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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.
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First the Wealth Gap, Now the U.S. Has a Growing Health Gap: Discover why the U.S. health gap is growing and how improving healthspan can enhance quality of life for Americans -
How to Comfort A Dying Loved One: End-of-life expert Dr. Marianne Matzo explains some simple ways to offer solace -
Our Annual Seven Holiday Gifts for Someone Who Is Grieving, 2024 Edition: Gracious gifts that spread love and beauty
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Categories
Tag Archives: New Zealand
Tangihanga: A Look Into a Traditional Maori Funeral
How one of the world's most remarkable cultures approaches expected and unexpected loss
The Maori people are an indigenous group of Polynesian New Zealanders whose ancestry can be traced all the way back to the 13th century. Due to centuries of isolation, the Maori have established a distinct society of characteristic art, language and … Continue reading
Tree Church Reflects a Re-landing of Spirituality
A church made of trees invokes the natural world as a place of worship
When Barry Cox first envisioned a church of trees in the backyard of his Ohaupo, New Zealand home, he didn’t expect that it would resonate so powerfully with others. Cox’s initial vision, simply dubbed the “Tree Church,” has since grown … Continue reading
Posted in Something Special
Tagged Church, Mindfulness, Nature Spirituality, New Zealand, Sacred Space, Tree Church, Worship
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What is an Eco Funeral? An Interview with Deb Cairns
Deb Cairns of State of Grace in Auckland, New Zealand breaks down the home funeral experience
Today, SevenPonds speaks with Deb Cairns of State of Grace: Family Directed Funerals in Auckland, New Zealand. After her dear friend died of cancer, she was inspired to create in-home or family-directed funeral services that provide a “caring, compassionate and … Continue reading
New Zealand: Death Tattoos & the Maori
New Zealand's "ta moko" tattoos are traced back to Maori death and memorial rituals
Traditional New Zealand death rituals use expression and creativity as a cathartic means to get through the grieving process while memorializing a loved one. It’s a philosophy that is perhaps best represented in the Maori tradition of tattooing, known as … Continue reading
Traditional Burial Rites for the Maori
New Zealand’s indigenous people ensure that no one is alone during a burial
The Maori in New Zealand honor those who have died with a three-day burial rite, which is becoming less commonly practiced these days, called the Tangihanga or the Tangi. The process is held at a communal and sacred place known … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Perspectives
Tagged After Death Communication, Burial Rites, burial traditions, cleansing, communal gathering, communal grieving, community, honoring loved ones, Maori, Maori culture, Māori people, Maori tribes, marae, New Zealand, sacred places, Storytelling, Tangihanga, Vigil, water ritual
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