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”Song”
A look at the serenity and peacefulness that can accompany deathA renowned poet, Christina Rossetti has a way of enchanting readers with her beautiful words and imagery. Even in her poems about death, Rossetti crafted an enthralling and almost whimsical moment for her readers to step into. This is especially true in her poem titled, “Song.” So often death is portrayed as dark and ominous; cruel…
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Monday Hearts for Madalene
Page Hodel creates the most beautiful hearts in an ongoing celebration of loveThe Ticking of Time Hasn’t Been the Same Since You Left It’s an honor for SevenPonds to share with our readers the story of the Monday Hearts for Madalene project, a true account of the power of love in the midst of death. The project’s origins take us to 2005: the moment Page Hodel encountered Madalene Rodriguez and fell…
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Duality: Beth Lipman’s Glass Still Life
An artist considers the duality of life and death through the medium of glassDeath and mortality have long been a focal point for artists. And it’s no wonder, since life and death are inherent, and an intrinsic part of being human. Installation artist Beth Lipman works in a medium well-suited for considering mortality: glass. The light dances off dozens of pieces of clear glass – intricate sculptures of fruit,…
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Why is Death Midwifery Important? (Interview)
A Canadian Death Midwife shares a lifetime of insightToday in this interview, SevenPonds speaks with Pashta MaryMoon, Death Midwife at Journeys Beyond, and co-founder of CINDEA (Canadian Integrated Network of Death Education and Alternatives). Pashta lives and works in Victoria, BC, Canada. Juniper: What is a Death Midwife? What services does a Death Midwife offer? Pashta: In North America, the term “Death Midwife”…
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Dealing with the Sleeplessness That Accompanies Grief
After a major loss, it can be difficult to get a good night’s sleepOur Tip of the Week: It’s typical to experience disruptions in normal sleep patterns in the first few weeks and months of grief after a major loss. You may have trouble falling asleep, find yourself waking up throughout the night, or waking up very early, unable to fall back asleep. Loss of sleep makes us…
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“Tenth of December: Stories”
George Saunders’ Tenth of December reveals a sparkling moment of hope as fates of a young boy and a terminally ill man intersectIt’s no surprise that George Saunders’ Tenth of December: Stories won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2014. The book was hailed by The New York Times Magazine as “the best book you’ll read this year.” “Tenth of December,” the title story from the collection, bursts with compassion and humor as it tells a story…
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Fear of Death and a Terracotta Army
The Emperor of China took a fleet of warriors to his gravePerhaps no figure in history feared death as openly as China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Death was so terrifying to him that he might have actually killed himself in an effort to beat it. What would you do to ensure you were immortal? For this emperor, it meant swallowing dozens of mercury pills, slaughtering an entire village…
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An Amputee Palliative Physician Discusses What Really Matters at the End of Life
BJ Miller suggests that including life’s simple pleasures alongside symptom management is urgently needed in palliative careIn his 2015 Ted Talk, palliative physician BJ Miller asserts that life’s simple pleasures are more powerfully healing on an emotional and psychological level than symptom management as people navigate their final days. He recounts an incident in his early twenties that, as a result of his own carelessness, found him in a hospital bed badly…
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