Dance To Death Afterlife

In part one of this interview we met Barbara Karnes who spent decades working as a Registered Nurse and was present for the deaths of hundreds of people. The observations she made during those sacred moments, and the lessons she learned, led Barbara to craft a new way to think about dying, one that will transform how families might help a loved one die, and how you might help yourself when your time comes. Her compassionate wisdom is offered in a kit that includes two easy to read booklets and a copy of her new award winning film "New Rules for End of Life Care.”   Now if you haven’t had the opportunity to listen to part one, you might want to jump over there and take a listen, because that’s where we first meet Barbara, and where she talks about how to recognize the signs that someone is dying, and some specific things you can do to help a loved one when they are dying. In this part two we dig deeper into what’s in Barbara's kit, how it helps, and we take a trip in the Dance to Death time machine into the fu

While at the bedside of hundreds of people during the dying process, my guest Barbara Karnes, a Registered Nurse, noticed that each death was following a near identical script. Each person was going through the stages of death in almost the same manner. And most families had the same questions. These realizations led Barbara to sit down and write the "Little Blue Book” —  a book that changed an industry. Written in non-medical language for families, her booklet changed the way we experience the death of a loved one, because with knowledge comes understanding, and understanding reduces fear.   Barbara's most recent project is a 25 minute film called "New Rules for End of Life Care,” in which she compassionately explains the stages of the dying process, talks about behavior changes as they pertain to food, sleep, and withdrawal, and addresses issues relating to the use of narcotics, addiction, and overdosing. The film is racking up more awards than I can list, and when you listen to Barbara speak, you’ll know w

I’ve been promising for some time now to take the show straight to hell and that time is now! I’m so excited to have my friend Gary Amirault on the show, but before I introduce him I want to explain some of the noises you might hear in the background. I’m celebrating the holidays with my wife’s family and so am recording this in the town of Recife, Brazil, where the neighbors are having a wonderful party. Maybe we’ll join them for a Caipirinha or three later on. I could have gone to a quieter place to record but I intentionally  stayed where I am because I love feeling like one little white fish in a psychedelic human aquarium of multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, and multi-racial diversity. In fact, I believe that’s what heaven will look like. Curiously, that love has a lot to do with the subject of hell. In the first moments of this show you’ll hear how I went searching for a way I could retain my respect for the Bible as divinely inspired, and yet lose a doctrine that was no longer compatible with my heart’s be

This is part two of a two part interview with Irene Weinberg, author of They Serve Bagels in Heaven. In part one, we learned about how Irene’s husband Saul was tragically killed in a car accident that also left Irene severely injured. As Irene began to heal and put the pieces of her life back together, her beloved Saul reached across the divide between the living and the dead, helping Irene to make positive changes that have affected her whole family. Those communications from the dead involved skilled psychics. Now I’ll confess I am still skeptical about such things, which you know if you’ve read my post on the dancetodeathafterlife.com blogsite called “I’ll have my medium rare.” But Irene has no such doubts, and there is surely no debating she is one happy, energetic, joyful, and spirited woman. That comes through in spades in this part two of my interview with Irene Weinberg of They Serve Bagels in Heaven.

In 1997, Irene Weinberg and her beloved husband Saul were driving home when their SUV went into a skid, flipped multiple times, and careened off the road. Irene, severely injured, turned to her husband but knew instantly that he was dead. That day, as tragic as it was, began a new chapter in Saul and Irene's centuries long love affair that transcends both time and place, and has helped make Irene the joyful, happy and thankful person you will hear on this interview. In part one we talk about how you have a chance to heal on the other side, how life is about living love, and about how they serve bagels in heaven. Join me for part one of my two part interview with Irene Weinberg, author of "They Serve Bagels in Heaven.”

You may recall from a few months ago my interview with David Dedrick from the Compleatly Beatles podcast, when we talked about how death affected the lives and music of the Beatles. That was Part One. Well it’s been a long and winding road since then and now, but Part Two is here and it is a perfect example of how much fun two guys can have when talking about the great music of the 60’s and 70’s. Not only does David go into more detail about the Paul is Dead myth, but he also dives into stories about Hendrix, Dylan, the Byrds, and even Hey Hey We’re the Monkees. You’ll find it all here in Part Two of my interview with David Dedrick from the Sneaky Dragon and Completely Beatles podcasts. Now where did we leave off? Ah yes…the death of George Harrison, and and how he made his final wish come true.

