Birth Date December 19, 1934 URS January 17, 2013
Salima with her husband
Sufi Remembrance
Remembering those in the Sufi lineage of Hazrat Inayat Khan who have transitioned to the Unseen Realms.
Birth Date December 19, 1934 URS January 17, 2013
Salima with her husband
Salima was a dear friend to many people in different circles…with a magnanimous heart, a wonderful laugh, she was a person who tried to make the best of any situation. She was also the one who would be there for you when you were in need, whether it was regularly visiting a friend in a nursing home, taking a friend to chemotherapy treatments, placing someone’s name on a healing list, or freely sharing Reiki energy healing.
Besides helping her friends, after retirement she also did some volunteer hospice work, visiting people in their homes, which she found a very fulfilling thing to do. She loved to talk, and also had great sensitivity and empathy, so this kind of activity was second nature to her.
She also loved to sing, especially uplifting songs from a variety of spiritual traditions–it was one of the reasons she so enjoyed the Universal Worship Service. For awhile she also sang in a choir that gave performances in the Portland, Oregon area, where she lived. Her outlook was very universal, embracing, welcoming. It was amazing how positive she usually was, even though she had faced great adversity in her life. There is a saying of Hazrat Inayat Khan that “The bringers of joy have always been the children of sorrow”. Salima was just such a person.
I feel honored to have known her—she was someone who has touched my life deeply, someone who will always hold a special place in my heart.
This woman that I know as Salima (her spiritual name that means Peace, Purity, Blessings) truly lived those words through her kindness, generosity and service to others less fortunate. I will miss her very much. She will live at my home and in my heart through memories of what she has contributed… It would take some time to list all of her talents. She was a wonderful cook, seamstress, artist, always cheerful, supportive and positive, even though her life was full of sadness. She made so many stuffed bears that she gave to friends and others, one of them lives here and was known to my granddaughter who hugged it often and named it “Cabin Bear” because it came to me when I lived alone in a small cabin with no plumbing. She loved animals and there were ceremonies on my land by the river for several of her beloved cats and friends. She always brought comfort foods and happiness when she visited me. She loved her Cherokee heritage and never forgot to honor the Native American ways. We sang in a chorus together. We read Rumi together. She was not afraid to be different in a time when it was not OK and when it required courage to do the morally appropriate things. She has left her gift of service and heartfelt love on this planet and will join those unknown millions who, while never famous or placed on pedestals, will forever be remembered, leaving those who were touched, better human beings. Rest in peace, dear Salima, knowing that you have left happiness on your trail.
~
Eleanor Gill Milner,
Sandy, Oregon
Salima was an embodiment of beauty and grace. She sincerely cared for the planet and all its inhabitants, giving her time to send healing energy to those in need. She was brave and fun and welcoming; a truly unforgettable woman and I am so blessed to have been able to call her my friend.