Important Gaia's Temple Announcement
Dear Gaia's Temple Community,
We are saddened to share that the founder and minister of Gaia’s Temple, Rev. Judith Laxer died on July 6th at 6:20 pm in her home in Seattle, surrounded by a circle of women including Noemi Chaparro, her wife of 38 years, along with friends from all over the world. Judith had just two months to come to terms with an end stage lung cancer diagnosis which was untreatable. With her characteristic passion and dedication, she went to work on behalf of her beloved community, writing personal letters and organizational newsletters to share her experience and final wishes, to connect with elders, family, and all those she has served throughout her life. When Judith began to struggle with physical movement, she still found a way to share her love and awarenesses with hundreds of people who reached out with their messages of gratitude for the many ways she had transformed them.
Originally from New York, Judith moved west in 1989 and with lifelong interest and study in metaphysics, began a professional transition from a career in the performing arts to one in spirituality. On the summer solstice in 1992, she became a licensed, Ordained SHES (Spiritual Healers and Earth Stewards) Minister. She created and officiated at
countless ceremonies and rituals as a minister and priestess. As a teacher, she led classes, workshops and programs in spiritual development, Goddess consciousness, and psychic awareness. She enjoyed a successful private practice that included spiritual counseling, psychic Tarot readings, and shamanic healing practices. Gaia’s Temple was the ministry she founded to help restore the balance of female and male energy to our culture.
Judith was also a treasured guest minister at Seattle Unity, Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church, Tacoma Unity, and the popular Interfaith Pride Service. She was a speaker for conferences including at the Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference, Seattle’s Women of Wisdom, the Women's Business Exchange, the Women and Spirituality Conference in Rochester, Minnesota, and the Goddess Conference in Mazatlán, Mexico.
Ten years ago, Judith began to write about death as she explored the ways that her life had been influenced by being present at the deaths of friends, family, and animals, as well as ministering the memorial services of so many. In her final days, as her last offering for the community, Judith initiated a process for these stories to be shared with her readers, which Noemi will be shepherding.
True to the way she lived, and completing her circle of life, she requested her body to be returned to the earth through an organic composting process. In a few months, we will gather to honor Judith’s life with a memorial service. The date and details of this event will be posted on Judith’s and Gaia’s Temple’s websites and social media.
We would like to thank all those who brought meals, tended her body, and extended their love to the Gaia’s Temple community. It was important to Rev. Judith Laxer and is meaningful to the board of Gaia’s Temple, that the community remain vital and supported under the new leadership of Rev. Corinna Frenzl. Circles to tend to the grieving are being formed, and people can find more details on how to participate at the Gaia’s Temple website. For those wishing to contribute, Noemi requests that donations be offered to Gaia’s Temple, or the ACLU.
