I can't help but wonder.....what happened to Linda's family; her children? What are they doing now?

I just read that Sam Goodman passed on too, in 1983. I couldn't believe it. What about Robert Brewer?

I have just bought a few of Linda's books from abebooks.com, from the Linda Goodman Estate. I think, in a way it is sad to see them on sale like this. If I were wealthy, I would buy them all and keep them safe. I will cherish the few I bought, though I won't be able to buy any more.

Where did all that energy go; that wonderous magic that was Linda's life? It had to go somewhere. I can't help but wonder about the children because they were a part of Linda, or Mary Alice. Did Linda's life as Linda end surrounded by unhappiness? Did she tire her loved ones out with her search for Sally- did they stop believing her? Was it all in vain? Where are they now? Does this subject simply cause pain for them? If so, I am deeply sorry and I will edit what I have written. But I am genuine, and couldn't help but ask. I can't help but wonder where all the magic went. Perhaps there are chapters yet to come. Was the last chapter we've just read only a tragic one? Or is there more?

I appreciate your thoughts on this.


Love & Light

OK, I guess I finally will take a deep breath, blow it out and dive on in.

This is what I have gathered from many, many people who knew her. Linda was extremely difficult to get along with. Every friend who was ever a really good, close friend with her has a story of "the time I decided I was never going to speak to Linda again, ever." A few relented after Linda bombarded them with calls and letters and "please, please, please." Others stuck to their guns and wrote her off.

She could be extraordinarily generous, but she could also be a holy terror. She yelled a lot. She yelled mean, snotty things a lot. She also did other really odd and goofy things that would freak people out and embarass them. She demanded a lot of her friends and relations, and she was not very good at all at noticing when just a kind word from her, just a small gesture, would have been hugely appreciated in return.

Her kids grew up with Sam while Linda went off to do her own thing. There are nicer ways to put that, but that's the unvarnished truth.

Her last conversation with Sally was a very unpleasant one. Sally wanted Linda's help, and Linda not only wasn't moved to provide that help, she was unpleasant about it.

Of course Linda didn't want to believe that Sally died by suicide afterwards. But most people realistically find it easier to believe that Sally did indeed decide, as some young people having a tough time and feeling emotionally abandoned sometimes do, that she was never going to speak to or see her mother or anyone else again ... rather than that the CIA would pull a black-op on the daughter of an astrologer who was known for ideas out of left field.

The other kids accepted that Sally died.

Linda would also hide from people. She would tell people straight to their faces, "Linda's not here; she's in New York," when she was, in fact, right there talking to them. She would pretend she was her own housekeeper instead. She would pull similar stunts even on close relatives. They would travel hundreds of miles or more to see her, and she would pretend she wasn't home. She would send a friend to the door to tell them she was in another state, or sometimes she would say things like, "OK, you can come in, but your friend / boyfriend / girlfriend has to stay outside." Even to her own kids. And they would say, "Fine," and leave with their friends.

I know that one of her kids, who tried to do well by Linda, eventually told Linda's friend (who would place the calls to this grown-up child for Linda) "I appreciate that you help my mom, but please don't call me again until she has died." I know that another of her kids made it clear on the day of Linda's memorial, outloud and with no attempt to be secretive about it, that in this grown-up child's opinion, their mom was a nut.

Of course, I'm not saying all her ideas were bunk. Not at all. Although, personally, I do think some of her ideas were half-baked and that if she'd spent longer time thinking some things through it would have been a good thing. And obviously, as a writer addressing her readers, she was amazingly effective and pleasant. But in person, she could be a real pain.

Love,
Maria

P.S. I should probably also say that the same is probably also true of a fair number of creative, driven, famous people...

Hi Listening and Maria ,

Maria, your 'PS' is a whole fascinating subject to me. So many gifted, rare geniuses, so eccentric and out of touch with people around them that they cause hurt feelings...

No doubt, they mean no harm, but are simply temporarily incapacitated. There must be some form of mental illness about this, probably caused by trauma. Some are so deep in their own pain from traumatic experiences they can't even climb out of it enough to see anyone else's perspective and are only capable at the moment of going through their personal process of healing. We have also seen so many talented people who achieve tremendous success and then just collapse, so were maybe just barely hanging onto their sanity all along. Some people just get too overwhelmed and can't cope.

