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“Living Life Dying Death”
A book that inspires us with ideas on how to talk about death and dyingDeath is undergoing a current cultural movement. The Boomers are starting to talk about it and making death that natural part of life it should be. Yet there exists a wide schism between the older generation, who view death as a dark subject not to be discussed, and their children who are blasting the doors…
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Why Have Epitaphs Been So Popular For So Long?
A look at the origins of epitaphs and why they are often found on the graves of lost loved onesWhen a person walks around a cemetery, it is quite common to see a good portion of graves or plaques marked with epitaphs. The word, “epitaph,” itself stems from the Greek word “epitaphios,” which means “a funeral oration over tomb.” Therefore, epitaphs are strictly short texts etched on the plaques or gravestones of lost loved…
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Study Finds Sudden Deaths of Beloved Friends and Family Members Can Trigger Onset of Psychiatric Disorders in Survivors
Researchers find the stresses and shocks during grieving over unexpected deaths can lead to the onset of a variety of psychiatric disorders for survivorsAt Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, researchers, along with colleagues from Columbia University’s School of Social Work and Harvard Medical School, have performed the first study that shows a direct link between acute bereavement and the new-onset of mania in a large population. While many studies have previously hinted that there is a…
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Monday Hearts for Madalene
Page Hodel creates the most beautiful hearts in an ongoing celebration of loveRemembering Back to School Days! 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 her.”…
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Weekly Tip: Negotiation for After Death Plans
What does it cost you to make sure your post-death plan fees aren’t too high? Only a bit of gall and negotian motivationWeekly Tip: Planning for Death and Negotiating Your Estate Fees It can be hard to speak up for yourself when creating your post-death plans. But, in sharing her estate planning experience, a woman named Jody Roth explains why one of your most important assets in estate planning is your ability to speak up — negotiate! Sit…
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What is Cremation? (Interview)
Today SevenPonds speaks with Michael Tom at Pacific Interment in Emeryville, California. Pacific Interment is one of the few cremation services in California that offers witnessing. Get the nitty-gritty on cremation from Michael Tom, who oversees cremation at their East Bay crematorium. Aurora: Tell me about your cremation facility. Michael: Our crematorium is located in Emeryville, CA,…
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“History of a Suicide: My Sister’s Unfinished Life“
An emotionally-charged and informative memoir of the author’s quest to understand what led to her youngest sister’s suicideWhen news of Robin Williams’ suicide broke, I was already immersed in reading Jill Bialosky’s History of a Suicide, a beautiful, emotionally charged and highly informative memoir of her trying to come to terms and understand what led her youngest sister to commit suicide. Jill Bialosky grew up with a family scarred by several tragedies,…
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Behind Death Masks: A History of How a Funeral Decoration Transformed Into a Tool to Improve Lives
The ancient funerary art of death masks allows us to look through the eyes of our ancestorsThe practice of creating death masks to remember those who have passed is a ritual that can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Rome. The most recognizable death mask comes from the tomb of Tutankhamun himself. The likeness of the ancient king was fashioned in beautiful gold and jewels, primarily as a means for…
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