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In this episode, Karen Carlissi discusses her work as a death doula and the collaborative event she is hosting with Phoenix Destiny, focusing on supporting individuals who have experienced child loss.

We explore the concept of disenfranchised grief, the format of their workshops, and the importance of ongoing support for participants. Karen shares insights into the emotional landscape of child loss and the rituals that can help in the healing process, culminating in a poignant poem that encapsulates the essence of remembrance and love.

Workshop Flyer and Registration Link
Death Doula Panel Episode
Karen's Episode
Phoenix Episode

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In this conversation, Pamela Belyea shares her journey through grief after losing six family members in a short span. She discusses the founding of the Griever's Library, a nonprofit that provides grief resources to the community. We explore the importance of being present for those in grief, the role of community support, and the impact of literature on the healing process. Pamela emphasizes the need for compassion and understanding in dealing with loss and how her experiences have shaped her approach to helping others navigate their grief.

She speaks to the importance of children's literature in addressing themes of life and death, particularly in the context of grief. She shares her passion for supporting grieving children through literature and community engagement.

Pamela Belyea is a licensed architect and co-founder of Seattle’s Gage Academy of Art, where she served as director for 23 years. After losing six family members in 15 months, Pamela channeled her grief into founding the Grievers Library—a volunteer-run bibliotherapy nonprofit providing free grief books to children, teens, and adults through book boxes in and around Seattle.

The organization’s website also offers unique online resources – “Global,” a directory of grief books available in public libraries worldwide; “EZreads,” a directory of short, meaningful excerpts from grief books; and a list of Crisis Hotlines.

Calling the Grievers Library her “ComPassion Project,” Pamela is dedicated to keeping it refreshingly non-commercial. The library is supported by the generosity of community businesses, donors, and volunteers.

Grievers Library Website
Seattle Times Article
Local Vashon Island newspaper article
Community Quotes of Support

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You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

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In this episode, we welcomed Fran Parker. Fran is a writer who loves Earth and the diversity of life on planet Earth. Her awe of humanity's potential, her communication with God, and her journeys in dreams and meditations led her to write the book God's Gift to Gaia: Guidance for Awakening Humans.

Messages from Jesus led to a book sequel, Jesus Joins the Dialogue. Fran has a Ph.D. in Intercultural Education. She is Wakil's mother’s cousin, and they’ve had many fascinating conversations over the years. In today’s podcast, she'll share stories of her communications with close deceased relatives—her mother and father (who died in 1997) and her daughter Cathy (who died in 2020).

In this enlightening conversation, Fran Parker shares her profound experiences with death, communication with deceased loved ones, and the transformative impact these experiences have had on her life.

She discusses the telepathic messages she received from her mother after her passing, the connection to nature and elementals, and the broader understanding of life and death.

We emphasize the importance of recognizing the diverse ways we can communicate with the spiritual realm and the natural world, encouraging listeners to embrace their own experiences and stories.

Fran shares her profound experiences with life after death, emphasizing the spiritual connections that persist beyond physical existence.

She discusses the role of butterflies as symbols of communication from her deceased daughter, Cathy, and how these interactions have shaped her understanding of grief and connection.

We explore the choices made by loved ones at the end of life, the joy found in grieving, and the excitement for what lies beyond.

Fran also touches on her telepathic communications with spiritual figures, revealing a rich tapestry of experiences that challenge conventional views of life and death.

Lani Leary

Many Lives, Many Masters, by Brian Weiss

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You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

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In this conversation, Karen Carlisi shares her profound journey from being an English language educator to becoming a death doula. She reflects on her early experiences with death, including the loss of loved ones, and how these moments shaped her understanding of life and death. Karen discusses her transition into the role of a death doula, its responsibilities, and the challenges she faces in educating others about this profession. She emphasizes the importance of community support and self-care in her work, highlighting her collaborative efforts with other doulas to bridge gaps in societal understanding of death and dying. Karen shares her insights on self-care, community support, and the fears surrounding end-of-life experiences. She discusses her personal practices for nurturing herself, the importance of community in activism, and her reflections on death and dying. We emphasize the need for planning, acceptance, and the profound journey of love and loss that accompanies life transitions.

Karen's Website

Pacific Death Doula Collaborative

International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA)

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And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

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In this conversation, Mirabai Starr shares her profound experiences with death and loss, detailing how these events have shaped her spiritual journey and her work. She discusses the impact of her brother's and first love's deaths on her life, leading her to explore the sacred dimensions of grief.

