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Laying a Pet to Rest: A Short History of Pet Cemeteries
How pet cemeteries can help us grieve for our smallest family membersThe loss of a pet can be as tragic and heart-rending as the loss of a human family member. Pets can be our faithful companions, our children, or even our coworkers. Because their love is so fiercely unconditional and their lives are often so short, the grief that we have for our pets can be…
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Alkaline Hydrolysis: Green Burial or Scientific Nightmare?
A new disposition method liquefies the body, preserves the environment and horrifies funeral consumersGiven the numerous environmental issues overshadowing the 21st century, learning how to live sustainably is a generally accepted responsibility. But what about learning how to die sustainably? Traditional burials take up valuable space. Cremation requires lots of energy, often supplied by fossil fuel, and fills the air with carbon dioxide. Alternatives do exist, but one…
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Monday Hearts for Madalene
Page Hodel creates the most beautiful hearts in an ongoing celebration of loveIt’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.” The couple’s first meeting was…
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The Reversible Destiny Foundation: Architecture as an Extension of Life After Death
Japanese designer Shusaku Arakawa melds death and design in collaboration with Madeline GinsJapanese designer Shusaku Arakawa (1936-2010) declared that he and his partner Madeline Gins would never die. The duo pushed the boundaries of design for over 40 years, melding philosophy with architecture in buildings like Bioscleave House until Arakawa’s death at the age of 73. Built on Long Island, Bioscleave House served as sort sanctuary for…
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What is Elder Therapeutic Care Management? (Interview)
Kira Reginato discusses a holistic approach to end of life counselingToday, SevenPonds speaks with Kira Reginato, a care manager from Creative Counseling. With over 15 years of experience in eldercare management, Kira has directed her own firm, Living Ideas for Elders, and has worked with older adults and their families in several settings, such as hospice and residential care homes. For 5 years, she hosted…
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“Elizabethtown”
A deep, beautiful, meloncholy filmFilms are exits from reality. They allow you to escape into your own fantasy—but they can offer more than just that. Films are a way of broadening our perspectives and of learning things that we have yet to experience. Without a doubt, Cameron Crowe’s Elizabethtown helps us understand what it means to deal with loss and discover who you are. Elizabethtown…
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Ohlone Shellmound Buried Beneath the Emeryville Shopping Center
An ancient burial ground’s tragic history of conquest and carelessnessBefore the Spanish arrived in the 1700s, the Bay Area was home to the Ohlone people. But little evidence remains to tell their story. After all, Histories tend to bury those that come before—a brutal truth embodied by the Ohlone shellmounds. These midden deposits were sacred burial grounds crucial to establishing genealogy and territorial rights.…
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LSD Research Makes Biggest Headway in 40 Years
Clinical trials reveal therapeutic effects of psychedelics on those nearing deathTimothy Leary may be dead, but research into the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics is thriving once again. Specifically, recent studies have explored the potential for LSD to ease anxiety and depression for those overcoming addiction, or nearing death. In the early 1950s, LSD and other hallucinogens sparked interest in the US medical community as serious areas…
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“Dreams Old Men Dream”
Cold War Kids on aging, memory, love, loss and dreamsThrough what kaleidoscope of memory does an aging mind perceive the world? Does each change of light conjure some long lost scene? In the lyrics to “Dreams Old Men Dream” by Cold War Kids, a day spent digging hands in the garden recalls a dream spent shooting flairs off a deserted island. Dreams meld with reality. Likewise,…
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