Memories of Rick Houck

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/1/01 10:18:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

writes:

 

<< Hello Everyone.

 

Rick Houck died early today.

 

Paula, his wife, sent out a note that just said:

 

"Rick died at home early this morning.

My condolences to all who share his loss with

me............Paula Houck" >>

 

Thank you Das, for letting us know of Rick's passing.

 

I have only once written to an author in response to their writing and that

one time was to Rick ... he responded personally with a letter and copy of

several color photos of himself and his wife, Paula..... I was honored.......

and quite surprised that he would take the time....

 

I was shocked and saddened to learn that he was leaving us so soon....... but

I have learned that the Divine will is greater than I can comprehend and so I

simply bow and accept....

 

Rick will be much missed by this community ... and though I knew him only

slightly I feel his loss personally....

 

My love and tenderness goes to his wife and family...

 

Bonnie Hetherington Robson

[Guest guest]

Hello Everyone.

 

Rick Houck died early today.

 

Paula, his wife, sent out a note that just said:

 

"Rick died at home early this morning.

My condolences to all who share his loss with

me............Paula Houck"

 

Rick and I had many talks about putting techniques into my program his

books espoused, many or most of which I did, or tried to. He pushed me

alot and taught me alot. He was a strong force in the spreading of

Sidereal and Vedic techniques in the West.

 

Another amongst us has now entered the mysterious divide, that phase of

life which is the greatest reason for deep vision, knowledge, awareness,

faith and trust in this life we live, if for no other reason than to

form a foundation on which to live, or to have the mental peace with

which to live, while living.

 

To live in search of meaning in life is the attempt to build faith in

the worthiness of dieing. For dieing isn't easy, and therefore we hope

it has a reason, and that reason must be all the learning that we go

through while living.

 

So to search for reason, to figure life out, to learn the lessons, or to

find the lessons and teach others about them, this is all noble, as it

furthers the cause and reason for living. That is why to spread

scriptural and brahminical knowledge is the work of brahmins, thinkers,

philosophers, priests, holy persons.

 

So Rick did the good work in his life, a brahminical thing...teaching

astrology, and the related material of awareness to the best of his

abilities. He was also quite a witty person, this is noteworthy. He was

very good writer, good at getting and keeping your attention. A real

story teller.

 

We come like leaves on a tree, and we shine for awhile, do our work, and

then fade and go. It's so hard to watch our favorite leaf friends fall

from the tree near us, but they go to the ground, and are later brought

back around us anew.

 

We keep on coming back for more of that Light.

 

Sail on brother. See you soon.

 

das goravani

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Das Goravani wrote:

>

 

>

> To live in search of meaning in life is the attempt to build faith in

> the worthiness of dieing. For dieing isn't easy, and therefore we hope

> it has a reason, and that reason must be all the learning that we go

> through while living.

>

> So to search for reason, to figure life out, to learn the lessons, or to

> find the lessons and teach others about them,------

>

 

My oldest sisrer - in -law, who was very dear to me, passed away yesterday. My

generation is gradually disappearing, one by one the batsmen are leaving the

field. not many wickets are left to go.

 

The purpose of life is to seek the purpose of life! Every now and then we think

we have found the answer, but soon new questions arise and the search starts

starts all over again. It is a never-ending search. The only thing we ever learn

- or can lear - is, as Krishna and Christ said in almost identical words:

 

"I am the resurrection and the life! He that believeth in me shall live forever,

though he be dead on this earth!"

 

May the souls of Rick and my sister-in-law find peace and fulfilment in the

other world!

 

Mani

[Guest guest]

Hello:

 

I wish I could be a bit more philosophical and focus on the eternal and

transcendental element here, but alas I am mired in the mundane world of

grief and loss. Rick Houck was the closest thing I ever had to a "guru".

He was the reason I went over to jyotish from western astrology. I never

met Rick but instead carried on an email correspondence with him for

several years. It was only in these past few months when Rick was holed up

in bed that I actually spoke to him on the phone. Those conversations were

special to me. It turns out that not only was he a brilliant astrologer,

he was also a great guy. Funny, caustic, warm, sympathetic, and totally

unpretentious. In the world of astrology where egos and stuffed shirts

seem to be overrepresented, he was a breath of fresh air. One of a kind.

 

goodbye Rick,

 

Chris

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

 

Thought you might like to hear about something that happened Sunday

night/Monday morning. I was another of Rick's admiring fans--he graciously

wrote back when I wrote to him about his books. He sent autographed copies

of his books, to my delight and awe. What a generous, witty, warm- and

pure-hearted soul! He could write about death the way he did because there

was no real darkness to him. Wednesday evening I watched Animal Planet with

my children, ending with one of the video shows where people send in films of

their pets doing cute, neat things. Sunday night or Monday am, I was

dreaming I was watching Animal Planet. It was so real, I thought I really

was there. A video came on the screen --it was Rick, very slim, on a plaid

couch. His cat was on his shoulder with one furry little arm holding onto

his head, "washing" his hair with great nurturing tenderness. I thought,

"wow--Rick sent that in, that is so neat. Funny he would do that." I teared

up a bit, and then Rick lifted his head, not all the way, he could hardly

lift it, and then he smiled this most beautiful smile. Then I knew I wan't

really watching Animal Planet, and I woke up smiling.

