Author Archives: Kelly Larsen (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

Creating a Home Altar

Pete KL's "Memoro" pieces offer a unique way to celebrate one's memories

Commemorating the the memory of someone with a home altar is healing, whether it’s reflecting on the places and moments we’ve been with them in our lives or the gifts they have given us. New York-based designer Pete KL recognizes … Continue reading

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What is Reiki? An Interview with Michelle Wallace

How Reiki and Qigong can help soothe and heal both the grieving and the chronically ill

Michelle Wallace has been teaching Pilates since 2004 and also offers Reiki and Qigong sessions. She holds a BA from UC Berkeley and an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. Kelly: First of all, could you tell us a … Continue reading

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“After great pain, a formal feeling comes” by Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson perfectly captures the numbness we experience after the passing of a loved one

My post last week was about letting go of sorrows in order to be happy, and to fully appreciate the good experiences in life. While this is an important stage to come to, it’s certainly not what immediately follows a … Continue reading

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“Farewell” by Anne Bronte

Anne Bronte's poem teaches a lesson in remembering loved ones

You’re probably familiar with the works of Charlotte and Emily Bronte; but what you may not know is that they had a younger sister, Anne, who was also a writer. Unfortunately, the successes of her older siblings tended to leave … Continue reading

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“The Barter” by Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates sheds light on this important stage of grief

In a recent post, I wrote about the influence of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s Five Stages of Grief; and while reading through the stories of one of Joyce Carol Oates’s collections, Sourland, I came across yet another short story which has, at … Continue reading

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“Eternal Life” by Carl Dennis

Carl Dennis contemplates both in "Eternal Life"

Reincarnation and ghosts are two end-of-life subjects I haven’t touched on much in this column. But Carl Dennis’s “Eternal Life” tackles both in a playful, pondering manner. This also means that he goes back and forth on his views. Initially, … Continue reading

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