Tag Archives: Death

Kicking The Bucket: A Festival of Living and Dying

A two-week festival in Oxford contributes to the end-of-life conversation with a casual, refreshing celebration

At SevenPonds, we strive to open the conversation on death and dying—and we wholeheartedly support others who do the same. After all, we are just a part of a growing global community. This fall, Oxford-based Westmill Woodland Burial Ground is … Continue reading

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“At the Funeral” by Mark Twain

Mark Twain offers us some lighthearted guidance on how to act at a funeral in his 1881 essay “At The Funeral”

For some, death has a unique way of not only modifying your perspective of a person but also altering your understanding of your own relationship with him or her. You may find that suddenly, after passing, an acquaintance has become … Continue reading

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Transforming Loss (2013) by Judith R. Burdick

Director Judith R. Burdick shows how grief can help surviving family members strive to make the world a better place

The death of a loved one is never easy. Whether the loss is sudden and unexpected, or if it is a long time coming, the grief that we feel in the moments, days, or even years after losing someone who … Continue reading

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Bringing the Spirit Home in Xhosa Burial Rituals

How the funeral rites of the Xhosa people of South Africa can transform a spirit into an ancestral guide

For most people, the culture, traditions, and even the existence of the Xhosa people would have remained unknown were it not for the death of anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela. Although the world will mourn his loss for years to come, with … Continue reading

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The Victorian Era & the Art of Mourning

Understanding the art of an era obsessed with death, mourning, and ceremony

December, 1861: Prince Albert feels pangs of what wife Queen Victoria describes as “a nasty, feverish sort of influenza and a deranged stomach.” He retires from the household Christmas festivities, bed-ridden, and passes away on the dawn of December 14th, … Continue reading

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Planning a Life Celebration: Memorial Runner

Planning a ceremony of life memorial? Celebrate your loved one by sharing their experiences with a "memory runner"

A Memory Runner to Reflect the Good Times: Planning a ceremony of life memorial? The experience can offer an intimate time for friends and family members to remember the best (and most difficult) of times with your loved one. What … Continue reading

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