Last night when I checked the mail, and read about his passing, first I

cried, and then remembered the dream. His great soul lives on, no longer in

a sick body. I hope any of his fellow fans reading this feel some comfort

from this posting, it is my sincere hope to pass this humble little thing on

to you.

Oddly, this dream keeps coming back to mind making me feel peaceful

just when life here has taken a rough turn. Bless you Rick, and bless all of

us still down here struggling!

Love,

Robin

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

..Hi Robin -

 

 

 

> It was so real, I thought I really

> was there. A video came on the screen --it was Rick, very slim, on a plaid

> couch. His cat was on his shoulder with one furry little arm holding onto

> his head, "washing" his hair with great nurturing tenderness. I thought,

> "wow--Rick sent that in, that is so neat. Funny he would do that." I

> teared

> up a bit, and then Rick lifted his head, not all the way, he could hardly

> lift it, and then he smiled this most beautiful smile. Then I knew I wan't

> really watching Animal Planet, and I woke up smiling.

>

 

 

 

That was a beautiful story, Robin! I can just picture him loving every minute

of that adoring attention. And that cat would be his 12-lb. Abysinnian cat,

named Oliver. They affectionately called him "Ollibuns". Both he and Paula

treated that cat like a child. Oliver had to be put to sleep because of a

stomach blockage back in July of '98. I was supposed to come for a week to

house-sit Oliver while Paula and Rick went to Florida that summer and then he

told me that they had to put him to sleep because he had taken a turn for the

worse.

 

Even so, he still invited me to stay at his house with my Mom and my daughter

for a week and I'll never forget his kindness, and his generosity at letting

me use his precious computer, drive his car, sleep in their bed and answer

his phone calls and take messages while they were gone.

 

Paula, his wife, is an absolutely beautful and wonderful person as well. She

also welcomed us with open arms as though we were family. And when they came

back a day earlier from their trip, Rick took us all over Washington DC to

see the sights and then we went to some of his favorite restaurants and even

toured one of his favorite art museums called the Torpedo Factory, where we

spent a few hours just roaming thru the museum looking at all kinds of

artwork and sculpturing. One of the reasons he loved it too was because it

was right on the water. He loved the water. . . We took a walk out on the

deck area where there were boats docked all along the way and I took a photo

of him there, standing at a light post on the boardwalk.

 

I had taken that particular photo with me to walk along the ocean beach the

other day as I grieved for him in my own special way as I guess we all must

do whenever someone close to us dies. And as I was walking along the sand, I

asked him for a sign . . . anything. . . that would let me know that he was

there with me and that he was OK. All of a sudden, I saw this commotion of

seagulls playing with this object in the sand. It was a ways off down the

beach, and as I approached it, I realized it was a little red balloon bobbing

up and down on a very short string about a foot off the ground, which was

attached to a bunch of clams sitting on top of the sand as an anchor. It

looked so out of place there somehow. I knelt down to check it out and there

was writing on the balloon. It said, "You gotta have ART". . . It right away

brought to mind the photo in my shirt pocket of him standing at the art

museum on the boardwalk and I knew that somehow it was his way of saying that

everything's just fine and he was there with me and he was happy. Sometimes

messages come to you in the weirdest of ways and this would've been SO Rick.

.. . So I thought it was a fitting place to write in the sand, "In Memory of

Rick - I love you!", just because I never got the very last chance to tell

him that before he crossed over. And I knew he saw it, I could feel him there

with me, smiling down with those baby blues and somehow this brought me

comfort. . .

 

The photo of him on the boardwalk is attached for anyone interested in

keeping a memento of him.

 

Donna

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Robin and group -

 

 

> The photo of him on the boardwalk is attached for anyone interested in

> keeping a memento of him.

>

 

For some reason, the photo didn't attach itself. I'll try this again, sorry.

 

Donna

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear guys -

 

 

>

 

Twice I uploaded it, twice I SAW it upload and yet it's not at the other end,

so where it went, I have no idea. Already he's playing games up there. . . )

 

Donna

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Wow, Donna,

 

Your note was so beautiful, I'm sitting here with smiling through

tears again. Thanks so much! I love the part in Rick's book Astrology of

Death where he talks about his wife Paula having a transit eclipse across her

(Aquarius) ascendant, and how she stood outside in the eclipse for him, in

the interest of science. I have an Aquarius ascendant, too--could just

picture that! He spoke so lovingly of her in his e-mails, you have to love

him on that alone.

