Meet Kayla! I have a treat for you today involving time travel—listen to my interview via tarot reading with Kayla in May of 2018 and get an update from her since that tarot reading in October of 2019! This was an incredible reading and Kayla’s update is truly that, an update. She’s had quite a lot happen in her life since her reading.
Closure vs. Understanding…..what are you seeking? In my work as a death companion and in my work as a thanatologist, I see how people handle and process loss. Even myself. Do you tend to seek closure, or understanding? In this Mortisode, learn the difference.
In this episode, you get to meet Simon. I’ve known Simon since 2011 when I met him on a trip to Israel. He’s in Paris, France now, and I’m in Kentucky. We connected over tarot cards in Israel all those years ago (because I brought a deck with me) and now you get to hear us connect over tarot cards again. Same deck! His interview came at a time of transition for him and he sent in an update which you can hear at the end of the episode. Almost a year passed between the time of his initial interview and his update!
There’s a name for the period of time after a loss and before you feel ‘normal’ again—those are called lilac days. In this episode, we talk about the lilac days, self care vs. community care, and ways to support your community. If you are grieving or you know someone who is, knowing about the Lilac Days might help you on your journey.
In this episode, meet Lucinda Herring, author of Reimagining Death, Licensed Funeral Director and long-time home funeral guide. Why is she on this podcast? So we can talk about Death Companioning and Lucinda’s work in this field. In addition to this, I share a lot of updates—and definitely get emotional. My sister Christina died, I share my grief and bring you up to speed with the happenings of your favorite (I hope!) American Thanatologist.
What’s the difference between sympathy and empathy? How do you write a sympathy note (better yet, what should you NOT write in a sympathy note)? I share the most popular article I ever wrote (from way back in April of 2012 all about sympathy notes) and if anything’s changed. As this episode is airing during the holiday season, I want to say: if you are grieving, struggling, mourning or otherwise, I encourage you to check in with what you need this holiday season to feel happy and full and to check in with what makes you feel sad and empty. You get to choose how you spend your time and I want to encourage you to take care of yourself.
My interview with Jade happened 6 months ago and she’s undergone quite a transformation! Stick around to hear the update from Jade at the end. I also share some wonderful listener feedback on the Astrology episode and am happy to announce that we are now on Spotify!
I’m very excited to share with you a conversation I had about astrology. Astrology, like tarot, is another old tradition that still exists in modern day. How can astrology fit into modern life? In this episode, I interview Sara Hawthorne, a vedic astrologer based in Florida, and we talk about eastern vs. western astrology, implications for modern life, and how death can show up in your birth chart! I also share how often astrology shows up at end of life….it’s quite often a surprise to a dying person’s loved ones! Happy Thanksgiving to all of our wonderful listeners. We hope your holiday is filled with gratitude and love.
Vocational Discernment is an old-school religious tool that the non-religious and self-reflective can use too! In this interview with Amie via a tarot reading, we talk oak leaves, red triangles, mental health and vocational discernment. I also update you about my fellowship in thanatology, share some rare plant knowledge with you (I promise, it’s not dull) and remind you about the discount code for listeners to my merchandise shop—TAROT gets you free shipping!
After a break, we’re back, and with an episode that tells you not only what happened, but but also what I learned in my time away. Or, I should say, re-learned. Life gets heavy for all of us at some point, and if you want to get better at being a support to others, then this is the episode for you. In this episode, I share easy and effective ways to support others dealing with a Shadowloss or death of some kind. I’m so happy to be here with you guys!
Lauren pulled the death card!!!!! It's my favorite card in a tarot deck, so I was suuuuper excited to see it pop up. And, it absolutely aligned with where Lauren is headed in her life. If you are pondering big life changes, give this episode a listen to learn how the death card can actually be really positive and exciting.
So overwhelmed you can't think straight...ever been there? I was last week. Expert Ashley Rouster Rigby shares two ways to handle overwhelm, and how part of what might be causing your overwhelm might have to do with your gender.
At 29-years-old, Allyson is right where you've been yourself—maybe you're there right now. She's asking the question we all find ourselves voicing at some point: "Am I on track?" In this episode, we explore what being on track looks like and how to know when the stars have aligned and are pointing you in the right direction. Listen to the end for an update from Allyson.
In this La Petite Mortisode, you will learn the basic meaning of each of the four suits in a tarot deck, and the meaning of some important tarot symbols: the moon, grapes, roses, fish and the tomb.
Anxiety—It's something many of us know well, including me. Michael and I had A LOT to discuss thanks in part to the two jumper cards that showed up in his reading. The Hermit card also appeared in Michael's future position. Listen to the update at the end to hear how the Hermit showed up in Michael's life.
Research shows that when a person feels a sense of meaning or purpose in life, they also have higher day-to-day levels of mental and physical health. So what do you do if you don't have a sense of meaning? Or don't know your purpose? There are lots of things you can do, and I share 3 of them in this episode. We also talk about how meaning intersects with thanatology.
This episode brings us a jumper card—the 3 of Cups! Also known as the female friendship card, or girl squad or Galentine's card (I made that last one up, but....it's accurate.) You get to meet Mary today, a Mother, a Wife, a healthcare professional. Mary has navigated some major chaos in recent years.....hear what she dealt with, and how things are now—there's an update at the end of the episode!
Announcement! Shadowloss is not only a term I created to describe losses in life that don't have a dead body, but it's also the title OF MY BOOK! A few Mortisodes ago, I told you what my big goal was: to write a book. It's happening! Podcast listeners hear it first, because you guys are great. <3 In this episode, we talk about what a Shadowloss is and is not, how to identify your own shadowlosses and how to approach taking stock of the things you might need to change. Visit AmericanThanatologist.com to sign up for my newsletter, watch my TED talk and read episode notes!
Ever wonder what life is like for a funeral director? Probably a lot like yours. This week, meet Emily. She shares part of her life with us as we consult the cards. There are TWO queens in Emily's reading and lots of symbolism. There's also an update from Emily at the end of the episode! And! After you listen, visit AmericanThanatologist.com to watch my TEDx talk "Lifted By Little Deaths." Thanks for listening, subscribing, rating and reviewing this podcast. Because of your engagement, we are able to reach more and more people each and every week.
The discoverer has a heck of a lot more to gain than the discovered. So many people harbor a secret wish that someone else will come along and discover them. At end of life, many people discover that not only did that not happen, but it never will. You can avoid that happening to you. Listen to this episode: discovery—to find out how.