Here’s a little story about the famous Swiss psychotherapist Carl Gustav Jung. It’s been said that whenever a friend reported enthusiastically, "I was promoted at work!" Jung would say, "I'm very sorry to hear that; but if we all stick together, I think we will get through it.” And if a friend arrived depressed and ashamed, saying, "I've just been let go," Jung would say, "Let's open a bottle of wine; this is wonderful news; something good will happen now.” Well something good did happen when my guest Dana Ostomel was let go from her job — she founded Deposit a Gift — the most fun, flexible, hassle-free way to raise money online for anything that matters to you, and that includes online memorials! In this interview, Dana tells us how her business can help you raise money for a funeral, memorial, or anything you care about, in an organized and efficient way. And then we wax about the future of the funeral industry! Well the future is now folks, in this eye opening interview with Dana Ostomel of Deposit-A-Gift

He was in the nude, doing the tree pose on a bluff in Oaxaca, Mexico, when a shaman told Daniel Ortega he would be a healer. And so he has, mixing the cremated remains of humans and animals with hemp, ash, stone and other organic materials to create stunningly beautiful paintings and backlit keepsake vaults you can buy on his website. By transforming sacred elements into 95% green works of art, Daniel honors and heals the earth, fulfilling the shaman’s prophesy. Are you ready for a wild ride? Then join me on a high flying, smoke infused, electric kool-aid acid trip through the purple hazed mind of artist Daniel Ortega.

Hey there tigers and tigresses! So good to have you all back. In my last show, I had a wonderful time talking with Kat the Wiccan Mortician, who dropped out of mortuary school to pursue her advocacy for a more sensitive way to care for the dead and dying. We pick it back up with Kat now in Part Two of that interview, starting with a discussion about slow medicine, which is the latest trend in taking back control from the medical machine, her vision for a natural burial ground in Alaska, death doulas, human compositing, and a whole bunch of other interesting things you can only talk about with a lovely and intelligent Wiccan Mortician. You won’t be bored! That I assure you. So please join me for Part Two of my two part interview with Kat the Wiccan Mortician.

Ahoy me lads and lassies! Did ye think I was lost at sea? Well I was, kind of. My youngest daughter got married last Saturday, and for those of you who’ve been involved with a wedding, you know how that can keep a person busy. But I’m back with a bunch of new shows that I think you are going to really like, starting with this one with Kat the Wiccan Mortician. I hinted in my last show that a witch would be making an appearance, and poof! There she was! I didn't even have to wiggle my nose, I just, you know, picked up the phone and called her, like regular people. But you will find Kat anything but regular. Brilliant, insightful, friendly, caring, and plenty knowledgeable about both her Wiccan religion and the inner workings of the funeral industry. Please join me for Part One of my two part interview with Kat the Wiccan Mortician.

From the musical "Cats" by Andrew Lloyd-Webber   Memory Turn your face to the moonlight Let your memory lead you Open up, enter in If you find there The meaning of what happiness is Then a new life will begin    What a lovely notion, and one I believe in. We live, we die, we are remembered, and a new life begins. My guest Irina Jorden is in the memory business. As founder and owner of Artisurns, she curates a precious collection of one of a kind urns, jewelry and keepsakes that do so much more than just hold the remains of a loved one. They hold our memory of them too. Irina is a super optimist, writes on the Huffington Post, practices yoga, recently did a TedTalk on the Good Death, and still finds time to raise three children with her husband. A beautiful and intelligent lady from the Old Country, please join me for my interview with Irina Jorden of Artisurn.

Your brain is plastic. No, I didn’t say your brain is made out of plastic, I said your brain is plastic, as in easily shaped or molded. Neuroscientists tells us that by dwelling on a thought, good or bad, we cut a new groove in our gray matter, which then influences our behavior. Even of you’re an old coot like me, born in 1956 and with a brain like a dried fig.  Talking about death cuts a a new groove in your brain, a better groove, one with more awareness and less fear. Yes, we are talking death, with Jon Underwood, founder of the Death Cafe. And honest, open talk is the good heart of any effective Death Cafe: an event where folks can get together over coffee and cake, and just talk. That’s the simple beauty of a Death Cafe. No agenda. No sales pitch. Just real human interaction, eyeball to eyeball, knee to knee. I recorded this interview with Jon Underwood in 2014. He was then, and always will be to me, one of the most gentle, kind, and compassionate people I ever had the honor to know. I admire his work g

Welcome back to my interview with Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak, founder of the Promessa system, which uses advanced technology to mimic nature’s process of rapidly breaking down dead things and returning them to earth. We’re talking human compost here folks. I personally would like to have my remains spread around a cactus plant, which reflects my personality, but you listeners may opt for a fruit tree, or a flower garden. A rose by any other name! In part one we learned how Susanne came up with the idea for Promessa, and how it works. In this part, we learn more about how Promessa is different from cremation, and why NASA gave Susanne a call on the space phone. Join me for the second and final part of my interview with Susanne Wiigh-Masak of Sweden’s Promsessa.

