In 2014 I had the honor of attending a three-day “community grieving ritual” conducted by an African wisdom teacher named Sobonfu Some’. Sobonfu taught us the importance of grieving in community. She showed us how to use ritual, symbolism, movement and singing to give grief a communal voice that rises up as a call to […]
How the Law of Attraction REALLY Works
The pop spirituality interpretation of the Law of Attraction (LOA) says that if we think only positive thoughts and say only positive words, we can avoid bad experiences and have everything our personality/ego desires (health, love, security, wealth, etc). If we think the “wrong” thoughts, we will put out “negative energy” and the universe will […]
Death is a Miracle
DEATH IS A MIRACLE: A Channeled Message by Rev. Terri Daniel, MA, CT Excerpted from Embracing Death: A New Look at Grief, Gratitude and God Death is a miracle. People often say that birth is a miracle, and certainly it is, because the system through which we come to earth through each other’s bodies is […]
A MOTHERS DAY CEREMONY FOR BEREAVED MOMS
A MOTHERS DAY CEREMONY FOR BEREAVED MOMS Bereaved mothers often talk about how difficult Mothers Day is, and although honoring mothers is a noble idea, our culture doesn’t offer any truly meaningful ways to honor motherhood, especially for those of us whose children have died. So if you have lost a child and are saddened […]
What is Complicated Grief?
The term “complicated grief” is greatly misunderstood by the bereaved, in large part because the word “complicated” has recently become a pop culture buzzword. Many people have said to me, “ALL grief is complicated,” which is evidence of this misunderstanding. Because all grief is NOT complicated. The majority of people move toward restoration and healing in […]
Christian vs. New Age Beliefs
Christian vs. “New Age” Beliefs Some of you may have already seen this post in our Facebook group, and I think it’s so important that I want to reproduce it here as well. In the process of doing research for my doctoral dissertation on toxic theologies, I came across something that really hooked me. It’s […]
Winter Solstice: ‘Tis the Season to Honor Transition and Rebirth
December 2017 Because this time of year can be difficult for those who are grieving, in this issue you’ll find articles about grief, but also about our capacity for resilience. And because for many people the holiday season is about God and religion, in this issue I’m also including an endorsement for Reza Aslan’s excellent new […]
Messages from the Divine
If you follow me on Facebook you’ve probably already heard this story, but it bears repeating. On the first day of the intense fires in Santa Rosa, CA (I live 10 miles from there), I was watering my garden in the smoky air, and I noticed something unusual in one of the flower pots. It […]
Celebrating the Day of the Dead
How to Invite your Ancestors to Visit From our friend Kitty Edwards at The Living and Dying Consciously Project, here are some tips for creating an altar that will invite your ancestors to visit you on the Day of the Dead Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations offer us an opportunity to connect with our […]
Beyond Near-Death Experience
Now That we Know, What Can we Do? Death awareness is increasingly becoming a trendy topic, and this is great news for those of us who promote conscious dying and life beyond the physical body. Legendary researchers like Dr. Raymond Moody and Dr. Melvin Morse opened that door for us in the 1970s, and contemporary figures […]
Creative Cremations
Creative Cremations, Home Funerals and at-Home Death Care Earlier this month a man in my neighborhood was dying, and his wife contacted me for end-of-life support. She honored their Buddhist tradition of keeping the body at home for three days after death. When it was time for cremation, with the help of home funeral expert […]
Coping with Grief and Loss on Holidays
Coping with Grief and Loss on Holidays If you are mourning the death of a loved one, living with your grief during holidays such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and birthdays can be overwhelming. Everyone around you is celebrating togetherness, but you’re struggling with the fact that your loved one is no longer physically present in your […]
Spiritual But Not Religious
Are you Spiritual But Not Religious? If you consider yourselves to be “spiritual but not religious,” you are not alone. Do you know there’s now an acronym for that? It’s called S.B.N.R., and it’s a new buzzword that signals a growing trend SBNR is such a trendy term that it’s even the subject of a five-day […]
It’s a Multi-Cultural Afterlife
Photo from South African Tourism Our Images of the Afterlife are Culturally-Subjective One thing I’ve learned from years of studying comparative religion is that our mystical experiences are influenced by our cultural references. Afterlife experiences and beliefs are vastly different across cultures, and the “new age” theology that many of us embrace has latched […]
Worldwide views on life after death
It’s a Multi-Cultural Afterlife One thing I’ve learned from years of studying comparative religion is that our mystical experiences are influenced by our cultural references. Afterlife experiences and beliefs are vastly different across cultures, and the “new age” theology that many of us embrace has latched on to a particular view of the […]
How to Celebrate Winter Solstice
Christmas for Non-Christians HOW TO CELEBRATE WINTER SOLSTICE Some of you know that I’ve been hosting an annual Solstice Ceremony and Celebration for the past 25 years. I began this tradition the year my son was born, because I didn’t want him to see Christmas as a time for greed and commercialism, but still wanted […]
Death Education in Schools
Is Death the New Sex? Last year there was a widely-circulated television news story about a ten year-old boy named Kyler Bradley who was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer. A news crew filmed Kyler in his classroom surrounded by his friends, who were eagerly listening to the instructions of their teacher, who directed them to “pray for a miracle.” The […]
Helping a Friend Who is Grieving
Message to a Grieving Friend For David… “Grief is a spiritual form of open-heart surgery. Nothing rips us open, scars us and heals us more than loss and trauma, and nothing brings us more valuable soul expansion. The unexpected death of a loved one changes us permanently and profoundly, and because we are never truly separated […]
Forgiveness at end-of-life
Forgiveness at End-of-Life Text and Illustration By Lizzy Miles, MA, MSW, LSW Lizzy is a hospice social worker in Columbus, Ohio and author of Somewhere In Between: The Hokey Pokey, Chocolate Cake and the Shared Death Experience. She is best known for bringing the Death Cafe concept to the United States. As a hospice social worker, I have […]
Spirituality and Politics
Spirituality and Politics As spiritual leaders, there are times when we must mix spirituality and politics in order to teach that terrorism is NEVER a religious act. Allow me to step up onto my spiritual soapbox for a moment. I would be remiss as an educator certified in death dying and bereavement if […]
Grief in the Body
Grief in the Body I had planned to dedicate this issue to bereavement, and to offer a discount on readings by our friend Freddie Rivera, a highly-respected psychic medium. But something very strange happened. Freddie suddenly died this month, quite unexpectedly, and surprised us all. He loved the Afterlife Conference and our newsletter, The Afterlife […]
Origins of Easter
What do bunnies, flowers and eggs have to do with the resurrection of Jesus? Here’s a quick overview of the origins of Easter Spring is all about the “resurrection” of life in the natural world. Plants come alive, animals give birth, and everything awakens to the light after the darkness of winter. This month the Christian world […]
Origins of Valentines Day
Happy Lupercalia! A look at the origins of Valentines Day Those of you who know me personally can attest that I am probably one of the least “romantic” people you know. So naturally, on Valentine’s Day, rather than caring about romance, I prefer to unpack the tradition in search of its roots in Pagan fertility […]