FAR OUT #84 ~ Death Celebrant Blanche Colson on Reclaiming Death and Grief
Episode Description
Death might be the most important and costly conversation we're not having.
Blanche Colson thinks so. She joins us on today's show to share her journey with grief and dying that's led her at 67 to train as a death celebrant, also known as a death doula.
When Blanche lost her mother at 27, she turned to alcohol and pot. Later, when her children's dog died she disposed of the body and promised they'd get a new one. These days Blanche has turned to face death and her work helps others do the same.
In this week's conversation we talk about death, why our society's avoidance of grief is killing us and what we can do about it.
Listen and explore:
What’s wrong with the way we die
Blanche’s path to death work
What is a death celebrant?
The cost of our society’s grief avoidance
Alternative approaches to death
The importance of rituals in dealing with loss and change
Learning how to suffer with instead of “fixing”
Being a wanderlust and the role it plays in Blanche’s journey
Mentioned on the show:
Additional resources for thinking about death (shared with us by Blanche):
WeCroak (app)
TAKE ME HOME – Home Funeral and Death Midwifery by Sacred Crossings (YouTube video)
recompose.life – an alternative to cremation or traditional burial
Connect with us:
Email us at host@thefaroutpodcast.com
On Instagram: @thefaroutcouple
Julie-Roxane on Instagram: @julieroxane
Alasdair @ www.alasdairplambeck.com
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Credits:
Intro music: “Complicate ya” by Otis McDonald
Outro music: “Running with wise fools” written & performed by Krackatoa (www.krackatoa.com)
