Tag Archives: Spirituality and Belief

“A Dedication” by James Merrill

James Merrill explores the divine that is imminent in the stages of grief

James Merrill’s elegiac poem, “A Dedication” observes grief in its most intimate setting: the mind. Addressed to his friend, the Dutch poet Hans Lodeizen (who died while still a young man in 1950), the poem suggests its close relation to the poet’s … Continue reading

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“Kaddish” by Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg memorializes his mother's struggle with mental illness in his spiritual masterpiece

When readers discover beat poet Allen Ginsberg, they often first come across the poem “Howl“. The elegiac rhapsody was (in)famous in its time for its explicit language and an ensuing obscenity trial that, ironically, only threw Ginsberg’s work straight into national … Continue reading

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“Sunday Morning” by Wallace Stevens

Wallace Stevens's famous declaration from "Sunday Morning" reconsiders death as vital to a full life

In a recent interview with SevenPonds, Terri Daniel encourages us to imagine death as catalyst for new growth, new perspective, new knowledge, or whatever an individual accepts as a gift buried in a loss. Mortality does not have to dampen … Continue reading

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Can Scientific Research Lead Us to the Spirit World?

Dr. Gary E. Schwartz studies mediums and how they channel lost loved ones

Mediums are nothing if not reflections of our own proclivities. Do we believe them, or do we scoff incredulously at their messages from the otherworld? You may have watched John Edward on TV and disregarded his work as finely crafted … Continue reading

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“Casimir Pulaski Day” by Sufjan Stevens

A folk memorial song about a loved one with cancer and the limits of faith

Nothing can evoke the mystery of loss like a well-told story, or a ballad. One of my favorite songs by Sufjan Stevens, “Casimir Pulaski Day” from his album “Illinois” tells the story of a young girl who dies from cancer. … Continue reading

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What is NODA? An Interview with Carleen McCornack

The Program Coordinator of No One Dies Alone enlightens and uplifts, sharing her experience with death and dying

No One Dies Alone is a wonderfully compassionate, volunteer-driven service pioneered through the Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, OR.  Carleen McCormack is the Program Coordinator.  She can be reached at 541.222.2263 or cmccornack@peacehealth.org. Carleen: 25 years ago, there was a … Continue reading

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