Peaceful Exit

Rabbi Neil Blumofe is the senior rabbi at Congregation Agudas Achim in Austin, Texas, and has been part of that community for 26 years! Rabbi Blumofe and I talk about how music can help facilitate community and spirituality. If life is improvisation, then Judaism is jazz. And sometimes rock 'n roll. We also talk about forgiveness, belonging, what makes something sacred and how forgiveness is possible at any time.

You can learn more about Rabbi Blumofe's work here: https://theaustinsynagogue.org/rabbi-neil-f-blumofe/

Daryl Horton is the senior pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. He explains why community is a key tennant of his faith and why it's so critical that we preserve Black churches. We also talk about the death of his brother, getting the call to ministry and how the church can be a critical voice in the conversation about racial justice.

You can learn more about Pastor Horton's work here: https://www.mtzion-baptist.org/content.cfm?id=577

Like authors, faith leaders are a great source for language about life and death. Venerable Jue Ji is a Buddhist nun who grew up in Taipei, Taiwan, and now calls Austin, Texas, home. Death is a key focus in Buddhism and Venerable shares ways that we can incorporate the idea of impermanence in our daily lives. We talk about how nature reflects impermance back to us, the afterlife, the death of her mother, and how her take on meditation is different from what many westerners think.

You can learn more about Venerable Jue Ji's work here: https://www.ibps-austin.org/en/news/20240302C.php

Dr. Michael J Moore is a veterinary scientist who spent his entire career studying and advocating for the North Atlantic Right Whale. This is a critically endangered species, on the brink of extinction, due in large part to commercial fishing and shipping in the waters where they live. We talk about the critical role right whales play in the ocean's biodiversity and why biodiversity is so important to human survival. We explore what it means to have a relationship with the natural world, how we can conceptualize extinction in a way that our brains can grasp, and how he's working with industry to advance fishing technology to reduce whale death and ultimately save our ecosystem.

You can learn more about Michael and his work here:

https://www.whoi.edu/news-insights/content/michael-moore/

https://www2.whoi.edu/staff/mmoore/?_gl=1%2Aa4isjz%2A_gcl_au%2AODU1NjMwNjUuMTczMjMwNTQyOQ..%2A_ga%2ANjA0MjQ3MTQwLjE3MzIzMDU0Mjk.%2A_ga_HLKFZX9JZK%2AMTczMjMwNTQyOS4xLjAuMTczMjMwNTQyOS4wLjAuMA..

You can find his book, We Are All Whalers, here: https://www.amazon.com/We-Are-All-Whalers-Responsibility/dp/022680304X

We live in a culture that avoids talking about death and Peaceful Exit is an invitation to be in candid conversation about it. In season five, host Sarah Cavanaugh is talking with writers, artists, musicians and other creatives who have explored death through their art, to help us demystify and normalize this very human experience.

There's no guarantee of a peaceful exit, but imagining into the experience you want can help build courage in the face of death. Accepting your mortality will give you a sense of peace. And it’s not all doom and gloom – there's joy, meaning, and connection to be found in exploring the messiness of death, dying, and grief. We can radically accept our eventual demise.

Learn more at https://www.peacefulexit.net/

As the show begins to switch gears a bit, from talking with authors to talking with artists, theologians, musicians, poets –creatives of all kinds – we take a moment to reflect on what we’ve learned over the years making the show. Sarah talks with Larj Media’s Principle Creative, Tina Nole, to talk about why she began these conversations and the many ways making the Peaceful Exit podcast has impacted her.

This podcast is produced by Larj Media.

As Sarah looks forward to the future of a Peaceful Exit, we take a look back at some memorable moments of the past year with some of her most impactful guests. 

Link to Katy Butler’s book:

http://www.katybutler.com/author/the-art-of-dying-well/

Link to Louisa Zondo’s book:

https://www.amazon.com/Dearest-MaRiky-Mothers-Journey-through-ebook/dp/B0C81LH954

Link to Mary-Frances O’Connor

https://maryfrancesoconnor.org/

Link to Leslie Gray Streeter

https://lesliegraystreeter.com/

Link to Michael Wiegers

https://www.coppercanyonpress.org/authors/michael-wiegers/

This podcast is produced by Larj Media.

Sarah talks with multidisciplinary artist Alixa Garcia about Alixa's transformative experiences with art, her powerful personal stories of loss, and her impassioned work in social and climate justice.  Alixa reflects on the role of imagination during times of collapse and the importance of creativity, awareness, and community in fostering resilience and healing. The episode includes an intricate exploration of grief as a ceremony and the potential for art to help heal even in the darkest places.

Steven Tomlinson, Episcopal priest, playwright, and former economist, shares his personal journey through grief and healing after the sudden loss of his partner, David. Tomlinson reflects on how community, faith, and the process of writing his play Curb Appeal helped him navigate the complexities of loss. 

With wisdom drawn from his unique career in theology, theater, and business, Steven explores the raw realities of grief, the role of love in healing, and how faith has shaped his understanding of death and resurrection. His story offers deep insights into the power of presence, the mystery of life after death, and finding peace amidst the uncertainties of loss.

This podcast is produced by Larj Media.

In this episode of Peaceful Exit, host Sarah Cavanaugh interviews Gabi Lowe, author of Get Me to 21: The Jenna Lowe Story. Gabi shares her deeply personal journey of love, loss, and resilience. Following the devastating diagnosis and eventual loss of her daughter Jenna to a rare lung condition, Gabi discusses how writing her book became both a mission to save lives and a profound act of healing. From battling South Africa’s healthcare system to becoming an advocate for pulmonary hypertension and organ donation, Gabi’s story is one of courage, strength, and the enduring impact of love. She also opens up about her husband’s current battle with cancer and reflects on the meaning of authentic resilience, offering listeners insight into coping with unimaginable challenges.

Find more of Gabi’s work at:: https://thecoachingnest.co.za/about-gabi/

The Jenna Lowe Trust : www.jennalowe.org

This podcast is produced by Larj Media.