Collaboration Love
Special Guest Illuminates “What the Dying Show and Tell Us”
I am thrilled to announce that Lisa Brynac will be joining me to co-present “What the Dying Show and Tell Us” on Nov. 12 from 2-3:30 p.m. at Joy of Yoga. Lisa has tremendous experience in helping others navigate dying and death — and in such loving, beautiful ways. You will not want to miss this chance to learn from and with one of the best.
About Lisa
Lisa is a hospice educator, hospice volunteer coordinator, and Reiki practitioner. Over the past 17 years, she has trained hundreds of volunteers and caregivers in the art of creating an atmosphere of warmth, compassion, and peaceful presence. She uses techniques such as touch, energy work, life review, validation, and heart hugs. Lisa loves spending time with her husband, three grown children, daughter in law, grand dogs, friends, and her dog Teddy. She enjoys yoga, hiking, biking (especially with her 84-year-old dad!), and putting her feet in the sand.
“What the Dying Show and Tell Us”
Nov. 12 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Joy of Yoga
The stories that the dying tell us, both literally and figuratively, can help us better understand their experiences and needs. And as caregivers, we can learn to transform these improved understandings into more compassionate caregiving — for both the dying and ourselves. We'll discuss common end-of-life occurrences, using the physical process as a guide for what's concurrently happening emotionally, energetically, and spiritually. This class will be informative for anyone but especially meaningful if you are helping or expect to help a loved one navigate their transition.
A Collaboration Celebration:
You’re Invited on 11-11!
Another very exciting announcement... My collaboration with St. Louis meditative artist and poet Angela L. Chostner, The Blanket of Stars Project, launches on 11-11 at 11 a.m. — and you’re invited!
Together, Angela and I have created sacred art that brings healing energy of Heaven to Earth in the form of an original painting and beautiful merchandise. Items will be available for sale and/or order, although there is absolutely zero expectation that you purchase anything… Your presence means the universe to us.
View the invite and register today by clicking on the button below — and bring a friend or two. We can hardly wait to tell you the divinely orchestrated story of how this project came to be and our ideas for expanding its reach. Thank you for your love and support!
Learn about Angela by visiting her website. And check out TheBridge, our special location for the launch event.
Free Grief Support for All Ages
Bridges is a free 6-week virtual grief support group offered three times throughout the year by the staff at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital. The group is inclusive to anyone experiencing grief, and groups are divided by age —kids, teens, and adults — and winter sessions begin soon. It is a completely free program, and you do not have to be affiliated with Ranken Jordan to take part. Contact Katie Noll, BS, CCLS at katie.noll@rankenjordan.org or 314.872.6449 for more details.
UVM: Scholarships Available!
If you have attended my “What is a Death Doula?” class, you’ll probably remember me mentioning the University of Vermont’s End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate program. The comprehensive curriculum is a widely respected “gold standard” for education and community support — an outstanding resource for dying and death wisdom for humanity.
Registration is now open for the program’s next 8-week online session, which starts March 22, 2023. Plus, tuition funding is available through UVM's Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Scholarship for doulas and aspiring doulas to provide culturally-affirming end-of-life care within more communities. The scholarship application is available online and due Nov. 1.
Our Wisest Teacher
We can (and should!) learn the most salient, powerful, transformative lessons about life from dying and death. We just need to be open to the teachings, making ourselves quiet and available enough to hear what those in transition have to say to us, both literally and figuratively. I am so humbled and grateful to help others do this work; I witness miracles when it happens.
Get quiet, be quiet. Sit with death. Listen. You will hear everything you need to know about life.
Speaking of UVM’s certificate program, here is a nice piece by one of its lead instructors, Diane Button — I’m a Death Doula. These are 10 Lessons I’ve Learned About Living from the Dying, from Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper. (I love its tagline: “Journalism Above the Noise. Moving You and Humanity Forward.” Yes, please.)
With love, always and in all ways,
Amy