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Steve blended 32 years of pathwork, integrating wisdom gleaned from his intensive study
of Hinduism, Zen Buddhism, Theosophy and the Teachings of Alice Bailey, Wicca,
The Hermetic Sciences, The Seth Teachings, Physics, Music & Sound, The
Lazaris Teachings , Meditation, Kabbalah, Astrology and Tarot.
In 1979 he co-founded
Chicago's first Aquarian Age resource center, Isis Rising, which at the time of
his departure was Chicago's largest center for promoting New Age understandings
and ideals. It was at this time that he began consulting for the public, and became
one of Chicago's more prominent Astrologers, appearing on local network
television, National Public TV (WTTW), as well as many cable TV programs and
radio shows. He proudly listed
among his favorite astrology teachers who
are some of the finest in the world: Allen Oken, Neil
Michelson, Robert Hand, Donna Cunningham, Philip Sedwick, Buz Meyers, Leyla
Rudyhar, Marc Robertson, just to name a few.
In 1993 he co-founded
Aquarius Adventures, a metaphysical resource center, in Durango,
CO. He had been a
professional astrologer and tarot reader for over twenty-seven years
and counseled thousands of individuals and couples.
Steven Jay Prager died
suddenly at his Aztec home Saturday, May 3, 2008. He was 57. The cause of death
is undetermined.
Mr. Prager was born to Adolph and Sylvia Prager in Chicago on June 5,
1950.
He graduated from Lane Technical High School in Chicago and North Central
College in Naperville, Ill. He served in the military in Korea.
Mr. Prager lived
in Chicago and Mount Shasta, Calif., before coming to live in Durango in 1993.
He opened Aquarius Adventures, a metaphysical bookstore on 11th Street where
Crossroads Durango now stands. He also managed another bookstore, Mountain
Magic, located at Trimble Lane.
Most recently, Mr. Prager was the "mail-room guru" for the Marketing
Department and continued his metaphysical counseling practice.
Mr. Prager met Judy Siekerk, the "cat lady" in 1993, and they had been
life partners since 1995.
Steve will be missed for his lightness and joy, and the humor-tinged
wisdom he left with those he encountered," his family wrote.
Mr. Prager is survived by his mother, Sylvia Prager, of Durango; life
partner Judy Siekerk of Aztec; one nephew; and numerous aunts, uncles and
cousins.
Cremation has taken place. A celebration of his life will be held this
summer.
TRIBUTES
Humor was a cornerstone of his personality - he helped me develop my own dry wit and he always saw the silver lining in every situation. In fact, soon I will put on an episode of Doctor Who or Monty Python's Flying Circus in honor of the man who introduced me to British humor and sci-fi, an acquired taste I am happy to have developed.
Music flowed out of him like water. His joy in music and rhythm will always stay with me. He played a silver trumpet; his compositions were New-Agey and evocative, his jazz was deeply emotive... He used to tell me stories of his time in the service in Korea; how his skill with the trumpet saved him from the chaos of the rest of Southeast Asia; one of his most poignant memories was of a widow who, at the service of her husband after the casket had been lowered, stood at the graveside holding the flag and requested that he play "Taps" over and over until the sun finally set. I wish I had the talent that I could do that for him now... he deserves to be honored with such heartfelt music.
Once he told me that he thought his 'knack' was finding what people need and providing it to them without judgment. And it's true... He was a master at procuring what people needed - from a few dollars to the homeless man so he could continue to numb his pain, to finding a way for a friend to release tension, to providing me a small space to call my own despite my sudden reappearance in his life. He never judged the need or the person, but understood the range of the human condition more than almost any other person. He understood that I needed independence, and fought so hard to provide it whenever he could.
Later, he taught me to trust in my own decisions; that my rationality was sound and even my emotional decision making had merit and value. He understood what I needed before I did, and as was his knack he provided me with the tools I needed to become the person I am now.
Steve knew that I needed understanding before I was ever cognizant of it; I never realized until now just how *accepted* I always felt I was by him; even as he took the role of parent he never let me forget that my confused teenage perspective was understood and OK. Steve helped shape who I am in profound and complex ways that I have yet to uncover. He taught me the value of non-conformity. He ensured that I understood and appreciated my own self-sufficiency. He admired and respected me in ways that no adult in my life ever did while I was growing up. Steve understood, appreciated, and shared my curiosity about the world; he always pushed me to *be better* and *dream larger* and never doubted my ability to do so. He always thought I was destined for greatness and never let me doubt it for a second.
I admit, initially I carried anger toward him leaving my mother; to my adolescent mind it felt like he was leaving me. Later he told me that one of the reasons he left when he did is that he saw the person I had become and he knew that I was going to be OK, and because he knew I was strong enough he finally gave himself permission to leave. That was the sort of man he was - he always believed in people; he saw potential and promise in a scared 15 year old girl and never let me forget that I was always stronger than my circumstances.
I don't know if Steve knew the immense power of the smallest lessons he taught me. From the time I met him when I was 5 he was always expanding my world; he taught me about plate techtonics when I was 8, which made 7th grade geology boring but it was those off-hand lessons that led me to realize the only limits I would ever encounter were ones I placed on myself. Even now I struggle with that lesson, but I remember the one time he did a formal chart reading for me, and he told me point-blank that there was *nothing* I could not achieve should I set my mind to it. I was here for a purpose, he said...
One Christmas, when I was feeling like a lost, stray, unwanted puppy, he gave me the gift of hope. He let me know that despite the darkness of that time my wings were as bright as ever; that he saw who I was and that I was beautiful both inside and out, despite the lack of light to shine. I have never truly forgotten that gift and that love, and I hadn't realized until recently how much that gift lodged within me to guide my life.
I wish I could tell him how much he taught me. I do believe that may be his final lesson to me - that life is too short, and death too close, to not let those you love KNOW you love them. As
clichéd as it is, no matter the capacity, no matter the distance - let those you love know, because tomorrow may truly never come.
~ Gabrielle, a grateful stepdaughter for a few fortunate years
Steve
Prager's Website
BIRTH DATA: June 5,
1950.
DEATH: May 3, 2008
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