In this episode of the podcast Sascha and I discuss the nature of reality.

We consider the practical appeal of living inside a consensus reality, the value of remembering that real doesn't mean absolute and what it's like when truth we've relied on cracks apart to reveal who-knows-what swirling underneath.

We look at examples from our lives of ways grief offered glimpses into layers of reality we weren't expecting, like and don't like the way that makes us feel and wonder at what kind of shimmering endlessness we might be swimming in.

We are thrilled to share our first community stories episode.

We look forward to weaving and sharing the experiences of our grief house community members.

Our theme this month is perspective and reality - the conversations on this episode explore how grief can change our experience of the world around us.

Today’s stories are shared by Jamie, Alex, Edith and Morgan. They were recorded at the Portland Grief House during our Art & Medicine fair and at a Compassionate Death Companion gathering.

We hope to offer one community episode each month. We'll be sending out information about upcoming themes, in-person recording dates in Portland and Atlanta and ways folks in other places can send us their stories.

Check out our Patreon page for more stories, writing and meditation prompts and other offerings.

Find out more about the folks on this episode below:

Jamie Thrower - End of Life Doula and Educator.

Alexandrea Wilson - counselor, death worker, Grief House board member.

Edith - griever

Morgan Fava - Death Doula

In this special episode I talk with Serena Trexler about her experiences as a death care worker, death rights advocate and green death/human composting engineer.

We Discuss Serena's personal relationship with the dead and their bodies (curious, honored to know them, not afraid) in contrast to many people's relationship with the dead (closed off, hopeful they won't be near, quite afraid). We explore the possibilities that open up when there isn't a requirement for fear of death and what might change if we had communities that supported us as we explored this universal, unavoidable part of our cycle. We discuss the biology of returning to the earth and the ways human's bodies might be used to heal wounds we've cause in our ecosystem.

I feel amazement about Serena, incredible good luck to know her, and hope about what might come from this particular moment she's spending incarnate.