How to Die: Facing Our Death Phobia & Embracing Our Elders w/ Stephen Jenkinson #488
The Life Stylist
The Divergence of Death in the West
I was the beneficiary of benign administrative neglect. It worked out exceedingly well for a brief but intense period of time. But doctors understandably won't take direction from non medical people. So I don't blame them actually for closing ranks against one somebody who's not their own. We diverted so dramatically in the ways in which we deal with death.
I'm thrilled to present to you an incredible episode delving deep into the often uncharted topic of death, our fears surrounding it, and the realm of palliative care with the wise and insightful Stephen Jenkinson. As the author of profound books such as "Die Wise" and "Come of Age," Stephen has transformed our understanding of mortality and the societal roles of elders.
We discuss the chances he took in institutional hospital settings and how our western culture has diverted from age-old practices surrounding death. Through our conversation, you'll realize the importance of reconnecting with our roots and gaining a more profound respect for the natural cycle of life.
We also delve into some unsettling trends seen in today’s society, such as our tendency to remove ourselves from ancestral traditions to form an identity while disconnecting from our heritage. We discuss the concept of elderhood, its vital cultural function, and the loss it has suffered in our modern culture. Stephen also sheds light on the fears of aging and dying and how understanding life's limitations can lead us to better self-improvement.
Swimming to the deep end, this episode ventures into the controversial topic of euthanasia's legalization in Canada, examines the impacts of a death-phobic culture, and contemplates suffering and pain as essential parts of our life and death narratives.
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00:01:58 — (Re)introducing: Death, Phobias & Palliative Care
• Ancestral Amnesia & the Village Mind - Stephen Jenkinson #151
• Read: Die Wise by Stephen Jenkinson
• How Stephen’s path led him to palliative care
• Overcoming institutional limitations around death and birth
• Taking chances in institutional hospital settings
• How the West diverted from historical practices around death
00:11:25 — Inheriting a Ghost Culture and Reconnecting With Our Elders
• Pillaging other ancestral traditions to find a sense of identity
• Disconnecting from one's own heritage
• Elderhood as a cultural function
• The loss of respect for elders in modern society
• Read: Come of Age by Stephen Jenkinson
• A conversation in Oaxaca City about elderhood
• Brief observation around the phobia of aging and dying
• Who goes into self improvement to obey the limits of life?
• Understanding the limits that have been entrusted in you
00:33:09 — Legalization of Euthanasia in Canada & Dying in the Manner of One’s Living
• How a death phobic culture masks euthanasia as “Maid Medical Assistance in Dying”
• English language has no passive voice for our relationship with God
• Anticipatory grief, understanding the verb "to die"
• Finding a way to say goodbye while you still can
• Medication as an end-of-life value vs. end-of-life presence
• Remembering Aldous Huxley's death involving an LSD journey
• Why suffering and pain belong in matters of life and death
• Three teachers that have impacted Stephen’s work
More about this episode.
Watch on YouTube.
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Resources:
• Website: orphanwisdom.com
• Read: Die Wise by Stephen Jenkinson
• Read: Come of Age by Stephen Jenkinson
• Read: Reckoning by Stephen Jenkinson and Kimberly Ann Johnson
• Instagram: @griefandmystery
• Facebook: Orphan Wisdom
• The Nights of Grief & Mystery 2023: orphanwisdom.com/nights-of-grief-and-mystery
• Are you ready to block harmful blue light, and look great at the same time? Check out Gilded By Luke Storey. Where fashion meets function: gildedbylukestorey.com
• Join me on Telegram for the uncensored content big tech won’t allow me to post. It’s free speech and free content: www.lukestorey.com/telegram
Related:
• The Holistic OBGYN on Conscious Birth & Death Practices & Traditions w/ Dr. Nathan Riley #421
• Somatic Experiencing, Birth, Sex, & Trauma W/ Kimberly Ann Johnson #362
The Life Stylist is produced by Crate Media.
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