken, “I want to die well,” Ken begain to meet Clarence regularly to help him do shadow work. In time, Clarence made a request concerning whatever remarks Ken might make at a memorial service: “Tell [everyone] the truth about me.” Last Friday, Ken spoke about the vulnerable, insecure man behind the profession, compassion, and energy of Clarence’s public persona as clergyman, professor, and global advocate for education

At one point in Plattner’s work with Clarence, when it had become clear that Clarence was in crisis, Ken asked a friend and Buddhist teacher, Doshin Michael Nelson Roshi, to work with Clarence. Clarence told Doshin Michael, “I want you to help me die gracefully.” Clarence had not yet been able to let go of all of the thoughts and images that were coming up as he (Clarence) was preparing to leave this world and his own ego behind. Doshin’s message was simple: “Stop taking everything that arises do literally. Let it go.”

Clarence embraced Doshin’s Zen Buddhist teaching. Letting go, he found some inner calm during his last years. In spite of a challenge communicating, Clarence and I had lively conversations about the dream world in which he was increasingly living, rich in metaphoric language. He spoke spontaneously and I responded with surmise and intuition. Also, when we read the Richard Rohr daily meditation together, Clarence frequently remarked on a phrase or sentence that resonated in some personal way.

Life is a sweet mystery and Clarence is a sweet memory.

David

—

"Mystery, possibility, and the power to choose"

David Dunn
740 S Alton Way 9B
Denver, CO 80247
720-314-5991
dmdunn1 at gmail.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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