My guess is that to be tuned in to the Source of inspiration as they are, they are more out of this world than in it. Does that mean we need to become insane in order to tap into Mind? No, but we do have to be able to go out of our mind to be one with Mind.

Love was part of the genius. Their love for what they do and their devotion to their work, plus a longing for a higher vision.

We need to just accept these "extraordinary" people with their flaws and love them anyways, be grateful for their gifts to us and forgive their shortcomings. They teach us so many lessons about ourselves.

How we deal with our trauma is a key to how we limit ourselves from oneness with our Source. We have to be able to look at what traumatizes us and see it another way, as a lesson to help us undo our fear and realize that we can't "really" be harmed, that we are safe.

Magnificently said, PD.

Em and others over the years have asked the question ... I've seen it asked a lot of times, and it's a question that deserves an answer, especially, I think, when asked with the sincerity and love Em asked it with. I've shied away from answering it until now, but I think there has developed a level of understanding here now of people as people that extends even to Linda, to where people can see that reality and recognize it as something that existed as part of the life of a person who was always trying to reach beyond ...

I think the recognition that it can be very difficult to mix a life of metaphysical or spiritual contemplation and searching with a life of down-to-earth family matters is part of the reason why there have always been in the past orders of monks and nuns of different religious traditions.

These days, we want to have it all -- a spiritual quest, a family life, an interesting job ... and in some ways these things don't necessarily mix. Ani told me something awhile ago about stages of life from one of the traditions of India, and it made me realize I was trying to overlap a couple of them myself. Maybe she will find this thread and remind me how she put that.

Love,
Maria

The four stages of life as per ancient indian tradition:

1. Brahmacharya: This is life upto the age of 25 years. Meant to be dedicated to one's education and involves the process of maturing and being weaned away from one's parents. Kids around 6-10 (not certain about the exact age) would go off to a Gurukul (literally, a guru's clan), which would be a like a boarding school run by a learned sage. They would not return home until they finished their education. Here the guru and his wife would be like foster parents to the children studying in the school. They would study and do chores to help run the gurukul. Brahmacharya is also the word for celibacy.

2. Grihastashram: This is the householder phase from age 25 - age 50. This is when a person got married and took on the responsibility of running a household, raising kids, etc. The most worldly of the 4 phases.

3. Vanaprasthana: Literally, "heading for the forests". The Equivalent of modern day retirement, this phase covers age 50 - age 75. This is when a person handed over the mantle of household responsibilities to their descendants and headed for the forests to lead a secluded, quiet life in nature. Though one is expected to be spiritually active throughout one's life, this is the period when a person had plenty of time on their hands for spiritual contemplation.

4. Sanyasa: The phase of renunciation from age 75 onwards. This is where a person renounced all worldly ties, concerns and desires and focussed all their attention on spiritual attainment and enlightenment. I'm not sure how many people took to this phase in earnest, because it's not easy to renounce the world. The image this conjures in my mind is that of a wizened, bony old sage with a long white beard, hair and nails and anthills growing around him, meditating with his eyes shut, unmindful of the ants crawling up his body, the change of seasons, the birds hopping onto his shoulder and singing in his ears. He's mentally someplace else, hopefully communing with his maker.

I am very, very grateful to you, Maria for sharing your knowledge with me and giving me what I thirst for the most in life- the truth.

I think that Linda's behaviour- from her negative side- greatly suggests to me that she suffered from terrible depression. She certainly did have cause to be depressed. She was also a deeply emotional lady. I can understand that.

She may have hurt people; for like most people I know she had her 'dark side' in contrast to a wonderful, warm side. But I'll never forget the story of Yellowax(?) and the ants in Gooberz. I know she was writing that from her own childhood. In case anyone has not read this, she wrote a little about an experience she had as a childhood. Some boys were burning ants with a magnifying glass. When she saw this, she screamed. She managed to bribe them into not killing them with her pocket money. This went on for a long time as she didn't tell anyone about it.
This story definetly touched me.

