Story Paths Dying into a Living World: Animism and Deathcare, with Sarah Kerr, PHD
Feb 13, 2024
In this enlightening talk, Sarah Kerr, PhD, a sacred deathcare practitioner and death doula, dives into the transformative power of viewing death not as an end, but as a crossing over. She discusses the impact of differing worldviews on the dying process and how animistic cosmology offers a more enriching perspective. Sarah highlights the importance of rituals in aiding transitions and channeling communal energy. Listeners will find inspiration in her insights on trust, connection, and the role of death doulas in cultural change and healing.
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Match Rituals To Your Worldview
- If an animistic map of death resonates, use matching rituals to support dying and the bereaved.
- Kerr offers ritual practices that enact cosmology and help move a person across the threshold.
What Counts As Real Shapes Grief
- Western ontology limits 'what is real' to the material and treats other experiences as unreal or paranormal.
- Sarah Kerr argues this narrow view makes death especially traumatizing and bereavement harder to integrate.
Straight Lines Versus Cycles
- Western culture frames life as a straight line: birth, isolated life, then nothingness after death.
- Kerr contrasts this with cyclical views that reconnect living, ancestors, and future generations.
