In this first of two episodes, Kimberly and Stephen look at what happens when we normalize these uniquely troubled times, as well as how we got here. Together they wonder about grief, parenting, elderhood, me-first culture and conspiracies in times of crisis. Stephen places emphasis on how relationship to history informs our present circumstance and meaning making. What do we gain by normalizing times such as these? Where does health come from? How do we reckon with our me-first world in a time so desperate for community and culture?   What You’ll Hear --Plague is not an easy thing to normalize, 1919 is the last time --Spirit work is a response to troubles of the times, not freedom from the troubles of the times --How wisdom is distinguished from prejudice --Our spirit work is our response to the world, not our feeling tone about the world --A puritan about your own fundamentalism --The last thing a conspiracy theorist does is imagine that their conspiracy is conspiratorial --Mania of challenging everything rarely gets challenged --Culture orchestrated around appealing to and buying and selling to 17 year olds- inherited from the 60s --What do our kids do with what we’ve given to them --Etymology of the word Fate- from the Latin word from the verb “to speak” What the Gods had said.” --Now that the Gods have spoken, what shall you do- what are the obligations? --Origin of the concept of “bucket list” --Skillfulness or ability to be good, “good” is not a temperature of your character or indwelling possession  --Where does your health come from? --What happens if we imagine that the differences between us are problems to solve? --You are incapable of generating the meaning of your life --The meaning of your life is assembled when you die, what a village minded person owns their neighbors --You don’t get to know your legacy, it’s not yours, it’s the consequence of your death --Your act of dying is your last act of citizenship --The word “therapeo” to cure, you require a malady --Preoccupation with self is the principle malady of the times --What’s the source of the enthronement of the self and social media --Elderhood as a check-and-balance on the regime of self-absorption --What will happen if you don’t know how to die? --Death as a great act of humanity and its fullest incarnation or an insult to humanity --Willingness to work is a casualty of the “me first” movement --The moral quandary of having children --Inclusivity is a blowing apart of the capacity to distinguish, inclusivity shames discernment --Culture work versus personal work --Dominant culture of North American founded by flight risks, people on the run, casualties --"The world" doesn't exist, place does Resources Website: www.orphanwisdom.com

Kimberly Ann Johnson interviews Stephen Jenkinson, author and death worker, about their ongoing event series Reckoning. They discuss the role of witness in their work, politics of feelings, and their relationship to matrimony. They reflect on the difference between recording and live events and the unique impact it has on their relationships to the oral tradition.

I’ve been running ManTalks for almost a decade and I’ve met a ton of amazing people who can speak truthfully and bluntly. But no one speaks carries their truth as authentically as Stephen Jenkinson. I find a lot of what Stephen says is medicinal: you might not think it tastes great, but damn if it isn’t what you need to hear. This is a deep dive into why things are the way they are. Fear of submission, love of consumption, death-phobia, the commodification of trauma, endings, what the pandemic tried to tell us, and so much more. This is from a series I produced recently called The Wisdom of Elders, featuring experts on elderhood and culture to discuss what an “elder” actually is, where we are as a species, how we got here, and where we’re headed. Basically, what the f*** happened? Culture activist, teacher, and author, Stephen Jenkinson teaches internationally and is the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School, co-founded with Nathalie Roy in 2010, convening semi-annually in Ontario, and in northern Europe. He has a Masters degree in Theology from Harvard University and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Toronto. Apprenticed to a master storyteller when a young man, he has worked extensively with dying people and their families, was a program director in a major hospital, and an assistant professor in a prominent medical school. He is also a sculptor and traditional canoe builder, whose house won a Governor General’s Award for architecture. Since co-founding Nights of Grief and Mystery with Gregory Hoskins in 2015, he has toured across North America, the U.K., Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. His new book, A Generation’s Worth: Spirit Work While the Crisis Reigns, sets out to learn liveable answers. Dying and death, love and matrimony, money and soul, aging and elderhood, drawn through the eye of a pestilential needle: this is the spirit work, and that is the crisis. https://orphanwisdom.com/a-generations-worth-spirit-work-while-the-crisis-reigns He is also the author of Come of Age: The Case for Elderhood in a Time of Trouble, the award-winning Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul, Homecoming: The Haiku Sessions, How it All Could Be: A Workbook for Dying People and Those Who Love Them (2009), Angel and Executioner: Grief and the Love of Life (a live teaching from 2009), and Money and The Soul’s Desires: A Meditation. He is contributing author to Palliative Care – Core Skills and Clinical Competencies. Stephen Jenkinson is also the subject of the feature-length documentary film Griefwalker, a portrait of his work with dying people, and Lost Nation Road, a shorter documentary on the crafting of the Nights of Grief and Mystery tours. Connect with Stephen: -Website: https://orphanwisdom.com -Latest book: https://orphanwisdom.com/a-generations-worth-spirit-work-while-the-crisis-reigns -Books: https://orphanwisdom.com/shop/ -Griefwalker documentary: https://www.nfb.ca/film/griefwalker/ Did you enjoy the podcast? If so, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Podchaser. It helps us get into the ears of new listeners, expand the ManTalks Community, and help others find the self-leadership they’re looking for. Are you looking to find purpose, navigate transition, or fix your relationships, all with a powerful group of men from around the world? Check out The Alliance and join me today.  Check out our Facebook Page or the Men's community. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts  | Spotify For more episodes visit us at ManTalks.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.  DISCLAIMER: This podcast is presented for educational and exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for diagnosing or treating any illness. Those responsible for this show disclaim responsibility for any possible adverse effects from the use of information presented by Luke or his guests. Please consult with your healthcare provider before using any products referenced. This podcast may contain paid endorsements for products or services. 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. THIS SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: QUANTUM UPGRADE. Block harmful EMF with Quantum Upgrade's products. Their products stabilize the energy fields around you and work in the home, at the office, and even in your car. Get a 15 day free trial with code 'LUKE15' atquantumupgrade.io. AND… BIOPTIMIZERS - the makers of Masszymes - are offering a challenge. This month only, get a FREE bottle of this best selling 100% plant-based, naturally-derived digestive enzymes - try and see all of the positive changes of enhanced digestion and nutrient absorption. All you have to do is pay a nominal shipping fee. That’s it! Do not miss the opportunity, it is a limited time offer this month only. Get your free bottle at masszymes.com/lukefree with code LUKE10. AND… SILVER BIOTICS. Experience the healing power of Silver Biotics! Their advanced & patented technology can help support your immune system and promote overall wellness. Try it today and see the difference for yourself! Get 30% off when you go to silverbiotics.com and use code LUKE at checkout. AND… ALITURA NATURALS. Your skin is the largest organ and it needs to be treated like another mouth. If you're as careful about what you put on your skin as you are about feeding your body, then you’ve got to check out my good friend and previous podcast guest’s skincare line, Alitura Naturals. Alitura was created out of desperation after it’s founder, model, and actor, Andy Hnilo, found his face unrecognizable after getting hit and run over by two cars. Alitura, latin for ‘feeding and nourishing,’ was created out if a small studio apartment, purely out of necessity to heal Andy’s scarring and abrasions. Carefully sourced with research proven ingredients containing natural, organic, nutrient-rich ingredients that feed and nourish your skin, so you can look as vibrant as you feel. And as a special gift for my listeners, use code “LIFESTYLIST” for 20% off and FREE SHIPPING in the US on your order at alituranaturals.com. 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.

