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Amplifying Voices: Two Opportunities to Listen and Learn about Anti-Black Racism

It’s been two weeks since the murder of George Floyd, and the launch of massive demonstrations against anti-black racism around the globe. In our previous newsletter we shared that among other things, we’re committed to using our platforms to amplify the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour. Below are two opportunities to listen and learn.

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What’s Driving Your Physical Distancing: Death Denial or Death Phobia?

In the realm of end-of-life education, two terms come up very often: death denial and fear of death. We talk about fear of death and death denial as kind-of the same thing and we use the terms interchangeably. But are they really? I’m wondering if the varying ways that people think about and respond to the coronavirus pandemic, shed some light on the differences between the two terms.

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What About the Last Responders?

Until just weeks ago, the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of the bereavement industry, or death trade as it’s sometimes called, wasn’t even listed as an essential service. Despite this recent shift in designation, I suspect there’s little or no applause or acknowledgement for the essential workers like the ones named by our provincial government: coroners and workers performing mortuary services, including: funeral homes, crematoriums, cemeteries and workers supporting the appropriate handling, identification, storage, transportation, and certification of human remains.

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“The Best Online Course I’ve Taken” – Only One Day Left for Your Deep Discount

You have until midnight Pacific Time on April 30th to purchase Willow’s 7 Tools for Making Sense of Life & Death Online Program at a deep discount of $77USD instead of $177USD. We put everything we’ve got into this program and it’s pretty fabulous. But hey, don’t just take our word for it, check out…
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Dig Deep and Answer the Questions You’re Avoiding

Unlike many other people, I haven’t been forced to pause and slow down. I feel like I’m busier than ever. Yet even in this business and chaos, I find myself asking—or re-asking—a lot of deep questions about the meaning of life and death. Let’s face it, the whole world is at war with death right…
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Anchor, Ground, and Stand Strong: Learning from the Trees

In this time of a global pandemic, along with all the physical preparations and precautions, such as washing your hands, sanitizing your environment, and stocking your pantry, we want to help you prepare yourselves inwardly. Peter Russell, an author and teacher focusing on consciousness and contemporary spirituality, recently wrote, “Trees provide a good lesson. If…
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How to Take Good Care in These Tender and Tumultuous Times

For the last four years our mantra has been, “whether you have days or decades to live, the best time to plan is now.” Suddenly, “now” is on people’s minds more than ever. If you’re not worried about yourself dying from Coronavirus, you may be worried about someone else you know, or vulnerable people in…
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Making Sense of Life, Death, and COVID-19

I’ve been thinking a lot about how the Coronavirus informs my experience of making sense of life and death. Here’s what I’ve come up with.  While we’re in denial about our own mortality, we’re obsessed with stories about death and dying.  The way COVID-19 is affecting us varies from region to region but what’s common…
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All That Matters in the End Matters Now

Identifying your core values—the second tool in Willow’s 7 Tools for Making Sense of Life & Death workbook—is a critical part of the foundational work of end-of-life planning. Seeing your values reflected in your end-of-life plans also keeps you accountable to living the life you want. Let me share how this works for me. The…
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