It is extremely sad that she let her own troubles win her over and therefor allow the weaker side of her to hurt other people. Perhaps she struggled to keep touch with the higher S-elf she wrote about. Perhaps she knew the things she wrote about were true, yet they are nevertheless difficult principles for ANY human being to master, whoever they may be. She was such an incredible person. I feel that she had more to do; such potential and talent but it was sadly defeated by unhappy circumstances.

I feel I still have unanswered questions, that one day I must know....I will keep on searching


Love, light & Blessings

Thank you, Maria! I needed to hear this. I suppose that no one can be perfect on this earth plane, but it is important that we do the best we can to move forward. I feel much for her children.

You're very welcome, Em and Divinia.

And Suchi, thank you so much for the four stages. That makes so much sense to me. The way I conceptualize what Linda did is that she kind of tried to opt out of stage 2 in the middle of that stage, while trying to reignite stage 1 and dig into stage 3 simultaneously. Maybe she just really felt so drawn to do what she did that she couldn't very well do it any differently.

Love,
Maria

hello English girl..i am here, and i got my package today

Hello again, WriteOn. I don't mean to persist, but my mind has been ticking away since last night. I can't help but wonder.....hope you don't mind

-Are you sure that those that gave you the information on Linda could be completely relied on?
-When you found these things out, how did it make you feel?
-What if the picture given wasn't the complete one? Lets say Linda suffered from a terrible depression during her later years, due to the deep incurable pain of not being able to find Sally. (Perhaps her search for Sally brought her family pain- they saw it as her not being able to let go...they were hurting too and trying hard to let go). Linda probably became somewhat of a recluse, perhaps even misanthropic. Perhaps she went over and over things in her mind obsessively; guilt and all sorts- this would have driven her mad.
Well maybe she wasn't always like this. This side of her may have been enough to hurt people to the extent that they would have turned away for good, but surely things were completely different in another Time.
Of course I'm just speculating......
but I know we all have our 'dark side'- I certainly do- and God knows I have said nasty things I don't mean really mean now and then.

As for Linda going away and letting Sam bring up the children most of the time....is this what she did throughout their childhoods or was it just a phase?

Was there ever a biography written?

Forgive my inquisitive nature.

Love & Light

Gemini

Hi Em,

I didn't say Linda was mad or misanthropic. Frankly, I don't believe either of those things. I said one of her children expressed an opinion on the day of her memorial, and I gave some background as to why her children are unlikely to see it as their role to carry on the magic you mentioned, and I thought that was the central question you were basically getting at in your thread-starter post.

Linda was a complex soul living a human life, as are we all. Of course I can't encapsulate her and tell a "complete" story in a few paragraphs. I have been contemplating very reliable information about her from very reliable people for years and years. Very early on, I wrote a profile of her that's accessible from the front page of the web site. And of course, you can also read hundreds of threads here and elsewhere, and you can wonder why more people who knew her haven't been terribly forthcoming on sites like this and others. And you can read what she reveals of herself and the flaws she knows she has in Gooberz. It would be wise perhaps for readers to ask themselves whether they think her big blow-up at the boyfriend when she breaks the doll is the first time, or the last, that she ever chided herself over a big blow-up that breaks everything to pieces and results in relationships that can't be mended.

The people I have been in touch with for a decade knew Linda for many decades. They loved and love her, in all her humanity. They're also truthful people, and private people. But they don't want to see her made into a gilded idol any more than they want to see her tossed aside and forgotten. They cut her lots of slack, as do I, but they're also straight with the truth.

Only by knowing the truth of someone do we stand a chance of learning some of the lessons their lives stand as, and I think you understand that, which is why I answered. You know, there are more lessons in a person's life than those they consciously teach. That's how I see it.

Have you ever seen Julian Lennon's letter about how he, as John Lennon's first son, feels cheated, like he had this father who, to many people in the world, stood for peace and love, but Julian says he never got to get in on any of that from his dad.

Now, John Lennon is one of my heros and saints. I have a whole litany of saints, some of whose names you'd recognize, and some you wouldn't. Few of them actually have "St." affixed to their names by the church, but some of them do. But they're my saints.