As a child I felt that when your pets died, they came right back to

you. It's really comforting to think Rick's beloved pet "Ollibuns" was there

to meet him, and love lives on. Kind of puts a new meaning on the saying "No

act of love--no matter how small--is ever wasted."

Look at how Rick is bringing people together even after he passed.

I hope I can do that when I go. Guess it's all in how you live.

Never was very good at expressing myself, but I'm inspired through

Rick and through your words to start working harder at expressing love.

Thanks again, Donna, and if the attachment feature starts working

I'd really like to download your momento. He might well be playing--a little

pun on attachment, maybe?

Take care and thanks so much for your letter,

 

Robin

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you for taking the time to share this............

 

Phyl

-

<PHURRBALL3

<gjlist>

Tuesday, April 03, 2001 4:45 PM

Re: [gjlist] Memories of Rick Houck

 

 

> Hi everyone,

>

> Thought you might like to hear about something that happened Sunday

> night/Monday morning. I was another of Rick's admiring fans--he

graciously

> wrote back when I wrote to him about his books. He sent autographed

copies

> of his books, to my delight and awe. What a generous, witty, warm- and

> pure-hearted soul! He could write about death the way he did because there

> was no real darkness to him. Wednesday evening I watched Animal Planet

with

> my children, ending with one of the video shows where people send in films

of

> their pets doing cute, neat things. Sunday night or Monday am, I was

> dreaming I was watching Animal Planet. It was so real, I thought I really

> was there. A video came on the screen --it was Rick, very slim, on a

plaid

> couch. His cat was on his shoulder with one furry little arm holding onto

> his head, "washing" his hair with great nurturing tenderness. I thought,

> "wow--Rick sent that in, that is so neat. Funny he would do that." I

teared

> up a bit, and then Rick lifted his head, not all the way, he could hardly

> lift it, and then he smiled this most beautiful smile. Then I knew I

wan't

> really watching Animal Planet, and I woke up smiling.

> Last night when I checked the mail, and read about his passing,

first I

> cried, and then remembered the dream. His great soul lives on, no longer

in

> a sick body. I hope any of his fellow fans reading this feel some comfort

> from this posting, it is my sincere hope to pass this humble little thing

on

> to you.

> Oddly, this dream keeps coming back to mind making me feel peaceful

> just when life here has taken a rough turn. Bless you Rick, and bless all

of

> us still down here struggling!

> Love,

> Robin

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> gjlist-

>

>

>

> Your use of is subject to

>

>

[Guest guest]

..Dear Robin -

 

 

> . I have an Aquarius ascendant, too--could just

> picture that! He spoke so lovingly of her in his e-mails, you have to

> love

> him on that alone.

>

 

I'm also an Aquarius ascendant. . . )

 

>Look at how Rick is bringing people together even after he passed. 

I hope I can do that when I go.  Guess it's all in how you live.

 

This was one of his favorite things to do. Mix and match his friends together

according to the charts and see the effects of it. He was pretty good at this

too and it always tickled him to know that he had created new friendships

between people thru him.

 

> Never was very good at expressing myself, but I'm inspired through

Rick and through your words to start working harder at expressing love.

 

You said it quite well in your story, so I'd say you were off to a pretty

good start already. )

 

> Thanks again, Donna, and if the attachment feature starts working

I'd really like to download your momento.  He might well be playing--a little

pun on attachment, maybe?

 

That wouldn't surprise me in the slightest! ) Let's give it one more try.

They say the third time is a charm. We'll see. . . .If it doesn't come across

this time, then I'll just leave it be for now.

 

Take care and thanks so much for your letter,

 

Same to you, thanks. . .

 

Donna

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Chris -

 

 

> Thanks for much for sharing your memories, dreams, and visions. I'll look

> forward to that photo Donna. BTW, the photo of Rick on his site is really

> striking. That we should all have such a smile!

>

 

It IS a great photo. That one was taken about a year and a half ago when he

was playing around with a digital camera at a friend's house. His eyes

however were much more of a strikingly intense blue in person. . . .in fact,

that would be the very first thing you'd notice about him when you met him

for the first time.

 

Donna

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Donna,

at the end of each message we are informed that "Non-text portions of this

message have been removed"- that's why the photo can not be attached. Thanks

for trying.

Love, Liliana

 

>DQuinn12

>gjlist

>gjlist

>Re: [gjlist] Memories of Rick Houck

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>Dear guys -

>

>

> >

>

>Twice I uploaded it, twice I SAW it upload and yet it's not at the other

>end,

>so where it went, I have no idea. Already he's playing games up there. . .

>)

>

>Donna

>

>

>

>

>

>

>gjlist-

>

>

>

>Your use of is subject to

>

>

 

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[Guest guest]

Donna and Robin:

 

Thanks for much for sharing your memories, dreams, and visions. I'll look

forward to that photo Donna. BTW, the photo of Rick on his site is really

striking. That we should all have such a smile!

 

Chris