Soil. Humus. Earth. Loam. Compost. For me, these words all conjure up good feelings of green, growing things, of vitality, and of vibrant life on our glorious blue planet. And so it was for Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak, a gardener and University trained biologist who wondered, “Why can’t human remains be returned to earth as respectfully and naturally as my spent flowers?” And so from her fertile mind, Promessa was born. By using advanced technology to mimic the natural processes Susanne knows so well, Promessa offers a new choice for environmentally conscious folks who don’t want to be buried but are suspect of cremation’s environmental impact, not the least of which is its carbon footprint. To learn more, please join me in part one of my two part interview with Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak of Promessa.

Sex. Death. Art. Monkey brain transplants. You'll hear about all that and more in my interview with Kate Sweeney, Public Radio journalist and author of the book "American Afterlife: Encounters in the Customs of Mourning." From the crooked tombstones of an almost forgotten Victorian cemetery, to a ghostly white bicycle leaned against a telephone pole, Kate and I explore the eclectic nooks and crannies of the uniquely American way of expressing grief, and we find parallels with it and society's hard fought and growing acceptance of LGBTQ PDA. The only place you'll hear the word "brobdingnagian" used in polite company, please join me in my interview with author Kate Sweeney!

Honor the dead. Heal the living. Invite in the divine. What a beautiful mission statement, and one adopted by the Green Burial Council, which was founded by my guest Joe Sehee. Only a former Jesuit lay minister and street entertainer would come up with something that heartfelt, which is why Joe is such an interesting guest. In Part One, he and I discussed funeral industry greenwashing and ways we consumers can avoid getting duped. In Part Two you’ll learn about the difference between a natural, green, and conversation burial ground, and some lessons we both learned while working for IBM. It seems the funeral industry, like the computer industry before it, is being dragged forward…often kicking and screaming…into what Joe calls an “End of life revolution." What are those forces? What revolution? Well listen in, and you’ll find out! But first, we pick up where we left off last time, discussing the origins of that mysterious mix we call embalming fluid. Drink up me lads and lassies, on Part Two of my interview w

You pick up a bottle of laundry detergent at the grocery store, and it's labeled “green” and is twice the price of regular detergent. But is it really safer for the environment? Often we just don’t know. Well it turns out green standards for the funeral industry are just as murky and unregulated, and there are some who will sell you and an expensive green funeral that really isn’t…a practice called “greenwashing.” My guest believed consumers should have access to objective information, so he founded the Green Burial Council, which established rigorous green standards for cemeteries who truly want to operate in an environmentally conscious way. Today the GBC, an international organization, protects consumers like you and me from greenwashing and gives legitimate green cemetery operators an opportunity to voluntarily become GBC certified, which many have. I caught up with Joe in Australia where he and his family live. Joe starts our time together by taking us on a virtual tour of a natural cemetery, and wrap up

  In episode nine I introduced you my friend, skull artist and fellow Virginian Noah Scalin, whose book of Skulls caught my eye while I was perusing the back of a shop in Charleston, South Carolina a few years ago. Every skull Noah creates is made from a different materials, from turnips to  tinfoil, and they are so amazing that Noah has become a bit of a skull celebrity. His art was recently featured in the Mammoth Book of Skulls, he speaks around the world on creative expression, teaches graphic design at the Virginia Commonwealth University, and even found time to hang out with Martha Stewart on her TV show. Noah has just released a new book of 365 skulls, and tomorrow I plan to stop by Chop Suey books in Richmond’s Carytown district to pick up my copy. I can’t wait! But for now, let’s move on to Part Two of my interview with artist Noah Scalin.

I think it’s safe to say that the Beatle’s were one of the most influential and innovative rock bands in the history of the genre. The power and impact of their music is hard to overstate. Ever since I first heard them on the Ed Sullivan show in the early 60’s, I knew the Beatle’s were special, and their magical songs became milestones in my passage through youth into adulthood. My guest on this show, David Dedrick, is one of the world’s leading experts on Beatle’s music and lore. He and his partner Ian Boothby host a podcast called Completely Beatles, and I am a huge fan of the show. What do the Beatles and death have in common, you might ask? We start by discussing the famous rumor that one of the Beatle’s, Paul McCartney, had died and been replaced by a look-alike. The rest is more than I could fit in one show, so please join me and David for Part One of the Dance to Death Afterlife Podcast Magical Mystery Tour.

  You’ve been clamoring! You’ve been screaming! You’ve been sending in your cereal box tops for a chance to hear Part 2 of my interview with Dr. Karen Wyatt, America’s Spiritual MD. Well wait no longer, dear listeners, because here ’tis. Our conversation picks up where Part 1 ended, discussing a paradox, that is, making sense of chaos. Can it be done? Should it be done? From there we dive deep into the words of Jesus in the original Aramaic, his native tongue, where we find new source of inspiration and peace. You are going to love what Karen has to say about heaven, hell, death and dying, and why this moment is the best one ever, in Part 2 of my interview with Dr. Karen Wyatt.