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Bathing Rituals Around the World
Cleaning the dead is a tradition that spans across culturesWhether you’re observing a traditional Buddhist burial rite, or you’re watching the HBO series Six Feet Under, you might see someone methodically bathe a person who has died. In fact, the act of bathing the dead has existed as a tradition from the days of ancient Egypt up to today. Why do these distinctly different cultures…
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The Magnificent Marcy: A Woman’s Battle with Ovarian Cancer
Marcy Westerling fought a public battle with stage IV ovarian cancer. In the wake of her death, we reflect on her wisdom and moxyEvery once in a while, you hear about someone like Marcy Westerling (March 25, 1959 – June 10, 2015). A woman who had undergone a fair share of adversity and prejudice, Marcy, a native New Yorker who made the Pacific Northwest her home, never let her strength or giving spirit be stunted. Even when Marcy…
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“Copenhagen”
A haunting song that encapsulates how the psychological and emotional severity of grief and loss knows no age boundariesIn 2011, this beautifully haunting song, written and sung by the immensely talented Lucinda Williams, appeared on her album, Blessed. Williams wrote “Copenhagen” after the sudden death of her manager, Frank Callari. In Lucinda Williams’ own words, “We were in Copenhagen when we heard of his death. The song is very literal. I’m proud of that…
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Turn Back the Clock: Reversing the Effects of Aging?
Scientists are working to reverse certain effects of aging like muscle and memory loss — but what is the key ingredient to “turning back the clock”?“When I first heard this story from Tony Wyss-Coray, I thought it was absolutely amazing,” said Rudolph Tanzi, professor of neurology at Harvard. “I thought it was too good to be true.” Wyss-Coray was referring to the recent progress made by UCSF and Stanford scientists to reverse various effects of aging like memory loss and…
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Monday Hearts for Madalene
Page Hodel creates the most beautiful hearts in an ongoing celebration of loveLove Forever From Your Swiss Miss 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 “instantly, dizzyingly in love with…
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Immortalized in Stone: Mayan Death Masks
The secrets of the Mayans reveal death traditions steeped in beauty, creativity and the “transcendence of death”Paris, 2012 — Thousands of miles away from his native Mexico, at the Pinacothèque museum, the eyes of a Mayan god meet those of spectators from around the world. He is a part of an exhibit that reveals, for the first time, one of the most important pre-Columbian archeological discoveries of all time: the Mayan…
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What is Elder Abuse Law? (Interview)
An attorney explains her law firm’s elder abuse specialties and her personal approach to handling casesToday SevenPonds speaks with Kathryn A. Stebner, Principal and Attorney at Law of Stebner and Associates. Based in San Francisco, Stebner received her B.A. in Political Science from University of Oregon in 1982 and her J.D. from University of San Francisco in 1985. Her firm focuses on a wide range of elder abuse areas, including…
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