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  • Longing for Homeland

    Longing for Homeland
    2025/09/05
    In this episode of Halva for the Heart, I share some tender reflections about home, homeland, and the grief of not quite belonging anywhere. After nearly ten years in Korea, I’ve realized I will always be a guest here—and that realization has stirred up so many questions for me: If not here, then where? What does it mean to feel at home in my body? What does it mean to be a settler on Turtle Island? And can I still call Iran my homeland if I’ve never truly known its land?

    Throught the episode, I read from Stephen Jenkinson’s Die Wise and talk about how his words opened up new ways of thinking about home, land, and obligation. I also share stories from grief circles and community conversations, where we explore how food, seeds, and even longing itself can be ways of being in relationship with the land we come from.

    If you’ve ever wrestled with homesickness, with the ache of displacement, or with the question of how to pass something on to the next generation—you’re not alone. This episode is me sitting with all of that, out loud.

    Mentioned in this episode:
    • Interview with Sama of Reyhan Herb Farm
    • Interview with Mina Sharif and her book Your War, Our Lives
    • Dard-e Del: a online support space for Iranians in Diaspora ❤️‍🩹
    • Die Wise by Stephen Jenkinson
    • Nine Keys from Narinder Bazen


    If you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you, leave me a voice note

    Follow me on instagram at @hafez.death.care
    Learn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.com

    🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân
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    43 分
  • Playfulness of Grief: Letting your inner child lead

    Playfulness of Grief: Letting your inner child lead
    2025/08/27
    In this episode of Halva for the Heart, we explore a radically different approach to grief—one that invites your inner child to lead the way. I share how my own grief has shown up in playful ways—like dancing with the memory of my mother—and offer an invitation for you to imagine your grief as a childhood friend asking you out on a “play date.”

    If you’ve ever longed for a lighter, more curious way to be in relationship with loss, this episode offers a gentle doorway into play, wonder, and childlike connection with your grief.

    Upcoming events
    In Seoul: Poetic Play Grief Ritual with Mallory Dowd on September 7
    Register at https://ritual.hafezdeathcare.com

    Online: Fibers of Grief every first Thursday of the month
    Register at https://fibers.hafezdeathcare.com

    If you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you, leave me a voice note

    Follow me on instagram at @hafez.death.care
    Learn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.com

    🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân
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    22 分
  • Navigating Afghan Diaspora Identity with Mina Sharif

    Navigating Afghan Diaspora Identity with Mina Sharif
    2025/07/30
    On this episode of Halva for the Heart, I am thrilled to be interviewing Afghan-Canadian author Mina Sharif.

    Mina spent 15 years living and working in Kabul, Afghanistan. She’s the author of Your War, Our Lives, a short story collection that brings heart, humor, and nuance to everyday life in Afghanistan during the international occupation. Through her work, she shares the quieter, more human sides of conflict, and what it means to belong to more than one place at once.

    In this conversation, Mina and I speak about her new book (comes out August 1, 2025!), the diasporic experience, and how fully embody your heritage identity, even if others say you "don't count".

    You can purchase Your War, Our Lives ar Mina's website: www.minasharif.com
    And follow Mina on Instagram

    If you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you, leave me a voice note

    Follow me on instagram at @hafez.death.care
    Learn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.com

    🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân
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    1 時間 12 分
  • Ancestral Wisdom with Shivani

    Ancestral Wisdom with Shivani
    2025/07/23
    On this episode of Halva for the Heart, I am joined by my friend and fellow death doula Shivani Narang. Shivani is a death worker, a grief worker, and a postpartum, abortion, and post-abortion doula who is deeply connected to their ancestors. Their work is an act of devotion.

    In this conversation, Shivani and I speak about surrendering to the wisdom of our ancestors and allowing them to guide our death work. We also discuss magic of grandmthers and great-grandmothers, and how we stay connected to our ancestral homelands while having grown up in the US.

    You can connect with Shivani Narang on their website and on Instagram @deathworkwithshiv
    Also follow their new podcast series @of.sweetness.and.spirit

    If you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you, leave me a voice note

    Follow me on instagram at @hafez.death.care
    Learn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.com

    🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân
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    55 分
  • Meditation for the Iranian Diaspora

    Meditation for the Iranian Diaspora
    2025/06/25
    In this special episode of Halva for the Heart, I offer a guided meditation created specifically for the Iranian diaspora.

    Since Israel's attack on.Iran, many Iranians—myself included—have been struggling with emotional overwhelm, fear, grief, and dissociation. In response, I’ve been hosting grief support spaces for Iranians, and this meditation emerged from those gatherings.

    Rooted in the teachings of Valerie Kaur, Holly Truhlar, and my death midwifery mentor Narinder Bazen, this episode is a somatic, ancestral, and heart-centered meditation practice. Please find a quiet, comfortable place to rest. Bring your grief, your tenderness, your longing. It's all welcome here.

    If you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you, leave me a voice note

    Follow me on instagram at @hafez.death.care
    Learn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.com

    🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân
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    22 分
  • Being a Death Doula in a Time of War

    Being a Death Doula in a Time of War
    2025/06/19
    In this episode, I discuss the recent Israeli bombings happening throughout Iran and how my work as an Iranian-American death doula can help me support my community in this moment.

    If you're Iranian, join us for Dard-e Del three times a month. Learn more and signup here. Let us support each other 🫂

    If you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you, leave me a voice note

    Follow me on instagram at @hafez.death.care
    Learn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.com

    🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân
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    31 分
  • The Politics of Death & Grief

    The Politics of Death & Grief
    2025/06/11
    Death and grief are deeply political, especially during this moment in history. Listen as I discuss how turning towards our grief and deepening out death work can help us as we live through this time of collapse.


    ❤️‍🩹 Cover image is Palestinian docter Dr. Alaa Al Najjar whose nine children were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza



    If you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you, leave me a voice note

    Follow me on instagram at @hafez.death.care
    Learn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.com

    🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân
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    30 分
  • Poetry and Grief with Mallory Dowd

    Poetry and Grief with Mallory Dowd
    2025/05/27
    In this episode, I'm joined by my friend Mallory Dowd. She is a clinical therapist, intuitive tarot reader, and art witch based in Seoul. Together, we will be hosting a community grief circle soon and I wanted to bring her on the podcast to talk about relationship to grief. 🖤

    Content Warning for discussions about grief from a loss by suicide.

    Get in touch with Mallory on Instagram @mallorydowd or through her website www.mallorydowd.com

    If you'd like to share what this episode brought up for you, leave me a voice note

    Follow me on instagram at @hafez.death.care
    Learn more about my work at my website www.hafezdeathcare.com

    🎵 Theme song: 'Lullaby' by Iranian oud player Negâr Boubân
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    1 時間 27 分