Mirabai also introduces her current projects, including the Wild Heart Space community, which supports individuals navigating grief as a spiritual path. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing all forms of loss and the transformative power of grief in connecting with the divine.

In this conversation, we delve into the complexities of grief and loss and the healing power of writing. We explore how writing is a spiritual practice and a means to navigate emotional challenges.

The discussion emphasizes the importance of embracing suffering and the mundane aspects of life as pathways to spiritual growth.

We also reflect on the challenges of balancing creative work with the demands of life and the necessity of allowing oneself to feel and express emotions authentically.

Ultimately, we invite listeners to recognize the sacredness in everyday experiences and walk the ordinary mystic's path.

Mirabai Starr is an award-winning author of creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature.

She taught Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos for 20 years and now teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and inter-spiritual dialog. She is a certified bereavement counselor who helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. Her book, WILD MERCY: Living the Fierce & Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, was named one of the “Best Books of 2019”. She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico.

Wild Heart Space Website - references the writing workshops and Holy Lament community.
Mirabai’s Books
Levine Talks Website - Steven and his wife Ondrea
Love Serve Remember Foundation - Ram Dass
Murshid Samuel Lewis Archive - writings and stories of Samuel Lewis, the founder of the Ruhaniat Sufi Order and Dances of Universal Peace
The Lama Foundation
Poet Rosemary Watola Trommer

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You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

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In this conversation, Mike Reagan, CEO of The Natural Funeral, shares his profound journey in end-of-life care, from his teenage years working in a cemetery to his current role in revolutionizing the funeral industry. He discusses the importance of presence and compassion during the dying process, the innovative approach of terramation, and the challenges of raising awareness about eco-friendly death care options. Mike reflects on his personal experiences with death and dying, emphasizing a sense of peace and acceptance regarding the end of life. This conversation explores the profound experiences of end-of-life care, emphasizing the importance of unconditional love, joy in service, and the spiritual connections that arise during this sacred time. The speakers share personal stories highlighting the beauty and peace found in supporting individuals as they transition while also addressing the need for self-care among caregivers. The discussion culminates in reflecting on the Prayer of St. Francis, reinforcing the themes of love, compassion, and connection.

The Natural Funeral

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You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

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In this conversation, Gail Rubin, a pioneering death educator, shares her journey into the field of death education, emphasizing the importance of planning for end-of-life issues. She discusses her creative approaches, including the use of humor and film clips, to engage people in conversations about death. Gail also reflects on her personal experiences with loss and the challenges she faces in her work, advocating for pre-need funeral planning and the need for open discussions about mortality. In this conversation, Gail Rubin shares her experiences with medical aid in dying, the role of death doulas, and the importance of planning for end-of-life decisions. She discusses her personal journey through grief and loss, the significance of mourning, and her fears surrounding her own end of life. She also introduces the Before I Die Festival, an initiative to encourage conversations about death and dying.

A Good Goodbye - Gail's website
Gail's Videos
Doyenne of Death Podcasts
Thanatopsis by William Cullen Bryant
Elizabeth Town movie
Before I Die Festivals
Information on Death Cafes and Jon Underwood

Support the show

You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.

Send us a text

In this conversation, Russell Young shares his profound experiences with death, grief, and the importance of community support. He reflects on the impact of losing loved ones, particularly his father and wife, and how these experiences shaped his understanding of life and death. We also highlight his installation of a 'wind phone' on his church's property, a symbolic gesture that allows individuals to communicate with lost loved ones. Russ emphasizes the significance of maintaining connections, whether through imagination or belief, and the role of community in navigating grief. He shares insights on resilience, the healing power of memories, and the importance of living in the present.
Russ has been a member of Columbine United Church since 2017 and a volunteer at Nourish Meals on Wheels since 2016. He is also an Uncle to two nieces in Littleton, Co, where he currently lives.
The Colorado Gazette recently posted an article about a wind phone that had been installed in our local community. We first heard about wind phones when Ira Glass reported on this in his series, This American Life. “One Last Thing Before I Go” was a tribute to Itaru Sasaki, a Japanese man devastated by the loss of his cousin. In 2010, he set up an old-fashioned phone booth with a nonworking rotary phone in his garden. Calling his cousin on the Kaze No Denwa, translated as The Telephone of the Wind. In a manner, moving his grief through a telephone. We asked Russ to join us when we heard that he was the one who installed the local wind phone

My Wind Phone website
Nourish Meals on Wheels

Support the show

You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.