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“Host of the Seraphim”
This 1988 song by the band Dead Can Dance borrows heavily from traditional tribal chants and folkloric elements for a truly ethereal piece of musicWith a musical style and tempo that refuses to be boxed and categorized, Dead Can Dance consists of the core duo of Lisa Gerrard and Brendan Perry. The band draws inspiration from old country pagan ritual chants, African polyrhythms, Middle Eastern music, and Gregorian chants, composed to resonate with something primal within all of us.…
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Our Monthly Tip: Create a Grief Shrine or Memorial Altar
Setting up a shrine or altar to memorialize a loved one can allow for grief and healingOur Tip of the Month For centuries, various cultures have embraced the concept of creating altars or shrines to honor loved ones who’ve died. Perhaps the most well-known are the Mexican ofrendas to celebrate Día de los Muertos. But most of us have come across roadside shrines dedicated to those killed in vehicle accidents, or…
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“What Are You Going Through”
The award-winning author of “The Friend” explores death, compassion and companionship in a new bookThe title of award-winning author Sigrid Nunez‘s new book, “What Are You Going Through,” is a reference to Simone Weil’s claim that this question lies at the heart of all human compassion. According to Weil, “The love of our neighbor in all its fullness simply means being able to say to him, ‘What are you…
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Want to Send Your Ashes to the Moon? It May Be Possible Someday
Houston-based Celestis Inc. has partnered with NASA to send a spacecraft carrying cremated ashes to the moonSince 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin ferried Apollo 11, the first manned spacecraft to successfully land on the moon, people all over the globe have dreamed about setting foot on our celestial neighbor’s surface one day. But, sadly, more than 50 years after that first moon landing, that dream is still far from…
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Overshadowed by the Pandemic, Non-COVID Deaths Also Increased in 2020
With the coronavirus in the global spotlight, heart disease, cancer, and other leading causes of death continuedThere’s little doubt as to how 2020 will be remembered in history. The year that began with COVID-19 as a distant threat across the globe ended with nearly every country worldwide reeling from the trauma and shock of a pandemic. But while COVID-19 has had a major impact on the world as a whole, it…
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Pet Loss Support Group Offers Comfort to Grieving Pet Parents (Interview)
Hospital chaplain Dr. Micky Golden Moore’s Beyond the Paw Print offers solace and validation to those who have lost a beloved petDr. Micky Golden Moore, Ph.D. M.S. H.P., spent the first 30 years of her professional career helping people from all walks of life find their voice. After completing a doctorate in communication studies at Wayne State University, she traveled between the U.S. and the U.K. as an adjunct professor and consultant, teaching others how to…
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“Bright Eyes”
Classic ’70s tune from the original animated film “Watership Down” still strikes a chordA troubling tale of rabbits hunted by endless predators. A journey to find a place called home. A seer named Fiver whose apocalyptic visions guide the way. The 1978 animated version of this classic tale — “Watership Down,” by Richard Adams — doesn’t shy away from suffering, pain and death, including the ecological destruction wrought…
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”Requiem with Coal, Butterflies and Terrible Angels”
A poem that brings death to life with vibrant imagery and visceral emotionThe idea of death often conjures unique images for different people. While death is inevitable, we all envision it a little differently, and we all deal with it in different ways. This poem, “Requiem with Coal, Butterflies and Terrible Angels,” is one of my favorite pieces of poetry, thanks to Traci Brimhall’s striking and colorful imagery.…
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“A Grief Observed”
After the loss of his wife to cancer, the famous Christian author struggled with his sense of faith and identityBritish boys don’t cry. At least, not openly. Suppressing one’s emotions was “the lesson I was most strongly taught,” admits C.S. Lewis in his journals, which are collectively titled “A Grief Observed.” After losing his wife to cancer, the “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” author experienced a profound questioning of his faith and…
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