Did reading Julian's letter from a few years ago dash John Lennon out of my love and respect, or even my list of saints? Heck no. Did it add another piece of information to my understanding of an ordinary and extraordinary man whom I deeply admire? Yes, indeed it did. And it also made me feel for Julian.

Linda was an ordinary and an extraordinary lady who lived, loved, suffered, felt joy, raged, meditated and died in ways that were also both ordinary and extraordinary.

There will be a biography, God willing and the creek don't rise ... and if time works in a way that keeps some older folks with us for more of the process, and if people come to a point where they really do want to know and understand Linda, and not just use her for their pet theories regarding, for instance, metaphysically generating material wealth and physical immortality, because Linda's real life disappoints on both counts.

And, as an Aries like Linda, I guess I can pretty well relate to the fire. Frankly, nothing I've learned about her has surprised me much. But then, I happen to think that one of my gifts from the divine source is an innate way of seeing and understanding people and character and conflicts. People are one of my favorite things in the world, right up there with magic and miracles. But that doesn't mean I don't ever tick them off quite royally myself.

Love,
Maria

Sorry to disagree guys, but some years ago I was privy to Sally's birth data and when I looked into her chart I saw what Linda must have also most certainly seen at the time.

At the time of her passing, Sally was not depressed nor suicidal. In fact, she was already well underway on the most exciting journey of her life, not only in her career and personal growth, but she had also just conceived a son. I don't believe that Linda was in denial, in fact I think her theory about Sally was correct and that is why she fought so hard to bring the facts into light for so many years.

Thankyou again for your taking your time to answer my queries, WriteOn.
I know you didn't say that Linda was mad or misanthropic. I don't believe she was mad. I was only trying to figure out why such a loving person could be so hurtful, for example- like you said- towards people who had travelled a long way to come and visit her. I don't believe she would have done anything like that on purpose. I reasoned that she could have been deeply depressed at the time, but now come to think of it....Linda was BIG....she would have had all sorts of people coming to visit her, who knows what weirdos and all.

I guess people will always speculate. But perhaps never truely know. Maybe it is unfair to be discussing what her children feel about her in this way. Only they know the answer to that. Who hasn't had disagreements with their parents, including bitter arguements from time to time; perhaps said wicked things they didn't mean?

As for many ideas Linda's ideas being 'half baked'....well yes, she was human and bound to make a few inaccuracies....I personally do not believe in the colour diet. As for immortality, well of course that sounds crazy to most people. Does that make it impossible? Just because Linda didn't acchieve it, does that make it untrue? Linda wasn't the first to teach this; sages in India have also been said to have acchieved it throughout time. Linda wrote that you had to let go of fear, hate, etc. This is such a profound thing to do. I believe she was under to much pressure to acchieve it, and that is why she died.

I am not saying that you do not believe in physical immortality, rather I felt I wanted to highlight my own view on the matter to anyone else who feels that way; its good to share ideas and viewpoints- make each other think.

I know what you mean about some people simply using Linda's work to gain occult knowledge. That annoys me a bit too, because its her words that contain the real magic; they are words written from the heart, inspired by love. It is something that cannot be taught, but found within. Thats why some people will just never get it....until they do- look in the right place.

Thanks for you post, Lindy. This subject will never cease to fascinate me!

Thank you too, Em, for taking the time to share your thoughts, and you, Lindy, for reminding us of the astro picture. There is certainly so much to consider...

Lindy,

You know, I actually tried very hard not to come back and ask these questions, because I appreciate and respect that we all have different ways of seeing things, but out of fairness to everyone, most of all Sally, I simply have to put these questions out there.

First, if there is a way of definitively knowing that someone has "just conceived a son" by working from their birth data, it has escaped me. I do know -- and I do mean that I straight-out know -- that Linda herself had told various friends, based on astrology, that they were pregnant, and then her prediction turned out to be wrong. I also know one woman who, after she announced to Linda that she was pregnant, Linda told her she was going to have twin boys, and instead she had a singleton, and a girl at that. So, again, I'm not bashing either Linda or astrology ... she and her friends laughed together about those incorrect predictions, but I find, much as I want to be respectful of your astrological opinions -- and I do very much respect your skill as an astrologer -- I still don't think you can just out and out say that Sally had just conceived a child, let alone its gender. If I'm wrong, please do tell me how it can be done.

