URS date May 7, 2021
I had the privilege of serving as Stephani Nur’s spiritual guide. We met in person when she attended our annual Emerald Earth Ziraat retreats at the Abode of the Message in upstate NY. She was a psaltria and deep devotee in the Orthodox tradition. She came yearly to our retreats and invited some of her friends who blessed us with deep and beautiful chants from the Orthodox tradition for certain stages of our retreat. After some years she received initiation as a Ziraat farmer. She had a deep attunement with the natural world, with birds and was skilled at prescribing herbal remedies and flower essences. Stephani Nur and I also co-facilitated a ‘Walking with Mary ‘ retreat at the Abode in May 2015 as well. She loved both the Sufi and Christian attunement.
Stephani Nur was an excellent editor, and a very fluent, skillful and imaginative writer. She completed writing ‘Walking with the Ineffable; A Spiritual Memoir (with Cats)’, in 2020; a close to 500 page humorous and deep memoir of her life. A real treasure.
Prior to learning of her unexpected passing on May 7th, 2022, I encountered various birds who seemed to convey premonitory oracular messages. The last encounter I had with Stephani Nur was on a zoom healing class on Thursday May 6th. I wished her a good Easter as we were in Orthodox Pascha week. She smiled at me and said ‘Christos Anesti’ ; Christ has Risen’. Little did I know these words would be her last words to me. Later that afternoon while in the park, a little black sparrow landed on my thigh and stayed for an unexpectedly long time without moving at all. A few days later on Sunday morning a turtle dove appeared on my windowsill as if announcing something to me. Later that day I learned the news of her passing. A few days later a beautiful multicolored butterfly flew into my window and landed on an icon image of the Theotokos, the Virgin Mary in my room, and stayed for quite some time. This appearance felt like a sign of her soul flying with the Beloved.
Blessings on her soul’s journey in light and love.
Kainat Felicia Norton