Stephen Jenkinson, a storyteller and palliative care expert, discusses the transformative power of embracing mortality and societal avoidance of death. He explores the chaos of urban environments, off-the-grid living, and agriculture as a public service. Reflecting on personal experiences with death, he challenges cultural norms and emphasizes the importance of accepting death as a natural part of life for personal growth and renewal.

Today I interview Stephen Jenkinson. Jenkinson has a new book. It's entitled A Generation's Worth: Spirit Work While the Crisis Reigns (Orphan Wisdom, 2021) and it's a rarity among books and, to my mind, authors. Jenkinson not only attempts to reckon with our current crisis in the midst of it, which would be challenge enough, but he also attempts to reckon with his previous work, asking the ballsy question: do the books that I've written in my life—does, in some part, my life's work—stand up to the pressures of this moment? Did I write anything that withstands the test of this time? This is, to my mind, a colossal demand that Jenkinson asks of himself. He's written books about money and soul, death and wisdom, matrimony and patrimony, and the role of elders in a culture bereft of them. In A Generation's Worth, Jenkinson isn't so much summing up these previous books as leaning in more deeply to the questions that animate them. And through these questions, these wonderings, as Jenkinson calls them, he asks us to lean more deeply into life—not life as we wish it or want it to be—but life as it is, life full of grief and mystery, full of rough gods and dark roads, life that, as he writes, "will prevail over lives, yours included."Eric LeMay is on the creative writing faculty at Ohio University. He is the author of five books, most recently Remember Me. He can be reached at eric@ericlemay.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/spiritual-practice-and-mindfulness

My guest today is someone I consider an important teacher in my life, Stephen Jenkinson. He is a cultural activist, he is a farmer and a philosopher. He is the author of a number of books including some that are my favourites. He presents life as it really is and because he has worked with the dying for so many years, he attempts to anchor us in the reality of where we are. There isn't a time that we need this more.This might not appear to be a very cheerful conversation but if you understand...

Stephen Jenkinson, an activist, teacher, and author, shares profound insights on cultural myths and the evolution of masculinity. He questions the traditional roles of patriarchy and fatherhood, urging a reexamination of their societal implications. Jenkinson emphasizes the vital connection between generations and the erosion of collective memory in a tech-dependent world. Through intimate reflections on grief and identity, he highlights the importance of vulnerability and presence in shaping meaningful relationships.

Kimberly Ann Johnson, a collaborator on culture-making, and Stephen Jenkinson, an author of orphan wisdom, dive into the impact of their recent trip to Ireland. They explore ancestral ties, the complexities of grief, and how cultural narratives influence identity. Their conversation touches on the significance of 'dirt' in understanding heritage and the layered wisdom it holds. Listeners will ponder the implications of travel on personal history and the fine line between making culture from and for. This engaging dialogue offers a glimpse into their upcoming live audio series.

Stephen Jenkinson, expert in dying and Harvard-trained theologian, challenges societal misconceptions about aging and responsibility. He explores our culture's avoidance of death and reflects on his experiences counseling people on death. The podcast delves into the absence of enlightenment in the final moments of life and emphasizes the importance of embracing ordinary aspects of life. The importance of leading with our humanity and persevering in difficult times is also discussed. Overall, the podcast offers profound insights on wisdom, elderhood, and starting at ordinary.