Secondly, I do have a lot of detail about Linda's search for Sally, much of it written in Linda's own hand as notes she was making as she went along. Sally was young, barely out of school. The summer stock production she was in had finished. She had no reliable income and wasn't married or in a committed relationship. I have known people in such circumstances who discovered they were pregnant, and believe me, they didn't see that discovery as one heralding the "most exciting journey" of their lives, by a looooooong shot. Perhaps it would have looked that way to someone else looking at their charts, perhaps it may even have turned out that way later, but in the moment, oh my, no.

So, just as Em asked me about the reliability of my information (and it was a fair and extremely relevant question!), so I feel I must ask you the same. I mean, on the one hand, regardless of what Sally's feelings about her own life may have been just before she died or disappeared, you have reminded us that Linda thought she hadn't died because her horoscope didn't fit that scenario (although actually, the way I remember it, and I need to go back and check, but not right now, but the way I remember it was that Linda said it couldn't have been drugs because Sally didn't have an afflicted Neptune). Also, Linda herself said in Star Signs that the date of one's death does not show in one's natal chart and that Cheiro, famous for predicting people's deaths in antiquity, had caused those deaths to happen on those dates by scaring and programing people into believing his predictions, so they were self-fulfilling prophecies.

Anyway, much as I appreciate astrology and what I have learned from it, I am mindful that Greg always stressed the art of it and the idea that it wouldn't and couldn't and shouldn't be taken as a measurable science with predictable results expected, because it is only about influences and interpretations, while in real life, people have free will and make choices ... and then too, sometimes the weather report says it will be sunny, but you end up drenched in a freak cloudburst anyway.

Sorry to put you on the spot like this, but my mind just kept insisting that these things really needed to be asked and said. I hope you'll be back with additional thoughts.

Love,
Maria

Point taken Maria and I guess all I can say in a short post is that the influences in Sally's chart were so major I would rest my reputation on it.

Some aspects are minor and short lived, where others bring enormous life changes, these are inescapable and nor should they be. For example, it would be impossible for someone to experience a squared Pluto aspect to their natal Pluto without that person undergoing a marked change. Likewise, when Neptune opposes your Sun, you are going to feel its effects whether you have any knowledge of Astrology or not.

By the same token, when a Solar Eclipse conjuncts your 5th house cusp by exact degree, your luminaries and other influences are involved, you hardly experience suicidal tendencies or drug induced depression.

Just lately, I too, have become obsessed with what really happened to Sally...I've spent several hours lately trying to find any news on Sally from back then....even an obit.

Aside from the spiritual question of 'why am I waking up thinking about Sally?'....I'm even more curious now if there are other people out there like Listening and me who are 'suddenly, for no reason, wondering' ?

There must be a reason.

I graduated from the same college as Sally just a couple years behind her, and I can't even find anything there about her......

I would really be interesed in more details if anyone is allowed to share......

Dani

Dani,yes you have posted about Sally at the same College few times now.Came in for a visit and have not read past this recent post of yours.Just thoht if you read Linda's messages to her,and comments bout the family that she wrote. Was always a perplexity to me.Then I got to read how in depth it all went..."Spider Line" the proposed name of the book on Sally's disapparance,mentiond in Star Signs.
This was intriguing to me, early 80's......
Love Signs has a carousel message to Sally Christmas Eve of 1977. Also a message to a Marc Salinger about understanding Linda's coded message to him about the power of the Roses they carried to St.Patricks in New York on a rainy April day. The second-to-last-time Linda saw Sally she was with Marc.
Linda writes that we must not break the news of Sally's return ahead of time,as the angels, druids and Sally her s-elf are planning for a joyous family reunion and her mothers rapture,and for this we will get no thanks and most likely upbraided by the family for depriving them of this their pleasure.Instead the story of Peter Pan is used throughout Love Signs.Hope this is of interest...Cant stop to finish this off..
After getting Star Signs I Lexigrammed her name, but did not write any of it down...it was along the lines of the "Nativity/manger scene" Linda's same dream since her daughters disappearance... (had to re-type this,so it is not quite as in depth)...anyway here is a fairly quick Lexigram of her name.

