In life and death, in birth and dying, community is key. We often find ourselves isolated as we move through important life events, but we can look to Caribbean traditions to discover the positive force of community and ritual. Our guest Omileye Achikeobi-Lewis, a trauma-focused counselor, writer, artist, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Doctoral Student of Chinese Daoist Medicine, and fifth-generation Vision Keeper shares with us the loss of her father and talks about the impact of the rite of 40 nights and community on her grief journey.

She is the author of the book “My Heart Flies Open” and you can read more about her and get in touch via her website.

Do you have limited listening time? We've identified especially moving parts of this episode:

• 08:20 Embracing community and ritual after a death
• 17:14 Sharing a soul retrieval practice
• 20:30 How can we cope with grief if we don’t have traditions of ritual and community? 
• 34:28 Exploring Daoist grief traditions 
• 41:45 An introduction to Omi’s book, “My Heart Flies Open”

Get your free “7 Steps to Walk Through Grief with Grace” guidebook at www.walkthroughgriefwithgrace.com

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Join the Grief and Grace private Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/176177430380895/

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Have virtual tea with Jenn! This will be an opportunity for you to get some reflection time on where you’ve been, where you are, and where you want to go. You will get some clarity, and perspective and get a chance to be deeply witnessed. 

https://calendly.com/revjenncormier/tea-with-jenn-what-s-your-big-dream?month=2023-11

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Music by Daniel Plane: www.reelcello.com

Podcast production by Caitlin Epstein

Mantra and song are powerful tools for healing and connecting with those we have lost. Join Minister of Metamorphosis Karma Cloud as she shares some of her mantras, which she ‘catches’ from nature, celestial bodies, and loved ones who have moved on and delivers to us in simple English. May you feel inspired to sing along or perhaps be inspired to listen for your own song.

You can find Karma here: [email protected] and on her Soundcloud

Receive your Free Grief Guidebook here.

Join our seasonal events: https://walkthroughgriefwithgrace.com/upcoming-events/

Do you have limited listening time? We've identified especially moving parts of this episode:

• 3:44 Song: ‘Why are We Born?’ and how song can be used to decolonize the mind
• 7:42 Song: ‘I am Here, I am Now, I am Present’ and the great accomplishment of being fully here in the now and why that is such a gift. 
• 18:34 Song: ‘I am Listening’ 
• 22.30 The streaming process of Song Catching 
• 30:35 Song catching for funerals and end of life celebrations

Get your free “7 Steps to Walk Through Grief with Grace” guidebook at www.walkthroughgriefwithgrace.com

-

Join the Grief and Grace private Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/176177430380895/

-

Have virtual tea with Jenn! This will be an opportunity for you to get some reflection time on where you’ve been, where you are, and where you want to go. You will get some clarity, and perspective and get a chance to be deeply witnessed. 

https://calendly.com/revjenncormier/tea-with-jenn-what-s-your-big-dream?month=2023-11

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Music by Daniel Plane: www.reelcello.com

Podcast production by Caitlin Epstein

Do you feel like you’re stuck in grief and life just isn’t fair? Join Lewis Mehl-Madrona M.D., Ph.D. and Barbara Mainguy M.A., the authors of “Remapping Your Mind: The Neuroscience of Self-Transformation Through Story'' (and many others) as they share how to move through grief - in community and creatively.  Come glean a perspective on how to face mortality.

You can find out more about them and get in touch via their website.

The book Lewis mentioned is “The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment”, by Babette Rothschild

Do you have limited listening time? We've identified some especially moving parts of this episode:

• 1:26 “You can’t always cure, but you can always heal”
• 3:13 Facing our own mortality
• 8:02 The role of humor and fun in healing
• 13:40 “The sublime and ridiculous” of death and dying
• 26:19 Finding balance with mind, body, spirit, and community
• 30:34 Shifting from a mainstream focus on individual healing to a culture of community healing

Get your free “7 Steps to Walk Through Grief with Grace” guidebook at www.walkthroughgriefwithgrace.com

-

Join the Grief and Grace private Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/176177430380895/

-

Have virtual tea with Jenn! This will be an opportunity for you to get some reflection time on where you’ve been, where you are, and where you want to go. You will get some clarity, and perspective and get a chance to be deeply witnessed. 

https://calendly.com/revjenncormier/tea-with-jenn-what-s-your-big-dream?month=2023-11

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Music by Daniel Plane: www.reelcello.com

Podcast production by Caitlin Epstein

Thank you for joining us here! This is a space where grieving hearts gather around stories of loss and love, where our shared humanity opens us to new perspectives and possibilities for healing and living fully once again.

The Walk Through Grief with Grace Podcast episodes are released weekly, in a unique rhythm of cycles of 7 episodes. The first four episodes of each series are engaging conversations as you might expect from any podcast. The 5th episode of the series is a Cultural Story or Mythical Tale, and the 6th revolves around Love. The final 7th episode of each cycle features a guided meditation or visualization to help you pause, look inward, and soothe your nervous system - a necessity for healing and growth.

Rev Jenn Cormier is a Grief Guide who brings twenty years of experience in the Healing Arts to clients who are moving through life transitions, celebrations and grief. Her background includes degrees in fine art and art history, collaborative performance work, and somatic and mindfulness training. You can find out more about Jenn's grief work at www.walkthroughgriefwithgrace.com 

The music in this podcast is gifted by Daniel Plane, a multi-instrumentalist whose musical palette ranges from classical music to jazz and bluegrass. His teaching artistry can be explored at www.stringlingo.com. His musical artistry can be found at www.reelcello.com or at live shows around the United States. Daniel currently resides in Wisconsin with his wife and two daughters.

The podcast is produced by Caitlin Epstein, a media specialist who edits, promotes, and publishes podcasts. She also provides website development, photography, social media management, and graphic design services to clients in the US and the UK.