WELCOME TO OUR BLOG
Welcome to the SevenPonds.com blog – a community-driven extension of SevenPonds.com! I hope you find comfort and community in the resources and stories featured here. I’m always happy to hear from readers and can be reached at suzette@sevenponds.com.
FEATURED
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Our Annual Seven Holiday Gifts for Someone Who Is Grieving, 2024 Edition: Gracious gifts that spread love and beauty -
“Making Mobiles” by Karolina Merska: An artist’s manual on how to create beautiful Polish pajaki -
“Hands Up to the Sky” by Michael Franti & Spearhead: A surprisingly upbeat song about acknowledging both loss and the beauty of life
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Categories
Tag Archives: Funeral
Annang Funeral Tradition as Rite of Passage
The Annang people of Nigeria understand "good death" as transition to status of ancestor
The Annang people of Southeastern Nigeria consider death to be natural only when someone dies of old age, according to Dominic Umoh, Ph.D., a lecturer at the University of Agriculture in Makurd, Nigeria. If someone dies young from disease or … Continue reading
What is an Undertaker? An Interview with Patrick McNally, Part One
A funeral director gives his unique perspective on end-of-life rituals
Today, SevenPonds is speaking with Patrick McNally, the outspoken and creative funeral director behind the blog The Daily Undertaker, which explores ritual and art surrounding death and dying. In this first installment of our interview, Patrick reveals his honest insight into the funeral … Continue reading
”The Work of the Dead” by Thomas W. Laqueur
Thomas Laqueur's epic historical survey reveals insight into how and why we care for the dead
Significant amounts of research have been invested in understanding the grieving rituals of the animal kingdom, but literature examining the role that the human corpse plays in how culture is created and sustained over time has been relatively sparse. That … Continue reading
Our Weekly Tip: Use Chinese Sky Lanterns to Memorialize a Loved One
Release miniature hot air balloons to symbolize the release of your loved one's spirit
Our Tip of the Week: The concept of a person’s spirit ascending towards the heavens at the time of death is a common theme in many cultures and religions. It is also a comforting thought for those left behind — … Continue reading
What Is The Benefit of A Member Owned Cooperative Funeral Home? An Interview with Nora Menkin, Part Two
The Co-op Funeral Home of The People's Memorial Managing Director discusses the cooperative
Today is part two (read part one) of SevenPonds interview with Nora Menkin, Managing Director of The Co-op Funeral Home of The People’s Memorial in Seattle. The Co-op Funeral Home of People’s Memorial is one of the only cooperative funeral … Continue reading
Our Weekly Tip: Include Ancient Ancestral Practices in Funeral or Memorial Services
Ancestral practices tie the living to the dead across time and place
Our Tip of the Week: In this age of secular dying and grieving, many people struggle to find meaningful ways of memorializing their loved ones that don’t lean on a superficial spirituality or empty platitudes. If this resonates with you, … Continue reading
