In the Jewish tradition the mourners are a distinct group. They are the parents, children, siblings and spouse of the deceased. At the funerals I went to while growing up in Montreal, the mourners sat in a special section upfront near the closed casket and the rabbi. I remember feeling envious of them in a…
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“When we understand about death, we understand a lot more about life.” This was the key message I heard from Barbara Bartolome when she shared the story of her near-death experience at a event hosted by a local chapter of the International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS). Barbara is one of millions of “experiencers”…
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Twenty-five years ago, Akasha learned about life from her dying eleven-year-old daughter, Sarah. In a recent conversation Akasha described Sarah’s death as a “beautiful experience that profoundly changed who I am and the way I live my life.” I can’t imagine losing my daughter nor seeing the gifts that might bring. And, truth be told,…
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A while back I bought a book that I’m afraid to start reading. Even though the book was described by author and women’s wellness advocate Dr. Christiane Northrup as “A masterpiece of women’s wisdom,” I hadn’t been moved enough to crack it open. The book is The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman’s Journey…
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Remembering and being remembered was the focus of a recent gathering we facilitated. Our collective exploring revealed rich insights about why we remember, what we remember and how it makes us feel. It was a transformative evening for me on many levels. What we remember and how it makes us feel Remembering people and experiences…
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If January is your time to plan for your best year yet, we invite you to include planning for your inevitable, unpredictable death. Say what?
Sarah attended our first of six Reality of our Mortality Learning Circles at the end of last month and gave me permission to share how exploring love and sorrow in this safe, open-hearted community was exactly what she needed.
Sitting in the middle of my fridge, amidst activity registration forms, schedules and a smattering of photos, is a new copy of an old photo. The photo is of my Dad’s dad’s family: my great grandparents and their eleven children, “la famiglia Pante” from the town of Lamon, in province of Belluno, in the Veneto…
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Can we heal the dying? How to heal the dying was a question that weaved through many sessions at the recent BC Hospice and Palliative Care Association (BCHPCA) Conference that Michelle and I attended. The conference shined a light on the incredible work that so many people do as their vocation, as volunteers, and as…
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