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Cloth as an Expression of Memory
Cherishing the clothes of loved ones lostCloth holds the memory of the person who wore it; it’s the reason why the clothing of someone who has died is often so cherished by their loved ones. Even if these clothes no longer serve a functional purpose to the deceased’s loved ones, they are energetically charged and still resonate with the essence of…
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What is Kara Grief Support? (Interview)
How peer counselors use their own experiences to support those in the journey through griefJim Mulvaney became a Counselor Supervisor at Kara after initially volunteering as a grief counselor. Since he joined Kara’s staff in the fall of 2004, Jim has held the positions of Director of Adult Services, Director of Programs, and Director of Special Services. Jim has experience training volunteers and professionals, giving public talks, coordinating Kara’s…
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“The Art of Being a Healing Presence”
A short book on how to help a loved one through a tough timeWhat does it mean to be a “healing presence”? Is being present a simple physical state — or is there something more to it? The Art of Being a Healing Presence, a slim 2001 book written by counselor and ordained Methodist minister James Miller, is a short, sweet primer on how, exactly, to be a…
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Famadihana Death Ritual in Madagascar
Madagascar’s Malagasy people connect and celebrate with their ancestors long after death.The Malagasy people of Madagascar believe that the spirits of people who have died won’t join the world of their ancestors until after the body has completely decomposed. To assist the process, families perform a funerary tradition called Famadihana, “the turning of the bones” over the several years after a person has died. In this…
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Remembering “Brownie Mary”, an Unexpected Angel to AIDS Patients in San Francisco
Today is the 14th anniversary of the death of the famed medical cannabis activist of the 1980s and ’90s.Today is the 14th anniversary of the death of Mary Jane Rathbun, better known as “Brownie Mary”, a medical cannabis activist and San Francisco General Hospital volunteer. Rathbun became known in the 1980s and ’90s for illegally distributing pot brownies to AIDS patients to ease the nausea and pain many patients feel at the later…
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My Sunday Making Hearts With Page Hodel
Beautiful hearts made of all kinds of things in loving memory of MadaleneThis past Sunday, I had the amazing experience of taking part in Page Hodel’s weekly ritual of making hearts in San Francisco. More than 8 years ago, Page Hodel moved into a new apartment in San Francisco when she met Madalene Rodriguez, her neighbor, and fell madly in love. First, she met Madalene’s brother while…
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Etruscan Sarcophagi and the Marriage Bed (Part 2 of 2)
Etruscan burials and the marriage bed.As time progressed, there was a cross-cultural pollination between the Etruscans and Greeks, where the former’s art evolved to bear the characteristics of their Hellenic neighbor’s. The highly stylized plasticity of the Etruscan figures yielded to an increasing realism, while the symposium couch in earlier sarcophagi morphed into a domestic bed, as evidenced by the…
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What is an End of Life Doula? (Interview)
The doula volunteer program in New York City helps lessen loneliness for people with life-limiting illnessToday we talk with Amy Levine, who designs and implements programs and conducts interactive training for healthcare and social service professionals. Her expertise includes designing specialized volunteer programs for hospital-based palliative care services, and she provides consultation to healthcare organizations working to enrich the lives of people experiencing life-limiting illness. Amy is the Director of…
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