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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli explores the mystical and emotionally charged world of 19th-century grief and belief. Joined by historian and researcher Katie Keckeisen, creator of the digital exhibit Beyond the Veil: Spiritualism in the 19th Century, they discuss the rise of Spiritualism during the Victorian era and how it shaped public mourning, personal grief, and the deep desire to stay connected with the dead. 

Together, they talk about how the Fox Sisters sparked a national movement, how Spiritualism gave women an unexpected public voice, and why post-Civil War America was especially hungry for messages from beyond.  

Key takeaways: 

• Understanding how death was ritualized 
• How new technology like the telegraph shaped metaphors for the afterlife 
• How grief gave rise to a distinctly American spirituality. 

This episode offers a powerful look at the intersection of mourning, meaning, and mysticism - inviting listeners to reexamine how we’ve historically coped with loss and longing. 

Links/Resources 

• Guest's Book Recommendation: Talking to the Dead: Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism by Barbara Weisberg
• Host: Traci Arieli’s Website – https://www.comfortingclosure.com 

 
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