SARAH ELIZABETH SNYDER

LINDA DENIES SARAH'S DEATH
AS SHE BINDS BARRIE'S LINES
ASTRAL BIRTHS ARE BLESSED
AS THE READERS HEARTS ARE HEALED
IN THESE TALES
AS LINDA'S EYES HAD SEEN AND
HER EARS HAD HEARD
IN NAZARETH A STAR HAD BIRTHED
THE ESSENE

Dani,yes you have posted about Sally at the same school a few times now.
Love Signs has a carousel message to Sally Christmas Eve of 1977. Also a message to a Marc Salinger about understanding Linda's coded message to him about the power of the Roses they carried to St.Patricks in New York on a rainy April day. The second-to-last-time Linda saw Sally she was with Marc.
Linda writes that we must not break the news of Sally's return ahead of time,as the angels, druids and Sally her s-elf are planning for a joyous family reunion and her mothers rapture,and for this we will get no thanks and most likely upbraided by the family for depriving them of this their pleasure.Instead the story of Peter Pan is used
After getting Star Signs I Lexigrammed her name, but did not write any of it down...it was along the lines of the "Nativity/manger scene" Linda's same dream since her daughters disappearance... (had to re-type this,so it is not quite as in depth)...anyway here is a fairly quick Lexigram of her name.
C.D.

SARAH ELIZABETH SNYDER

LINDA DENIES SARAH'S DEATH
AS SHE BINDS BARRIE'S LINES
ASTRAL BIRTHS ARE BLESSED
AS THE READERS HEARTS ARE HEALED
IN THESE TALES
AS LINDA'S EYES HAD SEEN AND
HER EARS HAD HEARD
IN NAZARETH A STAR HAD BIRTHED
THE ESSENE

it perplxed me and then I got to read a lot of the details here.
hope it is of interest... Read Love Signs if you have it.
it is quite mysterious.

CD!

So nice to see you again! Are you going to be hanging out here again?

Do you think Linda did Sally's lexi and got this information out of it as you did?

And do you think Linda would break the 15-character rule? I myself would break that and most rules. My first and middle name contain all the vowels, another 'nono,' but my whole name is within 15 characters, so I've dared to lexi it all.

Love,
PD

PD
another P.C would be great.
figured I lost my 1st post. Explorer doing nutty things!so stressfull to do itall again

Patturns suggests phonetic spelling, and always has.
figures rules were made to be brocken.

15
THE MAGICIAN explains the 4&8

she/Linda unstood why it would be all to easy to use Marc's name with Sally's. bit like the word "mysterious"
I just put a good friend to rest Monday R.I.P. and am so brain dead. you PD.

To Lindy
Something wanted me to ask that a chart for the Question made by "Listens to trees" can be relevant surely, please .

CD

Quote:

---

CD!

So nice to see you again! Are you going to be hanging out here again?

Do you think Linda did Sally's lexi and got this information out of it as you did?

And do you think Linda would break the 15-character rule? I myself would break that and most rules. My first and middle name contain all the vowels, another 'nono,' but my whole name is within 15 characters, so I've dared to lexi it all.

Love,
PD

---

Pisces Dreamer.
I doubt that Linda broke the 15 letter and vowel rules after writing what she did in Star Signs.
As for what came from Sally's name if she did Lexigram it, who could say...
Am I going to be hanging out here again?
well after spendidng so much time online the last 5 years, there is heaps I have to catch up on round the house. My PC takes a lot longer to load these bigger sites and the time factor is always looming.The question I have to ask my self is always and has always been the same "should I bother"? (knowing all the hold-ups and dramas that will occur if I make reply) that has never stopped me hanging out here.
C.D

Very interesting writings in here...

Hi Listens to Tree's!

Hiya BiBi!

Welcome
to the decade-long ever-evolving discussion. I'm looking forward to your insights.

Meanwhile, I'm playing in the databases, trying to get all the different versions of smilie tags we've had over the years all smiling again. I see from Divinia's signature, above, I've missed a variation.

And where is Divinia? We need to send her out a psychic yoo-hoo!

Fairy dust for all.

Maria